Former U S Army Paratrooper Destroys 60 Gubernatorial Campaign Ads: Bangkok

[webfact]

Former US Army paratrooper destroys 60 gubernatorial campaign ads
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- At 3:30am this morning, former US Army paratrooper Andrew James Agnew was taken into custody after he was caught destroying more than 60 gubernatorial campaign billboards on Nawong Pracha Phatthana Road in the Don Muang District.

Upon arriving at the scene, Don Muang police found the 27-year-old Thai-American attacking the roadside advertisements in an intoxicated frenzy. The ads had been installed earlier and were due for removal after the March 3 Bangkok governor’s election. Andrew told police that he found the promotional signs irritating, which is why he pulled them out and threw them into a waterway.

Police said that of the 60 billboards one was for the No.10 candidate, two were for Pheu Thai candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen and many others were for Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra.

Full story: http://www.coconutsbangkok.com/news/former-us-army-paratrooper-destroys-60-gubernatorial-campaign-ads/


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-01

[Buchholz]

.

A good chance the former paratrooper suffered permanent health issues due to high altitude oxygen deprivation.

His participation in such dangerous operations are depicted on his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/andrew.agnew.7

.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

Additionally, with a surname of Agnew, it's probably best to avoid participating in dodgy political activities.

.

[geriatrickid]

On the contrary, it would be appropriate good ole Spiro was governor of Maryland and was nailed for corruption.

Perhaps the poor chap was possessed by demons..........

[Pib]

Probably just loses his temper easily when intoxicated; probably got nothing to do with his previous service in combat areas or being a paratrooper. And I'm saying this as a military veteran myself.

[Dork]

He's welcome to visit my Soi anytime.

[RKASA]

3:30 am and intoxicated - I am pretty sure politics has little to do with any of it. I noticed on the page he listed under Favorites

Activities

[Drinking]

Drinking

[Katipo]

He has a point though. The sheer number of signs put up for any type of election is of the worst possible type of visual pollution.

More does not equal better.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

These idiots put signs up on sidewalks making them advanced obstacle courses. I knock them down all the time. Not political ads so much but condo and plastic surgery ads.

Supposedly Thai's are so respectful but I think they use it all up on Wai's etc. How about saving some for traffic safety, air/water/noise pollution and not impeding sidewalks.

[youngXpat]

3:30 am and intoxicated - I am pretty sure politics has little to do with any of it. I noticed on the page he listed under Favorites

Activities

[Drinking]

Drinking

Agreed. Obviously another drinker that's had just too much, after all it was 3 30am. BUT who really gives a s***t? Is this story of any interest I ask you?

[Jerrytheyoung]

Non event...

[cup-O-coffee]

Maybe the candidates could forgive him like the girl at the technical school, who forgave the misunderstood "stressed out" lad for holding a knife to her throat for over an hour, because he was refused the chance to take exams.

[harber8]

He did what I'm tempted to do everyday.

He got to 60 before getting court. Can anyone beat 60?

[AlphMichaels]

He probably received news that the US Congress just left DC for a weekend holiday session and with Sequester on the docket. Ahhh, the sweet stench of politics.

[jamhar]

He left some?

obviously a washout from US Airborne

[toenail]

Most likely he was fed up with all the ugliness of the campaign posters strung along the sides of every soi, and street...maybe he will use the large sheets of cardboard for his house.

[captnhoy]

These idiots put signs up on sidewalks making them advanced obstacle courses. I knock them down all the time. Not political ads so much but condo and plastic surgery ads.

Supposedly Thai's are so respectful but I think they use it all up on Wai's etc. How about saving some for traffic safety, air/water/noise pollution and not impeding sidewalks.

What sidewalks? I respectfully suggest that you need to adjust your attitude. What an expat might think is a sidewalk is actually an extension of whatever shop it is in front of, or it's a parking space for any and all vehicles and you cannot overlook that it's as vital pathway for motorbike traffic.

[BrianCR]

Any confirmation that he was a TV political commentator who was frustrated at having his postings ignored?

[Tywais]

Perhaps he went around measuring them and found them to be of illegal size and was just helping the police. BTW candidate posters are limited to 30x42cm or 130x245cm for cutouts.

[sprq]

Bravo, soldier, you just did what everybody else would like to do.

[laislica]

Perhaps he went around measuring them and found them to be of illegal size and was just helping the police. BTW candidate posters are limited to 30x42cm or 130x245cm for cutouts.

Thanks for this info.

Can we use it in our defence?

[chiangmaikelly]

Any confirmation that he was a TV political commentator who was frustrated at having his postings ignored?

So who hasn't posted today?

[Nisa]

I can't count the number of signs hung that making walking on already obstacle ridden sidewalks near impossible. If I was Thai I would write to some of these candidates and explain that although I may like your views I would never vote for you because I every time I see your face I relate it to danger and forcing me to step into on coming traffic to get home and if you hire idiots to do your work now then surely you'll continue this practice in office.

[billd766]

I don't think he has been in Thailand that long or he would know that only Thais can do that job and has no work permit to allow him to do it.

Silly boy.

[noitom]

Wow - This is big news. At least there is some truth in it. He was drunk, he is Thai-American, he was destroying the signs, and it was 3:30 AM. Truth and reality is a great thing and a rare occurrence in this newspaper in the same article as reference to Thai politicians.

[spidermike007]

It is about time someone attempted to do something about these horrifically obnoxious ads. A few ads here and there are fine. But, upon traveling around Bangkok, I found literally thousands of posters within just several blocks of my hotel. It is way, way, way over the top. I realize these insects who are running, need to insure the continual flow of the tens of millions of dollars, into their savings accounts. But, is there no limit to the advertising?

[laobali]

I can't count the number of signs hung that making walking on already obstacle ridden sidewalks near impossible. If I was Thai I would write to some of these candidates and explain that although I may like your views I would never vote for you because I every time I see your face I relate it to danger and forcing me to step into on coming traffic to get home and if you hire idiots to do your work now then surely you'll continue this practice in office.

If you were Thai, you would not even be aware of this kind of inconvenience or danger, and you would certainly not write to complain about it, because it would be a complete waste of time!

[Stradavarius37]

So now acts of drunken vandalism are "Breaking News" - come on TV, this is a joke. What's next? Pattaya Shark Man stories?

[maximillian]

Approximately two month before the election of a mayor on Samui, dozens of pick-ups with big posters and even bigger loudspeakers,

have been creeping around the island, disturbing traffic and sane people. Had been contemplating to get a couple of hand granates...

No, I'm not drinking and I'm not a soldier but a potential terrorist.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I have thought about this and tearing down the signs is crude response.

What is really needed is negative feedback system.

If some activist added non removable modification to candidate photos such as Hitler mustache or Pigs nose on the photo then what are these sign polluters going to do?

Put up more signs?

Any ideas for what to use to make a non removable or hard to remove modification that could be quickly added such signs?

I would like to put some funny ones on the plastic surgery signs like Frankenstein stiches

Edited March 1, 2013 by CobraSnakeNecktie