The week that was in Thailand news: Yingluck’s thunder stolen by a tunnel.

[rooster59]

The week that was in Thailand news: Yingluck’s thunder stolen by a tunnel.

 

 

My mother collected newspapers. Not just any old newspapers though that was a habit of many of her frugal generation who saw such deprivation during the Second World War. No, she collected mementos of those famous days in her life as seen through newsprint and stored the Express, the Evening News and suchlike in a battered old case in the loft.

There was the death of Churchill, Queen Elizabeth’s coronation and the simultaneous scaling of Everest for the first time. England’s only victory in an international football tournament. What fun it was to rummage through the history of a nation and the history of a life.

My mother died when I was still a relative child and as the fortieth anniversary of her death came to my mind it was I who was looking through my own maternally inspired collection garnered over 35 years of life in Bangkok.

Funny how so many of my papers had tanks on their front pages.

Sure there is 9/11 and 7/7 – momentous days in many people’s lives – but most of the Posts and Nations are stories of coups and violence and political turmoil. There are some classic accidents like the driverless train at Hualampong and the overturned gas Tanker in Petchaburi Road. Joyous moments like gold medal success for Thai boxers. And last year a death inspired me to save more than one local newspaper.

But usually they feature those tanks and soldiers with guns – even if for some of the coups little children were clambering over the hardware or pretty girls were putting flowers in the rifles as smiling and relaxed military men looked on.

One of the first coups I experienced does not have its own newspaper. I was late down the shop in Soi Ngam Duplee and they had sold out. “Never mind,” said the lady vendor. “They’ll be another one along next week”.

It is now more than three years since his generalness took over, a bloodless version that I must admit to welcoming at the time, so lawless had Bangkok, in particular, become.

This week on Thaivisa it seemed as though there was a lull before the storm as both the authorities and the public gear up for the momentous moment of the decision in Yingluck’s trial over the rice pledging scheme due Friday.

I sense that it will be worth keeping the newspaper for August 25 not least of all because I knew her in a past life and taught her son some of the rudiments of Thai culture. Rooster, like many, will be fascinated as to what the nine law lords – that includes one woman – decide.

Yes, the country seemed to be holding its collective breath this week though as ever there were the usual talking points and humor that makes following the Thai news such a varied and interesting experience.

Apropos the decision next week, the army were conducting manoeuvers in Lamphun saying it was all routine. Few Thais – more world weary and savvy than many forum posters give them credit for - gave that explanation much credence.

The pictures told the story just as the video did when another one of the khaki crew decided to mete out some military might to a drug suspect on Koh Larn. He was caught kicking and thrashing the druggy with a stick.

Initially Pattaya station chief Apichai spoke round the issue using language we might call “Tamruatese” but when the military hierarchy realized there was no escaping the hounds of social media they jailed the soldier for 15 days.

Interesting that the military have the power to jail while the police just seem to have the power to prosecute when it suits……or when someone complains on Facebook perhaps.

Increasingly we see incidents come to light that would have only seen the underside of a carpet in another era and now with a new confirmed initiative we are set to see even more filming in public.

I refer to the plan to pay members of the public 50% of fines accrued for what the authorities call “public cleanliness and order violations”. This includes dobbing in motorcyclists for using the sidewalks.

Putting aside my upbringing that said there is nothing worse than a grass, I can’t see this working in the long term.

In a system where corruption is a bedrock, most initiatives – especially half-baked ones like this - are doomed to come crumbling down before they are consigned to the bin of Thai history.

But the “thetsakit” – that I feel should be translated as “jobsworth” or traffic warden – claimed that ten people had already been paid out so maybe I should beware when I am taking the shortcut back from Tops on my Honda 250.

Indeed, little happened this week to warrant inclusion in my newspaper collection though naturally we were entertained with lead actor cum met chief Sanit bounding to the fore.

The Thai press featured him in a file photo doing a three fingered salute to make it clear to the readers what they thought of the plan to go after the poster of the story who said that a Ploenjit building under construction was the “Leaning Tower of Bangkok”.

Sanit would have gone down a storm in Pisa. Though I suspect like the ever hungry missus he thought it was the “Leaning tower of Pizza”.

Rice gruel for defamation awaits the poster though the same is unlikely to be the case for the man with the English name who ranted against Air Asia for the treatment of his Kenyan relatives at Don Meuang.

The “traveling while black” quote was delicious and reminded me of Rowan Atkinson’s delightful satire in the UK’s Not The Nine O’Clock News talking about police arrests of black people for the possession of “thick lips” and “fuzzy hair” while “loitering with intent to use a zebra crossing”.

The man’s open letter to CEO Tony Fernandes was met with predictable tumbleweed proving that now “everyone can get a reply” – except you.

