District Chief: Prosecution of Pattaya Bridge Players will continue as planned

[kingalfred]

Doing everything he can so not.

"To loose Face"

"losing face" and "two faces" when it comes to dealing with so called acts of crime in fakeland

[brewsterbudgen]

A number of restaurants were hit by I believe these same district officials here in Pattaya over the holidays. A rather big fine for selling alcohol in their restaurant between the hours of 2pm and 5pm. Easy money maker for them.

The alcohol law is a law of which everyone is aware, so if you get caught breaking that law it's not easy money, it is stupid money thrown away.

The Bridge debacle is a completely different story though.

I thought it was only shops that were not allowed to sell alcohol between the hours of 2 and 5pm. If it is a country wide ban I shall inform the authorities that every bar on Sukhumvit along with every restaurant is selling alcohol.
Look out for a raid near you soon.

Don't worry, properly licensed afternoon restaurants and bars are fine.

That isn't true.

I know several licensed restaurants that stop selling alcohol at 2 pm.
I don't know about bars though.

Maybe they have a different type of license?

[brewsterbudgen]

Somewhat wonder how many of these nice elderly retired people visit Thailand next winter again?

I think you will find most of those involved are long time residents, Pattaya is not exactly a 2 hour flight Spanish winter getaway...

Thankfully none were under age or failed the p__ test... though I suspect two or more are veterans of Pattaya's night life having the wisdom an knowledge to slip down the back stairs to freedom at the earliest opportunity

The point is that these elderly farangs will pack up their bags and relocate to a country where they can peacefully play their bridge game.

I somewhat doubt that!

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts have been removed.

[mydee]

While it is true that most who play organised bridge here are long term residents Thailand regularly hosts a number of international bridge tournaments. It is not drawing too long a bow to suggest that future bridge tournaments would be in jeopardy after this fiasco. If a legal challenge to what has been an accepted position on the way bridge may be played, for example with cards with excise seals extant then this may pose further risks to "bridge tourism" to the country.

Tours organised around activities such as bridge are normally high earners for the host countries, particularly when they involve more mature groups. This is the quality tourism that Thailand claims it is seeking. A good example of the value add of this type of tourism would be Adelaide which lost the Australian Grand Prix to Melbourne. Soon afterwards they hosted the first staging of Wagner's Ring Cycle. I terms of value added to the economy the Ring Cycle far exceeded the Grand Prix. Largely because of the huge royalties paid to the Grand Prix organisation and the subsidies that attach to many of the celebrities (free tickets entertainment etc) as well as the fact fact that the Ring Cycle is held over four nights rather than one day (not counting practice, but also because the opera goers spend a lot more per capita than car racing fans, many of whom travel rough.

In broader terms, this fiasco may not thwart younger people and sex tourists coming here but it may have significant effect on older people who are more to be deterred by these type of issues. I suspect this may depend on the outcome of any prospective legal action and more importantly, how Thailand's regional competitors can develop and market their tourist destinations particularly in the long term. Malaysia, Indonesia Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia all seem to be either viable alternatives or will eventually become so.

If I were responsible for Thailand's tourism I would be very concerned about these events.

Wonder how TAT will spin this one?

TAT will not be bothered as most, if not all those who participate are long term residents and not tourists.

Not unless this gets organisers of international events to cancel or chose to hold events elsewhere, even then I still think they will keep their heads in the sand.

[hawker9000]

What's so telling about all this is not that a mistake was made, or even the extreme absurdity of it all. What it clearly demonstrates, on the world stage, is that Thailand is congenitally unable to recover from its mistakes. Mistakes are made all the time and by everyone at one time or another. But in this case, nobody to simply step in, override a simple-minded bureaucrat, and just put the whole thing to bed. Why? Because "thainess" simply prevents it. Call it conflict avoidance,or the 'face' thing, or whatever other aspect of the Thai mindset you want, Thais are simply incapable of it.

