Junta Leader Advises Thais Not To Be 'Slaves of Alcohol'

[robblok]

To clarify I think this is reasonable advice, one should not be slave to any drug including Alcohol.

However I feel real strong about days without alcohol, forced by a government. I think its crazy and that religious people should adhere to their religion without force. Its just stupid to have alcohol free days. I am practically a non drinker so it does not affect me, but I am all for freedom to do with ones body what you please as long as you don't bother others.

Perhaps this is a classic example of a Western viewpoint which focuses on the Individual, the Me, the Self versus the Thai viewpoint which focuses on the Family, the Tribe, the community, the Nation and the Public good.

Ofcourse, you are only a guest here, as most of us, and so we are each free to move to a country that offers the freedoms to get polluted 24/7 if we so choose.

Cheers

I love it here, that does not mean I am not blind to things I dont like. There is no perfect country.

How BIG was that glass, Rob? Which way is Sukhumvit? (I'm never going to let you forget that.)

I don't see anything wrong in Prayuth's message - it's pretty much stock standard and will mostly be ignored unless he decides to enforce his wowserism on the rest of us - rest of you, actually, as I'm now forced to be a teetotaller for the rest of my life.

That glas was big and yes i went the wrong side of Sukhumvit.. that was one of the few times I drink.. and I overdid it

Yes if he starts forcing it it gets bad.

[thesetat2013]

I'm going a month without. 1 week in and I feel great already. Can't wait for my memory to return.

When it does return you will remember all the fun you had with sexy thai girls you dont have now and will miss that. Good luck abstaining

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[robblok]

I'm going a month without. 1 week in and I feel great already. Can't wait for my memory to return.

When it does return you will remember all the fun you had with sexy thai girls you dont have now and will miss that. Good luck abstaining

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I wonder what the two have in common.. i mean sober you can play much more with them and are more attractive to them as nobody likes a total drunk. Unless of course you are talking bar girls they love you more if your drunk. Its easier to take your money then.

[Thanet]

what are they going to try to control next? "don't love sex"? "don't have too many pets"? "don't be a Christian worshiper"? or just "you WILL be happy - and that's an order"

Next we'll all have to start wearing the same clothes.

You don't sound happy enough.

The Dear Leader has spoken. Shut up and be happy.

[mikebike]

I am all for freedom to do with ones body what you please as long as you don't bother others.

And there in lies the dilemma - alcohol quite often leads to 'bothering' others!

Thailand is NOT a secular nation. It is a Buddhist nation and you'd think everyone could follow the 5th precept at least a couple of times a year... kinda like CXhristians going to church only at Xmas and Easter...

[robblok]

I am all for freedom to do with ones body what you please as long as you don't bother others.

And there in lies the dilemma - alcohol quite often leads to 'bothering' others!

Thailand is NOT a secular nation. It is a Buddhist nation and you'd think everyone could follow the 5th precept at least a couple of times a year... kinda like CXhristians going to church only at Xmas and Easter...

Sure there are quite a lot of idiots who become even greater idiots when drunk. I am an atheist so why would I follow any religion they all are equally crazy to me.

[AGareth2]

great servant

bad master

[chooka]

Beer o'clock, where did I put my opener?

[Oziex1]

Get real you guys this, is about the abuse of alcohol, not about having a few quieties!

Alcohol is head and shoulders the worst above all drugs.

I like it too but how much and how often.

[Hawk]

But be slaves to the elite and pay your taxes children.

[Eliot Rosewater]

I wholeheartedly agree; alcohol in Thailand should be the same as any other drug; heroin, cocaine, pot etc.

Possession should elicit the death sentence.

Many of Thailand's problems would be solved. I sincerely hope the junta is going in this direction.

[robblok]

I wholeheartedly agree; alcohol in Thailand should be the same as any other drug; heroin, cocaine, pot etc.

Possession should elicit the death sentence.

Many of Thailand's problems would be solved. I sincerely hope the junta is going in this direction.

Your far to mild, i propose some time on the rack before the death sentence and make it a public spectacle.

[UbonRatch]

"Consumption of alcohol is banned under the Fifth Precept of Buddhism."

Aye, and there's four other precepts which seem to be largely ignored, as well.

[UbonRatch]

I wholeheartedly agree; alcohol in Thailand should be the same as any other drug; heroin, cocaine, pot etc.

Possession should elicit the death sentence.

Many of Thailand's problems would be solved. I sincerely hope the junta is going in this direction.

You're taking the piss, right?

[Eliot Rosewater]

I wholeheartedly agree; alcohol in Thailand should be the same as any other drug; heroin, cocaine, pot etc.

Possession should elicit the death sentence.

Many of Thailand's problems would be solved. I sincerely hope the junta is going in this direction.

Your far to mild, i propose some time on the rack before the death sentence and make it a public spectacle.

As much as I agree; that would be quite a stretch

[UbonRatch]

I think it is a good message to be sending out. The politicos are often taking about drugs, but fail to recognise the damage that alcohol is doing to the health of the nation. Anything which encourages people to drink responsibly is a good start. Maybe some education in the schools to.

The man takes a drink, the drink takes the drink, the drink takes the man. (Old Chinese proverb).

Except, in most cases it's not really applicable.

