Laying Down The Law

[beerchang]

Laying down the law

New regulations on karaoke, Internet gaming, film ratings set to take effect

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

Deputy government spokes-man Phumin Leetheeraprasert said the Cabinet also assigned the Office of the Council of State to adjust some of the wording before the regulations are implemented.

The new rules, which also cover Internet cafes, allow children to play computer games for more than three hours and up to six hours a day, says Culture Minister Teera Salakpetch.

Those under 15 will be allowed to use the service from 2pm to 8pm from Monday to Friday and from 10am to 8pm during holidays and school breaks, while those aged 15 to 18 can play games until 10pm, Teera says.

The Cabinet also agreed that an IT system to keep kids under 18 from playing computer games for more than three hours a day should be ready before a ministerial regulation amendment is proposed later, he added.

Seven movie categories

Other regulations approved concern film ratings. The minister said there were seven categories: educational films people are encouraged to see; films suitable for the general audience; films suitable for those over 13; films suitable for those over 15; films suitable for those over 18; films restricted for persons under 20, and films banned from being screened in the Kingdom.

Teera also said that the ministry has finished making the six rating symbols and would submit them to the National Committee on Film and Video in mid-August before they are implemented.

The symbols are: "Sor" (from the Thai word song serm that means "promoted") for educational films people are encouraged to see; "Thor" (from thua pai meaning "general") for films suitable for the general audience; "Nor 13+" (Nor is from naenam meaning "advisory") for films suitable for those over 13; "Nor 15+"; "Nor 18+", and "Chor 20+" (Chor is from chapor that means "specific") for films restricted for persons under 20.

The two regulations should take effect in mid-August.

-- The Nation 2009 07 29

Wow! The government can issue REGULATIONS that apparently don't need to be vetted in public hearings. That's very fair.

Issuing regulations is a good way to also bypass Parliament where a debate would have to take place on changes to the law.

Quite....dictatorial.

The UK govt. makes rules as they go along. There are also film ratings decided by 'bodies'. Don't think the UK has desicions made by a dictator though. Certainly a dic!

[clausewitz]

This is just the beginning.

Moral regulations are popular with the educated elite . They want a Thailand where everyone lives a simple, self-sufficient lifestyle (only 2 maids and perhaps a driver) and any prostitutes they purchase are serviced and bought discretly: so the wider world sees thailand as the paragon of virtue it really is. It is a draw of the Democrats and PAD that they are big on morality issues .

[Oberkommando]

What's the point in film ratings when violence is on terrestrial TV channels throughout the day?

Poorly thought out and impossible to implement, as is normally the case in Thailand.

The hypocrisy is so thick that they hand out laws against female company in karaoke bars yet one of the cabinet members is a brothel madam, in charge of a vast empire of prostitution and people-trafficking.

[grandasiafoods]

prohibition on Karaoke will cause unemployment; while the internet things causes harmness to kids

how do they think in their minds?

[jerrylee]

Please be fair about this, there's karaoke in Japanese Clubs,

but there's a world of difference between a Japanese Club

and a Thai Karaoke Bar?.

[Brewsta]

This reminds me of Purachai Piumsombun...

K.Puarchi, IMHO, had 'beliefs & rational social motivation' to change LOS for the better - wheras this pronouncement is similar to political/media 'silly season' in UK/USA,etc......

beyond belief and irrationally antisocial.....

Rock on August.

rgdz All,

Brewsta

[gmac]

This will probably put a few people out of work.

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

Just deny access to karaoke to those who can't sing and the problem is solved

That really would put them out of business!

[Brewsta]

(Ed.)

Khun Purachai....that is/was.

[idiot farang]

the new advertising campaign should be tagged:

Thailand! Burma with Electricity

THAT is funny.

i don't know the Thai's well enough to really comment, but the kind of comical stuff their interchangeable governments come up with is embarrassingly comical to the world outside of Thailand. my question to those of you who have lived in Thailand for a while: do many Thai's realize how mickey mouse their govt comes across, or is the Thai pride thing so ingrained that they just don't see it?

as i read this, all i can think is that this is the govt. cozying up more to the BiB. 'you want more money? no problem, we'll create some more ridiculous laws to give you a new avenue for tea money'.

