Gadfly Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 I am sure most of us here can recall what happened to Bangkok's nightlife when Khun Prachai was the Minister of the Interior during Thaksin's first government. No showing, midnight closing times and grannie dresses in go go bars. Oh, and around this same time, a drug war that took over 2,500 lives in a scant three months. I believe this got slightly more press than the midnight closing times. Thailand has a new elected government, we know who will be the Minister of the Interior and we even know a bit about this gentlemen and his sons (care of the BBC). What will he be like? An article in this week's edition of The Economist warns of another drug war. Several sites echo tihs warning and provide interesting background on the new Minister of the Interior (e.g.,Ajarn Site, Bangkok Pundit, The Nation), but what, if anything (hopefully nothing) can Bangkok's nightlife expect? Seriously putting all other issues aside (seriuosly), anyone have any insights or guesses about we can expect? My hope is no change of the status quo, but then I don't always get what I hope for. Anyone have any insight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 he used to play regularly pool in Soi Cowboy (no joke!). certainly his personal attitude towards nightlife is totally different than Prachai's. but i do not think that Chalerm can keep this assignment for a long time! probably now his sons will get top posts in the police as well. they failed a couple of years ago with faked military exemption certificates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibblies Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 I've just looked up what happened in that Duang (Chalerm's son) murder case. (I hadn't kept track of the story.) How disgusting, even for Thailand. Dozens of people, including police officers, saw Duang shoot a police officer at point blank range while his brother Wan held the officer down. Duang was found not guilty while his brother Wan was found guilty of assault. (Wan got a one year suspended sentence and a 1,000 THB fine.) Strangely, although Duang was found not guilty, according to the police officer's widow, he offered to compensate her with money. (She refused to take it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 thanks for warming up this old story! it just shows what people Thaksin use to have in his government! another chapter are the members of the Khunpluem (kamnan phor, king of chonburi) family, who were ministers in Thaksin's last government... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeppelin Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 If he's seriously considering another War on Drugs, that could lead to a knock on effect of clubs being raided once again for piss tests, although the wider implications for the War on Drugs troubles me more with the extrajudicial killings. I believe in the PPP's run-up to the election they (Taksin's lawyer, Noppadon, I think) were touting the ridicules figure of attracting 40,000,000 tourists a year once they got in. With a figure like that they should be trying anything to attract them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 During the last war, didn't the police get a cut of the assets of the supposed drug dealers? It was convenient that the dead suspects could not fight back in court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanaHunter Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Just a quiick note of rewiew and CORRECTION.The raging on nightlife was in response to the F-inbg Demo's in BKK... The Dumb Fu*ks are making money hand over foot on the dars side of BKK yet they could onle find that to complain about! Purachai Pimsomboom.... that was the name to be posted. I was hanging on Soi Bangla the night he was touring the GoGos with about 3 deep police and plainclothers body guards surrounding him... That was in the old days of Rock Hard right on the inland corner and there must have been 30 naked maidens appeasing the drunken punters when he went in for less that 2 min! Yep, Purachai Pimsomboom, and we haven't recovered from the guy, yet. He go transfer to some other job>>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 dear Nanahunter you have no clue what you are writing about! Purachai withdrawed from Politics long time ago! He is one of the few members of Thaksin's old cabinet who is capable and intelligent enough NOT be dependent on Thaksin's money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 You are correct about the name - I got it wrong; it should be, as you say, Khun Purachai. (I heard a story earlier yesterday about Khun Prachai - of TPI fame - going to Hong Kong to lobby with you-know-who, and had him on my mind). These are certainly interesting times. Nana certainly hasn't recovered from his crackdown, but the rest of Bangkok seems pretty much the same. This is one part of Khun Purachai's 'new social order' I could never quite undrerstand: it was all about cracking down on vice and drugs in Thai society, but that changed little, while certain (but not all) parts of Bangkok's nightlife that pretty much catered to Farangs suffered tremendously. Pattaya didn't seem to change much at all. What was it really all about? Face? Anyway, I certainly wasn't aware of any connection between the Democrats and Thailand's nightlife. Khun Chalerm has strong police connections, the police profit tremendously from Thailand's nightlife (while the militairy does not), so my guess is...not much will change. Unlike Khun Purachai, Khun Chalerm doesn't appear to be a true believer. (I will take a corrupt politician or policeman over an evangelist anyday.) Other guesses on what we should expect for 2008 (B.E. 2551) - year of the rat? As an aside, is it just me â?? or does the name, â??New Social Orderâ?Â, seem incredibly Orwellian? Just re-name the Ministry of Interior the Ministry of Truth. Or perhaps the Ministry of Face? As for Khun Purachai, didn't he move to New Zealand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waerth Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Although I was not a fan of khun Purachai .... we have to give him one thing. He had the balls to do what he believed in and not even Thaksin could stop him until they sacked him. Purachai would be a good PM for Thailand as he does what he stands for. I wouldn't agree with his policies but he would be open as to what he stands for and cannot be bought. Thailand is in desperate need of a straight shooter like that. I respect the man for that! Waerth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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