Has anyone ever been asked to send bail money?

Over the years IтАЩve seen most of the Thai Guys appeals for money such as dead buffaloes, storm damaged roofs, sick mothers etc etc. But IтАЩve just had an email from a Thai guy which IтАЩd not heard of before. He says heтАЩs in prison for drunk driving (a motorcycle) and needs 7000 THB for bail or he will will have to stay in prison for 15 days. He says he frightened and in a cell with a drug addict. He says he will also loose his job.

What do you think? Genuine or is this another ploy that people have heard of.

As far as IтАЩm aware heтАЩs honest when IтАЩm with him as heтАЩs absolutely hopeless at telling lies to my face but a Facebook message is another matter and he does ask for money occasionally but I always refuse.

I was interested to note, however, that the latest friend added to his Facebook list this morning is a Policeman from PattayaтАж

If he in cell already, how he contacts you then? Do you think it is possible to phone/sms/email from Thai cell? If he isn't in cage yet, how he knows who will be mate in cell ("with drug addict")?

He wrote that the Facebook messages were done on friend's mobile but I've no idea if that's possible in a Thai jail. That's why I was asking if anybody had heard of this ploy before. I've tried to call him but without success.

Probably a ploy! Ask which "Monkey House" he is in, if it is local to you go there in person otherwise just move on.

Mobile phones are not allowed in local jails or prisons.

It's a common scam.

If he can send an email then he'll be able to send a pic of his surroundings. I'd be asking for that.

I've encountered a similar situation before, but in my case my friend was in the jail at the local police station. Contact rules were very lax and it would have been quite possible to loan him the use of my phone while he was locked up. If I were you, I'd tend to believe him, but if suspicious you might visit the local police station and ask the desk officer if the story makes sense and then act accordingly.

If he's been caught drunk driving, then let him stay in prison. That's where he belongs.

I'm with a447. Hope he learns his lesson because otherwise the next time he might ride his bike under a lorry. But it does sound like a scam to me.

True, 15 days is not a long time. He'll probably be out before this topic has run its course, or the OP has figured out how to get the money to him.
On the other hand, 700 baht is hardly a large amount ... hardly enough to start a worried post asking for advice about it.
WTF .... Pay the poor kid 700 baht and demand 3 or 4 blowjobs.