Dodger
July 2nd, 2011, 19:42
The article below was posted on Thai Visa.com
Interpret the article as you may.
Police Prepare For Election Day Expat Sobriety Riots
BangkokтАЩs alcoholic farang population тАЬunpredictableтАЭ
BANGKOK тАУ ThailandтАЩs police have called up all reserve staff for a full show of force ahead of this weekendтАЩs election, as a precaution against unrest and violence from angry, sober alcoholic expatriates during the ban on alcohol sales.
The ban, in accordance with national election law, prohibits retail alcohol sales at stores, bars and restaurants from 6pm Saturday to midnight Sunday. The 36-hour period is traditionally a high-risk period in areas with high concentrations of expats, such as Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok and large swaths of Pattaya.
тАЬDue to the importance of this election, we are taking no chances with expatriate sobriety-related violence,тАЭ said a stern National Police Chief Police General Wichean Potphosri. He justified the deployment of over 20,000 additional security officers nationwide as a necessary precaution against тАЬderanged, sober foreigners.тАЭ
Additionally, numerous bars and nightlife areas in Bangkok and other cities will be shut down altogether to avoid gatherings of large numbers of non-drunken expats. Wichean has launched a PR campaign encouraging them to stay home on Saturday night тАЬfor once.тАЭ
Although large-scale rioting by un-intoxicated foreigners is rare, many previous Thai elections have seen small outbreaks of civil unrest, usually by expats who were unaware of the election at all and who reacted badly to being told that they canтАЩt have a drink at their favorite establishment.
тАЬFor many of these men, 36 hours without a drink and the company of a rented Asian female represents something unacceptable, terrifying even,тАЭ said Noppawan Rangkulan, sociology professor at Thammasat University. тАЬSobering up means becoming momentarily aware of their graying bodies and emotionally hollow lives. What we think of as an alcohol-free night represents an existential crisis for them.тАЭ
Noppawon claims this тАЬsobriety shockтАЭ is an actual medical pathology and recommends that hospitals offer free alcohol IV drips during the election weekend.
But according to Election Commission member Prapun Naigowit, much of the problem simply stems from a lack of communication. тАЬMany expats are so isolated from the realities of the country they live in that something as major as an election can slip under their radar,тАЭ he explained. тАЬThose who prepare ahead of time can easily get through the weekend by having a case of beer and a few DVDs ready at home.тАЭ
END OF ARTICLE
I wasn't thrilled with the author of this article due to the fact that he was totally biased and neglected to include any discussion of the Thais who cause problems at these events. As most know from past election periods, it's the Thai youths that capture most of the spotlight when arrests for unruly behavior are being made.
Never-the-less, I thought the perception of the farang expat was profoundly accurate - as much as it hurt my eyes reading it. Similar to the Songkran celebrations we witness in BKK and PTY, the farang usually stands out as being the major contributor to this type of drunken myhem and the violence which accompanies this type of behavior.
As far as the authors comments referring to farang expats as being isolated from the country they live in - or as being emotionally hollow, I think he's got a point...crudely stated, but a point nonetheless.
Interpret the article as you may.
Police Prepare For Election Day Expat Sobriety Riots
BangkokтАЩs alcoholic farang population тАЬunpredictableтАЭ
BANGKOK тАУ ThailandтАЩs police have called up all reserve staff for a full show of force ahead of this weekendтАЩs election, as a precaution against unrest and violence from angry, sober alcoholic expatriates during the ban on alcohol sales.
The ban, in accordance with national election law, prohibits retail alcohol sales at stores, bars and restaurants from 6pm Saturday to midnight Sunday. The 36-hour period is traditionally a high-risk period in areas with high concentrations of expats, such as Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok and large swaths of Pattaya.
тАЬDue to the importance of this election, we are taking no chances with expatriate sobriety-related violence,тАЭ said a stern National Police Chief Police General Wichean Potphosri. He justified the deployment of over 20,000 additional security officers nationwide as a necessary precaution against тАЬderanged, sober foreigners.тАЭ
Additionally, numerous bars and nightlife areas in Bangkok and other cities will be shut down altogether to avoid gatherings of large numbers of non-drunken expats. Wichean has launched a PR campaign encouraging them to stay home on Saturday night тАЬfor once.тАЭ
Although large-scale rioting by un-intoxicated foreigners is rare, many previous Thai elections have seen small outbreaks of civil unrest, usually by expats who were unaware of the election at all and who reacted badly to being told that they canтАЩt have a drink at their favorite establishment.
тАЬFor many of these men, 36 hours without a drink and the company of a rented Asian female represents something unacceptable, terrifying even,тАЭ said Noppawan Rangkulan, sociology professor at Thammasat University. тАЬSobering up means becoming momentarily aware of their graying bodies and emotionally hollow lives. What we think of as an alcohol-free night represents an existential crisis for them.тАЭ
Noppawon claims this тАЬsobriety shockтАЭ is an actual medical pathology and recommends that hospitals offer free alcohol IV drips during the election weekend.
But according to Election Commission member Prapun Naigowit, much of the problem simply stems from a lack of communication. тАЬMany expats are so isolated from the realities of the country they live in that something as major as an election can slip under their radar,тАЭ he explained. тАЬThose who prepare ahead of time can easily get through the weekend by having a case of beer and a few DVDs ready at home.тАЭ
END OF ARTICLE
I wasn't thrilled with the author of this article due to the fact that he was totally biased and neglected to include any discussion of the Thais who cause problems at these events. As most know from past election periods, it's the Thai youths that capture most of the spotlight when arrests for unruly behavior are being made.
Never-the-less, I thought the perception of the farang expat was profoundly accurate - as much as it hurt my eyes reading it. Similar to the Songkran celebrations we witness in BKK and PTY, the farang usually stands out as being the major contributor to this type of drunken myhem and the violence which accompanies this type of behavior.
As far as the authors comments referring to farang expats as being isolated from the country they live in - or as being emotionally hollow, I think he's got a point...crudely stated, but a point nonetheless.