jamesbrock

In Nakhon Ratchasima, the governor instructed local authorities to knock on the doors of every house urging voters to exercise their rights, and educating them on how to vote.

Now there's a misleading quote if there ever was one.

Educate someone how to put an X in a box, like they've been doing since the dawn of time?

I think what they really want to educate people on is putting the X in the correct box.

the reason the Bangkok Governor’s name was not on the latest list was because it was not proposed by the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).

Thank you for that wholly satisfactory answer. That cleared up everything!

My next, unrelated, question is: why was the Bangkok Governor’s name not proposed by the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC)?

For the life of me , why do I always think Thailand is a comic opera, the BKK Governor's name isn't on the corrupt list, he should be but he isn't , but he is still is the Governor of BKK , am I missing something here , if the BKK Governor is suspected of corruption , pray tell me why is he still the BKK Governor , even to be stood down pending investigations is better than nothing................................................

Careful, it almost sounds like you agree to a corrupt elected official being forcefully removed from office. Remember he was elected, he has a mandate, they should wait until the next election and let the voters decide, Thai democracy will evolve if left alone.

Warning - post contains sarcasm.

"Careful it almost sounds like you agree to a corrupt elected official being forcefully removed from office."

But wait, that is exactly what you support isn't it. But A reasonable person could be of an opinion that until there is proof positive of evidence there is corruption on the part of the person holding office then let the rule of law be followed. But that's not what you support at all now is it.

So do you think his name should be on the list?

Or is it because he is a Democrat and he should be left to keep up with his (alleged )corrupt behavior?

You can't have it both ways mate. Maybe he should do as Yingluk did and remove himself from the position? And then hold new elections for the Governorship?

And if the opposition (reds) came out with armed gangs blocking voters with violence and with the backing of the military then would that be ok by you? As this is exactly what you and the few other junta fan club supported in 2014 elections.

My, my my, so many assumptions made so inaccurately. Yes he should stand down, or be stood down, until the accusations are settled IF there is sufficient evidence of corruption. He doesn't have such power, so it is unlikely he will try to force through an amnesty to clear himself, but that alone would be clear evidence of corrupt behaviour, don't you think?

"He doesn't have such power, so it is unlikely he will try to force through an amnesty to clear himself, but that alone would be clear evidence of corrupt behaviour, don't you think?" Yep. http://www.smh.com.au/world/thai-junta-awards-itself-sweeping-amnesty-under-interim-constitution-20140724-zw8qq.html

the prime minister noted that Prompt-pay system is like ATM system when it was first introduced in this country which was viewed with suspicion by a lot of people who were afraid that some unscrupulous people might be able to steal their money with their ATM cards

Moldovan busted for ATM skimming in Phuket - http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Moldovan-busted-ATM-skimming-Phuket/63482?desktopversion#ad-image-0

Two arrested for skimming ATM cards - http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/two-arrested-for-skimmering-atm-cards

Malaysian skimming gang arrested at Thai border - http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/malaysian-skimming-gang-arrested-at-border

Five Frenchmen arrested for Phuket ATM skimming fraud 'in the millions' - http://www.thephuketnews.com/five-frenchmen-arrested-for-phuket-atm-skimming-fraud-in-the-millions-51238.php

Three Russians arrested in Phuket for card skimming - http://www.thephuketnews.com/three-russians-arrested-in-phuket-for-card-skimming-51291.php

Spanish Man Arrested For 'ATM Skimming' in Pattaya - http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1406526482

Turkish National Teke Onur Mustafa Busted in Krabi for ATM Skimming - http://www.chiangraitimes.com/turkish-national-teke-onur-mustafa-busted-in-krabi-for-atm-skimming.html

S African caught in Phuket with 72 skimmed ATM cards - http://www.thephuketnews.com/s-african-caught-in-phuket-with-72-skimmed-atm-cards-46982.php

I'm sorry, PM, but if you're going to use ATM card security as a reason to sign up for this service, then I'll be urging everyone I know to stay far away from it!

saying that the public broadcaster tends not to report on the government’s achievements but to report on public complaints against the government

Um, isn't that what the NNT is for?

