Easy rider’ receives risky review

Thaksin Shinawatra got on a motorbike alone early yesterday afternoon, riding along village roads to a shrimp farm. Some 20 other ministers and officials followed on motorbikes.

They had one thing in common – none wore helmets.

“Even ministers don’t care about road safety. How can we apply the traffic rules to the ordinary people? It’s a shame,” said Chat Thai MP Nikorn Chamnong, a former deputy chief of the Road Safety Centre.

Reporters at the site said local police failed to enforce the road rules.

“Some motorbikes carry three passengers [the law allows only two], while some run across the other lane, obstructing the traffic,” a journalist reported.

----------------------------------

=========

After Disregarding Traffic Laws, He Disregards Buddhist Tradition:

Poor timing causes more hunger

After his first night in a tent in Roi Et’s At Samat district, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived late to offer food to Buddhist monks in the morning.

Broadcasting live, a reporter for TV Channel 7 said: “The monks had to wait because they arrived before Thaksin.”

According to Buddhist tradition, people with offerings should wait for the monks’ arrival, not the other way around.

Easy Rider

How COOL does he look???

That's some Harley SJ...

Couldn't you at least Photoshop it a wee bit?

The Wild One

Somehow the ending of Easy Rider popped into my mind...didn't they drive South?

Edited January 18, 200620 yr by raro

That's some Harley SJ...

Couldn't you at least Photoshop it a wee bit?

The Bangkok Herald-Examiner has very strict rules against that.

Oh.... and I also noticed he's violating Thailand's law requiring headlight usage during daytime.

A traffic cop could have made some nice tea money off of this guy's multi-violations.

I think all motorcyclists should "cut out and keep" this pic and sho it too the cops when they next get stopped.

Problem is half of them won't recognise him

Mine's already laminated and in the wallet....

Easy Rider

How COOL does he look???

Surely you meant "sleazy rider"...

Easy Rider

How COOL does he look???

Surely you meant "sleazy rider"...

Surely cheesy rider on that thing, its even yellow.....!

redrus

That's some Harley SJ...

Couldn't you at least Photoshop it a wee bit?

Harley or not....I'll never call him a 'Bro'.

They had one thing in common – none wore helmets.

“Even ministers don’t care about road safety. How can we apply the traffic rules to the ordinary people? It’s a shame,” said Chat Thai MP Nikorn Chamnong, a former deputy chief of the Road Safety Centre.

Now come on, what kind of photo shoot is it if he has to cover his head with something as unphotogenic as a motorbike helmet. What planet are you guys from?

Also, a helmet would ruin that immacuatly coiffered hairdo!

Look at the way that inspite of riding a bike at speed there isn't a hair out of place. He must have about a can of hairspray holding it together...

Edited January 18, 200620 yr by Grant

They had one thing in common – none wore helmets.

“Even ministers don’t care about road safety. How can we apply the traffic rules to the ordinary people? It’s a shame,” said Chat Thai MP Nikorn Chamnong, a former deputy chief of the Road Safety Centre.

Now come on, what kind of photo shoot is it if he has to cover his head with something as unphotogenic as a motorbike helmet. What planet are you guys from?

Also, a helmet would ruin that immacuatly coiffered hairdo!

Look at the way that inspite of riding a bike at speed there isn't a hair out of place. He must have about a can of hairspray holding it together...

Just remember Mr Easy Rider "Wasn't Born to Follow" so bugger the law!

He a stereotypical politician and very greedy, but he's funny.

He a stereotypical politician and very greedy, but he's funny.

especially in the "looks" department.

Easy rider’ receives risky review

Thaksin Shinawatra got on a motorbike alone early yesterday afternoon, riding along village roads to a shrimp farm. Some 20 other ministers and officials followed on motorbikes.

They had one thing in common – none wore helmets.

“Even ministers don’t care about road safety. How can we apply the traffic rules to the ordinary people? It’s a shame,” said Chat Thai MP Nikorn Chamnong, a former deputy chief of the Road Safety Centre.

Reporters at the site said local police failed to enforce the road rules.

“Some motorbikes carry three passengers [the law allows only two], while some run across the other lane, obstructing the traffic,” a journalist reported.

These Thai reporters are getting ridiculous with reporting on Thaksin. Their extremely biased reporting is killing their credibility.

