Considering what’s been screening on overseas media over the last couple of weeks I think that the horse has already bolted as far as Thailand’s image goes, and not all related to the protests. 

17 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that the terrible incident had damaged the image of Thailand and that of all Thais. 

 

Whereas a woman slapping a student in the face for not standing for the national anthem doesn't.

 

If the slapper had been a yellow shirt assaulting a foreigner his opinion would of course be markedly different.

Corruption pales into insignificance compared to a headbut! ????

PM: Assault against foreigner in Pattaya has hurt Thailand’s good image

By The Nation

 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday said the good image of Thailand would be hurt after a Ratsadon demonstrator head-butted a Russian man in Pattaya during an anti-government protest in the tourist beach city.

 

Prayut also said the incident has "defamed all Thai people".

 

The pro-democracy group in Pattaya apologised for the incident “despite the victim’s provocation”.

 

The premier insisted the government does not have double standards and did not favour royalist protests. The government, he said, is only seeking peace.

 

The “Bad Student” group now plans to march to the Education Ministry from Democracy Monument on November 14 to express their political standpoint.

 

Meanwhile, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry said Ratsadon activists used online social media with ill-intent, violating the laws on November 8 and 9.

 

The ministry said it would soon examine the group’s posts and shares so legal action could be taken.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30397737

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-11

 

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18 minutes ago, webfact said:

The premier insisted the government does not have double standards

Total gob <deleted>, it's us and them, has been from day one !

Edited November 11, 20205 yr by Thaiwrath

4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

 

Is that with or without the water cannons used by police with an undisclosed stinging liquid ?

That also damages the image of the country, and the leaders who authorised it.

Would this have  been important if it were not a case of an ANTI govt protester - I do agree that any forms of violence should be clamped down on, but take care not to avoid Yellow Shirts or other violent and unreasonable factions.

 

Thailand's image is obviously not damaged by the fact that people imprisoned in Australia for heroin trafficking related charges are easily promoted into the highest echelons, and their wives invited also to join the club. So happy to hear this news.

Edited November 11, 20205 yr by ben2talk

Of course it doesn't has double standards. It has low standards and about 400 announcements a day from TAT which are never implemented. At least 8,000,000: 800,000: 80,000 (choose whatever number you want) tourists will visit Thailand next year. 

de montesque on democracy,its 200 yrs ago but its the essence of the democratic being-i may vehemently disagree with what you say but ill lay down my life for your right to say it.it applies here and now sadly in the west too ,just look at what passed for a fiasco of an election process that lasted 6 mnths,the closing down of free speech in so many channels if one questions the credibility of the cretins to govern.

It hurt my heart to see the fear that the Russian’s daughter had to contend with. Having said that, we expats are guests here. We should stay away from Thai politics and that should also apply to my own country. There are certain political discussions that I don’t even discuss with my dear wife. I’m sure she wouldn’t head butt me though. Lol

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The premier insisted the government does not have double standards and did not favour royalist protests.

Oh sure, I'd like to see you try dousing royalist with water... where would you go and hide? In Cambodia as Hun Sen's toy? In China as a nobody?

4 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Poor poor Russian. He's never encountered your actual democracy at work before.

Nope, he said the head butt was trivial compared to what happened to him when he did similar in Russia.

5 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

 

Is that with or without the water cannons used by police with an undisclosed stinging liquid ?

That also damages the image of the country, and the leaders who authorised it. 

The police have now admitted that they mixed teargas and blue dye with the water. The initial responses were lies.

And this was against peaceful protesters.

Edited November 11, 20205 yr by Tropicalevo

But Anutin's odious remark about "filthy foreigners" doesn't need an apology.

Prayut is absolutely right, but he forgot to mention, that the ongoing abductions and murder of dissidents ruin Thailand's image even more.

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

... his duty was to protect the public and not take sides...

 

HELP! Wiping down the screen was easy, but does anyone have any ideas on the best way to remove coffee stains from the crevasses of a laptop keyboard. Yeah, sorry I couldn't hold my morning coffee in when I read the line quoted above...

 

Edited November 11, 20205 yr by outsider

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut: Attack on foreigner damaged Thailand's image 

 

Not to worry, people have come to expect it.  

Someone still remembers 2014 ?

