no doubt my answer
miked
Has corruption increased since the coup
I didn't vote as I would be a "don't know". This has always been a corrupt place. Whether it is more now than before is anybody's guess. It may seem so but that could be just because of the internet and forums like this exist so that now we are better informed about what is going on here.
A few years ago we probably just heard about it a lot less...
A few years ago we probably just heard about it a lot less...
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
Agree with the above, things are slowly becoming a little more transparent here so we're finding out about all these bent politicians whereas years ago it was all covered up.
I voted no as I still believe Thaksin was the king of corruption, nobody else in history has even come close to the amount of money he took from Thailand.
Then the army cronies took over and had a go themselves with a dual baht system that bagged them millions.
No doubt the democrats are all bent too (show me a politician that is not) but I don't think it is any worse today.
According to this survey Thais don't care if the govt is corrupt so what hope is there!
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... government
I voted no as I still believe Thaksin was the king of corruption, nobody else in history has even come close to the amount of money he took from Thailand.
Then the army cronies took over and had a go themselves with a dual baht system that bagged them millions.
No doubt the democrats are all bent too (show me a politician that is not) but I don't think it is any worse today.
According to this survey Thais don't care if the govt is corrupt so what hope is there!
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... government
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Absolutely, this is exactly how Thaksin came to power and Chuan was ousted. "He's rich, he must be good, Leekpai came from a poor family so ... 'mai geng'".
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Of course it has
Of course corruption has increased since the last coup, but probably not as a result of the coup.
Since the coup there has been a downturn in the world economy a side effect of this has been fewer tourists so the people with power have to extort more money from the fewer tourists there are.
Of course there are more opportunities for corrupt officials to benefit, new traffic laws, land regististry rules, smoking and litter laws - all a great opportunity for corrupt officials to line their pockets, or as I prefer to call it, steal money. There are plenty more opportunities on the horizon, with little real will by the Government to do anything about it.
Though I mention tourists, and I include the expat community in that group, I am aware the Thai population at large are not immune but they seem to prefer to take it in their stride.
Since the coup there has been a downturn in the world economy a side effect of this has been fewer tourists so the people with power have to extort more money from the fewer tourists there are.
Of course there are more opportunities for corrupt officials to benefit, new traffic laws, land regististry rules, smoking and litter laws - all a great opportunity for corrupt officials to line their pockets, or as I prefer to call it, steal money. There are plenty more opportunities on the horizon, with little real will by the Government to do anything about it.
Though I mention tourists, and I include the expat community in that group, I am aware the Thai population at large are not immune but they seem to prefer to take it in their stride.
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Korkenzieher
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- Location: Hua Hin.
I voted yes.
I've spent about 4years in Thailand in total - 2 years in the '90s and the 2 years since mid 2007. In the '90s, IMHO there was less crime to the extent that if there was violent crime it was usually either directed towards Thais, or petty (still annoying) theft. I was robbed 3 or 4 times, once having been drugged. But that was about as far as it went.
Since 2007, I notice the resentment levels are higher, the gouging is worse. I certainly read more about threats, intimidation, violence, extortion now than before. That could be changes to media reporting, though the recent issues at Swampy Duty Free are making headlines all over the world.
In recent times I get stopped regularly and shaken down by the police. It never used to happen at all, but then the various helmet regulations were introduced. However, it is no longer just crash helmets (a practice I approve of
), but the BIB seem to have realised that they can almost guarantee some sort of pay off every time - papers? licence? "Oh, wrong one sir...'. If it was occasional, or based on some driving violation, then OK, but I have been stopped up to 3 times a week for no apparent reason 
. I have taken to riding the bike with no money in my pocket, so they have to write a ticket, and also to not carrying my licence with me, so they can't hold it hostage while I go to pay said ticket - or not. Of course, riding without the licence gives them a reason to ticket me, and they have threatened once or twice to impound the bike. I have said 'go ahead - it's rented!', in the full knowledge that the owner has 3 cousins in HH BIB and isn't likely to take it sitting down.
