jonclark

out of love of HM, does that make her a bad person?

Prove this was done out of love of HM!! and not for a different reason.

If I read the OP correctly and excuse the paraphrasing, the charges are being laid against the FCCT for selling DVDs, as the DVDs' contain content which 'insult' the monarchy namely the infamous speech given by Jakrapob.

If the content of the DVD is therefore the source of the charge, is it not therefore reasonable to conclude that website which provide the content of the speech i.e. youtube etc (and there are many others). should be charged under the same law.

If so, why single out the FCCT for individual treatment? Web availablity provides far wider distribution and anyone with half a brain can access it. Unlike the DVDs at the FCCT which were sold to members only?

As far as the source for providing the content of the speech, isn't that the FCCT itself? Don't they record their meetings themselves? The youtube etc. only display submitted videos, they don't provide the content and that would have been the FCCT-produced video.

If the FCCT produced and sold the video of a speech by Jakrapob and Jakrapob's case is determined to be that of lese majeste, then it follows that FCCT would be guilty of distributing it. This case will depend upon the outcome of Jakrapob's case.

Point taken. But, and maybe I'm being pedantic here, isn't the act of displaying the material through the web a form of distribution, albeit via a third party.

Also if I were to have recorded, say on a mobile phone, the speech and downloaded it onto a website or burnt it to DVD, then depending on the outcome of the Jakrapobs trial, would I be culpable in the same way as I would be the source? I recorded it, I uploaded it, I provided it.

The reason I'm interested is that as we all have cameras and other gadgets built into our phones, we have an ability to record and present information in a way like never before. I'm worried that the powers that be are worried by this and will try to make a legal precedent out of the FCCT along the lines of distributing inappropriate 'news / discussion' is punishable by law, which effectively holds back future 'grass roots' discussion of the future of the monarchy in Thailand.

Additionally, it seems to me that the issue isn't so much distributing and or selling the DVD's, but rather twisting the spirit of the Leese Majest law to punish the FCCT for allowing Jakrapob to speak on this topic.

, Thailand is just fine the way it is

Couldn't agree more. Thailand is fine the way it is no need for any discussion on how it could develop or be improved. Everyone go home Thailand is fine.

Where's that bucket of sand to stick my head in.

If i could change one thing about this country - and maybe it's not only peculiar to Thailand maybe it happens in other countries too - it's this.

I live in a small housing estate, the type where most of the houses have metal gates in front of the compound. Every night when the occupants of the houses return home in their cars they drive up to the front of the house and sit in their cars and beep their horns until someone comes and opes the gate for them. Open the gate yourself you lazy bugger. Or at the very least ring the buzzer on the gate.

Why do people do this. The horn wakes people up and also starts all the local dogs off when they return home at 2 am.

So that's my gripe - being to lazy to get out of your car and open your own gate, but inconsiderate enough to beep your horn and wake your neighbours at 2 am.

out of love of HM, does that make her a bad person?

Prove this was done out of love of HM!! and not for a different reason.

If I read the OP correctly and excuse the paraphrasing, the charges are being laid against the FCCT for selling DVDs, as the DVDs' contain content which 'insult' the monarchy namely the infamous speech given by Jakrapob.

If the content of the DVD is therefore the source of the charge, is it not therefore reasonable to conclude that website which provide the content of the speech i.e. youtube etc (and there are many others). should be charged under the same law.

If so, why single out the FCCT for individual treatment? Web availablity provides far wider distribution and anyone with half a brain can access it. Unlike the DVDs at the FCCT which were sold to members only?

Should have asked if you, being a Brit, would have got a refund of the difference if you didn't get drunk and didn't trash the place during your stay. And if not, what the heck live up to the reputation, get pissed trash the place and tell em it was worth the extra just to defecate in the sink and throw the tele out the window.

After reading this story I've decided I am going to scam and cheat Thais at every opportunity I get. Do unto others and they shall do unto you

The targets have previously been "big" targets who were cash-rich.

So, now we know why the government wants to lure 'quality tourists' The mask has slipped - Its to give the trusty BiB a 'bonus' every now and then.

I'm so proud my tax money goes to support such a moral and upstanding police force. Truly, Thailand should be rightly proud of such a clean and just judicial system

And good on the Brits for having a go. Irrespective of whether they stole or not, the punishment does not fit the crime.

