Thai PM questions if 'tourists in bikinis' safe after Koh Tao murders

[chotthee]

Seems like a 'crackdown' on beachwear is all thats needed to absolve the 'Land Of Shame' of this one then

i_reasons_why_beaches_suck_017_50123cab80637.jpg

You mean this sort of "crack down" or is this a "crack up"?

The girl on the left have nothing to worry about if in Thailand.

[Thai at Heart]

How about this. If you are a woman, and you go on a foreign holiday, and if you notice that the local women don't actually wear bikinis on the beaches, well, it might be an idea to not wear a bikini.

I'm certainly not saying that women in bikinis in Thailand deserve to be attacked, but basically, you don't see Thai women wearing bikinis on Thailand's beaches. Respect for the local culture and customs must come into it at some point. And how many Thais do feel that foreign women are (slightly) dis-respecting Thailand by their behaviour in Thailand ?

And, as a few posters have already said, I doubt the number of foreign tourists coming here will fall due to this incident. The PM's comments were unfortunate, but I think he speaks for lot's of Thais.

Maybe they should advertise the fact that Thailand is actually quite a conservative country and they don't like foreigners walking around in bikinis and revealing clothes on beaches. This should be widely advertised along side the holiday bookings so that there is absolutely no ambiguity that female tourists who wear bikinis do so at their own risk.

But that would stop holidaymakers. So you see what Thailand wants is for holidaymakers to stay compeletely uniformed about the risks they face holidaying in Thailand, and to come and risk getting accosted, raped, or worse. Basically, female tourists should now be warned not to wear bikinis on beaches unless they do it at their own risk. The Thai stereotypical view is very wrong, in that the problem does not lie with the females, but with the men being unable to control themselves.

If they go down this route, the only logical response is that women should not be on beaches in bikinis.

[wantan]

I can see the PM telling his young daughters..." If you wants to avoid rape in Thailand, please dress properly and not be alone with men when you still single"...why?..because even educated Thai young men believes that women doing that are asking for sex..

This is almost exactly the advice Thais give their daughters.

I also assume if a Thai girl (not a family member) is alone in a room with me, she has effectively already consented to sex.

So rape is OK as long as its not a family member? A woman just has to be alone with you to agree having sex? Is this what you teach your sons? Please tell me i got this wrong.

What Prayuth said may be a fatherly advise if made in a different situation. To talk this way about a raped and murdered woman shortly after it happened is impious. With such attitude its no suprise if the number of visitors is dropping.

[Thai at Heart]

How about this. If you are a woman, and you go on a foreign holiday, and if you notice that the local women don't actually wear bikinis on the beaches, well, it might be an idea to not wear a bikini.

I'm certainly not saying that women in bikinis in Thailand deserve to be attacked, but basically, you don't see Thai women wearing bikinis on Thailand's beaches. Respect for the local culture and customs must come into it at some point. And how many Thais do feel that foreign women are (slightly) dis-respecting Thailand by their behaviour in Thailand ?

And, as a few posters have already said, I doubt the number of foreign tourists coming here will fall due to this incident. The PM's comments were unfortunate, but I think he speaks for lot's of Thais.

Maybe they should advertise the fact that Thailand is actually quite a conservative country and they don't like foreigners walking around in bikinis and revealing clothes on beaches. This should be widely advertised along side the holiday bookings so that there is absolutely no ambiguity that female tourists who wear bikinis do so at their own risk.

But that would stop holidaymakers. So you see what Thailand wants is for holidaymakers to stay compeletely uniformed about the risks they face holidaying in Thailand, and to come and risk getting accosted, raped, or worse. Basically, female tourists should now be warned not to wear bikinis on beaches unless they do it at their own risk. The Thai stereotypical view is very wrong, in that the problem does not lie with the females, but with the men being unable to control themselves.

If they go down this route, the only logical response is that women should not be on beaches in bikinis.