Which makes you wonder... If this kind of high-visibility error can't be corrected, what other Thai decision-making suffers from the same affliction? Construction decisions. Food safety decisions. Public safety and security decisions. Medical care decisions. Vehicle design decisions.

More than a lot of the other stuff that gets mentioned here on TV, IMO THIS is what being "backwards" and "third world" means.

I blame the parents.

Bad upbringing , across the board.

Nope. When five teenagers attack some old guys in a park and beat them up blaming a video game, THAT's bad parenting. The total inability to correct an obvious error, one's own or another's, goes deeper. It's a Thai thing, not just bad parents. It amounts to dysfunction at a social level. Such a crippled country can't progress.

[wowfactor10]

Somewhat wonder how many of these nice elderly retired people visit Thailand next winter again?

I think you will find most of those involved are long time residents, Pattaya is not exactly a 2 hour flight Spanish winter getaway...

Thankfully none were under age or failed the p__ test... though I suspect two or more are veterans of Pattaya's night life having the wisdom an knowledge to slip down the back stairs to freedom at the earliest opportunity

The point is that these elderly farangs will pack up their bags and relocate to a country where they can peacefully play their bridge game.

I somewhat doubt that!

Really so what would make them visit Thailand again ?Perhaps the 54% increase of tourist death ?

[The Deerhunter]

WOW!!! They have a playing card act that restricts individuals from owning more than 120 playing cards

Wonder what the sign in the background says? part of it says"Place your ****ess & empties here"???

Yep! It goes back to 1935 & says that each of these cards must have a customs Excise stamp on it. In the usual way of Thainess, some contradictions are starting to creep in.

1. A few days ago they mentioned that a more recent law overruled the most aggressive parts of the old 1935 law. Suddenly now, no mention of that.

2. Some news reports mention the charges the old offence of max 120 card per person. No he talks about excess numbers of cards in the room..... Is that collectively? Because I am sure the law was re individuals.

3. Now we see them bringing up the alcohol licencing laws. Shops are not allowed to retail sell bottles of alcohol in those hours but I was not aware that licensed premises were not allowed to serve alcohol during those hours. So you cannot have glass of wine or a lager in a restaurant with a late lunch?? I did not realize that.

Define playing cards. Playing what? Watch out Tarot card readers!!! Tarot packs have 70 something cards so one pack and a spare would be over 120. Some Tarot card readers read ordinary playing cards.

And of course the World Bridge champs are in BKK in April.

This story has sill got some way to go. This guy does not want to be proven to be in the wrong.

[brewsterbudgen]

Somewhat wonder how many of these nice elderly retired people visit Thailand next winter again?

I think you will find most of those involved are long time residents, Pattaya is not exactly a 2 hour flight Spanish winter getaway...

Thankfully none were under age or failed the p__ test... though I suspect two or more are veterans of Pattaya's night life having the wisdom an knowledge to slip down the back stairs to freedom at the earliest opportunity

The point is that these elderly farangs will pack up their bags and relocate to a country where they can peacefully play their bridge game.

I somewhat doubt that!

Really so what would make them visit Thailand again ?Perhaps the 54% increase of tourist death ?

Most of them live there.

[harrry]

I think that may become The WOrld Bridge Championships MAY be in Bangkok

[wowfactor10]

Somewhat wonder how many of these nice elderly retired people visit Thailand next winter again?

I think you will find most of those involved are long time residents, Pattaya is not exactly a 2 hour flight Spanish winter getaway...

Thankfully none were under age or failed the p__ test... though I suspect two or more are veterans of Pattaya's night life having the wisdom an knowledge to slip down the back stairs to freedom at the earliest opportunity

The point is that these elderly farangs will pack up their bags and relocate to a country where they can peacefully play their bridge game.

I somewhat doubt that!

Really so what would make them visit Thailand again ?Perhaps the 54% increase of tourist death ?

Most of them live there.

