Police Prepare For Election Day Expat Sobriety Riots

[maapaa]

we all know Thais dont drink alcohol ......... they are never drunk ...behave perfectly in the society and never cause troubles ..... oh are we talking about farang here ? Oooops ...... that is the most stupid things I have seen today so far ....

I really thought farang was not part of those elections ....

We are! As some of us decided to live here - and so we have to follow the Thai laws! And that's good.

If Thais are following the laws or not - we don't have to care about it because it's not our business!

I am living and working here in Thailand since a year now.

What I really can't stand aren't any Thai laws or police checkpoints. No. I am really getting bored of foreign guests (that what we are here) complaining about nearly everything!

Nobody forced you to come to Thailand, it was your own, free decision! If you don't like Thailand anymore - go back home! It would make life here much better.

Shut up or go home... heheee, you been in Thailand SINCE a year now, and you just love everyhing, and all the Thai people treat you as they do other Thais, right??

Hey, stay cool and polite, please.

I see - you are nearly born here. Or living here since more than 40 years. Or why did you put my word "since" (a year) in capital letters? Anything wrong or funny with it?

You should be able to read my post, right? I didn't say anything about "Shut up or go home"! I just said that I can't stand other foreigners to complain about everything.

And I asked myself: If they don't like Thailand, if here are so many things to complain about - why don't they try to find a better place to stay? Or much better: Why don't they go back to the country where they came from? Impossible to understand for me - but I am old and stupid. So - don't try to explain it to me, please. I wouldn't get you anyway.

Thais treating me as they treat other Thais?

Sometimes they are treating me even better! And I don't like it!

I have a quite good job here in a small village and nearly all the people here (from police to school directors) show much more respect than I deserve.

But - even if I would live here until I die - I will stay a farang and not a Thai. No question about this.

But the point is: Here is Thailand - not any other country! Luckily we can't change the laws here.

Not everything is good, no. But we have to obey - if you like it or hate it.

How are we treating people from other nations in our homecountries? The same way as we treat our own nationals? Sure not!

Have a nice evening

[mightyharriss]

Brilliant... I'm off to a certain pub in Surasak for a pre election party 12-6... Happy hour all afternoon and 50% off food :-)

[ableguy]

Who is this bloody cop ? i WANT MY BOTTLE AND A BUNNY ON MY ARM, does this make me welcome here or am I sober yesreday what you problem red shirt, how can man not live if bars closet all time what my rites heh answer that heh my money good heh ? no I know this two. Edited July 1, 2011 by ableguy

[nattapong]

Satire or not, I like it.

[somo]

It may be a joke but it doesn't half ring true.

Having said that it does show once again that often the thais have no flexibility when applying the law. There is no need to ban farangs from drinking as they are not voting. Expats with their own apartments can of course stock up and drink at home but most farangs here are tourist and here to party. Taking away 2 nights of enjowment out of their 10-14 day holiday seems ludicrous. The authorities easily distinguish between thais and foreigners when it comes to paying for entry to historical sites and national parks so they could easily do the same for alcohol instead of ruining peoples holidays. It is bad for tourists and the future of tourism, bad for the bars many owned by thais and bad for the working girls. Where is the good?

[Daffy D]

“Stay Home, Stay Wasted” promotion.

[lannarebirth]

It may be a joke but it doesn't half ring true.

Having said that it does show once again that often the thais have no flexibility when applying the law. There is no need to ban farangs from drinking as they are not voting. Expats with their own apartments can of course stock up and drink at home but most farangs here are tourist and here to party. Taking away 2 nights of enjowment out of their 10-14 day holiday seems ludicrous. The authorities easily distinguish between thais and foreigners when it comes to paying for entry to historical sites and national parks so they could easily do the same for alcohol instead of ruining peoples holidays. It is bad for tourists and the future of tourism, bad for the bars many owned by thais and bad for the working girls. Where is the good?

Do you mean to say your really don't know how to find a drink, even with an alcohol ban on? Here's a clue. Walk down any soi.

[somo]

It may be a joke but it doesn't half ring true.

Having said that it does show once again that often the thais have no flexibility when applying the law. There is no need to ban farangs from drinking as they are not voting. Expats with their own apartments can of course stock up and drink at home but most farangs here are tourist and here to party. Taking away 2 nights of enjowment out of their 10-14 day holiday seems ludicrous. The authorities easily distinguish between thais and foreigners when it comes to paying for entry to historical sites and national parks so they could easily do the same for alcohol instead of ruining peoples holidays. It is bad for tourists and the future of tourism, bad for the bars many owned by thais and bad for the working girls. Where is the good?