[ALFREDO]

PM

In that regard

=Speech is silver, but silence is golden.= or =A shut mouth, catches no flies.=

[GertrudeL]

It's not about rape for sure, to say directly it should be a bonus for them... I have a doubt that most forum members spend their entire life in room or outside Thailand, otherwise they would not write that much bullsh... Have you ever been in BKK center on a weekends? Have you seen the amount of 'naked' Thai girls (wearing shorts shorter than panties and see throw tops)? Did anyone rape them? Plus recent updates: 'lets kick rich foreigners' and 'welcome tourists from poor countries' changes situation...

The main reason of all problems:

Edited September 18, 2014 by GertrudeL

[ggt]

"There are always problems with tourist safety. But "can they be safe in bikinis... unless they are not beautiful?"

Let me get this straight...only ugly tourist should wear a bikini in Thailand...because if you are a looker...you are unsafe?

Come to South Pattaya beach where the older...obese...Russian tourists...wear bikinis two sizes too small...with lots of flesh hanging out and over the bikini...

Me thinks these tourists...have nothing to worry about...

[Acharn]

Oh, dear. Anybody else remember when PM Thanong banned "hippies?" For years afterward, anyone with long hair got the evil eye at immigration.

I wish he would refrain from commenting on this case. The police already have the wrong incentive (as do our police in the U.S.) to find a quick suspect, not the right suspect. I'm extraordinarily pleased to see that they actually used DNA evidence to rule out the suspects they had already rounded up. It's disappointing that they didn't get a match, which probably means a long, grinding investigation and maybe never solving the crime, but I've become very cynical about police putting people in a frame (sorry, American idiom is "framing people").

[Brian Corrigan]

But "can they be safe in bikinis... unless they are not beautiful?" he said, addressing the issue of tourist safety in a speech broadcast live on television.

You should understand General that there are a hell of a lot of women who would like to think they would be safe regardless of their attire or their appearance. I take it the generals daughters agree with his disgraceful comment? Has the General, on behalf of the people of Thailand,found the time, between making sexist comments, to send condolences to relatives of the deceased? And what about the disgraceful pictures of these tourist being bungled into the back of a pick up? Surely they could have been given a little more respect?

[Otis]

This is disgusting. Putting any part of the blame for a rape onto the victim for how she dresses is the kind of logic to be expected from the Taliban or Saudi Arabia. My opinion of Prayuth has just sunk even lower.

Maybe it is time for Thailand to have a slutwalk.

Sent from my IS11T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I don't think the General was blaming the victims. He was advising people to think about behavior consequences. Yes, he did step into a "PC" no win heap. The ivory tower people are quite correct in theorizing that any rape is a crime committed by the perp. This is true of gold necklace snatching. In the real world these crimes are fact and one can do things to reduce the chances of them happening. For instance, I recently saw a Thai lady get up from her table at a restaurant and remove her gold necklace and put it in her purse. It doesn't garrantee she will not be robbed of the gold but, if not seen, it does not tempt. How many times have we heard to not leave valuables in view in cars? General Prayuth was just reminding people to use some common sense or streetsmarts. The General's flaw was not enough sugar coating .

Just sayin'. oc

[Friendly Stranger]

Seems like a 'crackdown' on beachwear is all thats needed to absolve the 'Land Of Shame' of this one then

i_reasons_why_beaches_suck_017_50123cab80637.jpg

You mean this sort of "crack down" or is this a "crack up"?

The girl on the left have nothing to worry about if in Thailand.

Not to be insentive as this is a serious thread but the girl on the left would be sought after in around soi 3 & 5.

[thailiketoo]

Is Thailand the same? Should Thailand join the list of countries that are too backward to tolerate foreign women and globally accepted norms?

TLT,

These are not "globally accepted norms"...not by a longshot.

Wearing a bathing suit on a beach is a globally accepted norm.

[bobthomas]

The guy is a Soldier. He tells it like it is.

It's a refreshing break from the usual Politically correct doubletalk we get.

Will he take some flack for that comment? Naturally

but someone needed to say it.

Formerly the Thais were too afraid to say, "hey look- tourist people! We would like to inform you-Dressing provocatively in Thailand often appears to the local Thais like they are at a brothel where sex is for sale- because (for the most part) only sex workers dress (and act) provocatively in the light of day"

The alternative is to attempt to train all Thai males that, "Foreign women often behave in a similar manner to Thai prostitutes- so please, don't be confused!"

b

[thailiketoo]

The guy is a Soldier. He tells it like it is.

