GLCQuantum wrote:
I know full well that if I do anything wrong (against the 'laws' of the country) I can just pay money for my wrongdoings... and I have done that many times over.
You can't preach about challenging corruption while openly admitting you make use of it when it suits you. Lead by example, and all that..
How do they extract all the 'Great Unwashed' farang that feed their sex trade?
My experience of farrangs who partake in the sex trade generally take more care of their appearance (ie wash every day) than farrangs who hang about under bridges waiting for their dealer to turn up. Not always the case of course, but while we're making generalizations...
* STOP this sex trade straight away and send all sex tourists packing - this would instantly allow the country a little more respect. It's also the classic 'Two birds one stone scenario'. The country would reap the benefits of no longer being the red light capital of the world, and also, the absence of the horrific smell from those beer swigging sex tourists would not only please the people of Thailand, but probably the neighbouring countries to boot. (a strong wind can carry their odour to timbuktoo)
Nothing like simplifying things, is there? You're advocating putting thousands of people out of work without providing any kind of backup plan?
It's like evolution in reverse... Years ago (according to my basic Thai history) the Royal family introduced new crops to help the Northern tribespeople get out of their dependancy on opium - which worked very well. Then we have the Rice Pledging scheme which while terribly flawed, at lease had the
intention of keeping farmers in work (whilst also lining the government's pockets, of course). Now, at the end of devolution we have GLC's fantastic plan to simply cut off a sizable, if not substantial, revenue stream with absolutely no thought whatsoever as to some kind of alternative. Lucky the country doesn't have any real kind of walfare system...
* Install politicians who have studied abroad and are not so closed minded. They also will have lost that whole 'face' thing while abroad if they were there for some time.
I don't think installing any kind of politician is the answer. The political system corrupts politicians long before they ever have the chance to make any changes.
* Spend a tenth of your year's 'free money' (you know, the money that is put aside for 'mega projects' where 10% goes into the project and 90% gets shared out into people's pockets) into building up the education system (especially in the North) and watch how the country will grow with a better education.
There's plenty of money in the education system already. The system needs overhauling and money isn't the biggest obstacle in the way by any means.
*Pay Thai police and teachers properly and train them properly (again outside help would be needed) so that poor teaching and police corruption could be a thing of the past.
Absolutely. Corruption starts at the bottom. If a police officer is introduced to bribery at the lowest level, then by the time he reaches the top it's second nature. But... who is going to police the police. A salary increase and some extra training alone won't put a stop to the evil eyed greed monster. You increase my salary from 10,000 to 30,000 isn't going to stop me taking the additional 50,000 I can make in bribes every month, is it?
* Start selling Stella to the locals instead of Lao Khao - a little less 'umph'.
Most Thai's I've spoken to would love to be able to drink beer - it's just not finacially viable.
And Stella? Really!
* Gas chamber the Shiniwatra's
And the rest of them