Similarly, a friend of mine was subjected (in KaoTakiab) to a sustained attempted extortion which eventually required that he get a certain well know lady Lawyer from Cha Am involved, and ultimately had to be spirited away to other parts to escape the attentions of the BIB.
OK, the question referred to the coup, and I'd have to say that it is a worse since then because of the extra-judicial powers that Mr. T allowed the BIB to exercise
. Having gotten used to being able to play God, I think that the sustained economic deterioration since then has cause more than a few to join the attempt to keep their salaries up to the mark by targeting the few remaining farangs in a harder and more concerted way. And it is unlikely to change any time soon.
I've spent about 4years in Thailand in total - 2 years in the '90s and the 2 years since mid 2007. In the '90s, IMHO there was less crime to the extent that if there was violent crime it was usually either directed towards Thais, or petty (still annoying) theft. I was robbed 3 or 4 times, once having been drugged. But that was about as far as it went.
Since 2007, I notice the resentment levels are higher, the gouging is worse. I certainly read more about threats, intimidation, violence, extortion now than before. That could be changes to media reporting, though the recent issues at Swampy Duty Free are making headlines all over the world.
In recent times I get stopped regularly and shaken down by the police. It never used to happen at all, but then the various helmet regulations were introduced. However, it is no longer just crash helmets (a practice I approve of
), but the BIB seem to have realised that they can almost guarantee some sort of pay off every time - papers? licence? "Oh, wrong one sir...'. If it was occasional, or based on some driving violation, then OK, but I have been stopped up to 3 times a week for no apparent reason . I have taken to riding the bike with no money in my pocket, so they have to write a ticket, and also to not carrying my licence with me, so they can't hold it hostage while I go to pay said ticket - or not. Of course, riding without the licence gives them a reason to ticket me, and they have threatened once or twice to impound the bike. I have said 'go ahead - it's rented!', in the full knowledge that the owner has 3 cousins in HH BIB and isn't likely to take it sitting down.Similarly, a friend of mine was subjected (in KaoTakiab) to a sustained attempted extortion which eventually required that he get a certain well know lady Lawyer from Cha Am involved, and ultimately had to be spirited away to other parts to escape the attentions of the BIB.
OK, the question referred to the coup, and I'd have to say that it is a worse since then because of the extra-judicial powers that Mr. T allowed the BIB to exercise
. Having gotten used to being able to play God, I think that the sustained economic deterioration since then has cause more than a few to join the attempt to keep their salaries up to the mark by targeting the few remaining farangs in a harder and more concerted way. And it is unlikely to change any time soon.Had enough of the trolls. Going to sleep. I may be some time....
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tuktukmike
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beachyhead
- Member
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- Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:54 am
- Location: Hua Hin
I don't think it has increased, it still seems to be the same to me, I still get stopped on the by pass when they spot my white face, I have had driving too fast, driving too slow, staying in the fast lane, staying in the slow lane and that is fact. In BK changing lanes, having a motorbike on the toll way even though it was on the back of my pick, then motorbike not sheeted over, then when it was sheeted over not having side bars fitted to the pick up for carrying the motorbike. Not wearing sit belts, which we were, told us we had just put them on quickly, going through a red light when I was the middle car of about 30 cars going through a green light, for throwing a fag but out the window although I have never smoked. I have found that it is best to give them your licence as it only gives them more excuse if you don't and not to even try and argue your point, I just sit holding a 100bt note just below the window line, if they ask for more I just keep saying give me the ticket then and I have never been given a ticket they always take the money. I did once just hand the money over with my licence and he was so offended he handed it back as if it was dog poo, he wanted me to say " I know I did wrong but please let me pay you instead of a ticket" the thought that an up standing member of the Thai police force was pulling me in just to mug me like a common criminal offended him and business as usual at the Immigration office, so no I don't think it has got worse.
There is only two things wrong with a woman, her face !