Article

2009-01-11 Southeast Asia

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2009-01-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 This article is mostly bullshit. The elections are not national/provincial - the election is only in Bangkok, and it is for the Bangkok Governor (effectively, the Mayor - but Bangkok is classified as its own state). This election is to pick a new Bangkok Governor, to replace the one who resigned last December, amid corruption charges (taking kickbacks on procurement of fire trucks).

For at least the nine years that I have lived in Thailand, they have always banned alcohol sales the day prior to voting day, and on voting day. The ban is not generally enforced for restaurants - and enforcement this weekend was pretty lax in the ex-pat bar areas.

I also think that the Thai Police have always been at full strength on election days - simply to keep order at polling places. Yesterday was also "Children's Day" in Thailand - and it was for nationwide events in support of that holiday that extra police were dispatched around the country - mainly to control traffic at special events.

So - this "Thailand Ramps Up Security" article is pretty much making news out of nothing..

Posted by Lone Ranger 2009-01-11 00:24|| 2009-01-11 00:24|| Front Page Top

#2 Like my dad taught me when I was a young boy: newspapers sell words, not news.

Even if nothing happens, they still have a certain number of pages to fill!

Posted by Scooter McGruder 2009-01-11 02:52|| 2009-01-11 02:52|| Front Page Top

23:42 crosspatch
22:52 Barbara Skolaut
22:34 JosephMendiola
22:32 JosephMendiola
22:28 JosephMendiola
22:27 hammerhead
22:26 Anguper Hupomosing9418
22:26 whatadeal
22:26 JosephMendiola
22:23 Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division
22:20 JosephMendiola
22:19 CrazyFool
22:15 Procopius2k
22:14 CrazyFool
22:07 Alaska Paul
21:56 Hupuque Squank8288
21:51 ed
21:38 bigjim-ky
21:35 Tommy Chong
21:15 Deacon Blues
21:01 Mike N.
21:00 Hupuque Squank8288
21:00 lotp
20:41 Besoeker