Edited July 29, 2009 by idiot farang

[PhuketRam]

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

You are probably misinformed: there are NO massage parlors with sexy girls, NO gogo bars in Thailand. Anyway, prostitution and pornography are illegal in this country.

BR><BR><BR>According to Chief of Police in Phuket, which was printed in the Phuket Gazette two years ago:

Massage Parlours where the girls are free to leave at any time and they have the ability to say NO to the customer who choses her are Legal. Kept women and the ones where the mamasan forces them to service a customer are Illegal. They are to preform a massage! Anything else is between two consulting adults.

Go Go Bars are no more than bars with dancers for your entertainment, however nakedness and lude acts are Illegal and the girls are fined and the bar can be closed down. Similar to topless bathing is illegal and warrents a 500 baht fine. However a bar fine is legal, you are paying to take away a girl from her place of work and depriving the business of a worker. The bar fine only entitles the customer to spend time with the girl, ie go for a meal, cinema, bowling etc. Anything else is just a business agreement between two consulting adults.

Prostitution is illegal, defined by: a postitute is a girl / boy who approaches potential customers offering services. ie the street walkers on walking street and beach road, they are legal as long as they dont approach us. We approach them and again it is a business transaction between two consulting adults. As long as they do not work for a street mamasan/pimp.

pornography is illegal and thai pornography warrents a jail sentence foreign porn in small quantities, for your own viewing will be destroyed if found in your possession. sales and distribution warrents a jail sentence.

Dont shoot the messenger!

[minxwhale]

>>>>>>>>>>>>> yet one of the cabinet members is a brothel madam, in charge of a vast empire of prostitution and people-trafficking.

Really? Who?

[speleo]

It isn't often the Missus takes an interest current affairs, but these new regulations, which were reported on the front page of today's Thai Rath, caught her attention. She summed up the regulations in two words: 'mai dai'.

The regulation bans all waitresses from sitting down with the customers which would affect karaoke, naklong and bar beer businesses. She runs a small, unprofitable, karaoke shop in a provincial town; the first reaction was to close the business which would put 10 people out of work. If the regulations are enforced nationally (unlikely I know) tens of thousands of women would be out of work. The government may thus manage to unite the Yellow, Red and Blue Shirts.

Nah - it will just change the business model slightly. Instead of charging for one of the staff to sit and drink and sing with you, the customer will tip one of the female customers (freelancer) who is hanging around for doing the same or a kickback given to the girl for drinks consumed. Girls are no longer staff, so might need encouragement to stay at that particular bar so under table payments instead of a base wage. The only real changes the customer will see is the girls no longer wearing uniforms and maybe having to negotiate rates rather than have flat fees for the bar. It seems worse for the girls though.

Thanks for the hint on a new business model. There are already a couple of freelancers who only get commission from the drinks bought by the customer they are chatting to, just need to put all the other girls on a commission only basis.

[dalmatian]

My concern is only with the cinema ratings. Everything is based on making money so if the ratings system is adhered to and restrictions on age really do take affect then some good movies may not get shown. It is true that I have seen children as young as 4 watching adult oriented movies with their parents and restrictions should be enforced. I just hope it does not take away the ability to see some good movies that may otherwise be seen in our own countries.

I know this is aimed at the Thai people and protecting them from harm but the cinema is one of the pleasures that I have to pass the day. The idea that some of these restricted ratings films can only be shown late (if shown at all) on the day is also a pain as I usually like to see the first performance when the theatre is not so packed.

In Pattaya we already have quite a few cinemas and they are not that packed anyway so applying restrictions may just limit the movies that I am able to watch. Will be intersting how this implemented. The only good thing is that it might stop the 10 year olds laughing and talking when somebody gets murdered or their head chopped off. That really restricts my viewing pleasure.

[Choctaw]

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

They have to start somewhere. It is a good thing that they are taking a hold of this, rather then ignoring it all.

