The week that was in Thailand news: Tales of the expected and unexpected

[rooster59]

The week that was in Thailand news: Tales of the expected and unexpected

 

 

Whilst old hands in Thailand are wont to say “I told you so” and “of course that was going to happen” there are still many things that happen in the kingdom that beggar belief surprising long termers as much as newbies. And this week was no different to any other.

Falling into the category of a tale of the expected was the story of the karaoke girl whisked off the street by a patrolman and two police volunteers. The brave girl went back to the cops after her extortion and rape ordeal was over to demand action.

Action – if you can call it that – was the cops asking sweetly if the offending patrolman wouldn’t mind awfully popping in for a chat when he had a moment. He called to say he was regrettably busy but would drop in the next day if he had time. He did with a fistful of cash for his bail and a veritable helmet-full of predictable denials.

The volunteers charged with rape remain at large and no one will be surprised if the poor victim gets no justice whatsoever. She will probably end up being blamed for singing karaoke too loudly.

Less expected – though some North Eastern foreign residents may disagree – was the story of the youths who decided to dig up a pile of dog corpses because they were a tad peckish. The dogs were buried after animal welfare had come to the village following a rabies outbreak. Checks on the detached canine heads revealed the deadly disease as the replete youths were all carted off to hospital for jabs.

Vaccinations that a disease specialist later in the week said were a rather good idea.

The story featured my favorite comment of the week on the forum from “canuckamuck” who noted: “I remember when I was a teenager we were always digging up dead animals for party snacks, good times”.

According to the expert eight people have died in Thailand this year from foaming at the mouth – easy to see why given some of the news this week.

Top murder story of the last seven days had to be the dispatching of a school director in Krabi done in by a Mathematics teacher. The lack of a raise gave rise to the teacher producing a ten inch knife to send his erstwhile boss on his way.

He left the director bleeding to death and went home though he did have the public spiritedness to turn himself in to Ao Nang cops when he heard the result of his angst later in the day.

Meanwhile “mystery surrounds”, as it often does, the death of a farang man found floating in the sea off Koh Pangan on Friday. He had been in the water at least five days and one suspects that had there been a full moon party this month the Pangan plod might just have put it down to partying.

But no – there were some spicy details for the armchair forum ‘tecs to get their keyboard clutches into when it emerged that there were five large rocks in the victim’s backpack still attached to his floating and bloating corpse.

Thai Rath surmised that he may have been out harpoon fishing while completely ignoring the fact that a phone charger was also found with a change of clothes in the guy’s backpack.

Maybe the newshound sleuths imagined he was going to charge his phone with a passing electric eel.

Bringing a voice of reason to the week were the welcome – if somewhat expected comments – of Khun Kobkarn over at the sports and tourism ministry. The dear lady minister profoundly stated that “Life Goes On”.  Much of this depth was, in reality, just back tracking and waffle after perhaps a few too many events were cancelled in the wake of His Majesty’s tragic death earlier in the month.

Now Khun Kobkarn is busy saying that subject to less exuberance most events will still take place. Interestingly she mentioned that football was still being played while the Thai Premier League season was actually, effectively cancelled. Perhaps proving the point about women and the offside rule.

Grumbling at the minister were many forum posters – especially those in the north where she had met expat “representatives” to talk about their lives in Thailand.

Many felt that the soothing words emanating from her elegant lips seemed a little at odds with expatriate experiences on the ground. Frankly, no one will be expecting anything to come from her comments that she will be “raising the 90 day reporting” issue with immigration.

Two government ministries talking to each other? Now that would be a tale of the unexpected.

Continuing the theme of the expected this week was the dear general who asked his minions to examine extradition treaties so they might get their hands on people abroad who are defaming the monarchy. Interpol have also been contacted by the commissioner of police.

One miscreant spouting her anti royal babble from the sanctity of Paris is likely to be high on their wanted list. But one wonders what the hacks at Charlie Hebdo – given their own stance on a certain Prophet – might make of the Thai requests to hand over people speaking their mind, however nonsensical.

