Dr. HFH

Just watched the video. Perhaps this incident will help those who are so quick to assume the worst about Thailand (both on FT and elsewhere) to be more considered in their responses.

maskedavenger

I cannot speak for others....but as far as I am concerned, my comments are based on the corruption scenario that followed this incident. If you steal and get caught, you should be questioned, arrested, brought to a police station, booked in, and at some point thereafter come before a magistrate or other legal authority to either set bail or set remand. The part where the accused is shaken down for money in order to buy release is the corruption angle that Thailand is famous for. Looking at this from the angle that they are guilty (based on the response from King Power and surveillance tape), why should these people have the right to buy their way out of the penalty for shoplifting? Why does the next guy (possibly a Thai) have to go to jail? King Power might be the victim in this incident, but the Airport Police, Tourist Police and representative of the Sri Lanka Embassy are certainly not.

Any fines assessed after the trial is decided should go to the Thai people, as the state is the final victim of crime. When corruption prevails, only a few benefit from the extortion that takes place before trial.

(as to the above post, it seems there are more people who have fallen prey to the Tourist Police and the Sri Lankan "representative" than just this couple......also, as a long term resident, I can tell you that this pre-trial system of payoffs is the norm in Thailand for all sorts of crimes.....I was surprised at the "flaking" aspect of this particular incident....as they usually have enough people genuinely under arrest to extort from)

Dr. HFH

But, OTOH, they might have preferred paying a fine (or bribe, if you like) and a few days in a motel near the airport to a stay in a Thai prison. I know that I would.

maskedavenger

I don't think that laws and the Rule of Law in general, gives a criminal the choice or right to pick whether he/she should pay a bribe (or fine to a group of corrupt individuals) or a fine to the state / restitution to the victim. In the former, the criminal and the extortionists benefit....in the later, the state benefits by being able to pay police a proper salary and the victim benefits by being compensated for the actual loss.

I am sure that if the couple in the King Power case are guilty, that they would prefer to pay the bribe. My point is that this preference should not be available to them. Because it is in Thailand, the county has the rightful reputation as a corrupt state.....and this disgraces many honest, hard working Thais who have had the opportunity of education and seeing other world systems. Why should a farang steal and get off easy, when a Thai steals, if he has no money....he goes to jail?

Kalboz

By: Bangkokpost.com
Published: 13/07/2009 at 02:33 PM

Owners of at least 15 four- and five-star hotels in tourist cities are looking to sell their business to Chinese investors after being hard hit by the global economic crisis and the ...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingn...nese-investors

maskedavenger

http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com...=63364&nav=109

This drop from Asian countries.....Thai now looks to Europe for support.....

Also;

http://www.reuters.com/article/lates.../idUSBKK452436

and;

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thailand confirmed three more swine flu fatalities on Monday (13/07/2009), bringing the country's death toll from the virus to 21.

Two females and a male were the latest victims of the A(H1N1) virus, while 328 new cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of infections to 3,883 across the kingdom, a public health ministry statement said.

The ministry will ask the cabinet to approve a 70-million-baht (2.1-million-dollar) budget Tuesday to raise awareness about swine flu, Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachonprasart said.

A vaccine plant was opened south of Bangkok Sunday, which is expected to produce two million doses of swine flu vaccinations by January.


This is a positive for Thailand.....where coughing in people's faces and nose picking are at epidemic levels.....they will produce their own vaccine.....instead of waiting for other countries to provide it to them.^


....and finally....some investment advice based on health conditions;

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=a2Jqu3g3NJFc

maskedavenger

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/show...EWS=0000009887


.........yes, I know, this happens everyday in SE Asia.....but are you sure?

Kalboz

This is really a significant development for us who fly North America to BKK via Taipei route:

http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct...3607&CtNode=39

Kalboz

Two cities in Thailand, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, were voted among the top 10 cities in the world for 2009, at Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards, the results of which were published in the August 2009 issue of the magazine.

Travel + Leisure readers selected Bangkok and Chiang Mai as the third and fifth best cities in the world, respectively - as well as second and third best cities in Asia, while the popular islands of Phuket and Ko Samui were awarded the third and fifth best islands in Asia.

Among The Top 100 Hotels in the world, eight were in Thailand, including the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai (#7), the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok (#20) and the Anantara Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai (#53). Additionally, 11 Thai hotels were also named among the top 40 resorts and city hotels in Asia.

The 14th Annual Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards ranks the best cities, hotels, resorts, cruises and airlines worldwide. The awards are the results of an annual, impartial survey that allows its readers to vote for their favourite travel destinations around the world.

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2009/

Kalboz

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_257344.html

Kalboz

Five-star Bangkok hotels' occupancy down 33% in first half: report
By The Nation
Published on August 19, 2009

Among major Asian markets, Bangkok registered the most significant decline in hotel occupancy in the first half of the year, with the five-star segment at minus 33.3 per cent and the four-star category at minus 28.8 per cent.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009...s_30110093.php

maskedavenger

Here is an interesting story (Asia Times) on allegations of massive police corruption occurring within the past few years.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southea.../EG23Ae01.html

Many visitors to Thailand have undoubtedly seen the parlours mentioned and wondered....where do all these girls come from? If you read the local newspapers in Thai, the answer is played out quite often. A male or female representative of the establishment travels to a poor area of Thailand (many times Issan) and starts to loan out money in the range of 30,000 to 50,000 baht (to locals who might work at a clothing factory for example). The girl starts to make payments of 100-500 baht per week.....but this doesn't even cover the high interest....in the range of 80% per annum. Eventually, she cannot pay......and the loan is a greater amount now.....maybe 40,000 to 60,000 baht or worse. Now she is given options as to how this money must be paid back.

There you have it. She is now an employee of Poseidon or another Rachada location (if she is lucky, as the Thai shops and other locations are a lot worse places to work). Of course, this is not the case with 100% of the employees....but local newspapers put the amount at 60-70% based on reporter interviews.

It is a very sad fact to see that the Crime Suppression Police have been involved in these payoffs to local police, as the {"1999 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act states that anyone who owns, supervises or manages a "prostitution business, or is the controller of prostitutes in a prostitution establishment, shall be liable to imprisonment of a term [of] three to 15 years and to a fine of 60,000 to 300,000 baht"}.

In any case, it is an interesting article and might make a traveler think twice about using this type of service once all the facts are known......or not?

Kalboz

AVIATION
Suvarnabhumi starts second terminal in 2012

By SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION
Published on August 29, 2009

Airports of Thailand plans to build a domestic passenger terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport while inviting the private sector to invest in six projects at the old Don Mueang Airport.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009...s_30110985.php

Kalboz

For those of you who are in BKK now through Saturday:

Tourism and Sports Ministry expects Bt180 million in cash circulation at the 'Food and Hotel Thailand 2009' fair (FHT 2009), said Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa.

The fair, which is hosted by Thailand, will feature more than leading 756 brands regarding services and food and restaurants from 32 countries worldwide.

FHT 2009 will be the third biggest fair in Asia with estimated 25,000 visitors from 60 countries around the world. The fair will run until September 5 at Siam Paragon shopping complex.

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/9...1/6746664.html

Kalboz

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=11680