It's a refreshing break from the usual Politically correct doubletalk we get.

Will he take some flack for that comment? Naturally

but someone needed to say it.

Formerly the Thais were too afraid to say, "hey look- tourist people! We would like to inform you-Dressing provocatively in Thailand often appears to the local Thais like they are at a brothel where sex is for sale- because (for the most part) only sex workers dress (and act) provocatively in the light of day"

The alternative is to attempt to train all Thai males that, "Foreign women often behave in a similar manner to Thai prostitutes- so please, don't be confused!"

b

Bob, Thai prostitutes rarely go to the beach in bikinis and they don't let Thai men into go go bars. So you are the one who is confused.

[Rimmer]

One post linking to a prohibited web site in Thailand has been removed

[Marknreston]

The alternative is to attempt to train all Thai males that, "Foreign women often behave in a similar manner to Thai prostitutes- so please, don't be confused!"

Posts like this are so idiotic and reprehensible.

Why can't Thai men just treat ALL woman with respect and not assume just because they wear a bathing suit or are in a room alone with them that they want to have sex!! This line of thinking us medieval, barbaric and can not be passed off as Thai culture. It is an excuse pure and simple for barbaric thinking. It is an excuse for any man who is unable to interact with woman in the modern world. Absolutely incredible that people of seeming intelligence keep providing excuses for this kind of destructive thinking

[carabaothai]

Better if my wife will wear a niqab to go swimming !

[harrry]

When my neice went to Uni I suggested buying her a Southern thai hijab so all the boys would not look at her,,,,she told me to get lost,.

Girls everywhere like to be looked at ,,,,when they want to be,,,it is ingrained by genetics, The limitations of this are cultural and Thailand has a long way to go to achieve the correct balance sadly,

[thailiketoo]

When my neice went to Uni I suggested buying her a Southern thai hijab so all the boys would not look at her,,,,she told me to get lost,.

Girls everywhere like to be looked at ,,,,when they want to be,,,it is ingrained by genetics, The limitations of this are cultural and Thailand has a long way to go to achieve the correct balance sadly,

Is your niece a Muslim?

[harrry]

When my neice went to Uni I suggested buying her a Southern thai hijab so all the boys would not look at her,,,,she told me to get lost,.

Girls everywhere like to be looked at ,,,,when they want to be,,,it is ingrained by genetics, The limitations of this are cultural and Thailand has a long way to go to achieve the correct balance sadly,

Is your niece a Muslim?

No but her best girlfriend is.

[thailiketoo]

When my neice went to Uni I suggested buying her a Southern thai hijab so all the boys would not look at her,,,,she told me to get lost,.

Girls everywhere like to be looked at ,,,,when they want to be,,,it is ingrained by genetics, The limitations of this are cultural and Thailand has a long way to go to achieve the correct balance sadly,

Is your niece a Muslim?

No but her best girlfriend is.

You told a non Muslim Thai college girl to wear a hijab. I sure can't top that.

[harrry]

When my neice went to Uni I suggested buying her a Southern thai hijab so all the boys would not look at her,,,,she told me to get lost,.

Girls everywhere like to be looked at ,,,,when they want to be,,,it is ingrained by genetics, The limitations of this are cultural and Thailand has a long way to go to achieve the correct balance sadly,

Is your niece a Muslim?

No but her best girlfriend is.

You told a non Muslim Thai college girl to wear a hijab. I sure can't top that.

I did not tell her to wear anything. I just offered her it basicly as a joke during a family conversation about looking after herself now she was moving out on her own.

The conversation covered everything from ensuring she had enough food even if she had spent most of her months food money (how to eat cheap if you have to), Using condoms if she does decide to have sex even if the other party does not want her to, and why. And general living tips given to a loved person going out on her own. A fairly minor point in the discussion and mostly as a joke.

Having lived in a few countries too I can assure you that not only Muslim girls wear them. From time to time and depending on the circumstances many other girls chose to wear them.

Edited September 22, 2014 by harrry

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.