Respecting Thai laws

At the end of December I posted an item about whether Bangkok bars would really be closed over the first two weekends of the new year due to a gubernatorial election. Forum member Chao Na got angry with the ensuing thread in which several other members pointed out the ridiculousness of the law in question. Chao Na got so angry, in fact, he told everyone to either respect Thai laws and customs or get lost.

Well, I'm here to tell Chao Na that not even Thais respect this particular law. All bars and clubs were open on the first weekend of the year, the weekend before the election, and all of them were selling alcohol. On the second weekend, the bars and clubs were all open but almost none were selling alcohol. In fact, on that Saturday night in the Silom area, the only bars that, early on, were selling alcohol were the bars on Soi Twilight. So I pulled up a chair, was immediately joined by a coulpe guys I assumed were go-go boys and started drinking. At about 2:25 the waiters hurried away everyone who was drinking alcohol. My new friends and I went across the street for a bite to eat. At about 2:35, a police van pulled up with its beacon light flashing away, the cop checking to see that no one was drinking alcohol. My friends pointed out the folly of it all and we had a good laugh.

Oh, and at 3 a.m., G.O.D. started serving alcohol.

So Chao Na, you'd be a lonely guy if everyone followed your advice.

[dab69]

All of Bangkok deliberately ignored the law on drinking
just to get Chao Twerrp pissed.
Will he will get the hint and leave?

All of Bangkok deliberately ignored the law on drinkingWhat is your point? I have ignored the law on sodomy my entire life, man and boy, in every country I've ever lived. These days there are many places where sodomy is now legal but the time I lived in the UK and in Malaysia that certainly wasn't so. I've never understood why faggots get so worked up about what is or isn't the law; most of us have had the good sense to ignore the law, at least selectively, most of our lives

All of Bangkok deliberately ignored the law on drinkingWhat is your point? I have ignored the law on sodomy my entire life, man and boy, in every country I've ever lived. These days there are many places where sodomy is now legal but the time I lived in the UK and in Malaysia that certainly wasn't so. I've never understood why faggots get so worked up about what is or isn't the law; most of us have had the good sense to ignore the law, at least selectively, most of our lives

Quite right too. There are many shoddy ill thought out laws passed which should be ignored here in the UK & I expect it will be the same elsewhere too.

If the Thais want to promote tourism, they might like to consider that any tourist in Thailand for a week may be very unimpressed if the bars are closed for a good part of that week.

[giggsy]

i agree the no alcohol and no smoking laws should be ignored completely

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

All of Bangkok deliberately ignored the law on drinkingWhat is your point? I have ignored the law on sodomy my entire life, man and boy, in every country I've ever lived. These days there are many places where sodomy is now legal but the time I lived in the UK and in Malaysia that certainly wasn't so. I've never understood why faggots get so worked up about what is or isn't the law; most of us have had the good sense to ignore the law, at least selectively, most of our lives

so the old Bugger is back !!

he is of course referring to the The Report of the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution ...which finally legalised taking it up the kazi (in private of course) .

This was better know as the Wolfenden Report, after Lord Wolfenden, the chairman of the committee which finally gave the green light to blokes to shag each other and came about after a controversial case where several of my acquantinces were incarcerated over a misundstanding involving boy scouts. But this was 1957 so how old is Homintern ??

Sadly..when things become legal they are far less fun and as Homintern says..everyone was at it anyway and it's not insignificant that Lord Wolfenden himself advised his charming son Clarence that perhaps whilst the enquiry was underway, it would be better if he refrained from visiting the family home in full make-up and drag.

As for Chao Na..is he similar to the Thai citizen Boygenius?..if so he is a most unusual one as very few Thais bother with troublesome things like respecting the law and quite right too !!

[Wesley]

As for Chao Na..is he similar to the Thai citizen Boygenius?..if so he is a most unusual one as very few Thais bother with troublesome things like respecting the law and quite right too !!


hehehe indeed

Wes

i agree the no alcohol and no smoking laws should be ignored completely

Ryan.....?