[trainman34014]

I don't think the people are listening to this message any more than they do most other messages, as 'Thainess' means doing what the hell you like whatever the outcome. Last evening i passed a gaggle of people sitting in front of their favourite shop drinking beer and whiskey the same as they do every other evening. Wouldn't surprise me if the local Cop dropped in for one or two like he usually does.

[Valentine]

Seems to me he his only offering some sensible advice but should back it up with some decent public awareness campaigns. IMO attitudes towards many things in this country could easily be changed by subliminal messages through the soap operas. Time to bring back Sarawat Yai (a very short lived TV series about a non corrupt cop).

[jpeg]

'Slaves to alcohol'??? The ONLY Thais I see being able to buy the unadultered crap that is NOT locally produced alcohol are those pulling up in their SUV's/Mercedes. The ONLY Thais I see buying the poison that is Mekong/Sangsom/ALL Thai beers (produced, can't say it's brewed), are THAIS pulling up in pickups/Honda clicks. The hyipocrisy is bloody eyewatering and ALL Thai administrations should be ashamed.

BTW Forget Yaba - BAN laokao (Ireland did it with pocheen) and watch deaths by alcohol related deaths plummet.

[Felt 35]

However, alcohol is widely sold and consumed by Thais in the rest of the year.

Judging by the amount of ambulances I have seen and heard this weekend it seems both sale and consumption have been worse than a "usual" weekend.

[WitawatWatawit]

"Time to bring back Sarawat Yai (a very short lived TV series about a non corrupt cop)."

Why was it short-lived?

Answers own question: Couldn't find writers familiar with the concept.

[Felt 35]

I wholeheartedly agree; alcohol in Thailand should be the same as any other drug; heroin, cocaine, pot etc.

Possession should elicit the death sentence.

Many of Thailand's problems would be solved. I sincerely hope the junta is going in this direction.

That's a bit harsh but as a starter Thailand should increase the alcohol tax flat out with 100% on liquor and 50% on beer and then make it illegal to produce any alcoholic drinkable stuff at home and severe fines / jail for breaking that law.

Edited July 13, 2014 by Felt 35

[casindonet]

Good luck with that slogan....

Sent from my C6833 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Eliot Rosewater]

I wholeheartedly agree; alcohol in Thailand should be the same as any other drug; heroin, cocaine, pot etc.

Possession should elicit the death sentence.

Many of Thailand's problems would be solved. I sincerely hope the junta is going in this direction.

That's a bit harsh but as a starter Thailand should increase the alcohol tax flat out with 100% on liquor and 50% on beer and then make it illegal to produce any alcoholic drinkable stuff at home and severe fines / jail for breaking that law.

So that way only the rich and priveleged get to drink?

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jpeg]

Just one more, no, this is good, promise Called in at Villa Market last Friday to be confronted with that which I have NEVER seen before in Villa on Phuket (Open 4 Booze All Hours). The booze section roped off with laminated signs (well, it is Villa) announcing 'ALL alcohol will be unavailable for sale during the periods 11 - 14 July, we apologise for the inconvenience'. My gob was smacked. Villa???!!! So with heavy heart I thought, 'Oh my Buddha, if Villa In The BIG Brown Envelope is unable to sell, will the Thai stores?), made my way along half k away to BIG THAI booze shop and bought whatever I wanted at a much cheaper price. And yes, before anyone starts up, I already know that Thai shops can sell booze out of hours, but it's all Thai <deleted> (this country seriously should have been colonized). And my motosai driver whiffed of booze too, I told him 'Soooooo, farang shop cannot sell booze on Big Buddha Day, but Thai shops can'?

17+ years and this country still does not fail to amaze and delight

[nong38]

There is nothing wrong with having a drink, the trick is to know when you have had enough, especially if you have to drive.

[Skywalker69]

Prayuth could use good ole Chalerm as his poster boy for this campaign. Too much booze will turn you into a pathetic scumbag like this.

I wonder if a plan to have off-duty cops wearing balaclavas and driving round Thailand on motorbikes executing on sight anybody drinking or suspected to be drinking alcohol would have the Thaksinites crying Hallelujah as they did during his war on drugs? Double standards, much?

[jpeg]

I think it is a good message to be sending out. The politicos are often taking about drugs, but fail to recognise the damage that alcohol is doing to the health of the nation. Anything which encourages people to drink responsibly is a good start. Maybe some education in the schools to.

You're thinking from a Western point of view. The legality of 'drugs' is not at all the same (in The World View) as to the legality of booze. Plus, there's much more money to be made from booze, legally speaking, than going back to (oh no, the horror) opium dens. In all my years here I've never been up front and personal with someone on yaba, but a bunch of laokao'd up pissheads?

People will get their jollies whichsoever way it suits them. I see many of you on this forum like to avail yourselves of the abundant cheap prostitution scene here. Perhaps the good General might take a look at that from which much of the other banes to society, stem.

[Tchooptip]

No hope of changing that. They already are the biggest drinkers, in Asean!

TV members ??? You could be right

[jpeg]

I wholeheartedly agree; alcohol in Thailand should be the same as any other drug; heroin, cocaine, pot etc.

Possession should elicit the death sentence.

Many of Thailand's problems would be solved. I sincerely hope the junta is going in this direction.

Just when you think TV posters couldn't get any more stupid