Regional News

Thai Prime Minister’s Morality Drive Comes to Pattaya

Ladyboy held in Pattaya by Tourist Police Volunteer

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PATTAYA – The Thai junta is on a morality drive and police in Pattaya are trying to help out by arresting and fining the beach resort’s transgender sex workers.

Pattaya has plenty of other problems. Law enforcers in the city, a two-hour drive from Bangkok, complain about the spread of pickpocket gangs and cheap methamphetamine’s here in recent years. Prostitution, technically illegal in Thailand, is openly practiced in its hundreds of bars and massage parlors.

But with Thailand now under the control of a strait-laced military government, the city is making a show of cleaning up the more visible aspects of Pattaya’s vice-fueled economy.

“Look, there goes one now. Keep an eye on her! Watch where she goes!” yelled Police Capt. Natithorn Rattanasuchanun to his colleagues during a midnight patrol here recently.

Ladyboy approached by Tourist Police on Walking Street Pattaya

As he and his plainclothes team chugged down the city’s main beach side road in a battered Toyota minivan, scores of people scrambled away from the glare of its headlights. Some tottered down side-streets in their high heels or made for the shadows of the beach as waves from the Gulf of Thailand rolled gently into the bay as tourists and other, less vulnerable, sex workers looked on.

“They’ve figured out who we are now and try to get away,” says one of the deputies riding shotgun, Sgt.-Maj. Auttakave Autchiyaluk.

Officials in Pattaya say they need to be seen to be doing something to scrub up the city’s reputation before the army is tempted to intervene in ways which local officials say might be bad for business.

A Thai ladyboy voices her disapproval for being detained, while waiting to be taken to the police station in Pattaya

It is a growing worry for them. Since Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power last May in a bloodless coup and became prime minister, he has made recalibrating Thailand’s moral compass one of the main components of this administration.

Political analysts say he is attempting to draw a clear line between his government and the sometimes chaotic elected administrations it succeeded, channeling in part the anti-corruption zeal that has characterized President Xi Jinping ’s China in recent months.

To that end, Gen. Prayuth has set targets across a wide array of Thai society.

Sometimes the push centers on allegations of graft. The nominally independent National Anti-Corruption Commission said Thursday it will ask the country’s military-appointed legislature to impeach former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for ignoring flaws in a rice-subsidy program that became embroiled in corruption accusations. Ms. Yingluck denies doing anything wrong.

Crime Reduction Campaign In Pattaya Clamps Down On Thai Ladyboys

The junta is also assessing proposals for a new constitution that would remove the statute of limitations for prosecuting the taking of bribes or kickbacks.

On the holiday island of Phuket, the army has broken up lucrative taxi cartels, providing metered cabs a way into what had been a closed market. Police have shut down businesses encroaching on public beaches and illegally renting out deck-chair space to five-star hotels.

Other times, the junta’s attentions veer in surprising directions.

In recent weeks, Gen. Prayuth, 60, has offered to rewrite television soap-opera scripts to tame the racy story lines favored by Thai broadcasters. He has also spoken out against the influence of cultural imports such as Korean pop music and Hollywood films.

After two British tourists were killed on the island of Koh Tao last month, he suggested that foreign women might want to stop wearing bikinis to avoid drawing unwanted attention—remarks for which he later apologized.

Troops have even intervened to set prices for spicy Thai papaya salads and other fare in some places, notably at another beach resort, Hua Hin.

Gen. Prayuth’s diktats have strengthened a perception among some analysts that the general is trying to turn back the clock to a more ordered, disciplined age.

Government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp said the morality drive was designed to help provide a sense of cultural continuity in Thailand. “When we were young we had to learn about these moral codes by reciting them,” he said, pointing to another of Gen. Prayuth’s initiatives, an instruction for schoolchildren to chant 12 moral principles each day. “It’s a good thing to do and we should continue doing it.”

Thailand based writer and academic David Streckfuss says Gen. Prayuth’s calls for moral purification have become a central pillar of his regime. They “remind the depoliticized masses of the loathsomeness of the recent political past, the need to continue rooting out every vestige of corruption, and the importance of submitting to the sovereign to realize the greater happiness of society,” Mr. Streckfuss wrote in a recent essay in the journal Cultural Anthropology.

The junta’s pitch for a moral renewal appears to resonate among many Thais. Opinion polls have largely given Gen. Prayuth good grades since taking power.

In Pattaya, at least, that is bad news for Thailand’s transgender sex workers.

While often seen as exotic in the rest of the world—the Lady Boys of Bangkok cabaret plays to sellout crowds during the Edinburgh arts festival each year, while American singer Lady Gaga made a point of attending a glittering drag show before performing in Bangkok—police here view them less favorably, often accusing them of robbery and other petty crimes.

“They are the biggest problem,” declares Pattaya’s deputy police chief, Col. Suppattee Boonkrong. “They are much more likely to drug or rob their clients than the girl prostitutes, so we have to bring them in and ask them not to do this. It hurts the reputation of us all. It’s bad for business.”

