Ever wondered if foreign countries law could get you arrested in a foreign country? We all love travelling, it is something that we all want to do in our future when we have enough cash saved up, or for those who are fortunate and work hard, they can travel more often than others. But we must always keep in mind that whenever we are travelling, those countries have their own laws, and laws are not meant to be broken, not by anyone, even by tourists, because you should have done your research.
If you can research on what destinations and locations to visit while you are at that foreign country, which hotel to stay for budget cost or which is the most luxurious hotel, then you can surely do some research on what the laws are that should be known by all. Holidays are meant to be fun and we must achieve it, but it is important to know the laws so you don’t accidentally break them and land yourself a spot in prison. Here are some weird and seemingly normal things that can get you arrested in a foreign country!
Travelling With Medication
Travelling with medication is known as something that can stop your trip, but there are certain other medications that are also banned in certain other countries, such as cough syrups, etc. The list goes on and on, but what is important is that whenever you need to travel with medication, especially important ones, you need to get your doctor’s letter of prescription to prove that it is for you and you need it.
Witnessing A Fight
A British woman in Dubai had witnessed a fight in her hotel lobby, even though she just witnessed and did not participate, she was unfortunately charged with assault and theft and she remains stranded in the country facing jail time. The story goes like this, the woman’s friends had been reportedly taking selfies with a man who was sleeping on the sofa. When the man awoke, he was said to be punching the men who was he believed was mocking him. So and so, the woman was arrested later even though she did not do anything. This is one of the weirdest things that can get you arrested in a foreign country.
Crossing The Road At The Wrong Time
There is a term called “jaywalking” that is used in America. It is an act of crossing the road when you are not supposed to cross, it is a criminal offence. However, it is seen as a low level offence and is usually handled by issuing a fine, nevertheless it is still illegal. The enforcement methods will differ between the states in America. Some might only be fined for $1 for the first, second and third, then $2 for their fourth and any subsequent jaywalking offences within the year.
Vaping And Other E-cigarettes
Better not get you arrested in a foreign country like Thailand! Vaping and using e-cigarettes may be an alternative, not necessarily a better one, but when travelling to Thailand, it is not allowed. Travellers who are found with vaporisers, e-cigarettes, e-baraku or even refills will most likely be confiscated, and the traveller could be fined or sent to prison for up to a whopping 10 years if convicted. So keep the vaping and e-cigarettes at home and not when you are travelling, or anywhere else but Thailand.
Sex
The process of making babies, we all love doing it, whenever and possibly wherever, but in Abu Dhabi and various other UAE countries, you should know that having sex outside of marriage is against the law, and if caught doing so, you will get arrested on charges of having sex outside of marriage. So keep it extremely private if you decide on doing so, and you should just keep the funsies outside of UAE countries if you are not married.
Purchasing Alcohol
Again, in Thailand, it is illegal to make any purchase of alcohol outside of the certain hours that allows the purchase of alcohol. The country’s “blue laws” restricts certain activities in order to observe times of rest, technically it is illegal to make any purchase of alcohol from a bar, restaurant or anywhere else outside of lunch time between 11:00 AM to 2:00PM and dinner time after 5:00PM. But it doesn’t say anything about using it outside those times. Yes, these are many things that could get you arrested in a foreign country like Thailand.
Not Smiling
In Italy, specifically Milan, you are punishable by a fine if you are frowning. It is according to an old law which had not been overturned, it is genuinely illegal to not smile. The only people that this law does not apply to is the people who are in hospitals and for those who are attending funerals, those are the people who are not governed by the fun police. Nevertheless, you should be happy when you are on holiday, so no need to be frowning.
Certain Tattoos
Certain tattoos are against the law in certain countries, for example, in Sri Lanka, any tattoo that resembles or is related to Buddha that is found on you will prevent you from entering the country or even deported, so be respectful of their culture if you wish to visit their country. There are also other rules, mainly do not pose for pictures standing in front of a statue of Buddha, it is frowned upon.
Swearing
The worst thing to get you arrested in a foreign country is your inability to hold your gap! Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to swear? But seriously, we are so accustomed to swearing to express ourselves better, but in Australia especially in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales, they are popular tourist destinations, but in these places, swearing is called “summary offence” and that means if you get arrested and charged, your case could be heard by a magistrate or a judge, not a jury. In Queensland and Victoria, if found guilty, it could land you 6 months in prison.
Flushing The Toilet At Night
Flushing is kinda loud, we know when sometimes our own roommate or family members get up in the night and head to the bathroom, then they flush and we get woken up. In Switzerland, flushing at night after 10:00 PM is against the law. It is deemed to be noise pollution, and it interrupts our sleep. So if you need to go to the bathroom, go ahead but just remember not to flush.
Conclusion
Here you have it, what not to do to not get you arrested in a foreign country. Now that you know all these strange laws from other countries, it is best to keep them in mind, or in general to do your research on the local laws to prevent any trouble with the law when you are there to have a good time. Of course, when you are on your holiday, it is a time to have a good time and not to worry. Allianz Travel Care is offering travel insurance to take away all of your travelling worries, starting from a price of just only RM 16/trip, visit PolicyStreet.com to know more.
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