Alcohol sale and drink will be banned on all trains in Thailand

[jaapfries]

Utter nonsense to 'ban alcohol' on these trains ! ! In fact, I don't drink, but I fail to see the connection between paxes "drinking" and an employee raping/killing a pax.

There's only one (1) factor important here, and that the screening-process (or the lack thereof) by the SRT.

The one thing I don;t understand is this: How did this "animal" gain such unhindered access to this poor 13 year old kid, who was traveling with THREE (3) companions, one of which was her older sister ? ? ? ? ? What I specifically mean is: WHERE WERE THESE 3 PEOPLE WHEN THIS LITTLE GIRL WAS RAPED & KILLED ? ? ? ? ?

I find this truly amazing.

[robblok]

Read past the headline, several actions are proposed: ban alcohol sales, scrutinize employee backgrounds and a consideration to female only carriages - get over the headline.

People who like to drink hate reading.. they just look at headlines.

Though I agree with their point that limiting alcohol sales is a stupid solution. The problem is vetting employees and making sure they don't drink. But the guy who is in charge is in the hot seat now he needed to say some things as they were calling for his resignation.

[lostsoul49]

Utter nonsense to 'ban alcohol' on these trains ! ! In fact, I don't drink, but I fail to see the connection between paxes "drinking" and an employee raping/killing a pax.

There's only one (1) factor important here, and that the screening-process (or the lack thereof) by the SRT.

The one thing I don;t understand is this: How did this "animal" gain such unhindered access to this poor 13 year old kid, who was traveling with THREE (3) companions, one of which was her older sister ? ? ? ? ? What I specifically mean is: WHERE WERE THESE 3 PEOPLE WHEN THIS LITTLE GIRL WAS RAPED & KILLED ? ? ? ? ?

I find this truly amazing.

They were asleep.... it was the middle of the night and on a sleeper express where passengers usually sleep.

More on topic though.

Banning alcohol on trains is no different to banning petrol and diesel to stop road deaths, or banning cigarette lighters to stop lung cancer.

Pathetic response and nowhere near the root of the cause of this monstrous crime.

The two major failing here are both from the SRT...

1... they let a maniac with drug previous through their non existent screening.

2. They are covering up their inefficiency by wrong blaming alcohol that is consumed by passengers on what their employee was allowed to do.

'If I resign will it help???'..... Actually you are clearly fighting calls to resign which makes you look worse.... So it would be advisable. Indirectly, your ineptitude at your position led to this poor girl's untimely and horrific end.

[impulse]

So why are they intent to punish all train travellers by banning alcohol consumption on trains?

Punish all train travelers? Sit next to a party of obnoxious drunks for 12 hours and ask who's being punished.

I don't advocate the ban on sales, nor a potential ban on consumption. But to contend that it's punishment is a little far out there.

I would vehemently support a ban on drunk, obnoxious behavior- but that can't realistically be enforced.

Edited July 9, 2014 by impulse

[ClutchClark]

I predicted the response of some posters thinking not getting a beer on a train because of a rape/death of a 13 year old girl that they were the real victims.

If the trajedy was in any way connected to beer sales on trains the reaction would be understandable. The real victims are the people that live under a reactionary, predictably stupid govt. understand now?

The issue of rampant alcohol use and associated behavior has been an issue on the trains for quite awhile.

It is short-sighted to think this decision was made in a knee-jerk fashion.

Besides, if anyone read the article, it says alcohol consumption out of public view is still allowed. They are simply saying be discreet instead of the typical obnoxious behavior of the backpacker crowd who are completely oblivious to everyone else but themselves.

[ClutchClark]

Whats the fastest way to lose the support of the expat community if you're the Junta?

Take away their bottle.

God forbid the expat community should be included in the clean-up efforts for the benefit of all Thai.

[fresnoboy]

Posted Today, 07:53

This will be bad news for quite a few obnoxious backpackers ;-)

• 
  

And any of the BIB that happen to be on the train, like last time.

• Quote

[kerrysum]

The ladies only carriage idea is a good one.

So what if you are married? I think this internal problems, what do you think?

Maybe a young girl alone, then make cars for the young ones. To keep them separated, from other people.

Does one have a problem with this? Just asking? There was never this problem before.

