Dress inappropriately or dance provocatively and face Songkran arrest, warns PM

[Lupatria]

After giving orders what to eat, what to think, speak and write, this comes natural from a retired Asian general with western phobia. I wouldn’t be surprised if he already has plans on his desk to build a fence or wall around his “Reich”, with only one gate open in the east for the beloved Chinese.

[CGW]

As stated he is focusing on the correct aspects of life that need to be changed, Pollution, noise!, corruption etc problems are now sorted!

[CGW]

Lest we forget this is the same dolt that blamed Western women in bikinis for anything that might happen to them

Great! Another ethnocentric clueless comment

It's about cognitive paradigms and cause and effect. But fear not- you can begin right this minute by simply giving millions of people in Thailand the education and experience found after living in the west for a number of years so they can change their paradigm. That's a lot of airplane tickets! Are you sure you can afford it?

b

And that's an awfully racially superior statement from yourself. How fine it must be for you to walk the streets of this nation knowing that you are more mentally and socially sophisticated than people born in this country. That superiority must be a hell of a burden to carry day to day. Are you sure you can cope?

The very sad fact is the vast majority of the people in this country are vastly uneducated and do lack any social sophistication, but don't worry, there is a plan to further cut funds for education which will ensure they are kept that way!

[Davyro]

This years appropriate dress

Edited April 6, 2016 by Davyro

[Caveat Emptor]

Where would LoS in general and this PM in particular be without foreigners ?

Nothing to do with tourism etc just the convenient blame game so if the the economy is rocky is because of a situation in another country if not the whole world outside Thailand causing problems for a vibrant Thai economy.

Anything the PM doesn't like about society etc is because Thais have been corrupted by western values not in keeping with the lily white purity of Thainess.

[muzmurray]

After giving orders what to eat, what to think, speak and write, this comes natural from a retired Asian general with western phobia. I wouldn’t be surprised if he already has plans on his desk to build a fence or wall around his “Reich”, with only one gate open in the east for the beloved Chinese.

You might find that China is to the North of Thailand ?

[toloman]

The Festival of Death is about to start and the main concern is about dancing provocatively! The banning of throwing water on all roads would surely virtually completely stop any deaths of injuries. Playing Songkran on set aside places and closed streets is the answer. How many families will loose a loved one? A son daughter gone forever. The statistics are giving out over the 10 dangerous days are given out like a competition. The North wins every year as they do with the incidences of lung disease from the smog. Stupid as stupid gets..

For the past two years, Buriram United Football Club has hosted the largest crowds for Songkran at I-Mobile stadium. Plenty of new parking is available and the local police will be on hand to direct traffic. As a result activity is primarily centered in front of the stadium with rock bands, dancers and loads of water splashing and kid-oriented activities, food vendors etc. Last year's crowd was somewhat over 50,000 participants. This year several new restaurants (fast-food places like KFC and MacDonald's) , a very nice Japanese restaurant and coffee and ice cream shops galore are now open. If you would drive around Buriram during that time most of the streets were empty except for small children with squirt guns and buckets. Nicer this way and certainly a heck of a lot safer for everyone. Thank you Newin and Karuna!

Edited April 6, 2016 by toloman

[phoenixdoglover]

The problem is not that the General is calling for enforcement of the law; the problem is that he is above the law. And warming up to his self-described role as "the enforcer".

[Barnet]

Of all the crimes that go unpunished in this so-called festivity he concentrates on dress sense???????

Who cares what people wear? Surely tourism will take a hit if the celebrations on Koh San Road and such have images of plod pulling peoploe about. Why doesn't he send the police/army out to get the idiots, Thai and Farang, who definately don't celebrate traditionally. I'm talking about the mugs who are intent on ruining people's day as much as possible rather than going out to socialize and have a good time.

A few years back I watched an old woman and her grandson approach a group of taxi drivers, on her bike, and slow down. She then appealed against getting soaked and just as they nodded and let her pass they hurled the water all over them. Needless to say the bike went over and the old lady was in a real state. No action was taken against the scum as it was in the name of Songkran???

Get those <deleted> rather than worrying what people dress like.

[tuanku]

LA Police decide to adopt Thai cultural values.

[wabothai]

What the <deleted> does he do in the US all the time if he hates foreigners so much?

I think he should be taken for an attitude adjustment to Carnaval in Rio and to the European beaches.

That will teach him a lesson.

[ezzra]

Hey Mr PM, what happened to the jovial and light hearted person who just yesterday joked about

ghosts, farangs and garlic? we want him back......

[Tanlic]

A spokesman for muslim men said they agree with th pm about dress code;0)

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[ddavidovsky]

Enforcing cultural values is one of the ways of consolidating fascist power. It always involves xenophobia. The whole thing is so predictable it would be amusing if it wasn't so dangerous.

Tourism is now the only thing saving the country from the abyss. Fortunately they won't dare jeopardise that.

[Acharn]

The guy really has a dislike of the west and everything western apart from western currency. So anyone in dresses in western clothing and dances to western music like the girls in the photo will be arrested. Has he gone completely mad? What next, is he going to send his goons out to arrest all farangs for harbouring ghosts in thier homes.

