Say Cheese

[Dont Panic]

I see on the front of the Thai rag this morning another interesting photo. The guy who admitted to killing that Swedish woman re-enacting the crime. He is clearly smiling and finding the whole thing funny for some reason even though he'll be off to jail soon for a very long time. If he's already admitted his guilt and has been prosecuted by the law........what's the bloody point in having a photo on the front page.

Selling papers I guess.....but what about the poor woman's family??

[barky]

TIT mate, generally they don't care about the relatives at all. There is no compassion. Between the media, police and the criminal I'm not sure who has the best laugh at the situation and the poor victim. The Thai papers and TV pride themselves on getting the close ups of the victim surrounded by the police, criminal, rescue workers all enjoying their 15 minutes of fame in front of the lense. And unfortunately it seems the the general populace enjoy their gawking too. If they didn't, if it was a social no no it wouldn't occur.

[micksterbs]

TIT mate, generally they don't care about the relatives at all. There is no compassion. Between the media, police and the criminal I'm not sure who has the best laugh at the situation and the poor victim. The Thai papers and TV pride themselves on getting the close ups of the victim surrounded by the police, criminal, rescue workers all enjoying their 15 minutes of fame in front of the lense. And unfortunately it seems the the general populace enjoy their gawking too. If they didn't, if it was a social no no it wouldn't occur.

Yeah, 'fraid so. I hate the way the hospitals allow the bloody TV cameras right up to the bedside. It gets my goat every time I see that. Jeez, I don't know about you, but if that happened to me whilst conscious, I just might lose it in a rather large way and I wouldn't give a rat's arse about losing face, either. You only have to see a crowd gather around a road crash in this country and nobody helping the poor victim/s to realise that the Thai are a strange bunch. Either that or they're afraid of being thought "involved" when the BiB finally roll-up.

Reason for rant: having a bad day.

[kmart]

"Land of Smiles" Smirks, sniggers, sneers, etc. Wonder if the feral pig that they're parading around at the moment (guilty or not) would be quite so toothsome if he'd murdered (whilst attempting to rape) a Thai woman?

[PhilHarries]

I don't get the re-enactment thing at all especially when the guy has confessed to the deed. It just doesn't seem to serve any purpose at all except fill a bit of newspaper space and pander to the gawpers. It must have some historical significance like a public confession/apology showing that the perpetrator really did do the deed and the confession is not merely a police fabrication, as if they would .

[zorro1]

You can retract your confession, it happens all the time. I Imagine it would be difficult to do that after your re enactment fits in with what actually happened so it makes perfect sense to

me , although I cant understand why it cant be done behind closed doors

Edited March 20, 2008 by zorro1

[spasticated]

A "Thai" smile does not necessarily mean he is happy he could be embarrassed it can mean many things.

[jeffer]

With all those public re-enactments I'm always surprised some relative doesn't turn up and attack the accused but it never seems to happen.

The smiles might be a show of nervousness, least that's what a few Indonesians told me when I've commented on the way some Indonesians in similar situations also seem to be smiling at the cameras.

Have to agree with the filming of hospital patients. How that can be allowed amazes me at times or does someone slip a 100 baht to hospital security to let them follow the injured person all the way into the operating theatre?

[p_brownstone]

With all those public re-enactments I'm always surprised some relative doesn't turn up and attack the accused but it never seems to happen.

This actually happens frequently, and often the Police will stand aside and enjoy the spectacle as the "suspect" is beaten up by relatives and friends of the victim.

Patrick

[micksterbs]

With all those public re-enactments I'm always surprised some relative doesn't turn up and attack the accused but it never seems to happen.

This actually happens frequently, and often the Police will stand aside and enjoy the spectacle as the "suspect" is beaten up by relatives and friends of the victim.

Patrick

Hang on; justice, in Thailand?

[jeffer]

Never seen it on tv myself and I've seen those re-enactments on Thai news many times.

[pop_corn]

any link to the picture?

[GuestHouse]

The reason for the reinactment is cultural/religious - there's something in the Buddhist teachings (and hence in Thai culture) about [sic]not believing something unless you've witnessed it yourself - The enactment plays to that aspect of Thai culture. Just like many things in English legal practice play to English culture (likewise the world over). But yes it does seem strange to an outsider.

----

With all those public re-enactments I'm always surprised some relative doesn't turn up and attack the accused but it never seems to happen.

This actually happens frequently, and often the Police will stand aside and enjoy the spectacle as the "suspect" is beaten up by relatives and friends of the victim.

Patrick

No they don't!

Or if you insist they do... source please?

[zorro1]

The reason for the reinactment is cultural/religious - there's something in the Buddhist teachings (and hence in Thai culture) about [sic]not believing something unless you've witnessed it yourself - The enactment plays to that aspect of Thai culture. Just like many things in English legal practice play to English culture (likewise the world over). But yes it does seem strange to an outsider.

----

With all those public re-enactments I'm always surprised some relative doesn't turn up and attack the accused but it never seems to happen.

This actually happens frequently, and often the Police will stand aside and enjoy the spectacle as the "suspect" is beaten up by relatives and friends of the victim.

Patrick

No they don't!

Or if you insist they do... source please?

Nope it happens in the west and I don't see too many Texas buddhist sheriffs Standard practise except you will only ever see the crim pointing to a shallow grave in your hometown rag