transpac

I don't think caning is a punishment option here in Thailand, perhaps as the British never colonized Siam? Nor am I certain the crime(s) would warrant such a punishment if committed in Singapore?

Corporal punishment is technically illegal here in Thailand, but teachers still carry whipping sticks, and usually there are several hundred complaints about teachers whipping the crap out of very young students every school year.

AFAIK, these men were arrested at DMK departing Thailand, and were not committing any crime(s) at the time of their arrest, so I'm not sure any extra physical force would have been warranted? I'm not even sure how much training a typical RTP "recruit" gets, but I don't recall a lot of issues with excessive force? Usually, if the police want to "get rid of someone" they do it effectively.

I'm more of a "rule-of-law" guy, rather than a "rule-by-law" guy. As far as I can tell these men were caught having committed a crime, were charged and paid the requisite fine. Winging it by making up additional crimes, and punishment seems third-world-ish to me, and thankfully cooler heads prevailed with the Thai "authorities".

Plato90s

There's nothing "third world" about prosecutors filing additional charges.

And given we have photos of the two being detained at DMK, it's unclear why there's any speculation about "extra physical force".

I think the gradual application of pain was in reference to the punishment meted out to these two, not physical force.

Dr. HFH

In my instruction, it was in the context of subduing uncooperative individuals in public. But as worded, it could easily apply to both.