Doesn't the daily glorified propaganda from that North Korea-style media outlet balance out what ThaiPBS publishes?

It gets better and better......

I'm guessing many of these 'companies' also don't pay any taxes.

Also, if they have employees who earn above the tax threshold; are they deducting the personal tax, and if they are, are they sending this money to the Thai Revenue Department (Thai Tax Office)?

Also, if they collect VAT on sales they make, are they sending the VAT money to the revenue department?

I'm guessing that a large number of them are like some companies 'a friend of mine' has - no longer operating any enterprise and just sitting dormant, because it's easier than officially winding up a company.

"The inspections resulted in over 100,000 arrests, mostly from not wearing a helmet or seat belt. "

Wow, that's serious. Arrested?

Yep. Dangerous driving activities such as speeding, running red lights, illegal passing manoeuvres etc are too hard so they pick on the humble scooter rider, net millions then claim bragging rights for a job well done.

Considering that 73% (17,693) of the 24,237 people die on Thai roads each year (according to the WHO) are motorcycle users, and 88% of these motorcycle users (15,570) died due to head injuries, and 6,228 (40%) of these deaths could be prevented by wearing helmets - I would consider focussing on this issue, and fining 100,000 idiots is a job well done. I don't usually commend the RTP, but I do in this instance.

This one simple strategy could reduce Thailand's death rate from 36.2 to 26.7 deaths per 100,000 - dropping it from 2nd to 30th in the list of the world's deadliest countries.

Of course not wearing helmets doesn't cause accidents—speed, drink driving, reckless driving are the highest causes, mainly due to ineffectual driver education and lax enforcement—but the strict enforcement of wearing helmets would clearly cut the road toll.

It is already the main focus of enforcement. It's virtually the sole focus of enforcement in some areas as is alluded to in this report and as you say t doesn't make the roads safer. Thai people seem to carry helmets around to avoid tickets not for safety. I often observe them putting them on when they see cops then taking them off again.

Well, there is enforcement, and there is Thai-style enforcement - where police stop people and let them off with paying a tiny bit of tea money (for any number of infractions). The latter will never increase helmet wearing rates, nor any other driver behaviour that causes increased accidents.

It is unclear which type of enforcement is being reported in this story.

Considering that 73% (17,693) of the 24,237 people die on Thai roads each year (according to the WHO) are motorcycle users, and 88% of these motorcycle users (15,570) died due to head injuries, and 6,228 (40%) of these deaths could be prevented by wearing helmets - I would consider focussing on this issue, and fining 100,000 idiots is a job well done. I don't usually commend the RTP, but I do in this instance.

This one simple strategy could reduce Thailand's death rate from 36.2 to 26.7 deaths per 100,000 - dropping it from 2nd to 30th in the list of the world's deadliest countries.

Of course not wearing helmets doesn't cause accidents—speed, drink driving, reckless driving are the highest causes, mainly due to ineffectual driver education and lax enforcement—but the strict enforcement of wearing helmets would clearly cut the road toll.

I don't disagree with what you are saying, however, there is the issue of "helmets", the ones the majority wear would pass no recognised safety standards, those that died, without a helmet on, would, in all probability died anyway.

It's not that long ago, that many western countries had mandatory helmet laws, the biggest issue is commonsense on the road, something sadly lacking. Speed doesn't kill, it's the stupidity that does.

Of course, and then there's the issue of actually wearing the helmets properly... How many times does one see a mocy rider riding along with a helmet with the strap hanging loose?

It's interesting you should bring up countries having repealed mandatory helmet laws - the WHO booklet I linked to in another post had this to say on that issue:

In the United States, the enactment of motorcycle helmet laws is under the jurisdiction of individual states, and has been the subject of ongoing debate on the balance between personal freedom and public health Those opposed to mandatory helmet laws argue that such laws infringe upon their individual rights On the other hand, those who support them argue that since society bears the burden of the nancial costs of motorcycle crashes, there is a public interest in – and a justi cation for – legislating for helmet use Over the years, states have vari- ously enacted, repealed, and re-enacted “universal” motorcycle helmet laws – laws applying to all riders of motorcycles.

