Thailand a lawless state..

[Spitfire]

Until the baht loses its status of being the ultimate God, no change is going to take place.

Yes Takiap, quite true, the prevalence of greed/avarice does seem to be a bit of an issue here and I guess it is a massive hurdle in the way of creating a fairer or more decent society.

However, there is always hope. Guess it can't get much worse, or should we wait until after the 3rd of July before saying that?

[sandman67]

I dunno....it is different to some places I have been that I would consider lawless like Kashmir and Zimbabwe...Zim was really f ing bad when I was there. Proper scary.

Even Armenia was borderline iffy once you got outside Yerevan and up into the mountains. Some villages up there are real no go zones as they will shoot any stranger they see on sight. Cambodia circua 99/00 was still ropey as hell especially in PP at night.

Its not that Thailand is lawless, its just that as there is no real police force here in recognisable western form, and economic development has been so badly uneven and favours the old elites, it has become something of a gangster state where money talks and bullshit goes to jail. There seems little or no drive to enforce the laws they have - look at the current PT lets pardon the rioters and terrorists twattery. The police only serve and protect their own interests and wallets, and in the west 90% of them would be sacked or in jail. The court system is a joke.... taking 5 or more years to hear and determine a case that in the west would be done and dusted in a few months at most, and the judges seem to never be at work, or just cant get the idea of not having massive breaks between hearings. As a result its an uphill struggle to get judicial justice, and just easier to pay off the cops if you can and run for cover if you cant. So nobody has any respect for the laws...and it all lands squarely at the feet of the police and courts.

That said, its a system I can and do happily live with. I avoid flying high on the radar and have learned to smile sweetly whilst seeing Mrs S struggle with them from time to time.

Will it ever change? I doubt it....Thai culture has no impetus or obvious desire to change things, and the police, courts and military are run by their own as fiefdoms that are all but unassailable.

I would also point out that given the last 2 years of polticis killing Mrs S s business Id be happy to see the military in control till the quasi Maoist UDD reds are stamped out, the PT chokechained into behaving itself, and those terrorist party list MPs slammed in the clink. This election is just the start of more strife for business owners reliant on tourism, and will be a disaster for the now improbable high season.

[Name Taken]

I agree with your sentiments Spitfire, but I seriously can't see Thai society changing so dramatically, even a few generations down the line. Don't forget, in the eyes of most Thais, no other countries even exist, and if they do exist, the inhabitants are all zombies that know nothing at all.By and large, Thais believe they are superior to others, just as they believe they can do anything and everything better than anyone else can. This is obviously something which, as you say, is force fed from a very young age, thereby not leaving much opportunity for change. By the time they are old enough to think for themselves, they are already set in their ways as far as mindset is concerned.


Of course I am not referring to all Thais, but the vast majority do seem to be this way.

[usual suspect]

I expected to get sarcastic comments with this post, but no, all you're replies have made good reading ..
..cheers you guys.

[PeteC]

The 4th post on Page 1 by Barry has the initial story. Below looks like some justice may be done? Pete

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Ar ... 61276.html

[bcrglobal]

The 4th post on Page 1 by Barry has the initial story. Below looks like some justice may be done? Pete

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Ar ... 61276.html

Justice? Not according to what I hear. This guy is the fall-guy. The apparent hit-and-run was committed by somebody much more senior according to the rumor mills--this guy is basically getting a large payout (And a guaranteed soft-time sentence) for taking the fall. The whispers on the street can be quite accurate sometimes.

[barrys]

Hi Pete

This article from BKK Post on 23 July is quite revealing I think:

MOR MUK CASE
Driver Saksit to be charged

Published: 23/07/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Police are to charge Col Saksit Phuklam with attempted murder after an alleged hit-and-run last month that left a female doctor in a coma.

"We will summon Col Saksit to acknowledge the charge next week," said deputy police chief Amnuay Nimmano yesterday.

Col Saksit is director of the administrative office of the Royal Thai Armed Forces' Comptroller-General's Department.

Investigators eventually decided Col Saksit was the driver of the Nissan car which hit Hathaiporn "Mor Muk" Imwitthaya, a 34-year-old doctor at Phra Mongkut Hospital, on June 11. The doctor remains in hospital with severe brain injuries.

