Has There Been Events in Thailand as Big as What is Going on in Indonesia Right Now?

[ev1lchris]

I notice that a lot of news outlets are reporting on the Bali 9 who have been executed for drug offenses. It's all over my Facebook and in the news when I'm going through it.

Has there ever been a similar event in Thailand that has gained as much news coverage regarding drug offenses? I know Thailand executes for that as well.

[Loptr]

You're obviously a newbie if you haven't heard of Thaksin's extra-judicial murder of over 5000 suspected drug dealers when he was PM...

[KhunBENQ]

When was the last execution of a foreigner in Thailand?

I don't remember.

[ev1lchris]

You're obviously a newbie if you haven't heard of Thaksin's extra-judicial murder of over 5000 suspected drug dealers when he was PM...

Were there crowds of protesters?

[Chao Lao Beach]

You're obviously a newbie if you haven't heard of Thaksin's extra-judicial murder of over 5000 suspected drug dealers when he was PM...

Were there crowds of protesters?

Well, I would say.........yes

Image source: pattayatoday.net

[ev1lchris]

I mean about the drug related executions.

[AyG]

I know Thailand executes for that as well.

Though Thailand retains the death penalty it hasn't been used for several years. There were two executions in 2009, but none since then, and none in the two years prior. So, two executions in eight years. Indonesia has done more than that in a single day.

[KhunBENQ]

it is because the mass media is racist that there is an uproar over executions by indonesia. you all know which countries execute many more with no international fuss.

True, no uproar but at least regular reports and protests.

And executions of foreigners are rare (in China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea).

And there is an uproar in such case.

Of course there is no uproar if Kim Jong Un lets family members be executed.

Of course there is no uproar if China lets some corrupt party officials be executed.

[ev1lchris]

Don't forget. The United States executes people and later finds out they were innocent.

[IMA_FARANG]

Perhaps not about drug executions.

But in 1977 when I first came to Thailand as a tourist there were still advertisements in Thai newspapers warning university students that unless they returned to register for their classes in the university, they would be suspended from the university.

That was after he events of 1976, when many students "disappeared" after anti government demonstrations when the police stormed the campus to arrest demonstrators.

And my tour guide when I went to the Crocodile farm then "jokingly" warned us not to get to close to the Croc pens as "they liked human flesh these days"

That was "Thainess" in 1977.

Thailand has a lot of history in the last few decades, they prefer not to talk about, especially to tourists.

Edited April 30, 2015 by IMA_FARANG

[ev1lchris]

Perhaps not about drug executions.

But in 1977 when I first came to Thailand as a tourist there were still advertisements in Thai newspapers warning university students that unless they returned to register for their classes in the university, they would be suspended from the university.

That was after he events of 1976, when many students "disappeared" after anti government demonstrations when the police stormed the campus to arrest demonstrators.

And my tour guide when I went to the Crocodile farm then "jokingly" warned us not to get to close to the Croc pens as "they liked human flesh these days"

That was "Thainess" in 1977.

Thailand has a lot of history in the last few decades, they prefer not to talk about, especially to tourists.

I'm interested in finding out more about this.

[RolandRat]

When was the last execution of a foreigner in Thailand?

I don't remember.

They don't call them "executions" here, they call them suicides !

[NanLaew]

You're obviously a newbie if you haven't heard of Thaksin's extra-judicial murder of over 5000 suspected drug dealers when he was PM...

Were there crowds of protesters?

Just Loptr so far.

[Rooo]

Post venturing into general politics & sites banned in Thailand has been deleted. Please refrain from such posts & links.

OP was discussing drug related matters.

Thank You.

[northernjohn]

You're obviously a newbie if you haven't heard of Thaksin's extra-judicial murder of over 5000 suspected drug dealers when he was PM...

Actually the count was more like around 2,500 of which they figure at least 1,350 were innocent.

[Lakegeneve]

I know Thailand executes for that as well.

Though Thailand retains the death penalty it hasn't been used for several years. There were two executions in 2009, but none since then, and none in the two years prior. So, two executions in eight years. Indonesia has done more than that in a single day.

That seems to be correct and they were the first in 6 years it seems, http://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-post.cfm?country=Thailand . However, I suspect that any of the high profile cases in recent years such as murder of a foreigner or rape and murder of a 13 year old girl on a train will result in the death penalty being carried out in the near future.