Ignoring any law which has no detrimental effect on a non consenting third party is a reasonable principle. One should also try & respect all reasonable culture when visiting foreign countries.

ie.
Any form of sex with a consenting adult -OK
Any consumption of alcohol -OK (providing disorderly behaviour does not result)
Smoking in your private room -OK
Sharing your smoke with other customers & bar employees -definitely not OK

Ignoring any law which has no detrimental effect on a non consenting third party is a reasonable principle. One should also try & respect all reasonable culture when visiting foreign countries.OK, so two non-Thais, discussing in English HMTK over coffee in Starbucks while in Bangkok ... That offends the lese majeste law, but is that reasonable or unreasonable?

Ignoring any law which has no detrimental effect on a non consenting third party is a reasonable principle. One should also try & respect all reasonable culture when visiting foreign countries.OK, so two non-Thais, discussing in English HMTK over coffee in Starbucks while in Bangkok ... That offends the lese majeste law, but is that reasonable or unreasonable?

I wouldn't want to offend my Thai hosts over such matters. I have certain views on freedom of speech, but think there are far more significant issues in the world where it's worth taking a controversial stand. Ultimately, Thailand is more or less a democracy, so the Thais can make their own decisions.

A private & discrete discussion between 2 people should of course be the business of those 2 people only. If it's a loud discussion & audible by other people, then one should appreciate the sensibilities of the host country.

If it's a loud discussion & audible by other people, then one should appreciate the sensibilities of the host country.Oh quite. Many people had the same view when visiting Hitler's Germany. I'm sure you are right when we review the past few years of Thai politics in regarding Thailand as a democracy "more or less". Many of us would say "less" and argue that given HMTK's propensities it's a democracy in name only - that would merely be exercising that very unimportant right "freedom of speech"

But then I recall the absolute crap you write in posts about Gordon Brown that suggest he should be dealt with in ways that do not follow due process and wonder what your values can possibly be. Clearly respect for the rule of law and freedom of speech do not rate very highly with you

If it's a loud discussion & audible by other people, then one should appreciate the sensibilities of the host country.Oh quite. Many people had the same view when visiting Hitler's Germany. I'm sure you are right when we review the past few years of Thai politics in regarding Thailand as a democracy "more or less". Many of us would say "less" and argue that given HMTK's propensities it's a democracy in name only - that would merely be exercising that very unimportant right "freedom of speech"

But then I recall the absolute crap you write in posts about Gordon Brown that suggest he should be dealt with in ways that do not follow due process and wonder what your values can possibly be. Clearly respect for the rule of law and freedom of speech do not rate very highly with you

Thailand is a democracy, albeit a flawed one.

UK democracy also has it's flaws. The electoral boundaries are so out of date that the Labour party have approximately 80 more seats than the Conservatives in England, despite the Conservatives having gained 30,000 more votes at the last election. Then they add insult to injury by sending MPs in from Wales & Scotland, to vote on matters which do not affect those regions, as they have their own parliaments.

Back to Thailand, whilst I believe in free speech, as an occasional visitor I would not risk offending the locals or worse by making loud comments on Thai governance, when there are many far worse regimes in the region.

Back to Thailand, whilst I believe in free speech, as an occasional visitor I would not risk offending the locals or worse by making loud comments on Thai governance, when there are many far worse regimes in the region.Amazing. But expected

If it's a loud discussion & audible by other people, then one should appreciate the sensibilities of the host country.Oh quite. Many people had the same view when visiting Hitler's Germany. I'm sure you are right when we review the past few years of Thai politics in regarding Thailand as a democracy "more or less". Many of us would say "less" and argue that given HMTK's propensities it's a democracy in name only - that would merely be exercising that very unimportant right "freedom of speech"

But then I recall the absolute crap you write in posts about Gordon Brown that suggest he should be dealt with in ways that do not follow due process and wonder what your values can possibly be. Clearly respect for the rule of law and freedom of speech do not rate very highly with you

Thailand is a democracy, albeit a flawed one.

UK democracy also has it's flaws. The electoral boundaries are so out of date that the Labour party have approximately 80 more seats than the Conservatives in England, despite the Conservatives having gained 30,000 more votes at the last election. Then they add insult to injury by sending MPs in from Wales & Scotland, to vote on matters which do not affect those regions, as they have their own parliaments.



You miss the point that the UK is the luckiest country in the world, as it has two Scottish Governments.