Kerry

[englishoak]

Thailand hub of doing nothing or knee jerk over reacting....

[impulse]

The ladies only carriage idea is a good one.

Just like in Saudi Arabia, good idea. Wife goes in the cattle car with the other women.

Or just like Japan, where there's so much groping that the ladies' car is a Godsend for them.

[eddie61]

Could they also introduce an "alcoholic farangs" only carriage? This should include female staff only - preferably under 30 years of age. I believe they could charge a premium for such a service.

[Spoonman]

Whoever allowed a 13 year old girl to travel unaccompanied in Thailand must be mentally challenged. Poor kid. A law not allowing minors to travel alone - period - would be more appropriate. And a complete overhaul of staff background checks might help ... but in a country where the implementation of law and the lack of resolved cases means "employees" may not even have a record. Certainly though a check would have revealed this guy.

You do realise she was traveling with companions don't you.

Who is the one that is mentally challenged ?

[BudRight]

I predicted the response of some posters thinking not getting a beer on a train because of a rape/death of a 13 year old girl that they were the real victims.

Can you PLEASE read the article. It does not say that the 13 year old girl was raped by passengers but rather an employee.

Banning cricket on Wednesdays would have as much to do with this tragedy - don't act like any response makes sense just because it's a response.

Edited July 9, 2014 by BudRight

[kamahele]

I have avoided the train system in Thailand for the entire half decade I have been here. Is the drinking that bad? I know from working in the US airline industry that alcohol sales are a good source of income on domestic flights so I would think the same of trains. You of course don't allow your employees to drink

[Maroon Watcher]

Drink & Drug testing for employees is a better decision in this case.

The railways need support from passenger spending.

(If they become "Obnoxious" - the STOP selling them the stuff to them)

Perhaps this decision has other power motives?

[Lancelot]

I like a beer when I'm on an overnight train trip. But I mind my manners and do not disturb my fellow passengers.

Just another knee jerk reaction and not very well thought out.

[smileydude]

Typical reaction to focus on the obvious end factors and react to them to please the public when in fact the SRT and the whole system should be focusing on:

Criminal record checks of new employees

Yearly mental evaluations and random spot drug testing

Strict enforcement of work ethics and quick decisive disciplinary action when broken (not the mai pen rai attitude)

Risk management e.g. both passenger and operational safety

A lot of sexual offenders and drug users come from broken families and were molested themselves when young. This is not absolute or excusatory but statistical.

Its time Thai's changed their pre-conceived notion that these problems are personal/family problems which causes these offences to be under reported.

State agencies such as the Child Protection & Welfare agency need to step up their game in terms of intervention, counseling and long term evaluation of victim mental health and well-being.

The difficulty in prohibting internet pornography viewing by minors and the depicition of sexual violence on TV also ingrains misleading stereotypes and values.

You have the nip it early in the bud (early childhood years) to root out these kind of problems plaguing society.

Society needs to focus on family/child upbringing and address the balance between work and life. If all we do is work and throw the responsibility to nannies, relatives, grandparents and teachers how much have we done to be caring responsible parents?

Its really sad to read something like this happening in the 21st century in a scenario that should be relatively safe for children.

This did not happen in a remote soi. The abduction happened in a sleeping carriage within sight of many potential witnesses.

What does it say about the mind of the killer/rapist? Sends chills down my spine.

Edited July 9, 2014 by smileydude

[Gandtee]

Typical knee jerk reaction. It would appear that it was not the sale or consumption of alcohol which caused the terrible death of this young girl, but drugs. Now the quiet passengers who like a beer on a long journey are being targeted. I feel very sorry for the parents of this young girl. It just reminds us to be more protective of our children. R.I.P.

[Maggusoil]

The ladies only carriage idea is a good one.

At their choice I presume?!

[goodstuff]

So all these posts who say "I think the female only carriage is a good idea" will be happy to get on a overnight train with their wife/girlfriend/daughter and not see them for 12hrs????? Not me i would rather have my daughter where i can see her at all times!!

[soalbundy]

That will send more than a few farangs into DT shock, the party boys will have to take their drugs without alcohol

[chiang mai]

The concept refers to unaccompanied females and is not mandatory, jeeze!!!

