Human rights

[francois]

hi'

how can a government can afford to lie like this and make the people not even aware of what is really happening ?

everybody knows that, for it has been discussed before,

police for any kind of reason is more up to kill than to catch and jail those traffikers ... the minister himself said "they will pay more attention, and use the force only in self defense case, it might depends ; what do they consider like a "self defense case" ?

if Amnesty International say there is an abuse of this force ...

this might be true ... but might be that the governement do

not mind so much about ... drug-war is on !

but what about all the other promises given to people in order to be elected ?

we see every day on tv pills here, pills there, but not a "big-head'" down yet ...

and use a phone number to call the police to "deliver" drug users to the police ... tss tss .. think twice !

is all the money invested in this war gone already ?

isn't it another way to make people concerned about this serious problem, than promises and tv shows ?

these days tv is used like a propaganda tool ... pity

[LordHawHaw]

I see you did not get any replies to your list of complaints, until I came along.

Your objections to life here, and to the policies of the police and government, are not unique.  Variations on your theme appear in the English-language newspapers daily.  We all know the story.

This is not your (or my) home country.  We don't vote here.  We are guests.

You would do well to keep those things in mind.  And when you no longer feel welcome here, leave.  From wherever you are, launch whatever crusade you want to correct the wrongs you perceive; lecture, scold, demand, protest and in general be as noisy as you want.  As is your right.

Until you leave and begin your activist's career, you are, however, a GUEST here.

Oh, let me tell you a little story: an expat I know here has long years in Thailand, and knows the ropes.  He told me that one day he was in a restaurant, chatting with the locals, when a Thai at another table took an interest in him.  The interest was NOT friendly, as was obvious from facial expressions and body language.  Finally the unhappy Thai got up, walked over to my friend's table, interrupted the conversation, and said, "You got a work permit?"  "Yes," my friend said.  "Lemme see it."  My friend hauled out his passport (always carried!), and handed it over without a word.  The Thai examined it carefully, and then with a snort of contempt tossed it back on the table (very rude not to hand it back).  And walked away.

The moral of the story: we are GUESTS here.  When asked, we answer.  You never know who is asking.

If you don't get the point now, you may at some time in the future.

[Rinrada]

Francois...

If there are abuses of  human rights here and I am sure there is (as well as many other countries)things will eventually change,but dont hold your breath.

12 years ago in Iraq ....o no dont go on about that ....etc. and now there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel and not the one with the prisioner and the "electrician"

Ref the guy asking about the passport/workpermit unless he can show proof of who HE is (or in police uniform-be sensible) and on what authority he is making the request a polite F..k o. PLEASE....is correct response.

O dear dear? :cool:

[LordHawHaw]

Sorry to be snotty about it, but "Who are you, to demand to see my passport/work permit?" is NOT the correct response.

As I said, you never know who is asking.  In this case, the fellow was arrogant and pushy and cocksure enough to walk up to a stranger and start throwing his weight around.  How many Thais behave like that??

Answer: the ones who have clout.  Everybody else is polite and nice and deferential and could not care less about a stranger's passport or legal status.

Not even the thugs and pickpockets here act like folks who have political power.  And telling someone to hand over his ID is the act of a politically powerful person.  Sure, he could be bluffing, but do you want to risk it?  He is already ticked off for some reason, remember, so why in the world do you want to antagonize the fellow still more?

As my sainted momma used to tell me, "Sonny, it's not what you know, it's who you know."  I think she knew something about how most of the world works, and that sure includes Thailand.  As soon as you give the wrong fellow trouble, you risk getting trouble back, right in your teeth, ten times over.  So he's not a cop.  So what?  His brother is a cop, or a guy he knows is a cop, and that is what makes things happen here: connections.  People who owe you favors.  

Remember that empty lot on Sukhumwit that used to be jammed with small businesses, the ones that were literally torn to shreds one night?  Connections did that.  Remember all the....but you know the stories.  Things happen, all sorts of things, because people know and make use of connections to "influential figures."  Do you want to take a chance that the guy you talk back to is not an "influential figure," or does not know one who owes him a favor?  Again, most Thais are very polite all the time, so what does it mean if you run across one who acts as if he owns the section of town you are in?  It means he probably owns the section of town you are in, and he owns the police there, too.  

Discretion is the better part of valor, especially when you are not on your home turf.  IMHO.  Take your chances if you want.....I'm not trying to be argumentive, I'm trying to pass along good advice.  My momma had good advice for me, quoted above.  And it was my daddy who told me, "Son, never get into a spray with a skunk."

[Rinrada]

With respect Lord Haw Haw (no relation to Jimmy Joyce I hope)but  NO I dont agree...

Human rights abuses only take place when we allow them to happen.Your H.R.are being abused when some little S..T demands your ID without reason or AUTHORITY.

Good government can rule  but only with popular support and dare I say a little bit of Idealism (OK-ha-ha) but dictatorships are easy and only rely on a few twisted individuals with a sub servant population.If you were sitting in a restaurant in the west and some little guy who has no mummy made the request what would you say?

My old dad got into a wee bit of a to-do with some of his coallision chinese soldiers somewhere in Manchuria in 1945 and was commended by his "boss" Chaing Chai Shek (xcuse spelling) who confirmed that he should never KOW-TOW to anyone of any nationality if he is in the right.

Nice 2 little words. :: Sanuk