playtheblues Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Is this picture about some homoerotical group event? Smart actionlike diagonality in the picture, balanced by the verticals facing the centre of the picture on the left side. Sheer luck on the part of the photographer. I am never that lucky when I take a pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Remember when Panthip was being raided almost every week about 6 or 7 years ago? Just sort of coincided with Bill Gates' complaints about software piracy. You're right about the drugs though. Who really cares if someone knowingly buys a fake handbag or watch. I remember when it was raided almost every day. I used to watch how everything would disappear just before the raid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 "...Mr Alongkorn said his ministry would crack down on pirated goods and intellectual property violations every two days. Patpong Road would be raided again in the next two days. "The government cannot allow their unlawful businesses to continue," he said..." So what if the "Pirates" just close shop every 2 days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 The "raids" are usually well organized and pre-announced. One of the Bibs that "patrols" some of the "hot areas" is a family member...suddenly all these Gucci whatevers and DVDs show up, Amazing Thailand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Usually it's the vendors who don't pay their "protection money" that get raided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Bangkok Post 9 May 2009 Alongkorn told to cool it after ruckus in Patpong The Democrat Party has put the brakes on Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot's crackdown on retailers of pirated goods and has asked him to target the producers instead. The move was announced yesterday by Democrat spokesman Buranaj Samuttaraks, after some 200 traders from the Patpong area gathered at the party's headquarters. The vendors complained that Commerce Ministry officials had over-reacted with their Wednesday-night crackdown on intellectual property violations on Patpong Road. "We will treat each side fairly," Dr Buranaj told the traders. The crackdown should be aimed at producers of pirated goods as they were the root cause of the problem, and it should be made sure that any action taken would not hurt tourism in anyway, said the spokesman. The Democrats will meet to discuss the matter again next Tuesday, in a bid to find softer ways to deal with traders selling pirated goods in Bangkok. Wednesday night's operation ended in a brawl when traders clashed with officials who confiscated the illegal goods, mostly counterfeit bags and clothes, and loaded them into four vans. About 10 officials were injured in the melee. The traders were aware of their wrongdoing, but said they want the government to adopt a more peaceful approach. Mr Alongkorn, who heads the state's anti-piracy campaign, previously said the ministry would deal harshly with intellectual property violators by launching raids every two days. The Patpong market area would not be spared. The deputy minister, who is visiting South Africa, could not be reached for comment yesterday. Meanwhile, the police have set up an inquiry panel to question Bang Rak police chief Pol Col Ekachai Bunwisut, as Patpong falls under his jurisdiction. He has been heavily criticised for turning a blind eye to piracy in his district, said Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Worapong Chewpreecha. But no senior officers have been transferred from Bang Rak district so far, deputy city police chief Wiboon Bangtamai said. Preventing the sale of pirated goods is a police officer's duty, but the force deals with the matter in a different manner from commerce officials, Pol Maj Gen Wiboon said. Officers usually begin their action once they receive complaints from manufacturers and then raid the production sites or warehouses of the pirates. "Arresting small street sellers would face resistance," he said. Despite attempts to negotiate and warn the retailers, Pol Maj Gen Wiboon said that sometimes the arrests also led to unexpected injuries and deaths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Wouldn't it be better to go and see first hand who is selling pirated goods? I know of a village idiot that can do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 << Former senator Seri Suwanpanont, in his capacity as adviser to the national police chief, said the crackdown on pirated goods at the streettrading end of the operation was targeting the wrong people, as the real wrongdoers were the manufacturers. He added that the Commerce Ministry did not, however, seem serious about suppressing people at the production end. "Arresting small fry like these vendors seems a shallow achievement, rather than finding a true solution," he said. He criticised the officials for excessive violence and a seizure that did not separate contraband goods from legal ones. A source at the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) acknowledged that the team had overreacted and not strictly followed the procedure requiring prior notification to local police and the separation of seized items. Isoc is on the working group tasked with cracking down on counterfeit goods and its officers were part of Wednesday's official action. "But they had reason to waive prior notification to local police, for fear that the vendors would be alerted. We have to admit that some vendors might offer benefits to some officers to keep their businesses running," the source said. >> Bangkok Post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playtheblues Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Just as I started to hope that we finally might get rid of the vendors. And that "Limelight" would reopen. And the DJ would play some great tunes by the Pet Shop Boys, The Cure, New Order. And there again would be a degree of romance, fun, sensuality in the Bangkok night life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 pet shop boys, the cure?....get a grip ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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