Phuket Opinion: History of mob rule repeats itself

PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police must conduct a full and transparent investigation into the sad chain of events that led up to the riot at Thalang Police Station – all instigators must face justice.

Issues of democratic development aside, one of the silver linings of living under de facto martial law for almost a year-and-a-half has been the dramatic reduction in the number of tourism-killing road blockades set up by protesters.

Prior to the seizure of power by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) in 2014, hardly a month passed without a roadblock of some kind. The island seemed to be dangerously close to slipping into a ‘protestocracy’ which was fostered by widespread self-entitlement, greed, corruption – and residents not trusting police.

In late April 2014, irate residents of Tah Chat Chai staged a crippling roadblock on Thepkrasattri Road, accusing police of violent interrogation methods when the officers questioned young suspects in the brutal rape of a pregnant 25-year-old woman.

The road closure caused hundreds of would-be passengers to miss flights and ended, as usual, when the officers were transferred out of the district.

Read more at: http://www.phuketgazette.net/opinion/Opinion-History-mob-rule-repeats-itself/62156

-- Phuket Gazette 2015-10-18

The Royal Thai Police must conduct a full and transparent investigation into the sad chain of events that led up to the riot at Thalang Police Station – all instigators must face justice.

A good start would be to investigate the two officer's actions which led to the deaths of the two teens. Then they could do a complete investigation of Phuket's mafia police department. People don't go out into the streets in Thailand to protest without reason.

Ah yes an opinion piece.

Been reading them for years and and will continue for many more. /Sarcasm.

"one of the silver linings of living under de facto martial law for almost a year-and-a-half has been the dramatic reduction in the number of tourism-killing road blockades set up by protesters." - the military have wound back some beach encroachment here - that's all they have really done, in 18 months.

Hardly anything that would cause road blockades.

The Royal Thai Police must conduct a full and transparent investigation into the sad chain of events that led up to the riot at Thalang Police Station – all instigators must face justice.

A good start would be to investigate the two officer's actions which led to the deaths of the two teens. Then they could do a complete investigation of Phuket's mafia police department. People don't go out into the streets in Thailand to protest without reason.

True...usually takes a Skype call and the promise of a couple of hundred Baht for protesters to mobilise. Buy your own litre of gasoline though.

The Royal Thai Police must conduct a full and transparent investigation into the sad chain of events that led up to the riot at Thalang Police Station – all instigators must face justice.

A good start would be to investigate the two officer's actions which led to the deaths of the two teens. Then they could do a complete investigation of Phuket's mafia police department. People don't go out into the streets in Thailand to protest without reason.

"People don't go out into the streets in Thailand to protest without reason." - don't you mean. "People don't go out on the streets in Thailand to protest unless it's financially beneficial to them?"

"People don't go out into the streets in Thailand to protest without reason." - don't you mean. "People don't go out on the streets in Thailand to protest unless it's financially beneficial to them?"

I would take issue with your post. I see that the ordinary non business Thai residents have an issue with the long long time inefficiency, apathy, and corruption by the RTP. These sort of folks have no 'pull' in the system and have no other option but to demonstate to get attention. They are just plain fed up - and in no way am I condoning the riot (I do not), my opinion is generated from many casual discussions with regular local Thai people.

"People don't go out into the streets in Thailand to protest without reason." - don't you mean. "People don't go out on the streets in Thailand to protest unless it's financially beneficial to them?"

I would take issue with your post. I see that the ordinary non business Thai residents have an issue with the long long time inefficiency, apathy, and corruption by the RTP. These sort of folks have no 'pull' in the system and have no other option but to demonstate to get attention. They are just plain fed up - and in no way am I condoning the riot (I do not), my opinion is generated from many casual discussions with regular local Thai people.

Mmmm, there were some big riots in Bangkok a while ago. It was over the price of a kg of rice. I believe rioters were paid 500 baht a day.

Mmmm, there were some big riots in Bangkok a while ago. It was over the price of a kg of rice. I believe rioters were paid 500 baht a day.

Mmmm ... keep on banging your drum NKM. The Thalang riot was a local spontaneous issue, no-one was paid.

No different than Henderson, MO. When folk don't get justice, they burn their own homes down.

Mmmm, there were some big riots in Bangkok a while ago. It was over the price of a kg of rice. I believe rioters were paid 500 baht a day.

Mmmm ... keep on banging your drum NKM. The Thalang riot was a local spontaneous issue, no-one was paid.

A bit like certain "interested parties" that blockade roads and piers stand to make NO financial gain from doing so.

It's not about grievance, or justice. It's all about the money here. Justice and equity is measured in baht, in Thailand, and none more so than Phuket.

I agree, the Thalang riot was not for the financial gain of the rioters.

However, statistically, you will see, most riots in Thailand have finacial benefit at ther core.

@ NKM - Original topic was clearly about the Thalang riot. Once again you drag in your own agenda to deflect an important news topic. I do agree with many aspects of your Patong/Phuket/Thailand issues. But I do think you bore us all to death with that noisy drum. Many of us already know the problems - you are preaching to the converted. Best write/email the Phuket Gov - whoever that might me on any given year.

@ NKM - Original topic was clearly about the Thalang riot. Once again you drag in your own agenda to deflect an important news topic. I do agree with many aspects of your Patong/Phuket/Thailand issues. But I do think you bore us all to death with that noisy drum. Many of us already know the problems - you are preaching to the converted. Best write/email the Phuket Gov - whoever that might me on any given year.

"Original topic was clearly about the Thalang riot." - topic heading was clearly "History of mob rule repeats itself." Does that not lend discussion to extend to histroical riots on Phuket????

"Once again you drag in your own agenda to deflect an important news topic." - no agenda or "deflection" here. I agree, this is an important news topic, but given from a historical perspective. If you wish to discuss "current" debate on the news topic, there are several other threads in which to do so.

"I do agree with many aspects of your Patong/Phuket/Thailand issues." - fair play to you LIK, in acknowleding, publically, that Phuket has "issues." What's wrong with discussing them on this forum?

"But I do think you bore us all to death with that noisy drum." - that is possible, but TV would lose "click revenue" if I didn't - right?

Seriously, I, like so many others, have many fond memories of first holidaying on Phuket, and in recent times, for me personally, living on Phuket. It pains me to see Phuket turn to . I am genuinely disappointed to see so much potential squandered.

"Many of us already know the problems" - I think many may know the problems, but are trapped, whether through business, property, or romantic ties, living with Phuket's "problems."

"you are preaching to the converted" - there are none so deaf as those who will not hear.

"Best write/email the Phuket Gov" - I once wrote an email to my foreign office, when submisions were called for about "issues" on Phuket. There was the usually "meeting" of foreign diplomats with the Gov - nothing has EVER changed from these meetings.

The realisation is, Phuket is not going to change for the western tourist and / or expat here. The BS that's been going on for years here - is here to stay.

The Thai military can not even change Phuket's "problems."

Therefore, the tourists, and expats, will have to change. Thousands of tourists have already changed holiday location, and many expats I know, have already moved away.

Just how thin do the brown envelopes have to get before those in charge here realize they must change their ways????

For they who had the change to read into some of the last 250-300 years of Phuket history this is nothing new but in the cultural Phuket bloodline. Retold to included me by local people interested and digging in their own history.