Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
http://www.theage.com.au/world/thai-...12-go49mm.html
from Lindsay Murdoch
Bangkok: Thailand's military rulers have warned that people wearing "too sexy" clothes or performing sexy dancing will be banned or face arrest during this week's Buddhist new year festivities.
In the northern city of Chiang Mai authorities have banned "X-ray pants" which turn translucent when soaked during street parties and water fights where locals and tourists douse each other with buckets and pump-action waters guns.
A foreign tourist holds a water gun as she takes part in a water fight during traditional Thai New Year celebrations or ...
A foreign tourist holds a water gun as she takes part in a water fight during traditional Thai New Year celebrations or Songkran festival in Chiang Mai Photo: AP
And repeat drink-drive offenders caught on the roads risk being sent by the country's courts to work in hospital morgues to shock them into changing their behaviour.
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Thailand has the world's second-worse record for traffic fatalities, and health and safety experts fear the situation is getting worse.
The Songkran holidays, which start on Wednesday, traditionally involve locals visiting temples to pour water on Buddhist statues as a symbol of purification and washing away sins and bad luck.
Then huge water parties break-out at 96 concert and party sites across the country to celebrate.
However, this year authorities are calling for restraint as Thailand faces its worst drought in decades amid some dire predictions that taps could run dry in some cities later in the year.
Celebrations in the backpacker area of Bangkok's Khao San Road and other tourist districts have been cut from four days to two.
Prayuth Chan-ocha, the former army general and now prime minister who seized power in a 2014 coup, warned that displays of sexuality by Thais would send foreigners the wrong message about the country.
"This Songhran won't have women or ladyboys dressing inappropriately and dancing on a truck," he said, referring to past scenes of skimpily-clad party-goes dancing on top of parade vehicles to booming techno music.
"Don't do anything that makes farangs (foreigners) think they can do anything," he said.
"They come here for Thainess. Please don't do anything that shames the country and please conserve water."
Thai authorities have in the past required convicted repeat drink drivers to perform community serviced like cleaning roads, cutting trees or helping hospital personnel look after patients.
Anurak Amornpetchsathaporn, director of the emergency response for the Bureau of Public Health, said a court-approved stint cleaning up and transporting bodies in hospital morgues should bring home the pain to reckless drivers in a way that community service such as tidying up parks has failed to do.
Drink-drivers will also face having their vehicles impounded and driver licences suspended.
Drinking alcohol has also being banned in some party areas.
Last year's Songhran holiday saw 2.3 people die per hour and 160 others injured on the roads.
-With agencies
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Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lonelywombat
And repeat drink-drive offenders caught on the roads risk being sent by the country's courts to work in hospital morgues to shock them into changing their behaviour.
I actually agree with that one, and think it's a good idea. Kudos to them for coming up with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lonelywombat
However, this year authorities are calling for restraint as Thailand faces its worst drought in decades amid some dire predictions that taps could run dry in some cities later in the year.
Really? May have to read up on how the dams here are looking. Maybe have to get a second water tank asap installed. Already don't get electricity a good portion of the day, so would prefer not to have to go without running water too.
Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lonelywombat
Please don't do anything that shames the country"
The rulers will be praying that there is nothing similar to the spectacle of the two young ladies dancing topless on a truck in Silom as happened a few years ago. Not because that was especially offensive, although the girls were arrested. More because someone quickly discovered that the main page of the Ministry of Culture website had on it - a painting of two young Thai ladies dancing topless. That was quickly removed, but not before the news had gone round the world.
Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
Quote:
Originally Posted by
fountainhall
The rulers will be praying that there is nothing similar to the spectacle of the two young ladies dancing topless on a truck in Silom as happened a few years ago. Not because that was especially offensive, although the girls were arrested.
as I remember it they were not ladies, they where pre-op (but post hormone treatment) ladyboys and while the police took them away they could not be charged because there is no law against men taking their shirts off in public
Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
Seems neither of us is quite accurate. The girls in Silom were indeed girls, but there were three of them and they were charged and fined, Bt. 500. However, further north in Pichit there were six transvestites/transexuals who stripped off their tops. This was in The Nation about the Bangkok incident -
Quote:
Two of the three women who danced topless in Bangkok's Silom Road during Friday night's Songkran celebration were on Monday presented along with their legal guardians at a police conference to apologise for their "reckless and obscene" action.
The three women were charged with exposing themselves in public and obscene behaviour, punishable by a Bt500 fine.
This is from another site -
Quote:
Police have arrested Thai transvestites who stripped down to the waist while celebrating Songkran in Pichit Province. The ladyboys apologized and promised to wear traditional Thai dress next year after the incident made headlines over the Thai New Year Festival. Twenty four year old Praewanis Reelakul along with 5 of her friends confessed to allegations after the media revealed footage of the transvestites stripping in public over the Songkran holidays
Police charged the ladyboys with obscene behavior in public and fined them 500 baht each before releasing them with a warning.
Wonder if anyone fined the Ministry of Culture ;)
Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
Does this mean that scantily-clad guys can have a ball??
Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
Quote:
Originally Posted by
cdnmatt
Already don't get electricity a good portion of the day, .
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solar-Therma...sAAOxyiklTkgf6
Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
I did notice there were less shirtless guys in Khao San Road and Silom yesterday although i found that the guy below took my attention at Khao San Road. There was a grope fest in Soi 4 last night with a line up of people on both sides of the packed soi touching up and grabbing cocks, balls or anything they could get their hands on as anyone cute, good looking or even me walked past.
http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/...57ab366b68.jpg
http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/...a35ef9cc7f.jpg
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
Re: Thai crackdown on sexy clothes, dancing during Songkran
I did like the comment on the photo, posted by user of SawatdeeNetwork.com