There are many on death row. 112 as of 7 Oct 2013 and according to the Amnesty International Report: Death Penalty Sentences and Executions 2014 Thai courts sentenced 55 to death in 2014. So it must be at over 150 (some would have received a reduction in sentence from death to life or had sucessful appeals).

REPORTED DEATH SENTENCES IN 2014 (page 8)

Afghanistan (12+), Algeria (16+), Bahrain (5), Bangladesh (142+), Barbados (2), Botswana (1), China (+),

Congo (Republic of) (3+), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (14+), Egypt (509+), Gambia (1+), Ghana (9),

Guyana (1), India (64+), Indonesia (6), Iran (81+), Iraq (38+), Japan (2), Jordan (5), Kenya (26+), Kuwait (7),

Lebanon (11+), Lesotho (1+), Libya (1+), Malaysia (38+), Maldives (2), Mali (6+), Mauritania (3),

Morocco/Western Sahara (9), Myanmar (1+), Nigeria (659), North Korea (+), Pakistan (231), Palestine (State

of) (4+ Hamas authorities, Gaza), Qatar (2+), Saudi Arabia (44+), Sierra Leone (3), Singapore (3), Somalia

(52+: 31+ Somali Federal Government; 11+ Puntland; 10+ Somaliland), South Korea (1), South Sudan (+), Sri

Lanka (61+), Sudan (14+), Taiwan (1), Tanzania (91), Thailand (55+), Trinidad and Tobago (2+), Tunisia

(2+), Uganda (1), UAE (25), USA (72+), Viet Nam (72+), Yemen (26+), Zambia (13+) and Zimbabwe (10).

Execution wise (excluding China and North Korea);

REPORTED EXECUTIONS IN 2014

Afghanistan (6), Belarus (3+), China (+), Egypt (15+), Equatorial Guinea (9), Iran (289+), Iraq (61+),

Japan (3), Jordan (11), Malaysia (2+), North Korea (+), Pakistan (7), Palestine (State of) (2+, Hamas

authorities, Gaza), Saudi Arabia (90+), Singapore (2), Somalia (14+), Sudan (23+), Taiwan (5), UAE (1),

USA (35), Viet Nam (3+) and Yemen (22+).

https://www.amnesty.org/en/articles/news/2015/04/the-ultimate-punishment-a-beginners-guide-to-the-death-penalty/

[berybert]

Don't forget. The United States executes people and later finds out they were innocent.

Has there ever been events in Thailand similar to what has happened in Indonesia right now ?

Yes people have been executed in America.

Well thank you for that. What part of Thailand is America in ?

[thailandforumaddict]

Why these ridiculous countries (USA included) cannot understand that death penalty does not stop any crime ?

Ok, lets say that I am open mind and that I accept it for crimes against persons, but how can any country still use death penalty for drugs ? These Asia countries make me throw out..

[Beetlejuice]

There are such goings on in Thailand regarding drug offences, only the Thais are rather more discrete about it.

Don`t know about the present, but there have been executions in the not so distant past for drug offences. There are presently hundreds of foreigners banged up and rotting in Thai prisons, most of them forgotten, for drug or drug related crimes that we rarely get to hear about unless they are high profile cases or they hit the international headlines, which is probably the same scenario in many other south east Asian countries.

As in Indonesia, the word is, don`t do and don`t get involved with drugs in Thailand.

[NeverSure]

Don't forget. The United States executes people and later finds out they were innocent.

Has there ever been events in Thailand similar to what has happened in Indonesia right now ?

Yes people have been executed in America.

Well thank you for that. What part of Thailand is America in ?

The Indonesian part of Thailand, apparently.

[MAJIC]

You're obviously a newbie if you haven't heard of Thaksin's extra-judicial murder of over 5000 suspected drug dealers when he was PM...

Were there crowds of protesters?

Well, I would say.........yes

Image source: pattayatoday.net

Hmmmm! isn't this the Yellow shirts sit in at Suvarnibhum?

[willyumiii]

It is no secret that some countries have very harsh penalties for dealing drugs.

Some will even execute dealers.

Again, it is no secret or surprise!

Anyone stupid enough to get involved with drugs in these countries ( including Thailand ) deserves no sympathy.

They deserve what they get!

[Swiss1960]

Why these ridiculous countries (USA included) cannot understand that death penalty does not stop any crime ?

Ok, lets say that I am open mind and that I accept it for crimes against persons, but how can any country still use death penalty for drugs ? These Asia countries make me throw out..