Meanwhile commissioner Jakthip – clearly irked and perhaps feeling a mite powerless about those abroad– told reporters that he would willingly pay the air ticket out for anti-Thailand Thais. He didn’t mention if he would lock them up for fifteen years first, or, indeed, if they would get seats on Thai Airways.

Embarrassing and completely expected was the breakdown, then subsequent reaction, to immigration’s PIBICS recording system going awol on Sunday. While 10,000 or more might have sneaked in and out we were assured that not one of them was up to no good. Proof of this seemed to come from the fact they had all filled in a TM 6 card.

Thank goodness for that - just so long as they used block capitals and the obligatory black ink all will be well.

Most sickening story of the week came out of Phattalung where it emerged that a doctor delivering a baby had pulled too hard and separated the infant’s torso from its head. As if this was not bad enough he then allegedly told the mum that nothing was wrong and that she needed to go to another hospital where they perhaps had better equipment to finish the job. This she did where, horribly, the doctor found just a baby’s head in her womb. A decidedly unexpected discovery for him and the appalled relatives.

Far more expected was the health authorities who clearly tried to buy off the relatives with a 400,000 baht “please don’t mention it” offer and the delivery doctor’s reaction – to flee the scene and go on ‘leave’.

Expect follow ups on this ghastly affair.

Two tales involving cannabis did the rounds this week. One wonders if a Dutch man expected to get 103 years inside a Thai jail for spending money in the kingdom that he earned running dope cafes in the Netherlands. He says he is legit while the Thais cite money laundering.

It’s a strange old world isn’t it where what you say in one place might be considered funny while in another place deprive you of your liberty while what you inhale in one country might set you ‘free’ while resulting in precisely the opposite elsewhere.

Second dope tale involved the brains trust backpackers ‘grassed’ up by the neighbors and raided by a ‘joint’ operation of police and soldiers in Bangkok. They clearly merit Rooster’s Darwin award of the week for their choice of guest house address.

As if the smoke coming out from under the door was not enough of a giveaway did they really need to make life so easy for the cops by toking up in a place called “Overstay”?

And so to some other awards. “You Should Have Stopped at Two” award goes not to the Prime Minister’s parents but the man himself for penning his third hit song to inspire his “Thai Phee Nong” to stop having a go at each other. Entitled “Hope and Faith” I humbly appeal to Big Too to show some “Charity” and call it a day there.

Bashing corruption in a different ‘hit parade’ might be a better idea as that 20 years’ elimination target continues to fly by.

Perhaps more idiotic than the backpackers was the tea-leaf who picked the wrong Fortuner to break into while its owner was having a roadside snack. The car belonged to the deputy head of the Chiang Rai police so two things were to be expected – one that it contained lots of cash and valuables and also that whoever pinched it was going to be mercilessly hunted down and removed from society.

The hapless hood gets my “Choose your Victim More Wisely In Future” award.

Last presentation is the “Ugh” award that goes to the Lampang woman who found a giant cockroach in her slab of compressed pork. While the “ugh” could go as much to the product as the insect found embedded within, the manufacturers also called “foul” when they contacted her to demand she take the picture off Facebook.

Woe betide anyone in Thailand putting something as scurrilous as the truth on Mr Zuckerberg’s ubiquitous worry wall.

Finally, Rooster can at last see a business opportunity literally flying in the air in these gloomy economic times. I really must go and have a word with my entrepreneurial north eastern mother-in-law after it was announced on Saturday that due to various restrictions being lifted, Thai bugs and grasshoppers could soon be imported to the protein starved masses of the Euro zone.

Though culinary minded Brits will probably be glad they pulled out after all.

 

Rooster

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-10-30

[StefanBBK]

555

[A Skeptic]

103 years in the pokey for a farang running a legal business in another country. 10 years, reduced to 5, for a Thai man assaulting, sexually molesting and causing very grievous bodily harm to a farang lady tourist. Double standards? perish the thought

 

Good 'ere innit.

[Graemej100]

I do enjoy reading this weekly report. It, sorta, winds the week up - or starts it, depending on your religion I suppose. But I like it. 

[sambum]

" Interestingly she mentioned that football was still being played while the Thai Premier League season was actually, effectively cancelled. Perhaps proving the point about women and the offside rule."

Luv it!