The Cabinet also agreed that an IT system to keep kids under 18 from playing computer games for more than three hours a day should be ready before a ministerial regulation amendment is proposed later, he added.

Impossible to implement....

Depends on how and where they are thinking to implement the system. They can enforce internet cafes and PC-gaming shops to implement a system and let the local police / whatever check up on them now and then. Even easier, they can even demand that all internet and gaming cafes were registered, set up internet servers that automatically and periodically receive conformation via internet from the gaming cafes, confirming that they are using the software that makes the regulations. This system can be planned, programmed and forcefully implemented. I am sure that there are a bunch of educated Thais that are willing to dive into this and find better solutions than my ramble here.

They can offcourse not forcefully implement the system in your home computer, but I am guessing most Thai children do not have home computers. Most Thai children gather after school in public internet and game cafes.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Choctaw

[najman]

"Amazing China Lite"

I never once set foot in a Karoke bar/club.... or a video game arena for that matter. No biggie for me, but to think Thailand could even begin to inforce such rules when they can't even stop people fromd driving their scooters down the wrong side of the road, is crazy.

There nothing wrong with riding your scooters down the wrong side of the road when you do it slowly and dont swerve onto oncoming traffic. It's normal in Thailand and I've done it heaps of times. Obviously you rarely ride a scooter if ever as you would know its very controlled practice with its own common rules.

It would be a rare occasion when someone died coz of this practice. Most deaths occur from drink driving and other means. Its part of life in thailand and not many people a going around complaining about it either. Just coz it upsets you doesnt mean everyone else in the world is upset by it. Stick to your big fat Chevrolette 4X4 and you'll be fine.

[Acharn]

Laying down the law

How does legislation comes to power in Thailand? Has the proposed law to pass first the two chambers of parliament or is it solo playing by the cabinet?

I gather from the story that all these are Ministerial Regulations. That is, they are rules written by the appropriate Ministry and then approved by the Cabinet. This was the form of the "law" that prohibited Thai women married to farang from registering land. It may seem strange that "laws" don't have to be approved by Parliament, buy, hey, TiT. Actually, I don't know how you can tell which laws have been approved by Parliament and which have not, but the real problem is trying to figure out which ones will be enforced.

[deadbloke]

"The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do."

Surely, this is just opening another opportunity for back-handers? Will the doors of corruption in Thailand ever be tackled or even closed?

Who has the power for "business licences being revoked" - they can obviously turn a blind eye for the right amount - this'll never cure anything, just strengthen the corruption cycle.

[Supernova]

Thais are in denial. They don't want to accept reality for what it is. That's the problem with this f*ckin' country. What this country needs is legalized gambling, prostitution and a big kick in the a$$. It is long overdue...

[chmike]

"The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?"

I believe it is only a matter of time.

Without saying whether I agree with it or not, I do not expect to see the sex scene as-we-know-it today to look anything like this in Thailand in five years from now. There is a groundswell of resentment to it among common Thai people, especially women, and a growing movement among the elite towards cleaning up Thailand's image. Like it or not, cracking down on perceived and actual immorality (certainly in public) is a vote winner.

I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. I think the Thai populous in general is quite weary of their country's reputation as the world's whorehouse. The middle class is growing and has more opportunity for foreign travel and more access to international news and opinion. Ask most middle class Thais and I venture that you will find the vast majority are completely in favor of any measures that will reduce "visible" prostitution and the perception of immorality.

For those who think "TIT" and it will never happen here, well, just look at other Asian cities. Thirty years ago, Taipei, Hong Kong, Seoul, & Singapore all had a flourishing, "open" sex trade. As the general population in these places became more affluent and more aware of global consensus, the cheaper, visible sex-for-hire establishments (catering to both locals and foreigners) all disappeared. Of course, prostitution still exists and, in some cases, thrives in these cities, but not in the highly accessible, open, and inexpensive manner it previously had.

And, whether you realize it or not, the same thing is already happening in Thailand. Less than ten years ago most Thai cities (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Udon, Ubon, P'loke, etc., etc.) all had large, well-known cheap brothel districts. These areas have all been closed down or have been drastically reduced in size and forced to go "underground". Again, it doesn't mean that sex for sale has been eliminated, just that it's not as open and visible as it was in the past.

