Editorial

He is damned, but then so is the rest of the country

The Nation

Long-time fugitive Kamnan Poh is captured in Bangkok , thus revealing, yet again, Thailand's weak or non-existent political ethics

BANGKOK: -- Sometimes we can easily perceive old ethical questions as new ones. The questions being asked in the aftermath of the arrest of one of Thailand's most infamous "godfathers" are all but obsolete. The issues being debated are as old as his conviction, surviving the years he spent in "hiding". We are not in a peculiar situation right now - we simply forgot we've been in it for a long time.

After seven years on the run after his convictions for murder and corruption, Chon Buri-based influential figure Somchai newsjsKhunpluem, better known as Kamnan Poh, was arrested on Wednesday while travelling in his vehicle in eastern Bangkok. His capture was all over the front pages, along with the fact that, at long last, he will now begin serving a jail term of more than 30 years. Attention is shifting to his children, who are now well-known political figures in their own right with strong connections to the government. What will happen to them? Did they know where he was? Should they show some kind of "responsibility" by quitting their posts?

That Somchai has managed to remain at large for so long should not be a surprise. Nor have the assurances of immunity from responsibility that some political leaders have quickly given his offspring raised many eyebrows. Senior government officials have already dismissed possible repercussions for his four sons, ruling out suspicion that some if not all of them must have known of Somchai's whereabouts all this time. It doesn't matter that at least one big birthday party was held for Somchai in Chon Buri "in his absence". And it doesn't matter that his capture in Bangkok suggested the fugitive's hiding places might not have been so secret after all.

This is a country where top officials have been travelling to Dubai, Singapore and other places to meet fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra for advice or fun. Ethical and legal questions over Somchai's whereabouts, over people who knew about them, and over what should be done now, apart from putting him in jail, can seem trivial. Yet people who want justice are keen to see what happens to Sonthaya Khunpluem, who is now culture minister; Wittaya Khunpluem, who is president of Chon Buri's Provincial Administrative Organisation; Itthiphol Khunpluem, who is mayor of Pattaya; and Narongchai Khunpluem, who is mayor of Saensuk.

Influential figures are politicians without an electoral mandate. That is the norm not only in Thailand but many other places. The difference between here and other countries lies in how we handle the situation when something like this happens. Political power helps cover up crimes, but everything has a limit. How far politics goes in providing such unhealthy protection defines a country's ethical standards and respect for the rule of law.

A legitimate question is "Why now?" In other words, why weren't the ethical and legal questions related to Somchai's conviction, his escape and his sons addressed a long time ago, when he was convicted or when his sons took up government positions? These are the current questions, but they're not new. They're old questions that have resurfaced simply because Somchai has resurfaced.

We are a society with a bad habit of addressing ethical questions when it's nearly too late. And the funny thing about ethics is that the longer we wait, the harder the ethics are to uphold. Some countries don't wait for a conviction. They consider the allegations sufficient for ethics to have their say. In other countries they wait until a conviction is handed down. In Thailand, nothing is done until a fugitive re-emerges after seven years in hiding.

It's doubtful that Somchai's case will change this. Pressure might be mounting on his sons, but only because their father is so notorious. In many "lesser" cases, the ethical questions have been shrugged off. When the Somchai issue dies down, Thailand could swiftly go back to describing calls for ethical responsibility a "political conspiracy". And that, sadly, may be the end of it.

-- The Nation 2013-02-02

We are a society with a bad habit of addressing ethical questions when it's nearly too late.

When did the question of ethics or - now we're on the subject - moral, responsible behaviour ever come in to it?

Self-serving, power obsessed, money grabbing, arrogant immoral and amoral attitudes and behaviour have long been and remain to be the norm in Thailand among the so-called elites and those in positions of 'authority'.

Another hand wringing, crocodile tear ridden piece of abject journalism from the Nation.

Start a campaign the Nation to investigate and expose crime and corruption across the whole spectra of Thai society and publish what you find.

We are a society with a bad habit of addressing ethical questions when it's nearly too late.

When did the question of ethics or - now we're on the subject - moral, responsible behaviour ever come in to it?

Self-serving, power obsessed, money grabbing, arrogant immoral and amoral attitudes and behaviour have long been and remain to be the norm in Thailand among the so-called elites and those in positions of 'authority'.

Another hand wringing, crocodile tear ridden piece of abject journalism from the Nation.

Start a campaign the Nation to investigate and expose crime and corruption across the whole spectra of Thai society and publish what you find.

i don't think the nation is interested in printing "war and peace" everyday.

This is Thai tripe. It's up to the newspapers to keep digging at this breaking of law with impunity for those in political or wealth and position power. It's all the same. It's wrong, but as long as there is no free voice beating the drums, smoking out the rats in public, demanding justice and due process, then it all goes away. It is supposed to be up to the voices of freedom, the press. But that voice doesn't exist here in Thailand.

Self-serving, power obsessed, money grabbing, arrogant immoral and amoral attitudes and behaviour have long been and remain to be the norm in Thailand among the so-called elites and those in positions of 'authority'.

Until the cancerous tumour that is quoted above is removed from Thai society nothing will change. Perhaps if the corrupt power and money grasping sections that exploit Thailand in a multitude of ways and trample the decent folk underfoot had to pay for their own bullets and the family have to watch the entertainment as it happens as they do in China (albeit on a limited and selective scale) then we might just see the pond life that pollutes Thai society cleaned up.

However the chances of that actually happening are about as successful as herding cats.

Birds of a feather... immediate impunity from the government for the sons, harbouring a criminal is a serious enough offence, and even now the police who made the arrest will be preparing for a sideways posting until this all just goes away. I doubt there is any serious law enforcement especially as Thaksin is controlling them.

Another example how rotten the Thai society and especially the current political system is. Ethics, what ethics? Money talks.