Surely of you've been arrested you should be taken to a police station - not a resort???

Reading this reminds me of a new year party which an old school of mine held. All the teachers where there and it was very thai and highly enjoyable event , karaoke, whiskey, prize raffle and lots of fun.

But during the course of the evening a number of the staff and some of their kids got on stage and took part in a game. The basic rules were the this.

Everyone stood in a line facing the audience

They had to sound off every alternate letter of the Thai alphabet (in English this would be a , c, e, g etc.)

If they said the wrong letter - they sat down. The winner was the last one standing and won a prize

Pretty simple

By the end of the first round about 80% of the teachers had been knocked out. The game was one won by an 8 year old son of the art teacher.

I was kinda shocked that teachers were so weak in the basic of their own alphabet - Maybe the test should focus on the Thai language and English language

I also always think it's interesting, as a teacher, to see the pass rate for entrance tests for Thai and English. Surprisingly they are both very close around 35%. A figure which in its self is pretty poor.

This is all window dressing just for the counties attending the ASEAN summit (should it happen). To show that the Thai Authorities take security seriously, they will now know where everyone will be staying, but what practical good will that do - not sure. But it will make the world leaders who were airlifted from Pattaya feel much more secure. I would also expect their to be similar enforcement of 'laws' for Thais too nearer to the summit. Although we not hear as much about those laws.

And to be honest is it really that much of a ball ache. If you get stoped in your car by a cop - in any country - they want to see your driving license. same, same but different.

And maybe give the top cop some credit - He actually came out and gave a press conference stating his intentions allowing everyone to get their house in order. Could've said nowt and then just 'decided' to enforce it, a bit like the immigration does with visa requirement changes.

Next time a Thai visits your house, condo, etc ask for a photo copy of his or her ID card, get them to sign it, before you let them in. They maybe a threat to your security.

I'm fairly sure they'd think you're barking mad and pretty soon you'd have no visitors.

If the Immigration crackdown ( this procedure) is meant to make Thailand (you) safer and follow the International standards, (Thai standards) then they (we) should go for it.

I think what most people need to remember, both defenders and attackers of this thread is that as a foreigner living here in our homes. (Yes, Thailand is our home too ( you don't need to be born in Thailand to make it your home)). We are subject to the daily grind of being segregated, discriminated against and made the scapegoat for all of Thailands woes and people are pis**ed off with it.

These frustrations then boil over when even a reasonably sensible precautionary measure, as is the OP of this thread, turns into a slanging match because once again the OP reinforces, amongst the general population, the acceptability of segregating (treat them different to Thais) discriminate (may not be allowed to stay in Thailand) and make a scapegoat (if anything happens it the foreigners fault).

Can anyone please tell me when a law, press release, statement anything! was made, passed which showed foreigners in a positive light.

[.

I'll take it how it is, warts n all.

While you maybe satisfied with 'warts n all', (which i assume means the scams, over charging etc) many tourists are not. And therein lies the dilemma for they country. 'Quality tourists' expect quality in return which shopping in a mom and pop shop is not.

Yeah I have to agree with most of what has been written here - The best way I can sum the whole sorry mess up is that my family and I live in Thailand, but we holiday elsewhere. Which when i got my posting here was not something my wife and I imagined we would be doing.

Strange - you travel halfway around the world to a 'tropical paradise' but leave at every chance you get. By way of a foot note. When i was last in the UK - A local off license was selling Chang beer at $1:50 (pounds not dollars) a few months earlier my wife was charged 150 baht for the same beer (not THE same beer ) and bottle size in a bar on Koh Samet - Go figure you can buy Thai beer cheaper in the UK than you can in Thailand

Sums up the greed thing really

. Now a check for syphillis is requied......

Holly smoke - I thought that disease died out in Victorian times. Maybe soon we'll have syphilis scanners at the airport too

Physic seeds - help you do physics better - maybe they

had a test in the afternoon

Protect and serve?

The police in this country are a shambolic disgrace unworthy of the accusation they might be law enforcement officers.

Tasering the police chief might be a possible solution but then that presupposes he has a consciousness worth jolting.

I bet if we did taser him, he'd want more than 500 baht compensation !! - maybe.....600, 650 ??