Smuggling drugs IS a crime against persons... have you forgotten about the thousands of lives and families that get destroyed by the drugs smuggled? have you forgotten about the thousands of crimes (including murders) that drug addicts do on a daily basis in order to get the money for their addiction?

Putting smugglers away in line with the laws of the countries is the way to go. Smugglers know the risk the take when they do their crime against thousands of persons, specially when they do it in countries that have the harshest penalties for those crimes, just they take the risk for a huge gain they would make. No tears from me for them.

P.S.: Have the Australian and the other governments ever withdrawn their embassadors from the US of A when they (the US of A) put mentally retarded people to death?

[Loptr]

Just Loptr so far.

Are you denying it happened or is this a lame attempt at humor?

You're obviously a newbie if you haven't heard of Thaksin's extra-judicial murder of over 5000 suspected drug dealers when he was PM...

Actually the count was more like around 2,500 of which they figure at least 1,350 were innocent.

I've read the numbers and there seems to be a difference as to whether there were 2800 killed, plus another 1800 who were innocent or whether the 1800 were part of the 2800... Either way it makes the execution of the Indonesia nine seem tame by comparison...

Edited May 1, 2015 by Loptr

[Langsuan Man]

Perhaps not about drug executions.

But in 1977 when I first came to Thailand as a tourist there were still advertisements in Thai newspapers warning university students that unless they returned to register for their classes in the university, they would be suspended from the university.

That was after he events of 1976, when many students "disappeared" after anti government demonstrations when the police stormed the campus to arrest demonstrators.

And my tour guide when I went to the Crocodile farm then "jokingly" warned us not to get to close to the Croc pens as "they liked human flesh these days"

That was "Thainess" in 1977.

Thailand has a lot of history in the last few decades, they prefer not to talk about, especially to tourists.

I'm interested in finding out more about this.

Then you are going to have to get a VPN and do a search and purchase a book from outside of Thailand

I won't even give you the name (s), since Article 44 is in effect

[callaway]

Australian politicians are having a candle light vigil for those 2 dirtbags. If they would have got away with it, would those same assh£le politicians, done the same for all the deaths that heroin would have caused. Yes an I am an Aussie. They knew the rules and did it before. Took a gamble and lost. Rigar mortis excreta. More commonly know as "stiff sh_t". May they rest in.........the ground.

[Dannyboy666]

it is because the mass media is racist that there is an uproar over executions by indonesia. you all know which countries execute many more with no international fuss.

True, no uproar but at least regular reports and protests.

And executions of foreigners are rare (in China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea).

And there is an uproar in such case.

Of course there is no uproar if Kim Jong Un lets family members be executed.

Of course there is no uproar if China lets some corrupt party officials be executed.

. Kim has executed 70 of his cronies, since taking over and just cancelled trip to Russia, maybe afraid of Coup...

[neeray]

Why these ridiculous countries (USA included) cannot understand that death penalty does not stop any crime ?

Ok, lets say that I am open mind and that I accept it for crimes against persons, but how can any country still use death penalty for drugs ? These Asia countries make me throw out..

Both directly and indirectly, drugs are crimes against persons. Just because a drug dealer didn't directly do the killing, they're not innocent in the many deaths resulting from their actions.

[Docno]

A Nal Fixator, on 30 Apr 2015 - 12:43, said:

it is because the mass media is racist that there is an uproar over executions by indonesia. you all know which countries execute many more with no international fuss.

Racist in favour of and against whom? One of the Australians looked to be ethnic South Asian and the other was ethnic Chinese.

The issues here were 1) many people believe that capital punishment is not merited for drug offenses, 2) the punishment took place many years after conviction, and 3) there was strong evidence that the two Australians (at least - perhaps the others also) had been rehabilitated during their years in prison.

[Docno]

An Australian (ethnic Vietnamese) was hanged in Singapore for drug offenses in 2005. The whole thing was handled pretty coldly by local authorities - they didn't allow the mom a last hug with her son, only to speak to him through security glass. The case was wasn't a simple one of 'bad man does bad things' -- he was desperate for money to pay back serious debt his twin brother had incurred, and this was his first overseas trip since leaving a Thai refugee camp as a child. In other words, he was not a 'career drug smuggler', and he was acting out of desperation. Australia made appeals for clemency that were ignored, but public sentiment was not as heated on this one (more than 50% of Australians polled approved of the execution). Why? Because the execution took place after a year and half after conviction (after appeals processes were exhausted), not a decade later.