tomacht8

14 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Those who campaign on certain  issues are sidelined, denigrated, banned, labelled and silenced and the best  example of this is suppression of dissent and the  discussion about Islamic immigration, misogyny,  streetcrime,  harassment and a whole  host of ills. In particular the voice of German  girls and women has been silenced.

 

This is your perception. My perception is different. The German government has an office for integration and foreigner policy since more than 30 years. To name just one difference. Foreigners in Germany are allowed to speak their mind publicly without fear of reprisals. Whole talk shows in German television make a living from it.

However, Islamic hate preachers who publicly call for violence and the overthrow of the state are forbidden. Freedom of expression has its limits. And that's good.

33 minutes ago, transam said:

In LOS we farangy's are near all non-immigrants, aliens, guests, I think it obvious you don't start slagging the place or its governance off unless you are looking for trouble........????

That is clear if you want to stay in Thailand without any problems. You adapt and have a low profile if possible.

I guess there is a general consensus on this in the forum.

The possibility of free expression of opinion is restricted and for foreigners, as can be seen in this case, even more.

And you may or may not be critical of that.

28 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Try and campaign against immigration in Germany  and see  what happens

That's easy. There are many legal avenues of action open against a decision by the immigration authorities.

The legal systems differ significantly from each other.

33 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Many of us come from countries where there is freedom of expression - Thailand and Russia does not have these same freedoms.

 

It's somewhat ironic that those countries where these freedoms are suppressed are the very countries where these individual acts of protest are more important. 

 

Part of those freedoms include the irrelevance of race, nationality, gender etc of the person protesting or voicing opinion. 

 

IMO there is far more wrong with the suppression of protest than the act of protest itself, no matter who is protesting. 

 

 

 

 

I feel the same way. It is clear how best to behave within the given freedom framework of a country without encountering any problems. In the worst case, you are not allowed to say anything more publicly and have to accept any idiotic rubbish without complaint, even if you are negatively affected by it.

But it also makes sense to question the given freedom framework. And this framework of freedom to express one's opinion openly is becoming narrower and more and more curtailed. Unfortunately.

15 minutes ago, Nickelbeer said:

Sometimes, it takes a case like this to remind expats that “free speech” does not exist in Thailand.

It is the simplest thing in the world to ignore politics.

First sentence: 100% agree. The second sentence depends on the individual situation. Anyone who has a business here, has a Thai family, has children together, has settled in Thailand for a long time, pays taxes, etc. is more or less affected by political decisions.

It's interesting to see the media attention (many TV stations have reported on it) that a single foreigner standing quietly, alone and peacefully at an intersection in Nakon Nowhere, holding up a crossed-out picture of a politician, can generate.

What the rulers fear is not that it is a foreigner who can easily be expelled, but any form of public protest.

Reminds me of the democratic protest movement 8 years ago, where Thai activists were taken off the train by the police and were not allowed to continue to Hua Hin in the figure corruption scandal. Or the lifting of a sandwich, the 3 finger salute or the truck driver honking 3 times.

Imagine that all motorists and motorcyclists who are dissatisfied with the current political situation honk their horns at the same time every day throughout Thailand.

14 minutes ago, novacova said:

Being under pressure is where one’s character is tested. So is the argument here is that he lost his composure in a foreign land? Good grief! I sure hope I don’t lose it here 

I hope too. 

One can get along well with 1000 people in peaceful, tolerant coexistence. And then there's the one who pushes the wrong buttons inside you, which can make you explode.

Overall, be aware that freedom of expression in Thailand is not the same as it is for example in Germany or, in extreme cases, Russia where holding up a sign that says "Peace" can get you in jail for years.

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Interesting.

cowardice is not the right tranlated word. It has a negative connotation. The image is a mouse that hides, conceals, but is clever in its adaptation to the environment.

He has Thai family and may have lived here for a long time. Might have a work permit and pay taxes here. Has perhaps been annoyed by some injustices, xenophobia or obvious corruption for a long time. Maybe he has nothing left to lose and doesn't care if he gets kicked out of the country or not. He has expressed his opinions peacefully and has not committed any crime legally.

I think he knew in advance that his action might have consequences.

The way to live problem-free in Thailand is to blend in,  have a low profile, pay your bills and be compliant. Appropriate cowardice is rewarded in Thailand as long as you have money.

Many foreigners here have also had a toad or two to eat. For some, the anger then breaks out openly, others eat it up and get stomach ulcers.

A money printing machine for few, certain people with the right connections.

First the military putsch. Repeals the current constitution, which actually stipulated the death penalty for coup plotters.

Then the putschists write a new constitution that retrospectively provides  impunity for the putschists. The new constitution applies retrospectively. For Payuts 8 years as a PM but suddenly not? The CC now decides between the well-being of an individual man and the constitution that should apply to all people equal. It is sad to see how the rulers of Thailand have treated their constitutions in the past and currently.

After the word "believes"

I stopped reading.

The problem Thailand's tourism suffers from is the incompetence of the country's leaders and the heads of the various institutions.

The lack of realistic goals, sensible planning, clearly defined measures, concerted coordination and communication is catastrophic.

For the exogenous factors like the Russian war, China's Zero C19 policy, fuel costs, etc Thailand can't do anything.

But for all endogenous factors yes. And these are handled super badly.

Hope the court finds enough people who can count to 8.

Went to MBK Bangkok recently. There are many of handbags and T-Shirt shops full of counterfeit branded products. 

On 8/30/2022 at 4:05 AM, Soikhaonoiken said:

Well no surprise here, more Government officials should be investigated,  and certainly the top 10..

It should also be worth checking all the corruption cases he has worked on in the past. He must have gotten the 658 million for treating one or the other case "benevolently".

What is this nonsense again? If the parliament has to be dissolved here and now, for whatever reason (vote of no confidence, no majority for the PM? etc.), then can there never be new elections in Thailand because the parliament was dissolved?

That Prayut was the country's leader for full 8 years is clear to almost every normal Thai. If the CC decides otherwise, I believe there will be protests that can quickly become large. The last major survey with over 300,000 respondents showed that over 93% want, that Prayut disappear from the PM office now.

No one knows exactly how the tourists' expenses are calculated here. For example, if a total of 500,000+ day or weekend tourists have come since Malaysia opened its border, the statistical average of tourist spending as a whole will be lower. The bare division: expenses/tourists= average expenses per tourist, is simply far too undifferentiated and not suitable for making well-founded decisions.

On 8/27/2022 at 6:33 AM, RichardColeman said:

Funny that do not bother confiscating these pirate and fake goods on entry at the ports.

 

Also, Central in Pattaya now sells fakes quite openly , and yet they turn a blind eye to it

Same in Bangkok's MBK.

Mostly copied fashion items such as handbags, shoes, clothes, sunglasses, etc