Siams' CM@ nightclub raided and busted

[JJsushi]

Gadfly1 said:

 

This is also not going down well with Thais well either, which is why I disagree with your comment:

Yes that is all great in theory but the reality is that Thailand marches to it's own drum. You can talk all you want about constitutions, laws, rights and expectations...

Only one person is beating the drum, and plenty of Thais don't dig the beat. This is not a Thai vs. Farang issue - in Bangkok now many Thais are becoming quite vocal in their objections to what is happening.

 

 

You don't have to agree with my comment. The fact remains that Thailandis marching to it's own beat under the current administration. That is the reality, regardless of how other Thais feel too.

 

 

 

I also realize that it had been getting better, until about 3 years or so ago. The trend had been heading in the right direction. In other words, what we are seeing now is even objectionable by Thai "standards" - if you believe different standards should apply (I don't).

 

What I believe in regards to standards is irrelevant. I just accept the fact that things are the way they are. I am not a Thai citizen and I have to be prudent and protect myself as well as I can given the current environment. Which means that I will carry around proper identification, don't imbibe in narcotics, make sure my visa is current and if shit gets out of hand I will be on the first flight back to the USA.

 

 

There is no law against adults going to a disco in Thailand. Law is thin here, but all sense of perspective is lost when it is suggested that there is no law here. That is not the case.

 

Come now and let's not be trite. We are not talking about being in a disco is illegal. You very well know that prostitution and narcotics use are illegal in Thailand. You also very well know that is why the police chose that venue. So to feign shock, indignation or outrage is plain silly. The unwritten rules that foreigners are off limits has changed and it is the responsibility of those foreigners who partake in the scence to adapt to those changes.

 

You are debating from the basis of the right and wrongs of the situation. I am debating from the basis that what occured in CM2 is the current reality so you have a choice to play along and accept the hassles or continue under the past guidlines and possibly bring trouble upon yourself.

[SingaporeSteve]

Perhaps the bigger issue here is the responsibility of said nightclub management to manage their own affairs correctly and how this links in with the whole issue of zoning etc and management responsibility to ensure correct laws are followed. Here the police can say that even ina well respected FOREIGN run hotel, they cannot run a tight ship. If they had not tolerated these seemingly semi-permanent fixtures of Rusian Hookers, then the police would not have had a reason to bust it. Personally I have not been to CM2 for about 18 months but Suadam seems to be aware of them so its fair to say the management should have been given that they are there every night.

 

From now on, I would suspect that the nightclub security staff in all the big hotels are going to looking very carefully at non Thai women who come on a daily basis and are seen leaving in the company of different men every night. Nothing surprising behind this - whenever you hear of a prostitution ring bust, they are invariably Eastern Europeans that get collared. Timing is interesting though coming just before April 1st supposed announcement time.

 

From a customer perspective I would be pissed off at the management of the hotel more than the police in this scenario. They have a duty of care to follow the laws. They have not and have allowed either knowingly or unknowingly (but thats immaterial, as they have the responsibility in law) allowed an Eastern European ring to set up and work from the nightclub. When the police bust the club that inconveniences me as a user who is paying a premium price to enjoy a supposedly safe and legal environment. I guess thats whats irked a lot of posters here even though it does not seem to have been directly mentioned. Its almost how can they bust a well run joint like the Novotel. Well the police have just proved it aint so well run.

 

Of course none of this takes account of the huge amount of other illegal activity in Bangkok but thats neither here nor there in the police minds.

 

Cheers

[Hardy641]

>>Come now and let's not be trite. We are not talking about being in a disco is illegal. You very well know that prostitution and narcotics use are illegal in Thailand. <<

Are you serious about that? It actually means, that being farang, I actually can?t go anywhere without putting me into risk of being raided, forced to piss, having to bribe the coppers, and last but not least seeing my face in the press the next day, because there is hardly any ?hooker free? farang entertainment venue in Bangkok.

 

>>You also very well know that is why the police chose that venue<<

Sounds like CM2 is Sodom and Gomorra of Bangkok. However, the Nation stated in their Friday?s edition that there were over 300+ people and none was tested positive. They just found one underage patron according to the Bangkok Post and closed (or will close) the place for 30 days. Not because of drugs or prostitution! Really a tremendous offence! ::

 

>>So to feign shock, indignation or outrage is plain silly.<<

I think everybody paying 500+ THB to enjoy a fun night in a mainstream disco and getting into a raid conducted without real evidence and reason has the right to be outraged.

Such actions are typical for totalitarian states but not for democracies as they have severe impact on the rights of an individual that are guaranteed by the constitution.

