News Forum - Phuket power play: Deputy PM aims to dismantle influential figures

[Thaiger]

A campaign to dismantle the influence of Thai and foreign powerful figures in Phuket has been launched by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul. The initiative was announced before an assembly of 550 officers yesterday at the Phuket Provincial Police Station, aiming to disrupt any criminal networks promoted by said figures. … …

The story Phuket power play: Deputy PM aims to dismantle influential figures as seen on Thaiger News.

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[cowslip]

Isn't "influential figures" the Thai euphemism for mafia?

[ChrisS]

4 hours ago, cowslip said:

Isn't "influential figures" the Thai euphemism for mafia?

Yep

5 hours ago, Thaiger said:

A campaign to dismantle the influence of Thai and foreign powerful figures in Phuket has been launched by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnviraku

Or should that say 'a campaign to get the mafia to pay up to make this investigation go away' I really wish any campaign to sort out the foreign and Thai mafia operating in Thailand the best of luck but suspect the corruption goes too far up the chain for any meaningful achievement. I am sure a few 'foot soldiers' will be sarificed before it is business as usual.

[cowslip]

1 hour ago, ChrisS said:

Yep

Or should that say 'a campaign to get the mafia to pay up to make this investigation go away' I really wish any campaign to sort out the foreign and Thai mafia operating in Thailand the best of luck but suspect the corruption goes too far up the chain for any meaningful achievement. I am sure a few 'foot soldiers' will be sarificed before it is business as usual.

THe fact they use the word "influence" is an admission of how far into a government they penetrate - so any action is likely to be minimal

[Fanta]

And the British ambassador’s visit to Phuket was purely coincidental. 

[Vigo]

7 hours ago, Fanta said:

And the British ambassador’s visit to Phuket was purely coincidental. 

Probably. It's been a bad year for British tourists in Phuket. The number of disruptive incidents involving British nationals seems to be increasing. Over the last few months alone, we have reports of Brits nabbed for drug dealing, working without visas, vandalism, drunk and disorderly and the usual fighting.  It must be embarrassing for the Ambassador to have to go and defend his citizens under such circumstances.

[Khunmark]

I can’t help it but wonder, if this has something to do with the recent revelations that the only people profiting from the legalisation of cannabis are foreigners (particularly so in the south). Prime minister Sretha has announced that he will roll back the very reforms which Anutin drove. 
 

Anutin is looking for scapegoats in what has been a fiasco of his making. 

[MrStretch]

37 minutes ago, Khunmark said:

I can’t help it but wonder, if this has something to do with the recent revelations that the only people profiting from the legalisation of cannabis are foreigners (particularly so in the south). Prime minister Sretha has announced that he will roll back the very reforms which Anutin drove. 
 

Anutin is looking for scapegoats in what has been a fiasco of his making. 

I'm always up for learning more, so where does this claim come from?  First I've ever heard that foreigners were the ones profiting the most.

Where I live in the South, all the shops are owned and operated by Thais, to the best of my knowledge.

I've just spent the last half hour reading various reports from statistical and economic websites and nary a one mentioned any benefit to foreigners profiting from the industry, though plenty of information on the increased economic benefit to those Thai farmers that produce hemp and hemp seed, the benefits; economically and medically of medical marijuana usage and the number of government hospitals and licensed clinics that offer treatment.

[Khunmark]

There was an article in the BKK post discussing it. It seems to include supply lines as well. The whole policy  has been implemented sans a cannabis act, which has translated into a free for all, from growing to distribution.

[Khunmark]

6 hours ago, MrStretch said:

I'm always up for learning more, so where does this claim come from?  First I've ever heard that foreigners were the ones profiting the most.

Where I live in the South, all the shops are owned and operated by Thais, to the best of my knowledge.

I've just spent the last half hour reading various reports from statistical and economic websites and nary a one mentioned any benefit to foreigners profiting from the industry, though plenty of information on the increased economic benefit to those Thai farmers that produce hemp and hemp seed, the benefits; economically and medically of medical marijuana usage and the number of government hospitals and licensed clinics that offer treatment.

The full article is here;

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3262158/thailands-blunt-reversal-legal-weed-leaves-local-entrepreneurs-loss%23

[cowslip]

8 hours ago, Khunmark said:

I can’t help it but wonder, if this has something to do with the recent revelations that the only people profiting from the legalisation of cannabis are foreigners (particularly so in the south). Prime minister Sretha has announced that he will roll back the very reforms which Anutin drove. 
 

Anutin is looking for scapegoats in what has been a fiasco of his making. 

THose who want to turn back the legislation are looking for /cherrypicking reasons to do this - there really is no real reason.

However those who want to keep it legal will say that the only negative effects are foreigners.

THe lack of control of course has allowe a lot of people without visas and WPs go get in on the act even though they are blantatly outside the laws.

[cowslip]

the government's conservatism is outlined by their attitudes to cannabis that are archaic. Firstly they can't let go of the old ideas of "reefer madness" and than they cling to the ideas of medicinal cannabis that are largely quackery rooted in ancient TCM. It's the medicinal use that should b closely regulated not the recreational

[Ramanathan.P]

They will do every somersaults to secure their position...