Do you mean to say your really don't know how to find a drink, even with an alcohol ban on? Here's a clue. Walk down any soi.

Where did I say I couldn't find a drink?

If you read what I wrote I was talking about tourists and that the thais have shot themselves in the foot.

[thaigold]

More Satire

Actually, leaked mission orders for the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS Nimitz include a general order to the captain of each super carrier. The directive reads in part:

CINCPAC HAWAII

SHORE LEAVE / PATTAYA THAILAND

ALL FLAG OFFICERS ARE DIRECTED TO CONSULT US EMBASSY BANGKOK PRIOR TO PORT CALLS IN THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND. THAILAND ENJOYS MANY HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL PERIODS WHERE GROG IS PROHIBITED. DECK OFFICERS ARE HEREBY DIRECTED TO TIME VISITS TO THE KINGDOM DURING WET PERIODS (not the rainy season, you fools) OTHERWISE YOU COULD INVITE MUTINY AMONG THE SHIP'S CONTINGENT.

<signed> D Rummy

Secretary of War

[shiatsuman]

1st of July or 1st of April ?

[Chewbacka]

I for one put my hands up to missing the word satire, and as I said, good one George.

However I wish I was as perfect as some of the other posters.

Even if you missed the word "satire" at the top, (as I did) , you should have realized it was!

WARNING: THOSE WHO READ THE ARTICLE AND THINK IT IS TRUE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR....................

[Chewbacka]

It may be a joke but it doesn't half ring true.

Having said that it does show once again that often the thais have no flexibility when applying the law. There is no need to ban farangs from drinking as they are not voting. Expats with their own apartments can of course stock up and drink at home but most farangs here are tourist and here to party. Taking away 2 nights of enjowment out of their 10-14 day holiday seems ludicrous. The authorities easily distinguish between thais and foreigners when it comes to paying for entry to historical sites and national parks so they could easily do the same for alcohol instead of ruining peoples holidays. It is bad for tourists and the future of tourism, bad for the bars many owned by thais and bad for the working girls. Where is the good?

Good opportunity for some sex-pats / sex-tourists to take a night off wake up and go see a temple.

[Soutpeel]

More Satire

Actually, leaked mission orders for the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS Nimitz include a general order to the captain of each super carrier. The directive reads in part:

CINCPAC HAWAII

SHORE LEAVE / PATTAYA THAILAND

ALL FLAG OFFICERS ARE DIRECTED TO CONSULT US EMBASSY BANGKOK PRIOR TO PORT CALLS IN THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND. THAILAND ENJOYS MANY HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL PERIODS WHERE GROG IS PROHIBITED. DECK OFFICERS ARE HEREBY DIRECTED TO TIME VISITS TO THE KINGDOM DURING WET PERIODS (not the rainy season, you fools) OTHERWISE YOU COULD INVITE MUTINY AMONG THE SHIP'S CONTINGENT.

<signed> D Rummy

Secretary of War

....Well Monty Python its not....

[hellodolly]

I presume this a joke.

The "report" does say that well prepared ex-pats can sit at home with a case of beer and a dvd, if this report is true it just shows what a poor view the police have of the ex-pat community in Thailand. I for one enjoy eating a Sunday Lunch in a Bangkok restaurant with a glass of wine, not sure if that makes me an alcoholic, but whilst I will probably still have my lunch, this week I will have to wash it down with a glass of coke.

What is a pity, is that the Thai Authorities don't trust their own nationals to vote responsibily if they have had a drink in the preceding twelve hours.

I'm sure the tourists from around the word, who of course cannot vote, will be happy not to have a drink late tonight and all day tomorrow in the full knowledge that no Thais motorcycle taxis riders will be drinking whiskey by the roadside, no Ma and Pa shops will be selling to those have run out at home, so that the electors can vote with a clear head.

Thai friends of ours have a bar in Chiang Mai, they are already complaining about the money they lost last weekend, what they will lose this weekend and for what they will lose in the upcoming Buddhist Lent.

The only good thing is, at least the police have nothing better to worry about.

Edit: Whoops, missed the word - SATIRE: - Nice one George

Well yes it does show a poor view of the expat community. I wonder where they got that view point.

You don't suppose they just made it up and all there contacts with the expat's have been at temple.

You might want to look into the reason fore the law before you make wild accusations. It has nothing to do with fear that the Thai's cant vote rightly if they drink.

