Mum's stark warning to Brit tourists after son held in Thailand on drugs charges
Michelle Swain, 57, says her family went through hell when they received a call from her son saying he had been arrested at Phuket airport by immigration officers
The mother of a man held at a Thai airport after a bag of cocaine was found in his passport has issued a stark warning to anyone travelling to Thailand.
Last year Jamie Louis Swain, then 29, from Stevenage, planned a trip to Thailand with his brother in May but what was supposed to be a relaxing holiday turned into a nightmare for Jamie and his family. When the brothers landed at Phuket International Airport Jamie was pulled aside when an immigration officer noticed a small plastic bag with white powder in his passport.
Officers said that Jamie started swearing and shaking, which prompted authorities to conduct further checks. He was arrested after officials scanned his luggage and tested the substance found in his passport and confirmed it was 0.42 grams of cocaine.
He was said to be facing up to 20 years in jail under Thailand's Narcotics Act, but after a court hearing in July he was deported back to the UK. He avoided a stint behind bars but was ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 baht (£1,137).
Michelle Swain, 57, says her family went through hell when they received a call from her son saying he had arrived at Phuket island for his much-anticipated holiday only to be arrested at immigration.
Speaking to MailOnline, Ms Swain has detailed the traumatic incident, alleging that it was a 'set up'. She said: "People say it's because I'm his mum I don't believe it, but to get through two airports and the fact it's happened to other people, I just feel that it was a set up.
"I can't help that, I know I'm his mum, and I'm not silly I know they're all doing this and it all goes on, I'm not naive I've got three boys. But I just feel like to get through two airports and then suddenly this bag appears, and he'd had his passport out all that time, I just find it very strange."
She said her son was then held in a 'holding cell' for around two days before being let out on bail. She had flown out to Phuket on the same night he had been detained, and says the 'awful' experience had her worried he would be jailed in a foreign jail.
The mother-of-three said: "He said there was no water, no food, nothing. He was in there about two days then he got bail. It wasn't a high bail amount. He then had to stay there [in Phuket] for three months at least, they wouldn't let him go. He had a court date at the end of July and he got fined. "
Ms Swain explained how he eventually got deported and flew home at the beginning of August. She was initially warned by solicitors he could face up to a year behind bars, but he was released on bail for the equivalent of £250, and was fined just over £1,000.
Ms Swain had a stark warning for other Brit tourists heading to Thailand. She said while the country and the people are 'beautiful' and 'friendly', travellers 'should be careful'. She said: 'It was just meant to be a nice holiday. It could happen to any young boys going out there. There's nothing you can do, you can be careful, but if that happens there's nothing you can do about it."
She added: "It is frightening for the youngsters, it's happening all the time out there. It was just an awful experience, I wouldn't want to put anyone ever through that. I would never wish it on anyone. The worry alone was terrible. It's a shame he had to go through that really, it can ruin people's lives. I don't think they see the damage it can do to young boys' lives."
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