The paltry fine comes after Ms Smirnova was held two days in detention at Chalong Police Station as she could not raise the B100,000 set by police to be released on bail, even though police held her passport as precaution against “flight risk”.
Ms Smirnova was finally released on Feb 21 after a “friend” posted the B100,000, but paid to Phuket Provincial Court. (See story here.)
“She was presented in court this morning and fined B1,000,” Chalong Police Chief Col Krittapas Det-intarasorn confirmed to The Phuket News today.
“We will send her to Immigration next because now the court and the police have done our duty already. Immigration will take care of this case from now on,” he added.
However, Col Krittapas could not confirm when Ms Smirnova will be present to Phuket Immigration for further processing, or whether or not the bail had been returned to the friend.
An officer at the main Phuket Immigration office in Phuket Town, who declined to be named, said he was unaware of Ms Smirnova’s predicament.
“I have to wait for Chalong Police to contact me. It is standard procedure for any foreigners found guilty of any crime to be brought to Phuket Immigration,” the officer told The Phuket News this afternoon.
“Immigration officers consider the factors in each case. If it is not serious a issue, Immigration will release the foreigner. For feeding fish, I have no idea,” he said.
Vladimir Sosnov, head of consular section of the Russian Embassy in Thailand, noted that the “punishment was minimal”.
“We consider the court’s decision on this case satisfactory. Right now we are working on sending the tourist home, as she missed her flight because of the trial,” he said.
Additional reporting by Tanyaluk Sakoot and Anton Makhrov.