Can you say "police state"?

[Guest]

SOCIAL ORDER CRUSADE
Siam Square nightclub shut

BANGKOK: -- A leading nightspot in Siam Square was ordered closed for 30 days after one of its customers was found to be underaged, police said yesterday.

Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont led the police raid on CM2, in the basement of Novotel, which is owned by Chiang Mai Thai Rak Thai MP Pornchai Atthapreeyangkoon.

There were more than 300 foreigners in the bar at the time.

Police said many of them were not carrying passports.

Customers' urine was also tested. Police said some showed positive, but it was still not known if this was from illegal drug use or other factors.

It was said to be the first raid on nightspots in the area under the government's social order crusade.

A police source said the raid followed a report that Russian prostitutes were working in the bar.

However, there was no evidence linking Russian tourists who were found there to the sex trade.

--Bangkok Post 2004-03-19

[Guest]

so damned tired of shit like this....and it only gets worse. I was on Khoa San road last week and saw a whole fucking troop of police guys walking into Lava; they closed the doors behind them and made everyone in there take a piss test and prove negative before they could leave.

many times in the last 2 months I witnessed people walking into bars and being asked for passports, and locals being asked for ID cards. even if the people were obviously in their 30's.....if no ID, no entry, simple. kinda makes it hard for the backpackers and other punters who must leave their ID cards with the reception of the hotel they are staying at.

these Thai people have no idea what all this nonsense is about to do to their economy......people will start to find alternatives.

Jon

[stogie bear]

It's the same in Florida in the good old USA. If you aint 21 you don't get in and if you don't have ID you don't get in even if your 50! (OK, I'm exaggarating, but they are VERY VERY afraid of the authorities in Florida.)

In most states in the US it's 21, right? In Thailand it's what? 18? Fair enough they don't have random piss-tests in America. That's out of order. But so is letting kids in. Especially kids under 18 in a bar in Thailand. This is not the way forward.

At least most bars in the states are pretty harmless places!

30 days for underage drinking (not bribing the cops enough) is pretty reasonable.

[Guest]

Believe it ot not Stogie, the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages in Thailand is twenty years of age, and this INCLUDES tourists! Amazing Thailand.........At least the old cynic never gets asked for his ID I did offer it once at a disco in Khon Kaen, the staff couldn't stop laughing!

[Mai-Kee]

The States are definitely not an exaple for great nightlife! Too restrictive in so many ways. In terms of nightlife I rather prefer Spain, Italy, S-America. The latins are the real party experts. But still, only a few years ago LOS would have been the first on my list.....

What a bunch of idiots!

MK

[Snick]

Actually people here DO REALIZE what is happening.
and they are NOT HAPPY.
From what I am hearing the government has really overstepped itself and has pissed off a lot of the voting populace. It will be interesting to see what happens next near when the elections come around, but I expect some suprises.

The nightlife is not the only example of this. The government has forced out the editors of un-favorable newspapers, had a critical magazine recalled (think recalling newsweek because it said something nasty about Bush).
On the economic front, everyone remembers that Thaskin covered up and lied about the whole bird flu thing; and right now they are trying to "privatise" state owned utilities by selling them to friends of Thaskin.

And then there is the whole mess in the South, which didn't exist until the government disbanded the agencies which worked with the locals to avoid problems like they are having now.

The Thais relize what is happening, they just need a democratic chance to correct it.

[Guest]

Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej says it best: "The wealthier you are, the more corrupted you become"



Here's the article


Thailand€™s revered monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej has called on the Thai
people to stamp out corruption within a decade or risk leading the country
to ruin, local media reported yesterday.

The king has been deeply disturbed by mounting graft and urged all Thais to lead more modest lives and be satisfied with what they had, Sumeth Tantivechakul, secretary of the king's Chai Pattana Foundation, said in the Nation newspaper.

"The wealthier you are, the more corrupted you become," Sumeth quoted the king as saying.

[Snick]

The King has also said certain people have become too arrogant. I wonder who he is talking about !!!

(two years ago Thaskin threw out some foreign reporters for writing an article about that).