crime & censorship

There's a difference between crime & punishment in Thailand and the US. The arrest of criminals is different.

Here, in Thailand, they show faces of suspects and criminals. Police sometimes make them explain their behavior to try to make an example out of them. They also show corpses in newspapers. (See Thai Rath.) It's all about grabbing readership and shock value. Other big news include celebrities misconducts (no unique in Thai, but celebs who pose nude or take part in porn are big stories).

Not like US where suspects are innocent until proven guilty, and privacy laws and suspect's rights rule. I can't say anymore than that because, well, I can't read Thai.

One puzzling thing. Thailand leans on the conservative side, so depictions of sex or even kissing are usually not shown on TV. Ever. Recently, smoking, drinking, and violence on TV (series, soap operas etc...) are also censored. If an actor/actress smokes, holds a knife, sips alcohol, these acts are "fuzzed out." I predict even more censorship is to come.

Huh. Newspapers are allowed to be explicit, but TV dramas are not.

Plus, I don't really know how much of the government's censorship (which I'm sure is their attempt at curbing the Thai people's behavior) campaign is working. I don't think Thais pay attention to the message at all. Not at all.

Random snippets:
-- I watched Jeepers Creepers, dubbed in Thai. So the guy dies in the end? Jeepers Creepers used that guy for his skin? Is there a sequel out there? I bet there is. My reaction: Must go to IMDB to get more info.
-- Being here, you get to see all sorts of characters and situations. There are plenty of crazy people, bees, mosquitoes, dogs, cats, goats etc... here.
-- I killed or rather injured/mimed two bees. I think I'm even.