Martial law to stay in Thailand indefinitely

[TotallyOz]

Thailand's martial law will not be lifted for the foreseeable future, the justice minister said on Friday, despite an earlier pledge to lift the law in some provinces to help the tourism industry which has struggled since a military coup in May.

The announcement comes as Thailand prepares to enter its peak tourism season, over the Christmas and New Year period.
The tourism sector accounts for nearly 10 percent of GDP.

Thailand expects around 25 million tourists this year, down a million from 2013, the government said this month, thanks in part to protests in Bangkok that kept many visitors away.

The army imposed martial law nationwide in May, days before it took power in a coup that it said was necessary to end months of street demonstrations aimed at ousting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/21/us-thailand-politics-martial-law-idUSKCN0J508H20141121

 

Not really a surprise to anyone is it?

[Alexx]

I agree, not really a surprise. Maybe if it really bothered more people and actually kept them scared away, things would be different. But to most visitors, it seems like the curfew was much more worrisome than martial law is. Unless court martials will be held for tourists committing crimes here (which is possible/legal, but extremely unlikely considering the potential fallout), that probably won't change.

[vinapu]

Martial  law will end not when tourists get tired of it but when local population has enough of it

[Up2u]

Martial  law will end not when tourists get tired of it but when local population has enough of it

The local population can not say enough is enough, that is purpose of martial law.

If you can see the Hunger Games in Thailand be careful how you use your fingers.

 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/world/asia/thailand-protesters-hunger-games-salute.html?referrer=

[Guest]

Perhaps Thailand needs to firstly learn how to make democracy work properly without all the corruption and disruptive non-peaceful protests. 

 

Anyway, that's for the Thai people to work out & it's none of my business.

 

From a tourist perspective, I'm more concerned about their arbitrary restrictions (e.g. requiring MALE gogo dancers to wear trousers in Bangkok, as has been reported on Gaybuttonthai).

[Alexx]

If you can see the Hunger Games in Thailand be careful how you use your fingers.

 

Come on, in most theaters you can simply watch this movie and nobody will do anything more than just watching it. You almost make it sound as if it's banned almost everywhere (in fact I've only read about a single screening that was canceled, because of a "suspicious reservation" by a group of students) and as if moviegoers routinely flash the three-finger "mockingjay" salute when watching it.

 

I watched it on opening day in Bangkok and it was completely eventless, except for the action on the screen of course. In other words, a country of wannabe revolutionaries this Kingdom is not.

[vinapu]

 

From a tourist perspective, I'm more concerned about their arbitrary restrictions (e.g. requiring MALE gogo dancers to wear trousers in Bangkok, as has been reported on Gaybuttonthai).

Over years we had so many complains   on various boards of how boring and unsexy  sex shows are and  how boys are just knee shuffling instead of dancing so now junta decided to teach us lesson by showing bars and shows can be even more boring and unsexy.

I wouldn't be surprised if this  move will result in actually bar being better patronized than before as half dressed go-go boys are still much better then fully dressed ones.

 

Actually I think partially dressed boys are more sexy that stark naked although I prefer still old type boring variety with dental floss in place of underwear.

 

Personally hope in few weeks all will be back  to old norm but we will see. Hope springs eternal.  

[Up2u]

Come on, in most theaters you can simply watch this movie and nobody will do anything more than just watching it. You almost make it sound as if it's banned almost everywhere (in fact I've only read about a single screening that was canceled, because of a "suspicious reservation" by a group of students) and as if moviegoers routinely flash the three-finger "mockingjay" salute when watching it.

 

I watched it on opening day in Bangkok and it was completely eventless, except for the action on the screen of course. In other words, a country of wannabe revolutionaries this Kingdom is not.

My point being the country is still under martial law (not by choice). A foreigner should exercise caution and I certainly wouldn't be using the 3-finger salute (just the one finger). Many countries travel policies have an exclusion on coverage in countries with martial law (Thailand). The Hunger Games was canceled in several theaters and Thais arrested, detained for using the salute upon viewing the movie. Arrests were made for passing out free tickets.

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/444665/three-finger-fallout-continues

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0J417520141120?irpc=932

[ChristianPFC]

I was not even aware that there is still martial law in force.

 

Current ban of boys in underwear in Soi Twilight gogo bars has a far greater impact on my life.

[Up2u]

I was not even aware that there is still martial law in force.

 

Current ban of boys in underwear in Soi Twilight gogo bars has a far greater impact on my life.

Spoken like a true sex tourist and there's nothing wrong with that.

[vinapu]

Christian is not sex tourist , he is sex local guy

[Alexx]

Christian is not sex tourist , he is sex local guy

 

You mean he's a sexpat?

[Guest]

I was not even aware that there is still martial law in force.

 

Current ban of boys in underwear in Soi Twilight gogo bars has a far greater impact on my life.

Of course the martial law might just be behind the clampdown on the gogo bars?

[vinapu]

You mean he's a sexpat?

Yes,  but only partially,

 

He is also  great travel reporter - with great knack of finding interesting , out of way places

[Up2u]

From TIME, martial law to continue, no elections till 2016.

 

http://time.com/3608619/thailand-military-sommai-phasee-pongpat-chayapan/

[NIrishGuy]

You mean he's a sexpat?

Noi I as believe that Christian has said that he does so far intend to return to Europe again at some point in the future then I think think sex tourist might be the correct definition still after all  - he's just a VERY "long time" sex tourist and not a short time one :-) 

[Up2u]

Be very careful what you say or what you post. Use a vpn.

 

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/452954/isps-ordered-to-censor-content

[bkkguy]

I suppose it depends on who you are most worried about

 

VPN traffic repositories used by NSA to find keys, crack encryption of target traffic

 

bkkguy

[Guest frequentflier]

they must be afraid of someone.