Like it or not, this trend will continue and will extend to foreign-patronized go-gos and massage parlors. If you think it won't happen becasue of the loss of revenue, then you've underestimated the cleverness and ingenuity of the Thais. They'll continue to make money off horny foreigners via escort services, rip-off "coyote" bars, and all the other schemes used to separate sex-starved old men from their money in other countries. And prostitution will always be available to those willing to pay a high enough price or who know where to look. But the days of user-friendly, out in the open, inexpensive sex establishments in Thailand are numbered.

I'm not saying this because I think it's right or wrong. Personally, I'm kind of ambivilent. I'd like to live in a moral society but would also like to have an endless supply of nubile sex partners available for nominal fee. It's just the way things go...

[Thailand]

I am not surprised that our puppet PM signs off on these things without reading them as he clearly is more concerned with losing the next election.

When did he win the last one?

[givenall]

I certainly hope that cinemas will enforce the film ratings. I recall watching the last Rambo film with a Thai family sitting behind me with a young child (4 or 5 years old) clearly very distraught (crying screaming etc) during some scenes that no child of that age should see.

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

More stupid laws. It is all about diverting the attention from working on real problems Economy, Exports and Tourism

[bobright]

Oh dear.

Really?

How sad!

Never mind.

How?

When?

Where?

Who?

Another lot of families without a breadwinner, or in this case, riceearner?

Never mind!

sentiments aside, yes, just answer all the attached questions here, for the love of all things thai and thailand.

[warlord]

"Amazing China Lite"

I never once set foot in a Karoke bar/club.... or a video game arena for that matter. No biggie for me, but to think Thailand could even begin to inforce such rules when they can't even stop people fromd driving their scooters down the wrong side of the road, is crazy.

Quite right,just like the mobile phone law, everyone still does it,and they overlooked the 100's of thai men who ride their motorbikes single handed whilst carrying a bloody big bird cage in the other,amazing thailand don't you think

[bobright]

Laying down the law

New regulations on karaoke, Internet gaming, film ratings set to take effect

BANGKOK: -- .....

The new rules, which also cover Internet cafes, allow children to play computer games for more than three hours and up to six hours a day, says Culture Minister Teera Salakpetch.

Those under 15 will be allowed to use the service from 2pm to 8pm from Monday to Friday and from 10am to 8pm during holidays and school breaks, while those aged 15 to 18 can play games until 10pm, Teera says.

The Cabinet also agreed that an IT system to keep kids under 18 from playing computer games for more than three hours a day should be ready before a ministerial regulation amendment is proposed later, he added.

.....

-- The Nation 2009 07 29

Might work if kids must have a picture bearing smart card

and it fits in a card reader on EVERY internet cafe computer,

or at least on a master computer for a network this MIGHT be controlled.

But it is gonna be quite pricey, need a windows compatible software, in Thai of course,

the SAME version on every Icafe computer in the nation,

and need an absolute nation wide implementation students and cafes,

and all sorts of issues beyond that.

The HOURS stated are ridiculously too much. 6 hours of gaming a day is OK... what ARE they thinking!

2 hours a day of non educational and that's it.

Basically kids, you have between 4-6 pm then go home for dinner.

There is little likelihood of an 'IT system' being able to regulate this.

These guys just don't UNDERSTAND the technology at all.

I'd like to add something... can't they make Thailands cra_p Internet (so called Thai ADSL) to run properly as first goal and then as a second step think of such 'regulation'?

IDEA STRONGLY SUPPORTED HERE MANY TIMES OVER....

[jitenshaman]

You are probably misinformed: there are NO massage parlors with sexy girls, NO gogo bars in Thailand. Anyway, prostitution and pornography are illegal in this country.

BR><BR><BR>According to Chief of Police in Phuket, which was printed in the Phuket Gazette two years ago:

Massage Parlours where the girls are free to leave at any time and they have the ability to say NO to the customer who choses her are Legal. Kept women and the ones where the mamasan forces them to service a customer are Illegal. They are to preform a massage! Anything else is between two consulting adults.

