Lack of enforcement is the problem, not over-regulation
Re: “Western controlling mindset is spreading like cancer,” Letters January 12.
Is it right, as John Arnone suggests, to blame Westerners for Thailand’s increasing bureaucratic regulation? For starters, I would have thought that Thai officials don’t take any notice of what Westerners think unless they have real clout, such as the ability to stop Thai prawn imports to the European Union or to punish human trafficking with trade sanctions.
Moreover, many so-called new laws have antecedents that date back decades. Prostitution in Thailand has been illegal since the Entertainments Venue Act of 1960, although you’d never know it. Drunk driving has always been illegal. What is different now is that technology has enabled quick roadside tests. All societies update their laws on an ongoing basis.
As John hints, the real problem for Thailand is a lack of enforcement. But this is a common problem throughout Asia. China executes officials found guilty of corruption. Cambodia has a judicial system which is, to be polite, partisan. Indonesia scores worse than Thailand in many international league rankings for bribery.
With the formal launch of the Asean Economic Community last month, we can expect over time to see more and more petty regulations on economic and social issues in the 10 member states. That is the nature of cartels. But the process will have nothing to do with Westerners wanting to change Thailand.
Barry Kenyon