Why hasn't the Minister of Culture come out and declare that this tarnishes the image of Thailand? Oh yeah, the Culture Minister is his son.

Why hasn't the Minister of Culture come out and declare that this tarnishes the image of Thailand? Oh yeah, the Culture Minister is his son.

He is probably waiting for the Thai new year when some drunken girl bares her breasts again. That is an opportunity not to be missed.

The shortest (but truest) short Thai' joke ? ? ?

" R U L E O F L A W "

. . . . such a shame; this could be so much better a country ! !

This is Thai political culture. They have the right man as the culture minister then!

I am sure that if he had been convicted of lèse majesté it would not have taken seven to find and then incarcerate him

Is the article referring to the USA?

Morals, ethics, principles, rule of law, etc., are non-existent in this country. There is only one thing that matters in this country and that is money and money buys power. In most western countries corruption is an aberration. Here it is a way of life. How do you eradicate something that is so strongly ingrained in a society? I think it's impossible and that nothing will ever change here. I wish I was wrong but I don't think I am.

The Thai government's position in respect to Kamnan Poh's children is appropriate on the basis that to penalize an offender's children because they are his children is irrational.

No evidence that Kaman Poh's children have committed any offence has been presented to the public prosecutor. Therefore there is no offense for anyone of Kaman Poh's children to answer for period.

Birds of a feather... immediate impunity from the government for the sons, harbouring a criminal is a serious enough offence, and even now the police who made the arrest will be preparing for a sideways posting until this all just goes away. I doubt there is any serious law enforcement especially as Thaksin is controlling them.

And let's not forget, there's another example, right in your face every day, often on ear medicine; son on the run / father and family protecting him, supposedly fled to a country South. Bet he was at home all the time. The whole family score -10 on a scale of 0 to 10 for values and morals.

I am sure that if he had been convicted of lèse majesté it would not have taken seven to find and then incarcerate him

Why not? Jakrophob is wanted for lese majeste and has been hiding in plain sight in Cambodia for years.

Morals, ethics, principles, rule of law, etc., are non-existent in this country. There is only one thing that matters in this country and that is money and money buys power. In most western countries corruption is an aberration. Here it is a way of life. How do you eradicate something that is so strongly ingrained in a society? I think it's impossible and that nothing will ever change here. I wish I was wrong but I don't think I am.

Well it is worse in Thailand, but also in the west you can be sure that on every military purchase at least 10 % money flows back, that the newspapers are paid and that big cooperation pay to get their laws.

Just in the west these things are made in the background hidden. In Thailand it is done in the open.

Birds of a feather... immediate impunity from the government for the sons, harbouring a criminal is a serious enough offence, and even now the police who made the arrest will be preparing for a sideways posting until this all just goes away. I doubt there is any serious law enforcement especially as Thaksin is controlling them.

And let's not forget, there's another example, right in your face every day, often on ear medicine; son on the run / father and family protecting him, supposedly fled to a country South. Bet he was at home all the time. The whole family score -10 on a scale of 0 to 10 for values and morals.

Are we giving marks out of ten?

I'd give him one.

Bullet, that is!

-mel.

Ethics in Thailand? When did that happen?

The concept of "right" and "wrong" just does not exist here.

The Thai government's position in respect to Kamnan Poh's children is appropriate on the basis that to penalize an offender's children because they are his children is irrational.

No evidence that Kaman Poh's children have committed any offence has been presented to the public prosecutor. Therefore there is no offense for anyone of Kaman Poh's children to answer for period.

If I ever have to go to court in this country would you please be my attorney? With reasoning like this we could not lose.

The Nation mounting a campaign to expose graft and corruption?

Most people here think that the Fourth Estate is just outside Chiang Mai.

The Thai government's position in respect to Kamnan Poh's children is appropriate on the basis that to penalize an offender's children because they are his children is irrational.

No evidence that Kaman Poh's children have committed any offence has been presented to the public prosecutor. Therefore there is no offense for anyone of Kaman Poh's children to answer for period.

And there will never be any evidence if someone powerful decides that nobody will look. But that does NOT mean that an offense wasn't committed

The shortest (but truest) short Thai' joke ? ? ?

" R U L E O F L A W "

. . . . such a shame; this could be so much better a country ! !

where does he sit for the moment ?? would not surprice med that will go free because so terribble sick , that cant be in jail.....

Ethics in Thailand? When did that happen?

The concept of "right" and "wrong" just does not exist here.

Always wemember, my fwend, that two wongs never make a wight.

People need to stop making fun of Thailand...its not fair.

Thailand is special, much like a special school and needs tender thoughts.

The shortest (but truest) short Thai' joke ? ? ?

" R U L E O F L A W "

. . . . such a shame; this could be so much better a country ! !

where does he sit for the moment ?? would not surprice med that will go free because so terribble sick , that cant be in jail.....

Truth is, this is a very powerful and very ruthless family. Don't be surprised if a 'mistake' in the legal process is discovered tomorrow, and he walks free.

Morals and truth are not part of the picture.

And all good Buddhists!

We are a society with a bad habit of addressing ethical questions when it's nearly too late.

When did the question of ethics or - now we're on the subject - moral, responsible behaviour ever come in to it?

Self-serving, power obsessed, money grabbing, arrogant immoral and amoral attitudes and behaviour have long been and remain to be the norm in Thailand among the so-called elites and those in positions of 'authority'.

Another hand wringing, crocodile tear ridden piece of abject journalism from the Nation.

Start a campaign the Nation to investigate and expose crime and corruption across the whole spectra of Thai society and publish what you find.

The biggest hinderanceis 'loosing face' if people cn talk openly and take on reponsibility then progress can take place.

So the Cultural Minister of Thailand is the son of a gangster? Classic.