Go Go Bars are no more than bars with dancers for your entertainment, however nakedness and lude acts are Illegal and the girls are fined and the bar can be closed down. Similar to topless bathing is illegal and warrents a 500 baht fine. However a bar fine is legal, you are paying to take away a girl from her place of work and depriving the business of a worker. The bar fine only entitles the customer to spend time with the girl, ie go for a meal, cinema, bowling etc. Anything else is just a business agreement between two consulting adults.

Prostitution is illegal, defined by: a postitute is a girl / boy who approaches potential customers offering services. ie the street walkers on walking street and beach road, they are legal as long as they dont approach us. We approach them and again it is a business transaction between two consulting adults. As long as they do not work for a street mamasan/pimp.

pornography is illegal and thai pornography warrents a jail sentence foreign porn in small quantities, for your own viewing will be destroyed if found in your possession. sales and distribution warrents a jail sentence.

Dont shoot the messenger!

if gogo bars are no more than bars with dancers for your entertainment, then karaoke bars are no more than bars with singers and fellow drinkers for your entertainment....maybe now everyone will just skip the singing and drinking and just go straight into the main event! Does this law also mean that the ex singers and drinkers in the tight hot pants can no longer stand outside of the club waiting for visitors? Darn, i always enjoyed the view passing by the ones near where i live.

[DickFarang]

What about the soap operas on Channel 7 ? What I see are people shouting at each other all the time, men hitting women and women hitting men. Are that “educational films people are encouraged to see” ?

[bobright]

Laying down the law

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

-- The Nation 2009 07 29

BOOOOOOOoooooooooWAAAAAhhhhhhhhha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha- ha-ha-

ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha- ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-

ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-

ha-ha-ha- ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha

ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-

ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha- -ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-

ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-

tears, aching sides ... ...ha - ha - ha -

BOOOOOOOoooooooooWAAAAAhhhhhhhhha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-

ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha- ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha- ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha,

ohhhh, stoppit, yer killin' me...

ha-ha-ha...uhhh, uh-ha - uh-ha - uh-ha - what's the point again?

*KEEP DOING THIS AND YOU MAY BE CENSORED TOO, YES? no? YES,no? YES,no? YES? no? OH NO! WE WILL BOTH BE OUTLAWS UNDER A NEW LAW SOON................................

[bobright]

Please be fair about this, there's karaoke in Japanese Clubs,

but there's a world of difference between a Japanese Club

and a Thai Karaoke Bar?.

sure, sure, lots of differences........

yet, yet, lots of similarities................like prostitution galores, blah,blah,blah.

[bobright]

At least we do sth. Those who are not happy, just go back to your homes. Simple!

ok. love. tom will go back to nonthamburi. jerry will go back to chiangmai. mike will go back to isaan. and, i will go back to au udom and my girlfriend will back to ubon . her parents? they will go back to on-nut and their dog will go back to yala. it is quite simple, really. everyone will be out of work and have nothing to do. everything will become peaceful, quiet, serene, and not many farangs who call thailand "home" will need a maid, a gardener, a tailor, a chaffeur, a "dek-serve" , a bartender..........how about you, love?

[moskito]

instead starting with the cinemas they should more watch at the big TV station in Thailand. All this dam_n soap operas are full of violations. There is not only one without weapons, slapping ladys in the face, boxing each other or kill, financed by the big comercial companys in Thaland. Not only ONE intelligent made soap like they are in Japan.

and regarding the Karaoke Bars 3 times short laughed :D .....what is the government thinking, do they think at all? lots of girls make money there, do they provide new jobs for them?

Instead of building large monuments for a dead general in Bkk they should build a huge golden pu...y for the ladys, THEY are the reason for Thailands wealth....not the politicians!

WHEN WILL THE GOVERNMENT WAKE UP AND WORK FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT AGAINST THEM ???

internet or gaming shops for kids under 12 have to be closed. POINT