In 1996, a federal policy tying motorcycle helmet laws to the receipt of government funding led to 47 states enacting universal helmet laws After this policy was withdrawn the following year, though, many states quickly repealed their helmet laws, or amended them so that they applied only to young riders.

The consequences of these repeals of helmet laws have been as follows:

• Observed helmet use in a number of states dropped from nearly full compliance while the law existed, to around 50% after repeal
• In several states, there were immediate and dramatic increases in the numbers of motorcyclists without helmets who were involved in crashes
• Deaths of riders under the age of 21 increased even though the law still applies to these users In Florida, deaths to these young riders increased by 188 percent
• Increases were recorded in head injuries and fatalities among motorcycle users For example, the rate of motorcyclist fatalities rose by 37% and 75% in Kentucky and Louisiana, respectively, following the repeal of their mandatory laws.
• Associated with the increase in severity of head injuries was an increase in the costs of treating them For example, in Florida the total gross acute care costs charged to hospital-admitted motorcyclists with head, brain or skull injury more than doubled, from US$ 21 million to US$ 41 million, adjusted for in ation The average costs per case rose from US$ 34 518 to US$ 39 877 in the 30 months after the law change.

The pattern of evidence from the states that have altered their laws on helmet use indicates that motorcycle helmets reduce the severity of injuries incurred in a crash; that the repeal of helmet laws decreases helmet use; and that states that repeal universal helmet laws experience an increase in motorcycle fatalities and injuries

"The inspections resulted in over 100,000 arrests, mostly from not wearing a helmet or seat belt. "

Wow, that's serious. Arrested?

Yep. Dangerous driving activities such as speeding, running red lights, illegal passing manoeuvres etc are too hard so they pick on the humble scooter rider, net millions then claim bragging rights for a job well done.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

Considering that 73% (17,693) of the 24,237 people die on Thai roads each year (according to the WHO) are motorcycle users, and 88% of these motorcycle users (15,570) died due to head injuries, and 6,228 (40%) of these deaths could be prevented by wearing helmets - I would consider focussing on this issue, and fining 100,000 idiots is a job well done. I don't usually commend the RTP, but I do in this instance.

This one simple strategy could reduce Thailand's death rate from 36.2 to 26.7 deaths per 100,000 - dropping it from 2nd to 30th in the list of the world's deadliest countries.

Of course not wearing helmets doesn't cause accidents—speed, drink driving, reckless driving are the highest causes, mainly due to ineffectual driver education and lax enforcement—but the strict enforcement of wearing helmets would clearly cut the road toll.

up to 93% of all "accidents" (for want of a better word) are down to human error.

While I don't dispute your guesstimate, the fact remains that a large proportion of the annual Thai road toll would be reduced if helmet wearing was properly enforced.

While Thailand certainly has a higher percentage motorcycles than most developed countries, it has the lowest percentage of motorcycles of all its regional neighbours bar Malaysia - yet it has the highest percentage of deaths of motorcycle users of all its regional neighbours.

For example, 95% of registered vehicles in Vietnam are motorcycles, as opposed to 59% in Thailand, but only 60% of road deaths in Vietnam are motorcycle users, compared to 73% in Thailand.

Obviously, there are a large number of factors involved, but one telling statistic stands out: the helmet wearing rate. According to the WHO, in Vietnam 96% of drivers and 83% of passengers wear helmets, whereas in Thailand the stats are 52% Drivers, 20% Passengers.