They're starting to make the Enquirer look like the New York Times.

Update:

THAKSIN’S BACKSTAGE SHOW: Traffic police shrug off helmet violation

ROI ET: -- Roi Et Traffic Police officers yesterday shrugged off criticism that they failed to take action against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle, claiming the ban is stringently enforced in the province’s urban areas.

For their part, central Traffic Police officials appeared to be afraid to comment on the issue, trying instead to turn the tables by accusing the media of being too keen to find fault with the premier, who is on an antipoverty tour of the northeastern province.

Thaksin and his entourage did not wear the legally required helmets while riding motorbikes in Roi Et’s At Samat district on Tuesday. Thaksin later came under fire for flouting the regulation. None of the Traffic Police officers questioned seemed to care enough to pull the premier over on the day.

Highway Police commander Major Suwira Songmetta would not be drawn on the premier’s failing to don a helmet, saying the purpose of the premier’s visit was the more important issue.

“I believe he [the premier] wanted to be close to the people, thinking it was a short ride, not a long-distance ride.

We must consider that he was on a trip to resolve the poverty issue – that is what the media should be covering. It is not appropriate for the media to cover a trivial matter like this,” he said.

However, At Samat district Traffic Police inspector Maj Thertsak Pheeraphan said that by riding a motorcycle without a helmet the premier was guilty of breaking a traffic regulation enforced nationwide. He said enforcement of this regulation was especially strict in Roi Et’s urban Muang district.

In the rural districts, a campaign to observe the law more closely was also being implemented, he said.

If a resident were caught riding a motorbike without a helmet they would be guilty of an offence and the prime minister shouldn’t be an exception, he said.

“It would set a bad example if public figures flouted the law. Society would descend into chaos if people did as they pleased.”

Central Traffic Police commander Maj-General Phanu Kertlapphon refused to comment on the issue.

--The Nation 2006-01-19

Any comments from his PR people yet?

However, At Samat district Traffic Police inspector Maj Thertsak Pheeraphan said that by riding a motorcycle without a helmet the premier was guilty of breaking a traffic regulation enforced nationwide. He said enforcement of this regulation was especially strict in Roi Et’s urban Muang district.

In the rural districts, a campaign to observe the law more closely was also being implemented, he said.

If a resident were caught riding a motorbike without a helmet they would be guilty of an offence and the prime minister shouldn’t be an exception, he said.

“It would set a bad example if public figures flouted the law. Society would descend into chaos if people did as they pleased.”

I hope I'm wrong, but I believe that's one Major who will never see that promotion to Colonel.

Hats off to him, though, for being brave to speak out.

If it's Thaksin's "roadshow," what did expect? He didn't think the media would be busy covering his every move? That is what he WANTED in the first place.

An intelligent leader would ensure that he at least follow the basic laws of the land during each and every turn of the "roadshow," and he'd have aides to remind him of any slips if he DID overlook something. To turn it back onto the media is the height of hypocrisy and the desperate manuvering of a guilty person.

Lets face it, which officer would be brave enough to pull Thaksin over and do him for no helmet. It would be career suicide.

It would have been funny though, especially if he was asked to pay the fine 'unofficially' like everyone else.

Lets face it, which officer would be brave enough to pull Thaksin over and do him for no helmet. It would be career suicide.

It would have been funny though, especially if he was asked to pay the fine 'unofficially' like everyone else.

Had this been another country such as perhaps the U.K., where they have a certain sense of humour, one could almost imagine one of the local constabulary walking out into the road and flagging the convoy down and saying something like:

" 'Ello, 'ello, wot's goin' on 'ere then. Where do you lot think you're goin' then ? Excuse me sir, but are you aware that you are in violation of section 15:3 of the Road Traffic Act and as you are not wearing protective headgear it is incumbent upon me to issue you with a warning this time. By the way sir don't I know you from somewhere?"

Thaksin could have reacted in a good natured way, admitted that they were all at fault and used it to his advantage. However, he ,being Thaksin and this being Thailand, the officer who had the balls to tell it like it is will probably be disciplined and demoted. Thaksin, the star of his own roadshow, screwed up!

LOL, just makes me remember the slogan of a safety campaign launched years ago in Switzerland by the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention bfu

Les tetes intelligentes se protegent

that can be translated as "Clever heads get protection"

Just seen this !!

...and explode into space...