Raid on Suk 16 Motorcycle Taxi Guys

[MMan]

Witnessed an interesting site a short while ago. A group of 20 or so army soldiers in military fatigues suddenly arrived at the top of Sukhumvit Soi 16, swarmed the motorcycle taxi guys there and began inspecting both them and their bikes. No idea what they were looking for, perhaps drugs.

Seemed odd to me that is was soldiers and not police, although there was one guy with the soldiers who was wearing an 'Inspector' uniform and looked like he was from either the police or some other government agency (could have been military police).

[wordchild]

i saw exactly the same on one of the sois further up sukhumvit earlier, 20 plus army guys and a couple of Tetski (BMA uniformed officials). As well as the motocy guys they also seemed to be checking the street food vendors.

Edited October 13, 2015 by wordchild

[steven100]

they are checking to ensure they are licensed, vendors motorbike taxis etc ....

[MMan]

They were doing a lot more than just checking licenses. Checking under the seats, searching through whatever pouches, backpacks or bags the guys had, etc

[Beechboy]

The army is in charge.

It will get worse.

Now may be these motorcycle guys did need checking for licences and even for drugs, but soldiers doing it? Dangerous, IMO.

It's all gradually coming. We have the Daily Mail censored and, as awful as that rag might be, it represents free speech.

We have internet gateways and all the implications of that.

It's creeping in and becomes endemic whereby individuals, clearly intellectually lacking, begin to assume the mantle of deciding what others should publish, read or enjoy based upon the way they happen to think.

Even on here.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Beechboy

[siam2007]

The army is in charge.

It will get worse.

Now may be these motorcycle guys did need checking for licences and even for drugs, but soldiers doing it? Dangerous, IMO.

It's all gradually coming. We have the Daily Mail censored and, as awful as that rag might be, it represents free speech.

We have internet gateways and all the implications of that.

It's creeping in and becomes endemic whereby individuals, clearly intellectually lacking, begin to assume the mantle of deciding what others should publish, read or enjoy based upon the way they happen to think.

Even on here.

Why is that bad ? The regular police have tolerated or even controlled illegal activities for decades, so it is no wonder that some other kind of powers are needed to get rid of it.

I don't like that websites are being censored, but if I remember that right, Daily mail (and thousands of other websites) was/were blocked long before the military took over

[Beechboy]

Fair enough and I am aware of the circumstances surrounding the Daily Mail etc., however, and as corrupt as the police are re-known to be, a military government (as opposed to an elected one) is unhealthy and will hopefully ultimately prove unacceptable for a country that aspires to become more accepted on the World Stage, where everything from trade to tourism need nurturing.

Perhaps their take-over was inevitable considering the mess that Thai politics had become, but that long-promised election has still not materialised and in the meantime it seems that military-style measures (censorship, stop and search, alcohol laws etc.) are gradually becoming commonplace and commonly implemented, whether conducted by soldiers or police.

(Two policemen are now regularly stationed in the lobby area of the apartment I usually rent. I cannot work out their purpose, but there is something ominous about it. It has never been needed before.)

Let's hope that Thailand doesn't ape what Burma once was in the process.

Perhaps I am being unduly alarmist as, in truth, not much seems to have changed overall, but a potential exists that wouldn't in a true democracy.

Edited October 14, 2015 by Beechboy

[Agent Sumo]

The army is in charge.

It will get worse.

Now may be these motorcycle guys did need checking for licences and even for drugs, but soldiers doing it? Dangerous, IMO.

It's all gradually coming. We have the Daily Mail censored and, as awful as that rag might be, it represents free speech.

We have internet gateways and all the implications of that.

It's creeping in and becomes endemic whereby individuals, clearly intellectually lacking, begin to assume the mantle of deciding what others should publish, read or enjoy based upon the way they happen to think.

Even on here.

Daily Mail website can be accessed from Thailand without VPN right now.

The internet gateway thing will never happen

[Rumblecat]

The army is in charge.

It will get worse.

Now may be these motorcycle guys did need checking for licences and even for drugs, but soldiers doing it? Dangerous, IMO.

It's all gradually coming. We have the Daily Mail censored and, as awful as that rag might be, it represents free speech.

We have internet gateways and all the implications of that.

It's creeping in and becomes endemic whereby individuals, clearly intellectually lacking, begin to assume the mantle of deciding what others should publish, read or enjoy based upon the way they happen to think.

Even on here.

Daily Mail website can be accessed from Thailand without VPN right now.

The internet gateway thing will never happen

Really? How? Going to the website just brings up the MICT blocked page.