Some sex workers dispute that. They say they feel they are being unfairly singled out for attention because of long-running prejudices against the transgender community in Thailand.

“We have to make a living, too,” said Ratchaporn Kabkean, a transgender 23-year-old, adjusting her black halter top at the Pattaya City Police Station while waiting to be processed and fined 100 baht, or about $3, for soliciting.

A number of officials here privately say that the arrests are designed to make it look as if the city is following Gen. Prayuth’s program without destabilizing Pattaya’s economy. Rather than a full-on crackdown, they say, the operation is more an experiment into calibrating the precise level of raunch that allows the city to grow without trampling over the conservative sensibilities of the country’s new military rulers.

It is a difficult balance to strike. There are over 1,000 bars and massage parlors here, helping the city draw in over $3 billion a year in tourism income, according to the local tourism association. Over nine million people visited last year, many of them visiting bars with names like Sugar Baby or Kitten Club. At night, the main beach-front is lined with sex workers waiting for clients.

Previous attempts to re-brand the city as a more family-friendly destination and lure in higher-spending tourists have largely foundered, despite the arrival of attractions such as a “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” museum and a Hard Rock Hotel.

T-shirts for sale at roadside kiosks sum up the situation neatly: “Good Guys Go to Heaven. Bad Guys Go to Pattaya,” they say.

“Things had gotten out of hand,” said a local government administrator, Sakchai Taenghor. “As a city, we’re very disorganized. People tend to do what whatever they want. With the army in charge, it helps us clean things up.”

As for Ms. Ratchaporn, who identifies as female, she complains that she doesn’t have many options besides sex work.

“I tried herding goats, but that didn’t work out,” she said. “Hopefully things will be back to normal soon or I’ll have to move to another town.” -By James Hookway and Wilawan Watcharasakwet

Regional News

Thai Immigration Police Detain Over 26,000 Illegal Migrant Workers

Thailand’s Immigration Police have detained approximately 26,000 illegal migrant workers from Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia during an eight-day operation in Bangkok and surrounding regions, according to a Royal Thai Police spokesperson.

Mr Adisorn Keudmeuangkhon of the Bangkok-based Migrant Working Group said the drive was in response to an increasing number of concerns about an influx of illegal migrant labor.

“Some Thai people see that many illegal workers are competing for their job positions in the past few months,” he told me. “That’s why the ministry has to take tougher action.”

Civil strife in Myanmar and the recent implementation of a military conscription have driven thousands of Burmese into Thailand, while severe inflation and limited job opportunities in Laos have also encouraged an influx of workers from that country.

Between June 5 and 12, officials detained and checked 20,111 Myanmar laborers, 1,659 Laotian migrant workers, and 3,971 Cambodian workers, according to the Ministry of Labor.

It marked the start of a 120-day campaign to audit workplaces and arrest unlawful migrant workers, according to the government.

Migrant Workers to be Deported

According to Keudmeuangkhon, undocumented workers face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 Thai baht (US $136 to $1,365), deportation, and a two-year prohibition on re-entering Thailand.

Authorities did not intend to file criminal charges, he claimed.

Authorities raided 1,774 workplaces, according to Moe Gyo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee on Burmese Affairs, which advocates for Myanmar labor rights.

He stated that since the military junta activated conscription, there has been an upsurge in the number of arrests of Myanmar citizens in Thailand who do not have a work permit identity card.

All men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 must serve in the military for at least two years. The first group of 5,000 conscripts summoned by Myanmar’s junta will start duty at the end of this month, military sources told AFP on Monday.

According to Keudmeuangkhon, the bulk of Lao migrant workers in Thailand work as fresh market shopkeepers, restaurant servers, and mall salespeople.

Most people visit Thailand as part of ASEAN’s visa-free policy for tourists, but they stay longer than the 30-day restriction once they find job.

“Employers like to hire Lao migrant workers in the service sector because they can speak fluent Thai,” he told me.

Immigration Police Detain Illegal Migrant Workers

The Thai Cabinet may approve an enhanced program for Thai employers to register their unauthorized foreign workers in July or August. Keudmeuangkhon explained.

Last month, the Thai Ministry of Labor’s Foreign Workers Administration office announced that 268,465 Lao migrant workers were officially working in Thailand.

Baykham Kattiya, Lao Minister of Labor, told Radio Free Asia earlier this month that there are 415,956 migrant workers in other nations, the majority of whom work in Thailand.

According to her, the Lao government believes that over 203,000 persons working outside of the nation lack proper work documents.

However, a Lao official familiar with the labor industry informed Radio Free Asia, a BenarNews-affiliated news station, on June 20 that the number of illegal Lao migrant workers in Thailand and abroad is likely significantly greater.

“They go to other countries as illegal migrant workers through different types of methods – as tourists or students,” said the politician. “Thus, it is hard for the immigration police to collect data on these people.”

Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers

Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers

News

High School Student Dies After Being Electrocuted By School Water Dispenser

14-year-old boy was electrocuted by a water dispenser: File Image

Thailand’s Office of Basic Education Commission has initiated an investigation into the electrocution of a 14-year-old student by a water dispenser in a high school. The event happened at noon on Friday, during the high school’s sports day. The victim was a Grade 8 student.

