Thai People and the Law.

[Pilotman]

Here is a topic for a bit of light debate over coffee/beer/water.  I have lived in quite a few countries over the years,  but I have yet to come across a people that ignore so many of their own laws. Talking to my wife, she tells me that they all know the various laws;  traffic laws, planning laws, health and safety laws (such as they are)  business regulations car/motorbike maintenance laws, field burning laws etc, laws forbidding underage sex and early marriage,  even revenge beatings; but deem them to be nothing to do with how they must live their normal day to day lives, especially if you are poor and living hand to mouth.   I guess  part of it is due to the ineffective and sometimes corrupt Police Force and a rather warped judicial system,  but even when getting caught is a certainty, such as many of the revenge murders and savage road rage incidents that seem to take place regularly, the 'don't care' attitude seems to prevail. I find it all rather odd. Discuss.    

[ezzra]

In a society whereby whom you know are much more valuable that what you know, and knowing that there's a good chance you can buy yourself out from almost any dire predicaments having the right connections and the funds to it, no wonder people flaunt the laws of the land, and so far, after 30+ years here i'm ok with it, like live and let live arrangements and as long as this kind of mentality prevails and accepted so it will continue...

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

Discuss.

Sorry, It would just take to many beers to get around.

[Bruce Aussie]

Yep just opened another coldie.

❤????????????

[samuttodd]

ezzra,

 

that is an exact understanding.   Well said.

[tifino]

There is only One Law: That Laws are made to be broken 

[richard_smith237]

A multifaceted issue...  

 

There are social norms which are followed more closely than law because society is self regulating and copies itself. 

 

Laws on the other hand when not enforced become worthless, many of the laws are prohibitive - selfish people break them, careless people don't care unless directly impacted. Ineffective policing enables the sense of entitlement that its ok to break the laws (everyone does it)...

 

The knock-on effect is a general free-for-all which is a testament to Thai society - law enforcement is so poor in Thailand that it could be a lot worse if not for the general good nature of the Thai population. 

 

 

 

[Puchaiyank]

Ignoring Thai laws comes with decades of non-enforcement.  If there is little to no punishment or consequences for breaking Thai laws...why bother to follow them?

[Kwasaki]

8 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I have lived in quite a few countries over the years, 

So have I but not so much lived in, worked in, so after 15 years here I find Thailand refreshing and free, Immigration, local police & govt where I live are good helpful people.

Couldn't wait to finish up work quick enough and get deleted ell out of UK.

To name a few Saudi was deleted, Nigeria was deleted, Russia was great but deleted very cold. ????

[nobodysfriend]

 

[GalaxyMan]

18 hours ago, tifino said:

There is only One Law: That Laws are made to be broken 

There is no real rule of law. It is a façade. They have so-called laws on the books, but they are only selectively applied; on the poor, the unconnected, and perceived political enemies. Thai people don't generally think about the future. They are the most here & now people that I've ever encountered, which is one of the main reasons that they don't think about the consequences of their actions. When most infractions are dealt with by a 500-baht fine and a wai, who gives a s.h.i.t.?

[BritManToo]

20 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I have lived in quite a few countries over the years,  but I have yet to come across a people that ignore so many of their own laws.

Every 3rd world country (outside Islam) is the same.

[GreasyFingers]

One of the main attractions of living in Thailand is the lack of enforcement of regulations after living in a country where I could not abide by all of the regulations there and faced the wrath of the law.

[petermik]

Thai,s know best......no need for them to comply to the laws of the land

[Guderian]

Just like in the case of Jimmy and Monica, they do it because they can. And even if somebody in a position of authority catches them, the "punishment" is usually a ticking-off, or at most a small fine. John Burdett reckoned this was something to do with the Buddhist culture of being punished by being shamed, aka losing face. It doesn't work with us farang heathens, which is why our governments must send us to jail for many years for crimes that might cost a Thai a 500 Baht fine and a good telling-off. Until they get realistic about the penalties, you can expect people to continue doing whatever they feel like.

[ballpoint]

Someone once said that, in general, people behave as badly as they feel they can get away with.  With that in mind, and given the laxity of law enforcement here, I find Thai people's actions to actually be quite restrained.  You just have to look at how quickly the so called civilised West breaks down when there is a drop in law enforcement - riots, lootings, arson, attacks on individuals, etc.  As a case in point, I would bet any amount that, if the traffic policing and law enforcement of any Western nation was somehow swapped with that of Thailands, then it wouldn't be long before the driving conditions and behaviour in both countries reversed.  It's not the people, it's the standard of law enforcement that is the difference.

[WhatupThailand]

21 hours ago, ezzra said:

In a society whereby whom you know are much more valuable that what you know, and knowing that there's a good chance you can buy yourself out from almost any dire predicaments having the right connections and the funds to it, no wonder people flaunt the laws of the land, and so far, after 30+ years here i'm ok with it, like live and let live arrangements and as long as this kind of mentality prevails and accepted so it will continue...

Boarder line anarchist system, and Controlled Chaos.

Problem is a Government with no Common Sense on how to Regulate.

[reeshoward]

 Thailand has (one of) the highest female incarceration rate in the world...

[mserror]

They all stand for the national anthem. I have never seen anyone break that 'law'.

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, mserror said:

They all stand for the national anthem. I have never seen anyone break that 'law'.

Well who would want a 15 yr jail term.

[MadMuhammad]

I love it. One of the reasons I moved here

[FritsSikkink]

On ‎12‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 9:18 AM, BritManToo said:

Every 3rd world country (outside Islam) is the same.

And in your former country they are all law abiding citizens of course, with a perfect police force and justice system.

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

And in your former country they are all law abiding citizens of course, with a perfect police force and justice system.

It's not binary - the question is "on balance"

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

And in your former country they are all law abiding citizens of course, with a perfect police force and justice system.

My country is a <deleted>hole full of Somali refugees claiming free houses and benefits, same as your country Fritz.

[ThaiBunny]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

My country is a <deleted>hole full of Somali refugees claiming free houses and benefits, same as your country Fritz.

Any actual statistics?