Edited July 9, 2014 by chiang mai

[cooked]

So all these posts who say "I think the female only carriage is a good idea" will be happy to get on a overnight train with their wife/girlfriend/daughter and not see them for 12hrs????? Not me i would rather have my daughter where i can see her at all times!!

One despairs sometimes.Nobody said that women would be forced to use a ladies only carriage. Did they?

Anyway, I don't think I could stand the dismal despair of what should be a 6 hour journey and increasingly looks as though it's going to be 2 hours late, without a few beers to shift me in to sleep. On the buses, at least on NCA, you get told not to drink at the start of the journey (this was also a reaction to some incident that everyone has forgotten about). Putting beer in a thermos flask is always a good idea, drinking it out of the plastic cup isn't. But I sacrifice myself.

[Jools]

Yes, there's a clear and present danger that some CASH may be generated. Thais are afraid of THAT!!!

[harrry]

Whoever allowed a 13 year old girl to travel unaccompanied in Thailand must be mentally challenged. Poor kid. A law not allowing minors to travel alone - period - would be more appropriate. And a complete overhaul of staff background checks might help ... but in a country where the implementation of law and the lack of resolved cases means "employees" may not even have a record. Certainly though a check would have revealed this guy.

Perhaps a special unit within RTP could be set up for all employers to contact for criminal records, if they wish, for background checks. I am sure many companies do not as I for one, would have no idea who to ask..... so yes, my staff also go unchecked.

She was not unaccompnied she was accompanied by her elder sister and her sister's boyfriend. I think there may also have been another sister but that is not clear from the reports.

[Yann55]

The ladies only carriage idea is a good one.

It is indeed. Such carriages already exist in Indonesia and it's a success.

[Johnnie99]

failing to see the point. one would assume that employees were already required to remain sober while working.

Perhaps a review of SRT's employment policies would be more in order than this knee jerk reaction.

Segregation seems like an excellent idea though. very forward thinking indeed.

personally i cant see how anyone could tolerate the train sober

"personally i cant see how anyone could tolerate the train sober "

Perhaps you are far too high above Thai people.

Shame on you for such a statement.

[keestha]

Alcohol on the train, hm. Some old Thailand hands might remember the situation described below.

Back in the early nineties, I was living on non imm multiple entry visas, so I had to make a border run every 90 days. At the time this meant taking the train down to Malaysia from Bangkok, later Hua Hin.

Lots of visa running expats on those trains, contrary to the backpackers they always had very little luggage. The expats often easily made contact which each other, also of course you were often meeting people you knew from previous visa runs, who were on the same schedule.

Thai railway staff were always going around with buckets with beverages, big bottles of beer always being prominently present. The beer drinking expats and tourists were very well taken care of, the bottle not finished yet already somebody coming, "You want one more?"

The bill was settled then the next morning. I was not the only one suspecting a bit of a scam, when you just have woken up with a hangover, you are not in the mood to argue that you had only 4 instead of 5 beers, if you remember at all. They were just too eager to sell beer. Myself, I don't drink when I am on a train. Once, boarding the train in Hua Hin, almost immediately a guy came who asked if I wanted a beer. When I said no, I want a coffee, he said "Do you want a coffee and a beer?" Pretty obviously he was disappointed I didn't want beer.

[smotherb]

I predicted this reactionary response, millions of uneventful trips completed by passengers on the rail, millions of beers consumed. An awful, tragic event...reaction? no more beer sales or consumption. So now instead of one unfortunate victim, all those travelers that enjoy a drink on board the train are victims also.

Hmmm! Ban the alcohol because drunks commit crimes. Seems to be the same logic as ban the gun because crimes are committed using guns.

[soalbundy]

failing to see the point. one would assume that employees were already required to remain sober while working.

Perhaps a review of SRT's employment policies would be more in order than this knee jerk reaction.

Segregation seems like an excellent idea though. very forward thinking indeed.

personally i cant see how anyone could tolerate the train sober

"personally i cant see how anyone could tolerate the train sober "

Perhaps you are far too high above Thai people.

Shame on you for such a statement.

I think you are letting your PC indoctrination get out of control. I travel 4 or 5 times a year on Thai trains for long distances,they aren't tolerable drunk or sober,uncomfortable,smelly,noisy,late and generally dirty,and that's the air-con carriages.