According to local media in Trang Province, the incident occurred when a teacher instructed the pupil to turn off a water dispenser amid a heavy rain.

According to a witness, the child collapsed while strolling with his friend near a water station. The friend claimed he attempted to assist but was also shocked by electricity.

According to reports, the friend then recovered, left the site, and requested assistance from teachers. A teacher ran to the scene and used a towel to pull the boy away by the ankle. He was taken to the hospital, but it was too late, they claimed.

The event sparked criticism from parents and netizens over school safety, as well as the slow response to aid the young youngster.

Mr. Chainarong Changrua, head of Trang-Krabi’s Secondary Educational Service Area Office, told local media on Sunday that forensic officers from Trang Provincial Police had visited the area. They discovered the blown breaker switch behind the water dispenser, he explained.

The breaker was burned out, thus the authorities assumed the disaster was caused by a short circuit that allowed energy to spill to a neighboring power pole. The student also appeared wet and was not wearing shoes when electrocuted.

According to the Office of Basic Education Commission, a probe team will complete its investigation this week.

The student’s father, Mr Pornchai Thepsuwan, 53, claimed he was saddened when he saw his son’s body. The boy (Wayu), was the youngest of two boys, he explained. He stated that following the tragedy, the school director and staff gave financial assistance to the families.

Mr Pornchai also said he would not seek charges against the institution because he believed it was an accident.

Electrical accidents in Thailand

Electrocution instances in Thailand have increased alarmingly in recent years. Many mishaps occur as a result of improper wiring and inadequate maintenance of electrical systems.

Public locations, such as schools and markets, frequently lack adequate safety precautions, putting individuals in danger. In rural areas, antiquated infrastructure exacerbates the situation, resulting in more frequent and serious events.

Although several high-profile cases have brought these challenges to light, genuine progress has been gradual. Furthermore, the rainy season heightens the likelihood of electrical accidents, as water and exposed wires do not mix well.

The government has made steps to strengthen safety standards, but enforcement is patchy. More education on electrical safety could help to reduce these accidents.

Unfortunately, better infrastructure and tougher rules may have prevented many of these incidents. The loss and injuries caused by electrocution are avoidable, emphasizing the need for immediate action.

Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand

Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand

News

Thailand’s Tourist Police Crackdown on Tourist Scammers in Pattaya

Tourist Police Pattaya: File Image

Thailand’s Tourist Police said it is collaborating with embassies from five countries to combat tourist scams and ten criminal gangs in Pattaya. The Tourist Police Bureau, convened a meeting on Thursday Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am told a press briefing.

Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am, the Tourist Police bureau commissioner said the participants included ambassadors from South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, India, and Switzerland.

He told the briefing the he had ordered a crackdown on tourist frauds, such as fraudulent or low-quality tour operators and unfair sales of goods and services. Stepped-up operations began on June 19 and will continue until June 25.

He stated that the agency was working with numerous organisations to increase tourists’ confidence in visiting Pattaya.

Gen Saksira spent time on the famed Walking Street speaking with officers on duty and assigned them to seek for members of ten criminal groups known to operate in Pattaya.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will visit Chon Buri on Saturday to assess the tourism situation. He intends to visit the site of a future Formula One racecourse near Khao Phra Tamnak in Bang Lamung District.

Prime Minister Srettha recently met with Formula One organisers in Italy to examine the potential of including Thailand on the race schedule in the future.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister will pay a visit to Rayong’s U-tapao airport to discuss development on the airport’s land, with the goal of encouraging investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

Police Chief Reinstated

In other police news, Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol has been reinstated as national police chief following the conclusion of an investigation into a highly publicised quarrel, according to Wissanu Krea-ngam, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s counsellor.

Mr Wissanu released the investigation’s findings on Thursday, after the prime minister formed a fact-finding committee chaired by Chatchai Promlert to investigate into the quarrel between Pol Gen Torsak and his deputy, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.

The four-month study revealed conflicts and disorder at all levels of the Royal Thai Police, but it was unclear whether these issues arose from a single cause or several causes, according to Mr Wissanu.

The findings revealed that both Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate were involved, with each team contributing to the tensions, he noted.

Mr Wissanu indicated that Pol Gen Surachate was reinstated as deputy national police head on 18 April following his relocation to the Prime Minister’s Office on 20 March. A disciplinary committee was formed to investigate Pol Gen Surachate, and he was ordered temporarily suspended from the police force.

Because there were no further difficulties to explore, it was decided to restore Pol Gen Torsak. He plans to retire on September 30.

On March 20, Mr Srettha abruptly transferred both top police officers to the Prime Minister’s Office in an effort to address the growing schism within the police service.

Kitrat Panphet, Deputy National Police Chief, was subsequently named Acting Police Chief. According to sources, Pol Gen Surachate could face money laundering charges related to online gaming networks.

Source: Bangkok Post