Yes they may live there now.But i doubt they will living there next year.People have options there are countries in the world where tourists are appreciated instead of harashed and or extorted..

[novanova]

I think that may become The WOrld Bridge Championships MAY be in Bangkok

The 2016 World Championships will be held in Poland, not Bangkok or Thialand

http://worldbridge.org/2016-world-bridge-games.aspx

Here is a calendar of big bridge events:

http://greatbridgelinks.com/gbltour/

Here is the calendar of the Thailand Bridge League

http://www.thailandbridgeleague.com/?/content/22/Schedule%20%20of%20%20%20%20Bridge%20%202016/data/51/Schedule%20%20of%20%20%20%20Bridge%20%20Tournament%20%202016

[brewsterbudgen]

Most of them live there.

Yes they may live there now.But i doubt they will living there next year.People have options there are countries in the world where tourists are appreciated instead of harashed and or extorted..

Except if they live here they are not tourists. Most expats have learned to live with the eccentricities and general nonsense of life in Thailand. I'm not sure what "harashed" means, but as their 5,000 bail money was reimbursed, there was no extortion.

[harrry]

Most of them live there.

Yes they may live there now.But i doubt they will living there next year.People have options there are countries in the world where tourists are appreciated instead of harashed and or extorted..

Except if they live here they are not tourists. Most expats have learned to live with the eccentricities and general nonsense of life in Thailand. I'm not sure what "harashed" means, but as their 5,000 bail money was reimbursed, there was no extortion.

12 hours of their time

1000 baht "lawyer fee"

no extortion?

[novanova]

1000 baht "lawyer fee"

no extortion?

Yes, no extortion. The 5,000b was returned. Then 1,000b was paid to lawyers who were asked by the players to assist the players.

The lawyers had no connection with the police or with DOPA.

[MaeJoMTB]

I reckon it comes down to who has more stroke & influence--Khunying Chodchoy and her 'Bangkok Bridge Tournament' or the DOPA District Chief...

Whatever...should be interesting how this farce plays out

ChodChoy ........ based in Bangkok

DOPA DC ......... based in Pattaya.

Result will be foreigner guilty.

Local power trumps Out of Town power.

[Rhys]

The only good that can come of this now is that this guy gets demoted when somebody outranking him steps in and orders the powers that be to cut the crap.

ummmh..actually it will be this turkey who becomes a hero for standing up against these serious law breakers as his area continues to reek with drugs, thefts, and killings... this brave PO stands up to the law breakers the scrugg of society... him.. sounds like possible person for the MOE..

[wowfactor10]

Most of them live there.

Yes they may live there now.But i doubt they will living there next year.People have options there are countries in the world where tourists are appreciated instead of harashed and or extorted..

Except if they live here they are not tourists. Most expats have learned to live with the eccentricities and general nonsense of life in Thailand. I'm not sure what "harashed" means, but as their 5,000 bail money was reimbursed, there was no extortion.

12 hours of their time

1000 baht "lawyer fee"

no extortion?

Yes indeed and besides all that they even have their pending court case..

And where is the actual prove that any bail money has been returned?

Its waiting for an official apology with flowers for these elderly farangs!

[harrry]

Personally I think it has been fixed up or planned to be,

Bail should be returned in check form it was returned in cash

1000 baht "Lawyer fee" was retained.

I do not think the cash came from the bail fund.

I think the plan is it all goes to court and the people not there will be fined less than 1000 baht (out of the retained money.)

The official that staked the returned money gets paid the refunded bail.

Fixed and the only loss of face is the foreigners.

[Basil B]

The District Chef seems to be the one who will not let it go...

Is he Elected? Appointed? or did he Inherit the job? does seem to be a sandwich or two short of a full picnic.

[onemorechang]

This face thing in Thailand

can make people look like right Plonkers at times .

[Skeptic7]

Pathetic.A group of pensioners enjoying a game of bridge.

