Here's the response

Had a couple of afternoons out with friends having a few beers in central Pattaya and Jomtien on Wednesday and Friday. I actually thought it was how I hoped it would be, the absence of music and generally loud behaviour led to a much more enjoyable experience. For those of us that live here all the time a common view seems to be " wish it was like this all the time ". My biggest concern was always that there would be lots of instances of foreigners behaving badly or insensitively which would inevitably receive big coverage on social media and be used to whip up a bit of nationalistic fervour, but so far so good. With a bit of luck the extreme party animals/excessive drunks who appear in high season may decide to alter there plans and go elsewhere. Tourist town perspective only.

CowshedCowboyRedux wrote:Had a couple of afternoons out with friends having a few beers in central Pattaya and Jomtien on Wednesday and Friday. I actually thought it was how I hoped it would be, the absence of music and generally loud behaviour led to a much more enjoyable experience. For those of us that live here all the time a common view seems to be " wish it was like this all the time ". My biggest concern was always that there would be lots of instances of foreigners behaving badly or insensitively which would inevitably receive big coverage on social media and be used to whip up a bit of nationalistic fervour, but so far so good. With a bit of luck the extreme party animals/excessive drunks who appear in high season may decide to alter there plans and go elsewhere. Tourist town perspective only.

The Thai authorities are pursuing 19 cases of lese-majeste committed abroad in 7 different countries. Who needs satire when reality will do ?

Jamie_Lambo wrote:

CowshedCowboyRedux wrote:Had a couple of afternoons out with friends having a few beers in central Pattaya and Jomtien on Wednesday and Friday. I actually thought it was how I hoped it would be, the absence of music and generally loud behaviour led to a much more enjoyable experience. For those of us that live here all the time a common view seems to be " wish it was like this all the time ". My biggest concern was always that there would be lots of instances of foreigners behaving badly or insensitively which would inevitably receive big coverage on social media and be used to whip up a bit of nationalistic fervour, but so far so good. With a bit of luck the extreme party animals/excessive drunks who appear in high season may decide to alter there plans and go elsewhere. Tourist town perspective only.

I was out in New Plaza last evening. I'm of two minds. The karaoke style parties, with ear-splitting sound systems and dreadful singing, are gone. Hallelujah! I could hear the blokes and bar girls talking. Not always a good thing, but maybe just a slightly better thing. But bars in virtual darkness, no music at all, and the care one must take in choosing discussion subjects were off-putting. The black and grey nightlife must go on for another 3 weeks. What kind of dismays me most is that from here on in, in Thailand, we have to walk on tippy toes for fear of being caught discussing politics, even if the subject is some other nation's issues, which might be mistakenly overheard and misinterpreted. Yes, I'm that paranoid after watching Thais viciously attack Thais in various locations.

ExPenhMan wrote:

Jamie_Lambo wrote:

CowshedCowboyRedux wrote:Had a couple of afternoons out with friends having a few beers in central Pattaya and Jomtien on Wednesday and Friday. I actually thought it was how I hoped it would be, the absence of music and generally loud behaviour led to a much more enjoyable experience. For those of us that live here all the time a common view seems to be " wish it was like this all the time ". My biggest concern was always that there would be lots of instances of foreigners behaving badly or insensitively which would inevitably receive big coverage on social media and be used to whip up a bit of nationalistic fervour, but so far so good. With a bit of luck the extreme party animals/excessive drunks who appear in high season may decide to alter there plans and go elsewhere. Tourist town perspective only.

I was out in New Plaza last evening. I'm of two minds. The karaoke style parties, with ear-splitting sound systems and dreadful singing, are gone. Hallelujah! I could hear the blokes and bar girls talking. Not always a good thing, but maybe just a slightly better thing. But bars in virtual darkness, no music at all, and the care one must take in choosing discussion subjects were off-putting. The black and grey nightlife must go on for another 3 weeks. What kind of dismays me most is that from here on in, in Thailand, we have to walk on tippy toes for fear of being caught discussing politics, even if the subject is some other nation's issues, which might be mistakenly overheard and misinterpreted. Yes, I'm that paranoid after watching Thais viciously attack Thais in various locations.

yeah ive seen many pictures of the current dark scenes, be interesting to see if it progressively picks back up again, or if it just happens over night...

Thai junta says Google removing content with royal insults

Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong said he met with Google representatives in Bangkok on Friday. Google affirmed in the meeting that it would continue to help the government remove content from YouTube, a Google subsidiary, that it deemed offensive, he said.

"If any website is inappropriate they said to get in touch with them and inform them of the URL and the time the content was found," Prajin told reporters.

That conforms with Google's practice around the world, Alphbet Inc's Google says...

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asi ... 26984.html

Thai man arrested after threatening to shoot ‘bad mourners.’

Police on Friday detained a motorist who had threatened to kill anyone defaming the late King in a video online and said weapons-related charges could be filed against him.

Suchaet Muangsamut was arrested at his home in the Mahachai district of Samut Sakhon province at about 8am, according to Lt. Col. Pongsiri Kengnok, two days after he claimed to be looking for someone defaming the king to shoot.

http://pattayaone.news/en/thai-man-arre ... -mourners/

talk about trying to 'spin' something.

Pongsiri, deputy chief of Samut Sakhon city police, said Suchaet admitted to filming the 12-minute video showing him drive around with a portrait of the late King in his backseat and two handguns on the seat next to him, threatening to kill anyone he found insulting the late King.

“He had no intention to threaten anyone,” Pongsiri said, adding that the threats made in the video were not explicit enough to warrant prosecution.

never fails to impress what they'll say.

cheers


Bertros

Article looking at the psychology of Thai grief:


A mob kicks a man to the ground and forces him to apologize to a portrait of King Bhumibol on Tuesday in Chonburi, at left. At right, a woman cries 14 October at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Psychologist Adipat Chaichanasakul says society is going through a collective grief process in which some have expressed anger as a means of regaining a sense of control.

Outbursts of Anger Part of National Grieving Process, Psychologists Say
BANGKOK — Rash acts of violence and vigilante witch-hunting unfolding in the streets since His Majesty the Late King’s death is part of the collective grief process the nation is going through, a psychologist said.

Anger is a phase of grieving that is being expressed through such acts in an attempt to control how others grieve, said Adipat Chaichanasakul, a psychologist at BNH Hospital.

“The desire to control others – such as what color they’re wearing – can make some people feel like they are regaining control,” Adipat said.

He was speaking about the rash of attacks involving alleged royal insults and shaming of people for not wearing black in public that have occurred in the week since King Bhumibol died...

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/heal ... gists-say/