Jump to content

Thailand's Army Declares War On 'vice'


cavanami
 Share

Recommended Posts

Thailand's army declares war on 'vice'

 

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/07/thailand-army-declares-war-vice-201471782245869843.html

 

Paphatya Poonpratin - a 25-year-old office worker in Bangkok - felt pleased about the evening news on television last week.

 

One report showed military officers raiding an illegal gambling den as the culprits frantically tried to escape. In another segment, soldiers rounded up and handcuffed the organisers of a cock-fighting ring.

 

"I also hope the new military government will strictly crack down on other illegal activities," said Paphatya, a supporter of Thailand's recent military coup.

 

Less than two months after seizing power, the military government has promised an unprecedented war on vice, as supporters and an increasingly restricted media laud the return of law and order. Meanwhile, critics complain of heavy-handed tactics targeting political opponents.

Last month, a crackdown on the country's estimated two to three million undocumented foreigners working in Thailand led to the largest mass migration in Southeast Asia since the Indochina wars in the 1970s.

 

The Cambodian government said 250,000 people fled across the border in just 18 days, as rights groups and senior officials in Phnom Penh complained of abuses by Thai soldiers...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I first came to Thailand, I thought it was refreshing to live in a place that was a little lawless and little wild wild west. That curiosity wore off fairly fast when I realized very few of the loopholes or ignored laws applied to easy-target foreigners.

 

When I stop for people in a crosswalk, they look bemused at the novelty. I miss an organized society that respects the rule of law where actions have consequences.

 

I'm pro-coup for the moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Better get out my weekly agenda and cross out planned vice activity impacted by the crackdown: uh, cockfighting, not really my thing. No illegal gambling den visits planned this week, so that's a relief. Political activity replaced by Angry Birds anyway, and I'm not doing any working, documented or otherwise.

This is clearly the kind of crackdown I can get behind with enthusiasm, or at least ignore with confidence. Although I'm reminded of the words of a hoary Pattaya vet sitting at the end of a whorey Pattaya bar some time ago, just after the Thaksin/Purachai Purges reduced the nightlife gutters to pale shadows of the dark shadows of nightlife gutters they had once been. Three moves from victory in a five-baht Connect-4 game, he turned to me and intoned the following:

First they came for the Illegal Gambling Den Attenders, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not an Illegal Gambling Den Attender.

Then they came for nightlife establishments that permitted persons under the age of 20 or stayed open after 2 am, and I did not speak out—

because I was not a nightlife establishment that permitted persons under the age of 20 or stayed open after 2 am.

Then they came for the yaba dealers and consumers, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a yaba dealer or consumer.

Then they came for the alcoholic mid-afternoon punters at my favorite blowjob bar —and there was no one left to speak for me. Like, literally, she was physically unable to speak for me for a few minutes. And then she spit in a towel and rinsed her mouth with antiseptic, and explained that all was in good, clean, minty-fresh fun.

Those cock-fighting rings, man, it's all in where you place the hyphen these days.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...