Why don't the police do something more worthwhile with their resources?Such as arresting the real Koh Tao murderer(s).

Yes...or stop and fine every speeding motorbike driver on the crowded sois along beach road. Better yet...stop and fine all the speeding motorbike drivers going the WRONG way on the crowded one-way sois along beach road. This is just another case of extortion of foreigners. Making Pattaya a safer and better place is nowhere on their radar...only easy money shaking down foreigners and bar owners.

[hawker9000]

Personally I think it has been fixed up or planned to be,

Bail should be returned in check form it was returned in cash

1000 baht "Lawyer fee" was retained.

I do not think the cash came from the bail fund.

I think the plan is it all goes to court and the people not there will be fined less than 1000 baht (out of the retained money.)

The official that staked the returned money gets paid the refunded bail.

Fixed and the only loss of face is the foreigners.

Nah. The loss of face is already complete. The clown just wants to keep doubling down. Other institutions in Thailand can dig the hole deeper, but they can't change the cartoonish image already posted prominently on the global billboard. If these other institutions care ANYTHING about their country, they end this farce as quickly as they can. Embassies should be threatening open involvement if the quiet coaxing which I'm sure is going on behind the scenes is unsuccessful.

[Psychic]

In 1961 Bangkok hosted the Asian Far East Bridge Championships (probably after getting an exemption from the law in 1960 as previously stated by the Thai Bridge League).

Thailand has hosted the tournament numerous times since then under various names.

In 2016, a provincial district officer,apparently on his own volition, has decided that there is a possibility that all those tournaments may have been illegal.

Gutsy call!

http://www.hkcba.org/apbf.php

[never me]

Most of them live there.

Yes they may live there now.But i doubt they will living there next year.People have options there are countries in the world where tourists are appreciated instead of harashed and or extorted..

Except if they live here they are not tourists. Most expats have learned to live with the eccentricities and general nonsense of life in Thailand. I'm not sure what "harashed" means, but as their 5,000 bail money was reimbursed, there was no extortion.

there was no extortion.

Give them time its not over yet.

[Rorri]

The District Chef seems to be the one who will not let it go...

Is he Elected? Appointed? or did he Inherit the job? does seem to be a sandwich or two short of a full picnic.

Basil, your comment gives belief that you do not live in Thailand, these positions are "bought" or you have friends/family in higher, powerful positions.

[maoro2013]

A number of restaurants were hit by I believe these same district officials here in Pattaya over the holidays. A rather big fine for selling alcohol in their restaurant between the hours of 2pm and 5pm. Easy money maker for them.

I thought it was only takeaways banned between these hours. You can certainly drink in all pubs and restaurants I have been in Thailand.

[p_brownstone]

A number of restaurants were hit by I believe these same district officials here in Pattaya over the holidays. A rather big fine for selling alcohol in their restaurant between the hours of 2pm and 5pm. Easy money maker for them.

I thought it was only takeaways banned between these hours. You can certainly drink in all pubs and restaurants I have been in Thailand.

It depends on the restaurant - or, perhaps, on the type of Licence they hold?

Certainly Fuji and MK for example will not sell alcohol between 2.00 and 5.00 pm

Patrick

[p_brownstone]

The District Chef seems to be the one who will not let it go...

Is he Elected? Appointed? or did he Inherit the job? does seem to be a sandwich or two short of a full picnic.

Basil, your comment gives belief that you do not live in Thailand, these positions are "bought" or you have friends/family in higher, powerful positions.

Surely this Provincial Official must have several layers of Superiors above him at the National level?

I find it difficult to understand why one of them has not stepped in a called a halt to this nonsense.

Patrick

[Briggsy]

The District Chef seems to be the one who will not let it go...

Is he Elected? Appointed? or did he Inherit the job? does seem to be a sandwich or two short of a full picnic.

He will be a career civil servant (Ministry of Interior). However he would not have risen to his present senior position if he did not have a powerful political patron in Chonburi.