Thai Aviation Safety Bill proposes death penalty for causing airport closure

[a99az]

Off with there heads! Utter madness just don't arrive at the airport drunk and forget to do up yours zipper on the way out the mens room and fall over some old lady, or they will be shouting "Off with his head"

[Lukecan]

I dont know why some people take a piss on the Thai Govt, they have every right to introduce harsh laws like this, It probably wont be enforced to the fullest extent, but probably it will serve as a good deterrent.

Too lax laws and too much democracy is never good. I've seen the messed up results it produced in my homeland.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Lukecan

[Lannig]

Well, not only they will not be fully enforced, but they're probably not going to be enforced at all because that's close to impossible.

Death penalty for causing an airport closure. Well, how many heads would have rolled in 2008, then?

Imagine the international outrage...

Anyway, yellow or red, this seems to be Thailand's speciality to come up with laws that are so ridiculously strict that no one seriously considers ever enforcing them. It's been like this for decades.

This country will start making progress towards policital maturity by the day they will realise this and start inventing laws that make sense and provide for practical enforcement of not ridiculously harsh penalties. They're still quite far away from this.

I won't even start arguing about the last sentence of Lukecan's post... not worth the effort.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Lannig

[laobali]

time to go.....anyone who would like to buy my house?

thanks

Sure, if it includes the land under it.

[starkey_rich]

what is it with this country and the death penalty?

They think it sounds macho.

[JacChang]

"

NLA member Somchai Sawangkarn said putting someone to death for causing an airport's closure might be too harsh.

"Personally, I don't support the closure of airports. But in some cases an airport operation needs to be shut down for other reasons such as what happened in 2008 when protesters shut the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports," he said, adding that "the law should give the operators some room for decisions".

"

Death is too harsh, and closing airports resulting in the safety and inconvenience of international passengers and communities is not?

In some cases, airports need to be shut down for reasons of what happen in 2008??!?! HHAHAHAHAHA. what a nice reason. Saying it so proudly as if it is a legitimate reason.

Same with other news stories. "Oh I murdered because I need to feed my family, we POOR!!! " "Ok, sounds reasonable.... just pay 500 baht fine ok?"

[rickirs]

"Forcing the closure of an airport ... would result in the death penalty or a life sentence ..."

Laws that are not fair and balanced makes a mockery of justice by the government that passes them. The two convicted Thai murderers of Brit backpacker Katherine Horton in 2006 received life because they confessed after being caught and otherwise had a clean record. But don't get caught closing an airport.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

"

NLA member Somchai Sawangkarn said putting someone to death for causing an airport's closure might be too harsh.

"Personally, I don't support the closure of airports. But in some cases an airport operation needs to be shut down for other reasons such as what happened in 2008 when protesters shut the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports," he said, adding that "the law should give the operators some room for decisions".

"

Death is too harsh, and closing airports resulting in the safety and inconvenience of international passengers and communities is not?

In some cases, airports need to be shut down for reasons of what happen in 2008??!?! HHAHAHAHAHA. what a nice reason. Saying it so proudly as if it is a legitimate reason.

Same with other news stories. "Oh I murdered because I need to feed my family, we POOR!!! " "Ok, sounds reasonable.... just pay 500 baht fine ok?"

Do you support the 5 year in a Thai jail for consuming alcohol at the airport or on the plane proposal as well?

[RHerberth]

Hmmm whats about the business and first class lounges in suvarnabhumi with no alcohol. a big loss for the airport and a big loss for thai airways when not serving alcohol.......

[tifino]

Guess the Novotel will have to close it's bar downstairs, seeing as how the Hotel is part of the Airport complex.

Have to remove the expensive 100ml alcohol bottles out of the room bar fridges too

[DrTuner]

5 Years imprisonment for drinking alcohol.

Just how many teetotallers are there in the NLA ? They seem to be shooting for an all-out prohibition.

[DoctorB]

'Five years' imprisonment or a Bt200,000 fine for:

Drinking alcohol or using narcotics.'

So no more having large malt in the lounge to prepare one for the ordeal to come?

And what about the nervous fliers who take a couple of Valium in order to sleep throught the whole thing? Will that be using narcotics?

The mind boggles at where Thailand is going with this stuff.

[62strat]

For supporting the last airport shut down you get to write new laws like this !

[englishoak]

Insane

[faranginafrica]

'Five years' imprisonment or a Bt200,000 fine for:

Drinking alcohol or using narcotics.'

So no more having large malt in the lounge to prepare one for the ordeal to come?

And what about the nervous fliers who take a couple of Valium in order to sleep throught the whole thing? Will that be using narcotics?

The mind boggles at where Thailand is going with this stuff.

Although I musty admit the article is shockingly badly written, if you do read what is stated:

"Klanarong Chantik, an NLA member and a graft buster, said some articles in the proposed bill were not realistic and might affect the aviation industry. Klanarong said Article 12 stated that alcohol- or drug-affected passengers who caused a disturbance on a flight face five years' imprisonment or a Bt500,000 fine or both."

So the five year prison sentence and/or fine is for persons who disrupt the flight due to being inebriated under the effects of alcohol/drugs. Disruptive passengers are a menace: look what happened on that flight to Manchester recently. Whilst five years in a Thai or a western jail may be a bit harsh for swearing at a flight attendant, I think it is quite justified if someone attempts to enter the cockpit under the influence, thus potentially placing all passengers and crew at risk. And really, there is no justification for swearing at cabin crew anyway. They are just doing their jobs.

The article does not suggest anywhere that alcohol will be banned inflight or at Thai airports, or that having one beer (as long as you can handle it) in a departure lounge at a Thai airport before departure will land you in jail. But if you go overboard and then place others at risk as a result you may be looking at up to five years and maybe a fine too!

I support Thailand's stance. It is tough but the laws other countries have in place are generally weaker and, globally, we still have too many disruptive passengers messing up the itineraries of other responsible passengers who want to get to their destination on time and safely.

[Tokay]

time to go.....anyone who would like to buy my house?

thanks

Joke about it now, but where do you think all of this will end? The good General is just getting starting. Imagine another year or 10 of this. No telling how off the rails things are going to go. Or not.

[kimamey]

It could be airline flights under Thai control like the flag carrier and flights within the Kingdom. The NLA also wants to place high ranking officers on each flight as procters to record infractions. Crazy stuff that these people must come up with to stay relevant and keep their jobs. Seems a bit over the top. Maybe this will only apply in economy class?

Not really a problem if it only applies in economy. Not unless they have cameras set up so the high ranking officers can see economy from business or first class.

[JacChang]

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"

NLA member Somchai Sawangkarn said putting someone to death for causing an airport's closure might be too harsh.

"Personally, I don't support the closure of airports. But in some cases an airport operation needs to be shut down for other reasons such as what happened in 2008 when protesters shut the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports," he said, adding that "the law should give the operators some room for decisions".

"

Death is too harsh, and closing airports resulting in the safety and inconvenience of international passengers and communities is not?

In some cases, airports need to be shut down for reasons of what happen in 2008??!?! HHAHAHAHAHA. what a nice reason. Saying it so proudly as if it is a legitimate reason.

Same with other news stories. "Oh I murdered because I need to feed my family, we POOR!!! " "Ok, sounds reasonable.... just pay 500 baht fine ok?"

Do you support the 5 year in a Thai jail for consuming alcohol at the airport or on the plane proposal as well?

They should be executed on the spot. Causing disturbances to other passengers. Same with no smoking in front of non smokers.

[myluckythai]

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha. Haaaahahahahahahaha. hahaha. Oh this is for real????