There was fighting and death in the streets of BKK . The pro Thaksin reds against the royalist yellows ...

I was happy when that was ended by the coup .

Like it or not , at least it brought ' peace ' to the country .

Foreigners like to think that the win of a pro democracy party in Thai politics will bring in improvement to the life of a farang .

But that is not granted or certain .

It could also become worse for a foreigner here in Thailand ...

I am not a fan of Prajut , but I learned to live with that government ...

I would like to see change for the better , but that is not sure if , ever , the government changes .

 

 

 

Edited November 11, 20205 yr by nobodysfriend

37 minutes ago, LALes said:

But Anutin's odious remark about "filthy foreigners" doesn't need an apology.

He made this remark out of anger and desperation because Farangs did not use masks. But I am sure he would never be so primitive that he head butts a Farang

Still think if the Russian had any brains he would not have been there anyway

It's the same as would I say....

 

Some Thais are cheating on foreigners, so all Thais are cheater.

Prayer should resign.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut called for calm and legal protests, saying that diverging opinions were normal in a democracy like Thailand. 

 

Erm...  Thailand is a military dictatorship. It's impossible for the army to lose the election. The PM is chosen by the army.

Just now, Oldie said:

29 minutes ago, LALes said:

But Anutin's odious remark about "filthy foreigners" doesn't need an apology.

He made this remark out of anger and desperation because Farangs did not use masks. But I am sure he would never be so primitive that he head butts a Farang

 

I was told he made that remark to direct publicity, anger, at farangs, as covid 19 had originated in China, was brought to Thailand by Chinese tourists, and in those early days the public was up in arms about it. A lady up north had written signs saying she did not want them in her restaurant. Dangerous outburst that. In fact police visited to make her take signs down. However stronger measures were needed. Enter Anutin with video crew to direct outrage on an appropriate target.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut called for calm and legal protests, saying that diverging opinions were normal in a democracy like Thailand. 

I was laughing so hard, I wet my pants. Democracy and Thailand....

Damage to the all important image due to this latest incident, pales in comparision to the damage done by corruption, nepotism and malfeasance by officialdom.

While developing vaccine for chinese virus they should develop anger vaccine and test it in Thailand on just about 99 % of population  

7 hours ago, petermik said:

He, only commented on the incident as it involved an opposition leader...if it was one of his cronies no comment would have been made....

Water canons are enhancing Thailands image?

Fine, take this pr1ck to the cleaners and teach him a lesson. Yet another question springs to mind; just out of curiosity, how much was Sweetieboy Anutin, by all accounts the minister of public health, fined for this "dirty farang" remark - or did he make to a suspended jail sentence?

The big boys must understand, that they have to clean up the whole lot. Do away with two tier pricing and the clear anti-foreign attitude literally everywhere. Thailand needs the non-Thais as the rest of the world is glad, that there is Thailand and its people. Stop fanning hatred which, in any way you look at it, is racism in its purest form. Does not help anybody and, looking at the hospitality industry and the non-existing prostitution in Patpong, Cowboy, Nana, Bangla, Walking Street etc. it becomes quite apparent that millions of Baht every hour are NOT made and are dearly missed by the millions of Thais. 

8 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Atrocious air quality

No potable water

Floods and droughts

Sea water not safe to swim in

Second highest death toll in the world on the roads

Dual pricing for foreigners

RTP the largest organized crime syndicate in the world

Military dictatorship

No true democracy

Illegal trafficking of labour

Endless scams...property, visas, insurance, jet skis

 

....and he goes with a head butt on a Russian (of all nationalities) as damage to the Thai image........get a grip man.

 

(The head butt on a Russian might enhance their image)

 

Hey at least it was only one Thai, normally it's ten to one.........  Must of been a brave one......     

    Gosh, if he's that laser-focused on what's happening in Pattaya, why doesn't he do something about the unfinished Waterfront condo eyesore?   Do something useful for once--and it will improve Pattaya's image.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut called for calm and legal protests, saying that diverging opinions were normal in a democracy like Thailand. 

It’s probably one of the smartest thing that had ever come out of his mouth!

Unfortunately words are cheap and actions speak louder than words. Something he still needs to learn but at least he’s pointing in the right direction