Wednesday, June 09, 2004

Pete In Thailand: McGee Confirms It

NME Reports:

THE LIBERTINES' PETE DOHERTY has flown out to Thailand for an intense rehab program. The guitarist walked out of the Priory earlier this week, and on Monday (June 7) played his final show with the band before jetting East for treatment. Pete will undergo a rigorous course of rehab at the Thamkrabok Monastery. The Monastery claim to provide one of the most successful detoxification and rehabilitation programs in the world, having treated over 100,000 patients since its inception in 1958. Writing online, the band's manager Alan McGee said: "We flew Peter to Thailand last night. To be honest his mum, Carlos and myself can't believe he did it but he (is) a man of many surprises. If he's going to get clean permanently anywhere it's in this place. "We kept him at The Priory under a different name this last week to avoid people staring at his recovery but deep down we knew he wasn't buying. We cleaned him up as best we could and he (of) his own accord agreed to go off to Thailand. "What happens to the group in the long term who knows as in any event the man we sent out there will come back a different man. He wanted to change and has done something about it. All we ask of you people is keep the faith in Peter Doherty and The Libertines. "Carlos last night told me Peter's health comes before the band and again you have to love the man left in the UK. The (tabloid press) will no doubt be all on our case today but to say we all jumped for joy last night when his escort texted me and said we are on the plane and all systems are go would be the understatement of this year. "The man may be away for a month, he may even reject the west and not return. Who knows. All I hope for is he kills his demons and gets better and finds a happy life in The Libertines or in Thailand or wherever happiness lies for him. To be honest his health is the most important thing to everyone involved."