In May 2004, the 4th meeting of the UN Road Safety Collaboration was hosted by UNESCAP in Bangkok, more than forty delegates discussed, amongst other things, the implementation of seven road safety "how to" manuals - which assist governments in implementing some of the recommendations of the World report on road traffic injury prevention. The Helmets How To manual can be found here: http://www.who.int/roadsafety/projects/manuals/helmet_manual/en/ (It is also available in Thai)

In August 2006, the Global Road Safety Partnership held a three-day workshop in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, to develop an action plan to increase helmet use. Thailand was chosen due to its abnormally low levels of helmet use, and its correspondingly high numbers of motorcycle fatalities.

"The inspections resulted in over 100,000 arrests, mostly from not wearing a helmet or seat belt. "

Wow, that's serious. Arrested?

Yep. Dangerous driving activities such as speeding, running red lights, illegal passing manoeuvres etc are too hard so they pick on the humble scooter rider, net millions then claim bragging rights for a job well done.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

Considering that 73% (17,693) of the 24,237 people die on Thai roads each year (according to the WHO) are motorcycle users, and 88% of these motorcycle users (15,570) died due to head injuries, and 6,228 (40%) of these deaths could be prevented by wearing helmets - I would consider focussing on this issue, and fining 100,000 idiots is a job well done. I don't usually commend the RTP, but I do in this instance.

This one simple strategy could reduce Thailand's death rate from 36.2 to 26.7 deaths per 100,000 - dropping it from 2nd to 30th in the list of the world's deadliest countries.

Of course not wearing helmets doesn't cause accidents—speed, drink driving, reckless driving are the highest causes, mainly due to ineffectual driver education and lax enforcement—but the strict enforcement of wearing helmets would clearly cut the road toll.

Strongly disagree with the points made here. Nobody forces you to buy their goods here - try going to Vietnam, Cambodia or China where they are much more forceful and seemingly more likely to "take a swing at you" than in Thailand. Absolute nonsense what has been mentioned here - I've never had a problem walking away though if I'm actually interested in buying something then most likely I'll buy it. However, if I'm not interested I've never had anyone chase me or act aggressively asking me to buy their product - this happens in other countries not in Thailand.

'So if planes crash as you claim, how come I have never been in one?' Great line of reasoning there...

One can't disagree with another person's personal experience, calling these personal experiences nonsense without accusing that person of lying.

One can state they have never experienced the same thing themselves, but that in no way means it doesn't happen at all.

On the contrary, if the government was going to pay the traveller's costs there's every reason—and chance—for hospitals to charge even more exorbitant fees.

I really wouldn't want to leave my care and repatriation in case of a severe accident to a 6 baht Thai government administered scheme!

Getting considerably older than I was in the 90s doesn't help, but the fun factor has been noticeably lacking since the early 2000s. I remember the times when you would decline goods at the market/services of touts and all was fine. More often than not these days you get the impression they would love to take a swing at you if they thought they could get away with it...

Good. Shut the door on your way out.

A smaller pool of tourists does not miraculously transform the rest of us (old) farts into Jagger, I'm afraid. It does however have a very negative impact on the livelihoods of a good number of Thais battling to make a living...

While I can certainly empathise with the good number of Thais battling to make a living - perhaps if you, I—and many many others—didn't get the impression they would love to take a swing at you if they thought they could get away with it, the tourists wouldn't be going elsewhere?

If you choose to earn your money in a sales or service enterprise in a tourist area, as some of my family do, but can't get past your Thai exceptionalism or adhere to modern business practises and ethics, then you can't cry foul when the people you have been ripping off for decades decide to go elsewhere.

Good. Shut the door on your way out.

In another just released story it appears the police have now offered 500,000 baht bribe to the bar owner in Pattaya (who was raided by crooked cops) to withdraw her complaint.

http://news.thaivisa.com/pattaya/pattaya-bar-owner-claims-high-ranking-police-officer-offered-her-a-bribe-to-end-chaos/149099/

Ms Paranisa suggests the bribe came from a high ranking police officer to whom she originally made the complaint.

http://news.thaivisa.com/pattaya/bar-owner-gets-extorted-by-cop-calls-police-chief-to-intervene/148887/

Could that offer have come from the same high ranking Pol. Gen. Chakthip Chaichinda who is only today demanding corruption reform within the police?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/932897-national-thai-police-chief-urges-police-to-expedite-reform/

Will the PM take a personal interest in this matter like he does everything else?