Nothing new there. It's typical of the elites, especially the monarchists. When Thaksin was elected his first Interior Minister, Purachai (very big in the church wing of the Phalang Tham Party), was extremely xenophobic. In those days the Police still came under the Interior Ministry, and he halted all applications for permanent residence for two years while he "reviewed" them for corruption. I'm not sure how long it was until permanent residence books started to be issued again. I think he did the same thing with citizenship applications, but I'm not really sure of that. The thing that was really funny about it was that even at the time Purachai was sending his kids to school in New Zealand, and he has since moved there.

[ggt]

You really do have to hand it to the PM...he knows how make both Thai people and Foreigners dance to his tune...what a guy!

[jmccarty]

And then there will be the spankings for those dancers!

[webfact]

PM warns drunk drivers and topless dancers



BANGKOK: -- The effort to reduce road mishaps and encourage all Thais to celebrate the Songkran festival properly, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday reiterated a tough measure to deal with drunk drivers, and to make on the spot arrest topless dancers on streets.

He said authorities must impound their vehicles immediately if drivers are drunk, and passengers must also cooperate by rejecting the rides on their vehicles.

He said “drivers must not drink while driving. Everyone wants to go home quickly but they could be killed travelling on their vehicles.”

He urged passengers to warn these drunk drivers and the police must stop drunk drivers.

As to the inappropriate dancing on the streets by teenagers showing their breasts, the prime minister said these topless dancers, be they real women or transvestites, they be arrested and fined.

“I order soldiers and the police to arrest all these dancers on the trucks.”

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/158452


-- Thai PBS 2016-04-06

[SABloke]

Why would we accept an religious festival to be a decadent bachelor party with drunks and unappropriated behavior

and why hate it if someone wants to restore its value's to the original...

The majority of the Thai people i know, want it as a calm religious event...

I think most of the posters here have never experienced a real songkran...

Every Songkran I've enjoyed here has been real, because each one really happened Some days I spent with the grandparents, some days I spent drunk at the beach, some days I went to a water party in Bangkok. All different, all very real, all attended by Thais. Or are you more Thai than Thai?

[TEFLKrabi]

He's certainly enjoying himself these days,

Returning Happiness to the People Junta Style and taking every chance to put the boot into foreigners.

where are all his farang worshippers who hailed him as the Messiah and preached how much he would do for them? The guy is loopy and dangerous.

crazy and loopy yet he's still better than the last lot. That's a sad state of affairs.

[moon47]

Im just glad that he is spending the Thai peoples time and money on such important issues such as these. Corruption and true politics must take a backstage when such important issues such as these surface.

...

[JAG]

..........note to self: Put my orange mankini back in storage......

Go for broke - wear your red one!

Eat a sandwich whilst you're at it!

:D

Edited April 6, 2016 by JAG

[johnarth]

Funny that. Not even less than 100 years ago you'd find Thai women walking around top less. It was then "western" influence that brought in such conservatism around in the 50s. Now sexy dancing and being scantily clad is some sort of evil western import again?

This man is an absolute farce from small issues to glaring huge ones.

My mother-in law, an 87 year old Thai, has never worn a bra, and 90% of the time gets around topless. I would love to see the MP reaction if he came face to face with her

[mrrizzla]

He's certainly enjoying himself these days,

Returning Happiness to the People Junta Style and taking every chance to put the boot into foreigners.

where are all his farang worshippers who hailed him as the Messiah and preached how much he would do for them? The guy is loopy and dangerous.

crazy and loopy yet he's still better than the last lot. That's a sad state of affairs.

Is he? Please give your reasoning. Oh and stopping the protests he was colluding in doesn't count.

[cauldlad]

Since when has being a ladyboy been a western culture !!!! The man is a ( deleted ) idiot !!!

[Jim walker]

Stamp out corruption stamp out youths on noisy motorcycle now for songran stamp out the fun element.go back to your barracks soldier boy. The Thai people can decide how to have fun so you can go and play with your new army recruitment preach to th they might listen to you

[JAG]

Did he really refer to ladyboys as "type two women"? Or did something get lost in translation? Freaking hilarious!!!

I think it's military speak as in:

"Women, mark 2, dancing Songkran for the use off."

[slippery snake]

and what about the hundreds of girls dancing provocatively on bar tops every night down Bungla road.. maybe it's just when they are wet is the problem ??

Bring it on, I love Songkran and the sexy provocative wet dancing girls !!!

[ddavidovsky]

Funny that. Not even less than 100 years ago you'd find Thai women walking around top less. It was then "western" influence that brought in such conservatism around in the 50s. Now sexy dancing and being scantily clad is some sort of evil western import again?

This man is an absolute farce from small issues to glaring huge ones.

My mother-in law, an 87 year old Thai, has never worn a bra, and 90% of the time gets around topless. I would love to see the MP reaction if he came face to face with her

Interesting that still happens. I saw such a topless old woman surrounded by her family by Saen Sap canal some years ago. No one believed me and I began to wonder if I'd imagined it.

I guess that's okay in Thai society. The PM's motive here seems to be basically sealing off the population from 'new' foreign influences so they can more easily be controlled.

[MZurf]

He's certainly enjoying himself these days,

Returning Happiness to the People Junta Style and taking every chance to put the boot into foreigners.

where are all his farang worshippers who hailed him as the Messiah and preached how much he would do for them? The guy is loopy and dangerous.

crazy and loopy yet he's still better than the last lot. That's a sad state of affairs.

Whether he is "better" or not is besides the point (although I completely disagree with your assertion). He took power and cannot be removed in an election. The only way to get rid of him is if he voluntarily stepped down or was forcibly removed.

Now, THAT'S a sad state of affairs.