vegasdave49 Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 do you think for a minute that the xenophobe Thias would put up with US threats.They are doing just fine with japan, and now china as trading partners. Also do you think for a minute the mutinationals that take advantage of Thia labor to make their products are going to allow the US to stop them. As far as the protest goes I hope that it has a the desired effect. I am confident that most all the bars will indeed be closed. It should make the international news circuit a couple of times and that hopefully will make the boneheads in charge take a second look at what they are doing. There is no doubt that it is time to play hardball and I think the owners all know that they are in for a big fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazingStarz Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 This has nothing to do with human rights, what total horse shit, if the US wanted to play silly buggers they could do it over copyright infringements on software, movies, music, shooting drug dealers (Doh!) etc. The protests and closing issues are about TRT regime wanting to impose "social order" and control upon its visitors and residents. How does random urine testing in Q Bar and CM2 have anything to do with human slave trade. Bollox is all I have to say to some of the bollox said here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 I doubt this will work this time. There is too much at stake, the main state being Thailand's trade with the US. Thailand has been told to clean up their act regarding human trading. If no improvements are made and if Thailand should slide downwards just an inch, the US could impose trade embargoes. This has nothing to do with the threat of US trade embargoes. The US and Thailand are currently negotiating a Free Trade Agreement. The first meeting already happened, and the second is scheduled for later this month. This wouldn't be happening if a trade embargo was looming. From the US side there are three key issues: (1) enforcement of intellectual property rights; (2) getting Thai customs to clean up its act (this is a good thing - anyone here ever dealt with Thai customs?); and (3) the Amity Treaty. The big issue for US investors is the Amity Treaty; specifically, folding the current benefits given US businesses under the US-Thai Treaty Amity into a Free Trade Agreement. Investors from only one country are exempt from the Thailand's Alien Business Law, and that is the US. Because only the US is exempt, the favorable treatment given to US investors violates the WTO's equal treatment requirements. But if the favorable treatment is part of a Free Trade Agreement, it doesn't violate WTO rules. Hence, the need from the US side for a Free Trade Agreement. If this sounds confusing, think of the EU, which is a technically a currency union (essentially the same thing as a large Free Trade Agreement), and how Germany can give benefits to investors and traders from other EU members that it does not give to trade and investors outside the EU. Art 24 of GATT carves out an exception from the equal treatment rule for Free Trade Agreements and Currency Unions. I have been following this closely for business reasons, and I have not once heard anyone mention Thailand's "nightlife". Besides, what do closing times have to do with human trafficking? They are not that stupid at the US Embassy to confuse closing times for bars and lewd shows with human trafficking - it's like comparing apples with oranges. The crackdown is driven solely by domestic politics. It has nothing to do with US pressure or sound policies. It is politics pure and simple. There is an election coming up next February in Thailand, TRT's popularity is waning, and they demonstrated earlier this week that they are willing to play the populist card to the max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Gadfly, you are mixing apples with oranges. Some of the problem also seem to be that not everybody reads the local newspaper. A few days ago, it was in the paper that the Phuket govenor claimed one of the reason for early bar closures was because of prostitution. It was also mentioned that by closing bars earlier, there should be less women from the north coming to Phuket to work as prostitutes. As for the US indicating that if Thailand does not clean up their act in this area, there might be a trade embargo - that also has been in the paper many times. That has nothing to do with trade negotiations going on right now but has to deal with the State department. As for Thailand caring what the US says - only look at Burma, especially since the US trade embargos started being enforced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
follies Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Swishtz I did not say it was a joke, I just said I did not think it would happen IMO. "No one will open"......care to bet on that???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazingStarz Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 The Phuket Entertainment Group have posted notices to all businesses. People may open, they will not open for long if they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jxxxl Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Mighty Mouse, You have apples and oranges in your head mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jxxxl Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Gadfly, Good post and interesting stuff. The human trafficking issue comes from a comment made by the Phuket Gov. when he was commenting on the bar strike. He made some bullshit comment that the main purpose of the social order campaign was to curtail prostitution and the (supposed) resulting human trafficking. It's gonna be fun to see how this plays out. I hope no one gets hurt, I'm not sure how that could happen for chosing to keep your bar closed. I have a sense that the govt. could get really nasty this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibblies Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 jxxxl said:It's gonna be fun to see how this plays out. I hope no one gets hurt, I'm not sure how that could happen for chosing to keep your bar closed. I have a sense that the govt. could get really nasty this time. Eh? What do you mean? That they'll get really nasty by forcing bars to open?:: That with Thaksin acting like a big kid, the bar owners are right to try a bit of reverse psychology? lol. It'd be bloody brilliant if it worked! :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jxxxl Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 I read something from the Rock Hard site that said bar owners that don't comply with the strike may be met with violence - something about baseball bats. I can't imagine how things could get violent with the police for just keeping your bar closed, but I do think the government outside Phuket will be watching closely. I agree, it will be brill if it works, and I hope it does. It's a pretty seroius threat from the bar owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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