The PM generally only takes a personal interest in matters of little significance so he can appear the great hero - tending to stay away from more important matters like human trafficking (Mrs. Chicken) corruption and money laundering (Phra Dhammachayo) and perversion of justice (Red Bull brat) that may make him lose face.

I was going to reply to your earlier post regarding Chakthip's busting of the corrupt cops in Pattaya, but it appears that you found it anyway.

No one is saying that the cops never solve crime, nor ever arrest criminals (I include corrupt cops in this description), but it is generally understood that whenever they do it is invariably either for political purposes or brought on by some internal power struggle within the RTP itself. Chakthip himself was handpicked by the overfed deputy PM (who bears a striking resemblance to Toad of Toad Hall), ostensibly to counter the perceived loyalty the RTP continued to show TS, and was the least senior among the five deputy police chiefs vying for the top job.

I'm, sorry but I don't think a man with declared assets above 968,000,000 baht, a man that has been part of the problem for decades is the best person to carry out the necessary reform.

Oh sure, he may undertake some paper-shuffling and make some officious sounding edicts, but the root cause - the structural issues within the RTP won't be touched.

Looks like Thai PBS didn't get the Ying/Yang memo...

Only 2 ???

As the RTP has over 200,000 officers I suspect the real number of officers on the take to be a 6 digit number.

I think a more shocking headline would read "2 cops not accused of embezzling traffic fines" - I mean, that would be news!

He doesn't look prostrate. Looks like he's kneeling...

Fair enough, I can't see any reason why the committee that drafted the draft constitution should need to participate in forums designed to explain it...

Maybe because the CDC has a vested interest in seeing the draft pass as its authors and will go beyond merely explaining the content of the draft.

Meechai has said that the CDC should be able to talk about the merits of the draft charter with the public. That might be perceived as favoring draft passage.

So, because there might be claims of bias against the charter authors, you're suggesting the explaining of contentious points should be left up so some third party who had no hand in the drafting of the charter, a third party that could also be biased?

It has been the students in many countries that have brought about change. Very rarely has it been the older members of the country.

Indeed, looking back at mass student protests and activism throughout the past 60 years with the benefit of hindsight, it would appear that they were right about pretty much everything.

It defies belief that students could actually think for themselves........and use snail mail.........is there the wiff of a third hand here!!

Of course they can't think for themselves! The citizenry are, after all, just ignorant, backwards plebs.

As the PM said in his New Year speech in April:

Do gardeners working outside of the Parliament’s building or farmers know anything about democracy? Of course not…Don’t talk to me about citizenry. Those people only go to vote because they were paid.

Fair enough, I can't see any reason why the committee that drafted the draft constitution should need to participate in forums designed to explain it...

The problem is if a person disagrees publicly with the draft they are then accused of causing unrest and a threat to peace then it's off too gaol

Also if you use social media, then you can also be charged with computer crimes as well as causing a threat to peace and it's off too gaol.

And another little chest nut while commenting on the draft, what is with the you must not rude or impolite, or it's off too gaol.

The international community knows what cooking, it's these statements that are just for domestic consumption, cause if a junta say's it so then enjoy your crap sandwich people and you will like it or it's off too gaol.

As of three days ago 113 individuals have been prosecuted for voicing opposing views on the draft constitution. Of the 113 individuals, 94 were charged for violating the Order of the Head of the NCPO no. 3/2015, five were charged for violating Section 61 of the Constitutional Referendum Act, 13 were charged for violating both the Order of the Head of the NCPO no. 3/2015 and Section 61, and one was charged, initially for violating the Order of the Head of the NCPO no. 3/2015 first, and later, on 12 July 2016, for violating Section 61 of the Constitutional Referendum Act. [Source]

Yep, sure looks like expression towards draft charter is permitted to me!