A 49-year-old Norwegian citizen of Vietnamese origin was sentenced to two years and one month in prison by Bangkok South Criminal Court on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, for possessing and using methamphetamine. The court also imposed a fine of 45,000 baht.
The Norwegian, who came to Norway as a child after the Vietnam War, had pleaded guilty to possessing nearly seven grams of crystalline methamphetamine, commonly known as *ice*, and to using the drug.
The court initially sentenced him to four years in prison for possession and two months for drug use, together with a fine of 90,000 baht. Because he confessed to both offences, the sentences and fine were reduced by half.
“I think it is unfair,” the Norwegian commented after hearing the verdict.
The judge informed him that he had the right to appeal within one month. However, his lawyer indicated that an appeal was unlikely. Instead, he intends to seek a reduction of the sentence through future royal pardons, which he believes may offer several opportunities during the coming year.
The Norwegian man’s Thai wife attended the hearing together with Norwegian missionary Knut Hallen, who relayed the court interpreter’s Danish translation of the proceedings in Norwegian.
The Norwegian expressed disappointment with the Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok. He said he had specifically requested consular assistance but no embassy representative had contacted him at any point since his arrest.
Asked by ScandAsia to comment on his allegations, Norwegian Consul Sandra Fjelsrud neither confirmed nor disputed his claim that he had received no consular assistance since his arrest.
“The embassy is bound by duty of confidentiality and cannot comment on your request,” the consul replied.
The Norwegian man was arrested during a visit to Thailand with his wife earlier this year. He subsequently spent 11 days in custody before being released on bail of 200,000 baht.
Under the sentence, he must pay the reduced fine of 45,000 baht. If it remains unpaid when he has served his prison term, he faces additional detention calculated at 500 baht per day. If the fine is settled, he may be able to return to Norway following his release, subject to the applicable immigration procedures.
Following the hearing, the 49-year-old man was taken directly from the courtroom to the court’s detention facilities to await transfer to prison later in the day.
