SURVEY: Do you believe the crackdown on mafia figures will be effective?

[Scott]

The government has recently announced that it will be cracking down on mafia figures and organized crime. In your opinion do you think that this crackdown will be effective?

In October, Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-Cha promised to crack down on 'local mafias'.

But are Thailand's criminal gangs too influential and is a government crackdown likely to rid the country of organised crime?

Vote in this week's poll and have your say in the comments section below.

[jgriff]

If and I mean if there is a crackdown it will only be on the small guys. The heads will never be touched because that is not proper Thai etiquette.

[Jessi]

No it wont.

WHY?

Because there is too much money involved and all we need to do is " follow the money "

[Badbanker]

The present Junta has done OK on this and I hope this continues to be worked on.

[Chang_paarp]

It is just re-aligning who collects the money.

[NongKhaiKid]

The word ' crackdown ' is freely thrown around here and rarely amounts to much if anything so let's wait to see what does or doesn't happen and against whom.

It's already been said it will be completed in 6 months or so which is enough time for it all to be forgotten about except perhaps for a few minor players to make it look good.

Whatever happened about the 3 lists of supposedly corrupt civil servants, a blaze of publicity, a couple of sideways moves and then total silence ?

[CharlieH]

"Being seen to be doing" nothing more.

[Mosha]

Aren't we an optomistic bunch? 555 It will be the usual bunch removing the competition.

[jaidam]

It is beyond ridiculous to expect the armed forces, govt officials and the police force to crackdown on mafia. The mafia IS the army, police and officialdom. It is also worrying that Prayuth keeps equating "mafia" with weapon hoarding. I equate mafia to officialdom using their power to unfairly pressure less connected persons, nothing about weapons as such.

Around a decade ago a good friend was set-up and was arrested in a drug bust. He was scheduled to appear in court at Samui. After a few days the "mafia" approached my friend and told him to pay them 300k and they would make sure the judge dismissed the charge(and vice-versa if he didn't pay he would be locked up for ever). They said they were working in liason with the judge - even indirectly related to the judge and big guys in region 8 police. His embassy said do not pay them. He did pay them, and he went free. The "mafia" figures involved in this case are still active in local government to this day, and I assume still selling court judgements. Why would they stop? It is a wonderful scam. So Prayuth will get the local govt, army and police to stop this sort of scam? No, it is the army,govt and police that are carrying out the scams.

[shirtless]

If it was a real crackdown it would not have been announced.

[z42]

Lip service is all it is. Saying you're going to do something publicly is counterproductive because it demands some kind of results at the end to be shown, but also tips off those who should be getting a knock on their door. Pathetic really

[pinkpanther99]

No!

As it says above, these people are just too influential, too powerful and know they will never be brought to justice, regardless of what the PM says.

[Crazy chef 1]

Depends on the colour of their shirts I assume...

[IamNoone88]

You need the Chinese Premier to do this.

[pmarlin]

Nothing will work until the police problem is fixed.

[aripengu]

[ngieen]

its not going to be a mafia crackdown

-

but a mafia war

[car720]

Mafia in the old sense is indicative of family.

It is not the case here. Thais are opportunists. They are on the lookout for a score 24/7.

I am not sure that it is all that organized. They actually admire a good score when it occurs.

As long as larceny exists at the soul level it cannot be eradicated.

[trogers]

Would be as effective as all those inactive posts...

[DrTuner]

A feat comparable to giving yourself a BJ. Nothing's going to happen.

[joebrown]

The present Junta has done OK on this and I hope this continues to be worked on.

Removing mafia/influential people and eradicating corruption would be like trying to stop Thais eating Som-Tam. It's a way of life here, and an acceped part of the Thai culture we read about every day in the media.

The General should start by having a 'straw poll' amongst his cronies to find out how many of them, and how much they had to pay for their promotions through the military ranks.

If the PM was serious he would have started in Koh Tao, when just after the murders in September 2015 he said he would 'tackle influential rackets and illigitimate businesses on the island'. I study the Thai media news daily, but strangely enough haven't read anything about any 'crackdown' or 'shakedowns' on Koh Tao. Has anyone else?

[SuwadeeS]

They can not. to many hi so People involved. Second, they even were not able do stop the cheating Taxis or the dual price policy.

Just hot air

[zyphodb]

No, of course not, for all the reasons above & more....

[ausbeat999]

you can't fix the shear greed of people that are in high positions , they always want more . the police problem could be fixed by paying a decent wage which would give them more respect for the badge instead of pilfering unaware people and farangs. I suppose you could throw the army in with that as well. pay peanuts you get monkeys.

[TigerandDog]

Perhaps the mafia reference has nothing to do with the Thai mafia. On the other hand, if they were to crackdown and eliminate the Russian Mafia and the Chinese Triads, that would be an achievement and the Thai mafia could actually breathe a little easier because they are being overwhelmed by the Russians in areas they had sole control over. The Russians and the Triads now have the majority of control in the major tourist areas over prostitution, illegal gambling etc and the Thais don't like this. So in my opinion the crackdown is related to the 2 major outside influences that have taken a considerable chunk out of the Thai mafia's business'.

Edited November 9, 2015 by TigerandDog

[Brit_Doggie]

So many police vacancies maybe I should prepare my cv.

[elgordo38]

The present Junta has done OK on this and I hope this continues to be worked on.

Done OK? can you give examples elaborate please. I think if you look at the poll results therein lies the true answer 96% to 4% and I have conceded a few decimal points. Badbanker? is this a clue to something?

[elgordo38]

It is just re-aligning who collects the money.

Do you mean like big business where you try and cut out the middle man?

[elgordo38]

The word ' crackdown ' is freely thrown around here and rarely amounts to much if anything so let's wait to see what does or doesn't happen and against whom.

It's already been said it will be completed in 6 months or so which is enough time for it all to be forgotten about except perhaps for a few minor players to make it look good.

Whatever happened about the 3 lists of supposedly corrupt civil servants, a blaze of publicity, a couple of sideways moves and then total silence ?

You bring up a good point whatever happened to those 3 lists? A lot of fanfare then nothing. Maybe Badbanker could look into this one for us.

Edited November 9, 2015 by elgordo38

[English 1]

You won't change the Thai mind which sees nothing wrong with Corruption…

'As long as we get something out of it!

That's the finding of several Polls.

Lieing, Cheating and not being On Time is inbred and instilled.

It is pointless expecting Western Values here so just accept it.