Thaksin Promises Onslaught On Vice

[george]

Thaksin promises onslaught on vice

BANGKOK: -- The government has vowed to exert moral authority by tough law enforcement on a wide range of social ills, such as vice, teenage sexual promiscuity, football betting and loan-sharking. In a meeting yesterday with top government officials, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra relaunched old campaigns on social order, drug suppression and poverty eradication to portray a proactive image of his government.

“Society is plagued by many illnesses, and it is high time to wipe out social germs,” he said.

During an hour-long speech, Thaksin outlined his plans that look like a rerun of yet-to-be-delivered promises for poverty eradication.

Many of his points resembled those delivered by former deputy prime minister Purachai Piumsombun, who fell from favour for spearheading the social-order campaign.

“For this year’s remaining three months, I want police to send out a strong signal that illegal and immoral businesses will no longer be tolerated beyond January,” he said, referring to a “D-Day” for the vice-suppression campaign.

He said his Thai Rak Thai Party would open a call centre later this month to monitor vice-related complaints in order to double-check on the police’s performance.

“Every police commander across the country should take note that I have your personal telephone number and will call you if my party’s call centre reports a lapse of duty,” he said.

Thaksin said he was appalled by news reports on teen pregnancy, illegal road racing, football gambling, juvenile sexual violations and drug abuse among youths.

“Society has deteriorated to a point where sexual promiscuity is so widespread that many teenage mothers do not know the father of their child,” he said. “Some girls allow themselves to become a trophy for the winners of motorcycle road races.”

He said he would consult with leading Buddhist monks in order to instil moral values in society.

He called on media outlets and sports columnists to stop reporting football betting odds.

“The Police Special Branch, which is in charge of printing regulations, should intensify its checks on advertising messages and publications deemed to condone commercial sex, gambling, pornography and other immoral acts,” he said.

Meanwhile, the government plans to unveil a set of measures on October 18 to assist debtors reeling from the hefty interest rates charged by moneylenders that exceed legal limits, a senior money-laundering examiner said.

“Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will have good news for poor debtors across the country as the government has plans to rescue them from their financial plight,” Anti-Money Laundering Office secretary-general Peeraphan Prempooti said.

Thaksin has instructed provincial governors to crack down on loan sharks and lenders with questionable schemes that overcharge borrowers, Peeraphan said.

A planned measure is to amend the bankruptcy law to allow low-income debtors to seek state intervention to protect their assets, he said.

Those under bankruptcy protection will be in a position to negotiate a loan settlement to reduce high interest charges, he said.

Civil servants will be allowed to keep their jobs if they declare themselves bankrupt in order to sort out their debts, he added.

The authorities will take aggressive steps to prosecute those who violate lending regulations, he said, and those extending questionable loans will be targeted for strict tax audits.

In his weekly radio address, Thaksin said he had worked out a comprehensive solution to rescue small-income debtors.

“I will explain my new measures after I return from my European trip in the middle of this month,” he said.

Thaksin said he would appoint his advisor Wan Muhamad Noor Matha vice chairman of two national centres to tackle poverty and drug problems.

Wan Noor will take over the centres from Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya, who is to devote his full attention to solving the unrest in the deep South, Thaksin said.

--The Nation 2005-10-02

[britmaveric]

Hmmm havent we heard this before?

[udon]

"Thaksin promises onslaught on vice"

[britmaveric]

"Thaksin promises onslaught on vice"

   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Onslaught replacing Crackdown?

[Guest endure]

Charity (and onslaughts) begin at home

[marquess]

Just another opportunity to erode adult freedoms, under the guise of protecting the young. When will the govenment wake up and realise that, society as a whole has to have moral responsibility. Especially parents towards children and no amount of crack downs or legislation will change that?

[MyNameIsFarang]

I wonder how many people will get onslaughtered this time.

"Just another opportunity to erode adult freedoms, under the guise of protecting the young. When will the govenment wake up and realise that, society as a whole has to have moral responsibility."

This is the nut of the problem. But you have to realize that Thailand is still a quasifeudal patronage-based society and in such a system the ruling class are the only true adults.

Political theory aside, His Doctorness doesn't mention mucking up the bar scene so I shant give it any further thought for now.

[Heng]

Biz idea. Shock troops for hire (for gov't sanctioned onslaughts, crackdowns, etc. and for private business/property owners who need to get rid of squatters). There's Chubb, Guardfire, PCS, etc... There's plenty of old military around with nothing to do (the kind hired by Chuwit to do that rather surgical job at Sukhumvit 10). A little marketing and it could be put together.

[mumbojumbo]

I bet the final report on this onslaught will be the same as the campaign to erraticate people of dark influences. The final report on that a couple of years ago, was there were no dark infuences in the Gov, Military, or Police.

[Butterfly]

well bars were closing early again last night. But I was able to make it back for 6:00am

[englishoak]

Headline coming soon.

"There is NO corruption in Thailand"

[Buff-horns]

hhmmmm, will we see any diminution in the number of ladies of the night walking along sukhumvit road ?

anyone taking any bets ? whats odds can i get ?

but which vice is he refering to?

[Johpa]

Ho hum. It is just the typical Thai elite means of taking note than some people, or the newest group of "wrong" people, are profiting without permission and that is something that the Thai criminal organizations (e.g. The Royal Thai Police) will not tolerate. Just remember the first law of plumbing: "doggy doo doo only flows downhill."

Chaiyo!

[opothai]

“For this year’s remaining three months, I want police to send out a strong signal that illegal and immoral businesses will no longer be tolerated beyond January,” he said, referring to a “D-Day” for the vice-suppression campaign.

[penzman]

I'd love to know the title of the book Mr T. has just finished reading.

[Sandstone Art]

Is he that squeaky clean?

[Wolfie]

Onslaught replacing Crackdown?  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thailand the hub of Onslaughts and Crackdowns!

[ilyushin]

Our great leader One he forgot is the social ill that teenagers love and care for their mobile phones more than family members.