Are you saying that the tourists are going to be upset because they can not buy a drink legally for 36 hours. Sounds to me like you have the same attitude to the expats as the police.

Sure a lot of talk for some one only missing one drink of wine one day of the week and not for that many weeks.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

> What is a pity, is that the Thai Authorities don't trust their own nationals to vote responsibily if they have had a drink in the preceding twelve hours.

I always assumed the purpose of the ban was to reduce the incidence of people rounding up the rural poor men to exchange their vote en masse in exchange for alcohol.

Maybe not reducing the vote-buying as such, but trying to make sure people at least vote the way they promised the guy who gave them the rednote, and not on a last-minute offer of drinks all round. . .

And I believe there are similar bans (for similar reasons) in Australia? It's been a while since I live there, and I was drunk most of the time, so I can't recall exactly. . .

[BigJohnnyBKK]

> i actually didn't read the several pages of posts and didn't see satire on the top of the page either. i just read the article posted my reply which after only finishing a 16 hour day yesterday in work and am back in now again will go down to me been tired. in fairness i have read many quote's from thai officials before and would not be suprised in the slightest if this were true . don't presume by my small amount of post that i am new to thailand, i have been going for many years and spent a lot of my life there. i am only a newbie of thai visa so be gentle

No, sorry no gentleness here, you're just an (edited my post removing the insults - didn't realize one could be banned for calling someone a name even it is completely true)

Not only for possibly believing this was a real article, but even more so for your response.

The main gist if I recall correctly, was that the development of Thailand over the past few decades has been thanks mainly to its recreational visitors from the West.

What a (expletive deleted). Believe me, the only Thais that have any need at all for us, are the poor upcountry folks selling us their daughters, and that's such a tiny insignificant part of the country as a whole, to everyone except the myopic sexpat. The average educated Thai, and especially those that run the show here, are incredibly embarrassed by the whole scene and would be more than happy to get rid of the whole lot of us along with our inlaws. But on the other hand, we do provide them with an extremely valuable service, helping them feel superior to use, let's them believe that all farang are as completely idiotic as the ones they see walking around their streets.

And as for the actual topic, I do find it amazing how the comments here make the article ring true - some people really do think alcohol is important to their lives, just can't have fun without it - sad. . .

Edited July 1, 2011 by BigJohnnyBKK

[Longtooth]

Just because it says "satire" at the top, doesn't mean it isn't 100% true! As I am prone to exclaim, "I resemble that remark!".

[theoldgit]

You might want to look into the reason fore the law before you make wild accusations. It has nothing to do with fear that the Thai's cant vote rightly if they drink.

It's not a wild accusation, it's what a Thai official was quoted as saying in a newspaper. I have no idea if it's the truth or not, but why do you think they don't let their citizens drink outside their homes hours before and after the polls are open?

Are you saying that the tourists are going to be upset because they can not buy a drink legally for 36 hours. Sounds to me like you have the same attitude to the expats as the police.

Sure a lot of talk for some one only missing one drink of wine one day of the week and not for that many weeks.

If you read what I actually said, which was "I'm sure the tourists from around the word, who of course cannot vote, will be happy not to have a drink late tonight and all day tomorrow in the full knowledge that no Thai motorcycle taxis riders will be drinking whiskey by the roadside, no Ma and Pa shops will be selling to those have run out at home, so that the electors can vote with a clear head" I never said they would be upset, I suggested they would understand.

And yes, I do enjoy a glass of wine with my lunch, is there something wrong with that? If I couldn't do without a drink, as you seem to be implying, then I could drink to my hearts content at home.

[Suradit]

Only in Thailand would this article have to be explicitly labeled 'Satire' at the top.

And reading the responses the thread has garnered so far demonstrates that even that is too subtle

we all know Thais dont drink alcohol ......... they are never drunk ...behave perfectly in the society and never cause troubles ..... oh are we talking about farang here ? Oooops ...... that is the most stupid things I have seen today so far ....

I really thought farang was not part of those elections ....

You still haven't figured out that this is a joke. Further proof that TV members are not renown for their intelligence.

Certainly the paranoid contingent who haunt the news threads looking for further evidence that they are not universally loved is not over-burdened with intelligence.

What a low and arrogant opinion some Thais have of us. I wonder how they would feel if we all just left and took our money with us.

Apparently you have a fairly low opinion " of us" if the only sterling characteristic "we all" possess in your view is "our money," and judging from some other threads some "of us" have precious little of that as well.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

>I see - you are nearly born here. Or living here since more than 40 years. Or why did you put my word "since" (a year) in capital letters? Anything wrong or funny with it?<br /><br />You should be able to read my post, right? I didn't say anything about "Shut up or go home"! I just said that I can't stand other foreigners to complain about everything.

