Sydebolle

Yes, agreed - see the US breeding modern slaves by the thousands every state and every year

What would bring it down to 5% to 10% is the simple enforcement of the law with stringent penalties. No need to keep committees, working groups and fact finding missions going; just look how European countries deal with the problem. Any drunk driver is fined THB 1‘000 for the first 0.1%o above the limit, double for the second 0.1%o, triple for the third 0.1%o etc. Everything above 1%0 results in car impounding, THB 20‘000 (that is what the corrupt police at the moment is creaming off foreigners caught above ANY limit) fine; the car is off the road for a week. Repeaters = double. Guess that would deal with the problem. Corrupt police to be fired (instead of present „inactive posting“ practice), named with picture in public on a website; that would deal with that issue. Wishful thinking but banning booze does not mean, that there are less drunk drivers on the road. Mom and Pop shops sell as usual and the dye-hard boozers got their stock replenished before the ban. The ban on a Buddhist day is, by the way, not an issue by the Buddhist Sankha but the present shortsighted government; in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar - equally Buddhist countries, so such „ban“ is known.

A lot of Udon Thani and Nong Khai residents will be crossing into Laos, an equally Buddhist country - as there alcohol is sold, as in Myanmar and Cambodia. This "no booze" law is another game by the powers-to-be to keep the simple man submerged by the almighty powers. Needless to say, the simple man covers eventual needs prior to the day so the only one out to catch is the holiday making alien in the tourist resorts of the Kingdom. Go figure who is at the shorter end of the stick - in the long run. Pathetic!

From 287 arrested it might be noteworthy, that ZERO farang entered illegally while ONE overstayed the visa from Denmark. From a further 220 facing other charges ONE came from Turkey and ONE came from Israel. Just for the record, THREE caucasians were arrested among 522 - so get your "Farang" and "Aliens" figures accordingly; they are an absolute neglectable minority!

Facilitating bureaucracy would keep these crooks at bay ...... just thinking. What a farce!

I've been there; bill ready but medical certificate not ready. I just left - big scream "no pay bill" and I told them to let me know, when the medical certificate was ready. Got 17 phone calls that the certificate was ready and I answered all the time that I'll pass by and pick up the certificate and the bill once I am free. Two months later I walked in and from that day on I NEVER ever had to wait for anything again. Arrogant pack of bas*ç%"ç%rds; twenty birds in tailor-cut silk uniforms (paid for by patients) hanging around doing nothing, busy with Line, Facebook, WhatsApp etc. while it was not possible to get my check-out paper on an outpatient treatment ready in 75 minutes.

So the brainless chiefs of the brainless realized, that a round-about is all about round about. Congratulations are in order; you may go back to your room now!