The officers and Dr Hathaiporn's mother Pannakorn, who earlier doubted if Col Saksit was the driver of the car, agreed yesterday that Col Saksit was at the wheel after footage from security cameras showed he was driving his wife, daughter and his daughter's friend in the car.

Col Saksit told police that he and the doctor argued after he parked his car outside Dr Hathaiporn's house on Set Siri Road in Phaya Thai district and blocked the entrance.

He said the doctor climbed on to his car's bonnet and pulled a windscreen wiper off when he began to drive away. He reversed abruptly, and she fell down.

"The footage shows it was not a crash, but more like the doctor was on the car at the time, which caused her to fall," said Pol Maj Gen Amnuay.

Dr Hathaiporn bore no wounds which showed she was hit by the car.

"But because the incident could have caused a person's death, police have to charge him with attempted murder," the officer said

There appear to be much machinations and splashing of cash in the background, with the whole thing being made to look like the driver just couldn't avoid what happened!!

However, on the video I saw he deliberately drove the car straight at her, then turned round and zoomed off down the other side of the street, turning his lights off at the same time.

Doesn't quite match up with the MIB's latest interpretation, does it?

[Super Joe]

However, on the video I saw he deliberately drove the car straight at her, then turned round and zoomed off down the other side of the street, turning his lights off at the same time.

Doesn't quite match up with the MIB's latest interpretation, does it?

The video, unfortunately very poor quality, actually shows the car stopping a distance before her and then accelerating fast into her, doesn't it? It will be pretty disgraceful if they do go for his cock&bull story.

SJ

[barrys]

A couple of weeks ago, the mother was most vehement in stating that he was not the driver of the car and that he actually wound down the window to speak to her and she saw his face.

I wonder what has made her change her mind - surely can't have been pressure from the army or police eh??!!

[charlesh]

Col Saksit - if the driver what a bloody coward. If in the car - what a bloody coward. Fancy him commanding men (or women). The Thai need for face saving is unbelievable in a modern sophisticated world. The actions of a Neanderthal!
As for Thais growing up and thinking Takiap hmmhh!

[barrys]

The plot thickens .....

This from today's Bangkok Post



MOR MUK CASE
Officer punished over delays

Published: 29/07/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

A senior police officer attached to Phaya Thai police station has been temporarily moved to an inactive post for handling the case of Maj Hathaiporn "Mor Muk" Imwitthaya too slowly.

Dr Pannakorn Imwitthaya shows her daughter Dr Hathaiporn’s wound which she received in the hit and run incident. PATIPAT JANTHONG

Metropolitan Police Bureau spokesman Maj General Piya Utayo said yesterday Pol Lt Col Chot Suwanjunee, deputy superintendent of Phaya Thai police station, was moved to the Metropolitan Police Bureau's division 1 for 30 days. The transfer order, signed by city police chief Jakthip Chaijinda, took effect on Wednesday.

The officer was transferred because it took too long _ 46 days _ for the police investigation into the case of the injured doctor to be wrapped up.

Dr Hathaiporn, 34, who worked at Phramongkutklao Hospital, suffered serious brain injuries after she was hit by a car allegedly driven by Col Saksit Phuklam on June 11. Col Saksit, director of the administrative office of the Royal Thai Armed Forces' Comptroller-General's Department, was charged with attempted murder relating to the hit-and-run incident that left the doctor in a coma. He acknowledged the charge on Wednesday.

Dr Pannakorn Imwitthaya, the mother of Dr Hathaiporn, said yesterday the condition of her daughter has improved gradually. Speaking to reporters, Dr Pannakorn expressed concern at why only Col Saksit has been charged with attempted murder.

Col Saksit, his wife, daughter and his daughter's friend were in the car when it hit Dr Hathaiporn.

Dr Pannakorn said the car that hit her daughter was driven away after the incident and found in another area.

She suspects there might have been a change of driver or car to conceal the real culprit.

Surachai Dechasvanong, Dr Muk's lawyer, said there is still an element of doubt concerning the police's charge file against Col Saksit.

[Lung Per]

I was advised by a Thai friend that the Laws of Thailand should be perceived as guidance and recommendations only and subject to interpretation my the most wealthy and influenital part of society.

[charlesh]

They should both have been suspended on full pay pending appropriate investigations and/or prosecution outcomes! Imagine if good old Col Saksit had decided to run down an Isaan Thai or a farang - maybe he would have been given a medal!