He was trying to help correct your grammar. "I have been living here for more than 40 years" OR "I have been living here since 1970" would be correct.

Perhaps he thinks you're not really a farang, just because your English is so poor, you write nearly as bad as the Thais with a Master's in English language.

But of course you could be Dutch or French too, but 100% sure you're not a native English speaker.

That was his point.

[maapaa]

>I see - you are nearly born here. Or living here since more than 40 years. Or why did you put my word "since" (a year) in capital letters? Anything wrong or funny with it?<br /><br />You should be able to read my post, right? I didn't say anything about "Shut up or go home"! I just said that I can't stand other foreigners to complain about everything.

He was trying to help correct your grammar. "I have been living here for more than 40 years" OR "I have been living here since 1970" would be correct.

Perhaps he thinks you're not really a farang, just because your English is so poor, you write nearly as bad as the Thais with a Master's in English language.

But of course you could be Dutch or French too, but 100% sure you're not a native English speaker.

That was his point.

Sorry to correct you.

But I would never complain about anybody's English - as I am not a "real native speaker".

I am from Germany and sometimes afraid of wrong spelling or grammar. How could I complain about other member's English? No.

I just tried to answer in a quite sarcastic way - referring to his probably devaluating answer about the duration of my short period of living here.

Thanks

Edited July 1, 2011 by maapaa

[Suradit]

It is bad for tourists and the future of tourism ...

I'm fairly certain that someone resident in a hotel can order a drink or drinks sent up to his room.

I'm also reasonably certain that not all tourists need to be inebriated 24/7 and that the future of tourism is not teetering on a precipice because alcohol is not free flowing around the clock.

What's worrying is how many of the TV regulars feel they are threatened and Thailand's future is at stake if booze isn't readily available. If you really feel that everyone is suffering because of this, you may be labouring under the misconception that all expats and all tourists spend all their waking hours sucking up booze in sleazy bars. Not a particularly rosy view of the state of farangitude.

[metroman]

I guess that the Thai economy, to a large extent, does depend on the debauchery of the Western tourist.

Maybe this will become a permanent ban and the nasty Farangs will stay home and mail their money to their favorite politician.

[maapaa]

It is bad for tourists and the future of tourism ...

I'm fairly certain that someone resident in a hotel can order a drink or drinks sent up to his room.

I'm also reasonably certain that not all tourists need to be inebriated 24/7 and that the future of tourism is not teetering on a precipice because alcohol is not free flowing around the clock.

What's worrying is how many of the TV regulars feel they are threatened and Thailand's future is at stake if booze isn't readily available. If you really feel that everyone is suffering because of this, you may be labouring under the misconception that all expats and all tourists spend all their waking hours sucking up booze in sleazy bars. Not a particularly rosy view of the state of farangitude.

Thanks for this post. Agree 100 per cent.

Don't let anybody get me wrong here - I like to drink, yes. Thai spirits mixed with Coke.

But: If I really would need it that much - I would buy it in advance.

Or avoid the popular tourist places and find another, cheaper place with much less police around.

This should be possible for 30 (not really 36) hours.

[Soutpeel]

>I see - you are nearly born here. Or living here since more than 40 years. Or why did you put my word "since" (a year) in capital letters? Anything wrong or funny with it?<br /><br />You should be able to read my post, right? I didn't say anything about "Shut up or go home"! I just said that I can't stand other foreigners to complain about everything.

He was trying to help correct your grammar. "I have been living here for more than 40 years" OR "I have been living here since 1970" would be correct.

Perhaps he thinks you're not really a farang, just because your English is so poor, you write nearly as bad as the Thais with a Master's in English language.

But of course you could be Dutch or French too, but 100% sure you're not a native English speaker.

That was his point.

Sorry to correct you.

But I would never complain about anybody's English - as I am not a "real native speaker".

I am from Germany and sometimes afraid of wrong spelling or grammar. How could I complain about other member's English? No.

I just tried to answer in a quite sarcastic way - referring to his probably devaluating answer about the duration of my short period of living here.

Thanks

Maapaa...nothing wrong with your English, the people commenting on it are most likely "English Teachers" who feel obligated to correct every mistake, as they think they are still "teaching" a class...We do have a term for these types of people, but dont think it would be appropriate to use it in this case...so lets call them the Grammar Police instead

[Honolulu]

My God, is this thread still going?

