Tug-of-love dad freed from Thailand prison

● Edinburgh father to return home with his son after release

An Edinburgh dad has been released from a Thai prison 43 days after trying to rescue his “kidnapped” son.

Jodie Smith, 41, from South Queensferry, called relieved mum Lidia Smith, 67, to say: “I’m out. They’ve let me go.”

Mr Smith, who has been behind bars in Thailand since he was charged in February, will now fly home with tenyear-old son Joleon.

It is reported that Jodie’s estranged wife, Jintra Jummaimuang Smith, 31, who is accused of fleeing Scotland with their son, settled the custody row and secured his release.

She reportedly plans to follow them home to South Queensferry, having helped to secure Jodie’s release.

And Jodie has warned his mum not to give Jintra a frosty reception when she returns to assume shared custody of

0 Jodie Smith had travelled to Thailand in the hopes of bringing son Joleon home after he was taken abroad by his mother Joleon. Speaking to a national newspaper, Lidia said: “His exact words were that Jintra wants to come back to Britain. He told me, ‘Don’t have a go at her as we want to look to the future and not the past’.

“The fact is that Jodie would never have been in Thailand in the first place had it not been that he was desperate to see his son again.

“In the past 48 hours, Jodie and Jintra have been talking through what happened, and theyhaveagreedthatalthough they are separated it is important that their son has both of them in their lives.

“Jodie’s lost 43 days of his life in prison since 22 February, but at least he’s now safe.”

Mr Smith was detained at Bangkok Airport trying to bring son Joleon back to Scotland.

The carer, who had fears his son was being neglected, managed to locate his son in Jintra’s home country.

However, Jodie was charged with abduction and trespassing and was held in Sakon Nakhon Prison.

Lidia told of her delight and revealed she is counting the days until the family is reunited – including Jodie’s pregnant fiancée, Vikki .

Recalling the conversation, Lidia said: “The call came out of the blue after more than a month of silence, and suddenly my son was talking to me. He told me he had been freed from prison and he was with Joleon.

“His first words were, ‘Mum, I’m out. They’ve let me go’.

“Initially I felt disbelief, then I was overwhelmed with relief and then I cried.

“I won’t be able to rest until he and Joleon are safely back home, which will be a few days.”

The couple have been separated for six-and-a-half years and previously shared custody.

Until 30 November, Joleon spent on average five nights a week with his father.