[Hardy641]

Don?t think that Russian prostitutes were the reason for this raid. If so, they could just have discreetly checked the passports of the farang females without having to close the whole place down and forcing everyone into a drug test. Not to mention the impertinence of asking for bribes from people not carrying a passport. If this is the law in Thailand and they want to enforce it they can go ahead. But then they have to take all foreigners without passport into custody. I really would love to read the international press reporting about Thaksin?s Thailand as a place where every foreigner, who doesn?t carry his passport day and night, risks to be arrested. Can?t think of a better promotion for tourism!

[jxxxl]

"I think everybody paying 500+ THB to enjoy a fun night..."

 

500 baht in CM2 will get you about 1 1/2 drinks. The place is very upmarket and I've seen some well-to-do young Thais there. This is not the kind of place you would ever expect to be raided, it would be like raiding Spasso.

 

I go to CM2 every time I visit and the place seems like it's pretty well run. The manager is a Farang (not like that's a big deal, but he's a professional hotel manager type) and they are very strict about ids. The crowd is mostly well kept FLs and business travellers. There are a fair number of Ruskie hookers but they aren't the street walker type.

 

I would think if the police wanted to send a public message in the context of social order, it would have been much more effective to raid a place like Nana Disco.

[SingaporeSteve]

Hardy641 said:

Don?t think that Russian prostitutes were the reason for this raid. If so, they could just have discreetly checked the passports of the farang females without having to close the whole place down and forcing everyone into a drug test. Not to mention the impertinence of asking for bribes from people not carrying a passport. If this is the law in Thailand and they want to enforce it they can go ahead. But then they have to take all foreigners without passport into custody. I really would love to read the international press reporting about Thaksin?s Thailand as a place where every foreigner, who doesn?t carry his passport day and night, risks to be arrested. Can?t think of a better promotion for tourism!

 

Have you ever been to CM2 - Its not easy to discretely check anything - its too large and the wrong layout. Its difficult enough finding the toilets let alone making sure no farang women slip out of your net. No other choice but to turn off the music and lights on.

 

I don't disagree with your post concerning passports at all - most guys there would not even have their passports I suspect, nor would they expect to be required to show them in such a venue. Thats the damage however I suspect not much of it will get out in the wider context. Visiting businessman not likely to complain too loudly about passport checks in case their bosses catch wind of it and say "what the f**k was the guy doing in there in the middle of the week when he told us he had back to back meetings in Bangkok" :: As Toxin says, all good boys should be in bed by 10.00pm with their hot chocolate and cookie

[Chanchao]

 

> Don?t think that Russian prostitutes were the reason for this raid.

> If so, they could just have discreetly checked the passports of the

> farang females without having to close the whole place down and

> forcing everyone into a drug test.

 

Erm.. I don't think Russian prostitutes were the reason either, but for a different reason: How on Earth are you going to prove that certain tourists are there for the purpose of finding a customer? Based solely on their country of origin? Even in Thailand that's a non-starter. So it's rather murky about just what they hoped to achieve by raiding the place?

 

Note that last Friday I posted an account by someone who was actually there and who got testes and tested positive. It's in the general section but the topic was closed for some reason (?). Still an interesting read, it's still there. Topic is something like "Accuracy of drug tests?, posted by me."

 

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Old Hippie]

So what course of action is taken against a Farang who tests positive? There has never been any accurately documented response to this important question...

[JJsushi]

Hardy the whole point is that CM2 was raided for whatever reasons the authorities raided it. To figure out the why and complain about Thailand not acting like a true democratic state is plain silly in my opinion. This type of shit is happening in Thailand so as a farang you have to be on your guard because it IS the CURRENT reality. The war on drugs, war on dark influences, Soi 10 demolition and nightlife closing enforcement should have been obvious signs that there are new rules in place. What ever the procedure was 2 weeks ago or 5 years ago is irrelevant. Keep in mind that if you come to LOS and enter the redlight areas you may be involved in a raid on a farang establishment. You as a farang visitor have limited rights and you better play along with the new rules or you ass may get in trouble.

 

I never saw the point in complaining about another mans rules for his country. I also think the same when playing at a casino. House rules are house rules. I don't have to visit or live in LOS and I definitely have no influence in social policy. I simply play by their rules.

[..]

Bravo JJ!!! Awesome. I could not have said it better myself. A lamp of intelligence in this fog of self-righteous idiocy.

 

And as far as those detained without a passport goes, it's the law that you must carry it. And just like dropping fag ends, if ya get caught, ya pay the price. Their house, their rules. Didn't anyone's mommy teach them that? Mine sure did! Pounded it into my head, in fact.

 

To all: FYI, no I do not carry my passport as I feel the risks outweigh the benefits. But I know there there could be trouble if I get caught. I (maybe naively) believe that any such trouble I get into can be remedied with a phone call. YMMV, especially if you do not live here and know Thais who can AND WILL help in that kind of situation (i.e., high ranking MiBs, politicians, influential business people, etc.).

 

Cheers,

SD