Why all the rumpus over the smoking law?

Why should anyone who has lived here for a while be surprised over what is happening to the no smoking law so recently come into effect?

Analyse most of the laws passed in Thailand in the last few years and you find greed, corruption and vested interest as the central motivation in most things.

Likewise, analyse the response of those whose job it is to uphold and enforce the laws and you find the same things, greed, corruption and vested interest.

Never mind whether you are pro or anti smoking, just look at the current law. No matter how it is dressed up in social conscience type wording, it is a money makers charter for the enforcers, and thus we have the reason for all the current discrepancies. As soon as it was announced that fines would not yet be levied, out of the window goes all motivation for bar owners to comply and police to enforce compliance.

I suggest everyone just sits back, chills out, and waits for the fines. Then, watch out for the stranger walking into a bar and lighting up, closely followed by the bib who take 2000 from him and 20000 from the bar owner. Such an easy way to collect money.

A very educated Thai gentlemen explained to a group of us how laws work in Thailand. The Government pass a new law and everyone sits and waits to see if it takes. If it does, for instance like condo safety laws then most will comply. If not it is ignored. Most Western Nations have plenty of ignored laws on the statute books so Thailand is not alone.

The most recent law similar to the new non-smoking one was the one forbidding smoking in air conditioned restaurants. This, despite a shaky start, seems to work well and many restaurants have invested in open-air facilities for addicts.

The current situation seems to be that the vast majority of bars are obeying the new laws without waiting for the potential fines. I must say that announcing a new law and then suspending fines for 3 months is a novelty in law making as I have seen it. This makes the quick uptake even more surprising.

Corruption and Graft are unattractive everywhere and endemic in much of the world. I am told that the links between major US companies and the US Government makes Thais look like amateurs.

.....Analyse most of the laws passed in [fill in name of favorite country] in the last few years and you find greed, corruption and vested interest as the central motivation in most things.

Likewise, analyse the response of those whose job it is to uphold and enforce the laws and you find the same things, greed, corruption and vested interest.....


Its true all over this Tired Old World of ours. The Thais are doing no worse than any other Farang country.

[EDIT: Well, Wowpow beat me to it. Westerners are just as corrupt as the Thais if not moreso. Were just a lot more sophisticated at hiding it.]

[thaiworthy-old]

Analyse most of the laws passed in Thailand in the last few years and you find greed, corruption and vested interest as the central motivation in most things.

Noom Lex, I'm not sure I agree with this statement either, but why twist it into something you can re-interpret and criticize?

No one has said the anti-smoking legislation is the driving force by which policemen can line their pockets. I find it difficult to believe that the Ministry of Health could be so notoriously involved in law enforcement. The corruption is largely a by-product of each Thai policeman on an individual basis. "Do I pocket this 20,000 baht fine or don't I?" Police corruption was there before the law was passed. No one has stated here that there is a giant money-making conspiracy but you. If there is, it must surely be miniscule compared to the collective pockets of individual Thai policemen. The largest corruption occurs where the money first changes hands. This is just common sense.

You have such a diabolical mind. You are building one sour reputation for yourself, my friend. But of course, no one is taking you seriously anyway. So maybe, neither should I.

Most of my respect concerning all the "rumpus" over the smoking law goes to "Cata-RUMPUS-cat." He is well-qualified.