Meanwhile, Thailand was announced as the new hub of convenience this week when it was announced that the country had opened its 10,000th 7/11.

Interesting to note that the two most common new words in the Thai language in recent years are the alternative universe of “Face” and the ubiquitous “Sewen”.

In visa news, it was finally announced this week that the “much awaited” ten year stamps were now a reality though the response from the forum was a few degrees shy of lukewarm.

It led to my favorite comment of the week from “MisterWhisper who observed drily: “Much awaited – by whom?”

Indeed the visas seem to offer little real advantage to anyone and are in reality two lots of five with a lot of inconvenience thrown in for good measure. Rooster – who took the trouble to apply for and get Permanent Residence before Yingluck’s brother multiplied the fees by five – always follows the forum’s visa shenanigans with a side dish of smug.

With the amount of tax I paid over the years I think I deserved it, but to temper any feelings of superiority, the wife still owns the house and I have to pay to leave…..

Biggest shock of the week had to be the horrific video of the 15 year old reversing over a man and a woman upcountry. They survived but that was hardly the point. The police really need to go after people who let their children borrow or use their vehicles in this manner.

The same also holds true for the so called parent, and the operator, who seemed to force a screaming toddler into a parasailing harness in Phuket.

Regulation of these shysters please – by which I mean parents as much as parasail operators.

And so to this week’s Rooster awards. My “Lifetime Achievement Award” goes to the British for apparently dying in the kingdom in ever increasing numbers. Frankly I thought the story, like me, is a bit out of date but I am sure there are many nationalities who might even welcome the news.

Rooster remains ensconced in the UK where next week I shall be representing Thailand in the World Scrabble Championships in Nottingham. I wonder if I can get the word “junta” on a triple word score. I know it’s allowable.

This week in London I met a friend of a relative who said he was about to go to Thailand for the first time. He said he was heading straight to a place called Pattaya and asked me had I heard of it and if so what was it like.

For once I was speechless though images of lambs and slaughterhouses came to mind.

Finally, that leads me to the “Is it Really Better Late Than Never” award that goes to all those responsible down at QUOTES (the Queen Of The Eastern Seaboard) after it was announced that the latest wonder of the modern world – the Pattaya Tunnel – will open its holes on August 25th.

Observant readers will note that this is the very same day and time that Ms Shinawatr discovers her fate in court in Bangkok.

What a momentous day to keep a newspaper.

Rooster

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-08-20

[farcanell]

Well done rooster.... don't be afraid to pluralise "junta" should the opportunity arise

[mikosan]

As good as usual, always brings a smile to my face on a Sunday.

[ysamui]

Good read as always.

[wavemanwww]

What a load of sh..t,

 I'm wiping the tears from my eyes. Not from her storey but the amount of money she made from those days of old newspapers.God bless politics in Thailand. LOL

[eddie61]

Rooster, you really are an old Dog after my own heart.... Keep up the good work!!!

[Jonathan Swift]

So, readers and commenters, what is your take on Yingluck? She seems a mercurial figure in Thai history to me, of which despite my nominal efforts does not give me any firm grasp or interpretation. I don't get a bad feeling from those few public appearances I've seen on youtube and elsewhere. I'm aware of those who equate her with corruption tied to her brother, and I know about the bad rice deal. But is this just another case of one faction against another (red/yellow shirts) , each of whom has some validity and legitimacy in their position? Did she actually embezzle money? Is it like in the US where hypocritical wealthy self interested parties are able to pander to a less educated but passionate base, and successfully pit one group against another to capitalize on the divide? Have the poor farmers/red shirts been deceived and propagandized? It seems that I would have to live among both factions, both socioeconomic classes,  in order to divine a real sense of this. What do you folks think about the justification for wanting to convict and imprison her? Is it a show trial? Is she that bad? We heard the same thing being said about our candidates in our election, but the rhetoric was only that, rhetoric, and could not rise to a political prosecution. I'm particularly interested in the history of Thaksin. Is he another one of those figures who actually did a lot of good even though he may have also robbed the till and feathered his own nest in so doing? Is it a matter of everyone is equally corrupt, but if you become unpopular with certain other "partners in crime" or rivals, they may use their power to "eliminate" you, not unlike italian crime families in the US fighting over turf and retaliating for insults and encroachments, and thus Thaksin's conviction and exile? I'd rather talk about this than Trump's USA. What's happening in my country is profoundly disturbing to me and I do my best not to think about it. There is a terrible poison here, a cancer on our democracy. Cheers

[Andrew Dwyer]

Another great read, many thanks Rooster !

[Kieranmc]

Hmm

[coulson]

Think she stole her thunder back!

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, coulson said:

Think she stole her thunder back!

Next weeks instalment from Rooster is being awaited with great anticipation.