Now, let's look at things from a Thai perspective:

Suppose we let foreigners have the right to buy land and houses,... what do you think will happen?

I believe that inflation will occur because rich (relatively to Thais) will buy lots of land and houses because they have the means. Houses and land price will go much higher. How will the average Thai afford a house now? Sure, in time, his salary might go up, but it will take time. And, if there is inflation, cheaper Thailand will not be for very long!

What do you think?

So, aren't those laws needed to protect the average Thai citizen who does not usually have as much as foreigners?

It is not that they want to keep foreigners out of owning it. The top 15% want to keep anyone else out of owning it.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head with that statement

.....'hi-so' certainly don't want foreigners living in their midst. I know I don't!

Why ?? What's wrong with us????

Some people, call them xenophiles, like to immerse themselves in foreign cultures and environments. Other people, call them xenophobes like to bring their cultures and environments with them whether it be Branston Pickle, towels on deckchairs, bare-chested men in public or wearing socks with sandals.

I know what I prefer.

You've kinda got the two extremes there - any middle ground for the majority to sit??

...... education, leadership, and voice.

One can only dream I'm afraid - would be nice though

Oh come on don't be so cynical. We the uneducated masses have no need for this information, it's far too complex for us simpletons to be able to understand and it only concerns our health, nothing important.

So, shut up, grow rice and if you get sick no one will know, the problems will disappear. We know what is good for you

The issue here is the principle of with holding information from the public, rather than the content of that information.

.....'hi-so' certainly don't want foreigners living in their midst. I know I don't!

Why ?? What's wrong with us????

So the police want the woman to extract 500 Baht from a gang of people who collect debts as compensation for the assault administered by the same gang.

Word to the not so wise - BIB - get off your arse and do your job !!!!

Now, let's look at things from a Thai perspective:

Suppose we let foreigners have the right to buy land and houses,... what do you think will happen?

I believe that inflation will occur because rich (relatively to Thais) will buy lots of land and houses because they have the means. Houses and land price will go much higher. How will the average Thai afford a house now? Sure, in time, his salary might go up, but it will take time. And, if there is inflation, cheaper Thailand will not be for very long!

What do you think?

So, aren't those laws needed to protect the average Thai citizen who does not usually have as much as foreigners?

You are right that the average Thai doesn't have as much as the average foreigner, but whenever i drive out if Bangkok and see the big housing projects under construction with prices starting for example from '7 million baht' (You know the type of housing projects - Ban Siri etc) These are way beyond the price of the average Thai i assume you are talking about.

Where are the low cost housing projects for the low income families to get the first step on the property ladder ???? Exactly there are not any because they are not profitable and the rich Thais who have already bought the land want to make a profit and are more than happy to price out the average Thai.

The argument about foreigners pricing out low income Thais is smoke and mirrors. Most of the expats here who want to buy houses are buying houses in a higher price bracket than the average thai so are not in direct compitition.

Ahhh, it's so good to be home again. Intelligent conversations, food without fish sauce and Palm oil, clean water and air. Why did I spent 8 years of my life in Thailand???

Ahhhhhh yes. And Canada is so great that here you are.........boring us all with your views, on a Thai forum.

Go and club a seal or whatever it is you guys do for fun.

Or stay in Thailand drink Lao Kao and club your wife when you get home drunk - But that's a little off topic don't ya think?

Back on topic - It seems that the majority of people who contribute to this forum have enough experience of Thailand and its' legal landmines and pitfalls to know that whatever the authorities may say is worthless, and I'm sure a number of our Thai friends will concur with that point.

Basically, keep your money in your wallet and if, like me, your an expat working over here, keep your money until you return home and then splash out on a new pad. Take your money out of Thailand - that's the only way to keep your investments safe. After what I've seen happen and the horror stories I've heard over the last couple of years Thailand owes a debt of gratitude to the expats that have stayed here and the tourists who've come (and don't give me that bo**ocks about being guests the majority of expats here are active members of Thai society and are not guests.)

Personally I wouldn't buy land here until I've seen new land laws passed and then foreigners successfully win land dispute cases based on the new laws in court. The only way to have any certainty that the law can be successfully applied.

Thailand has its' current laws , but you have your money and you have the choice, choose wisely !