[maapaa]

>I see - you are nearly born here. Or living here since more than 40 years. Or why did you put my word "since" (a year) in capital letters? Anything wrong or funny with it?<br /><br />You should be able to read my post, right? I didn't say anything about "Shut up or go home"! I just said that I can't stand other foreigners to complain about everything.

He was trying to help correct your grammar. "I have been living here for more than 40 years" OR "I have been living here since 1970" would be correct.

Perhaps he thinks you're not really a farang, just because your English is so poor, you write nearly as bad as the Thais with a Master's in English language.

But of course you could be Dutch or French too, but 100% sure you're not a native English speaker.

That was his point.

Sorry to correct you.

But I would never complain about anybody's English - as I am not a "real native speaker".

I am from Germany and sometimes afraid of wrong spelling or grammar. How could I complain about other member's English? No.

I just tried to answer in a quite sarcastic way - referring to his probably devaluating answer about the duration of my short period of living here.

Thanks

Maapaa...nothing wrong with your English, the people commenting on it are most likely "English Teachers" who feel obligated to correct every mistake, as they think they are still "teaching" a class...We do have a term for these types of people, but dont think it would be appropriate to use it in this case...so lets call them the Grammar Police instead

English teachers? Haha, that's what I am, too. But only for so called "basic conversation", nothing about grammar. Prathom and Mathayom school here in a small, Isaan village.

Edited July 1, 2011 by maapaa

[animatic]

Great satire can have the plausibility of reality, till the penny drops,

and then it's a mental head slap moment.

[rubl]

begin removed ...

"I'm sure the tourists from around the word, who of course cannot vote, will be happy not to have a drink late tonight and all day tomorrow in the full knowledge that no Thai motorcycle taxis riders will be drinking whiskey by the roadside, no Ma and Pa shops will be selling to those have run out at home, so that the electors can vote with a clear head"

... end removed

Minor correction, tonight and uptill 6PM Saturday you can still have your drink at whatever place you like. It's from Saturday 6PM till Sunday midnight that the ban is in place.

In other words, hurry and go get some

Edited July 1, 2011 by rubl

[OzMick]

Nice one George. I love good satire but still remember there is usually a lot of truth in satire too. Yep not a real serious problem this weekend just a rather silly restriction on ordinary people's lives. SO you need to just ensure that you get yourself a case of your favourite beer or a bottle or two of wine or whisky or whatever to take home so if you fancy a drink you can at least have one at home and with with your friends around too. Feel more sorry for the guys who as one said on here like a glass of wine with their Sunday dinner, this is harmless surely.

I am totally against prohibition for adults in any form so cannot endorse this Dickensian law or other similar ones which ties up thousands of Thai police from their real job of trying to solve thousands of still unsolved REAL crime and trying to prevent other REAL crimes form being committed. In the UK there is no such alcohol ban on election days but you would not be allowed into a polling station if you were drunk of course. But here with the higher level of corruption I can understand how they do not want to make easy the buying of drinks for votes.

I am admittedly someone who can go without alcohol even for a week sometimes so am not hooked on drink at all, though usually I have a couple of beers every day as I enjoy that with my dinner and sometimes I admit on a Saturday night at a local friends houses I do have a few too many beers and get nicely merry or just a little more than that some weeks. If I felt I HAD to have alcohol I would immediately take steps to stop drinking for a while as why would I want to really harm myself when I enjoy life.

So overall, although unhappy with this alcohol prohibition law and those on Buddhist days and the law that says I cannot buy between 14:00 and 17:00 each day (this time of day restriction law is totally stupid and unnecessary in the extreme), I can see where they are coming from knowing the instability of Thai elections. Also it IS difficult to differentiate between Thais and Falangs when imposing such prohibition laws as would make an even higher total waste of police time. Easiest way is to ban anyone over a alcohol limit from voting, much like for driving over a limit, as they do in most democratic countries. It would then be fair and sociable for folk to be able to vote BEFORE they start any drinking and enjoy a beer or two afterwards on election days, or is that too grown up and sensible for Thailand?? You beat election corruption by using police time properly to fight and stop election vote buying etc not by tying them up enforcing the banning of anything that could remotely relate to such corruption. Bit like banning cars to prevent speeding and road deaths, it is policing drink driving that is what matters surely.

" In the UK ................ but you would not be allowed into a polling station if you were drunk of course."

Which brave man is going to make the judgement that someone is drunk, and therefore deprive him/her of their constitutional right to vote? Better have a bloody good lawyer and a fat bank a/c.