Yet another country to totally ban firearms ....

[Bruce in West Oz]

Owners get 60 days to give up arms

Failure punishable by up to 10 years in jail

Apiradee Treerutkuarkul

Owners of illegal firearms will have 60 days to surrender their weapons without facing legal action, a House extraordinary committee scrutinising a gun control bill said yesterday.

The panel has approved the government-sponsored bill giving a 60-day amnesty to people who agree to return illegal weapons and fireworks to the state, said panel chairman Gen Rattana Chalermsanyakorn.

Failure to hand over illegal weapons within the 60-day period is an offence punishable by a 10-year jail term and a 20,000-baht fine under the bill, which has already passed its first reading in the lower house.

The panel has already tabled the bill for parliament approval. It would be treated as an urgent bill to be processed within this month as it was considered crucial to the government's crackdown on drugs and dark influence, said Gen Rattana.

He denied any link between the push for the bill's passage and the government's policy to ban sales and possession of firearms within six years.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Sep2003_news10.html

 

[Mark Tyson]

You think the thugs who run Bangkok at night are going to turn in their guns? You think the drug lords in the northwest Golden Triangle area are going to either?

 

[OF]

With every country that goes down the toilet and disarms their citizens it becomes more and more vital that we preserve the freedom we have here.

The 2nd Amendment is the most single important sentance ever written in the history of mankind. It should be treated as such.

- Gabe

 

[mercedesrules]

It would be treated as an urgent bill to be processed within this month as it was considered crucial to the government's crackdown on drugs and dark influence, said Gen Rattana.

Also, we must recognize that the war on drugs will be the path to our loss of gun rights. We must oppose it immediately, entirely and forever.

Just a few days ago, "Patriot Two"-type legislation was justified by saying that we already allow the same thing for drug enforcement.

And, what the heck is "dark influence"?

MR

 

[Art Eatman]

merc, "dark influence" means disagreeing with the Ruling Elite. Arguing against the righteousness of TPTB. Not believing that those wise and wonderful folks inside the Beltway know better than do you as to what's best for you.

Got it?

, Art

 

[Standing Wolf]

I wonder whether Thailand has banned child prostitution yet.

 

[makarov1]

Over in Thailand. Prostitution.....Good! Guns........Bad!

Here in the U.S. Abortion, pornography.......Good! Guns......Bad!


I know I run the risk of oversimplification here, but then again, the liberal mind is not too complicated, no matter what part of the world you're in.

 

[Blueduck]

Also, we must recognize that the war on drugs will be the path to our loss of gun rights. We must oppose it immediately, entirely and forever.

Must disagree. Assisting a larger portion of the population to become crack and meth heads will only reduce rights for those of us who choose to live reponsibly.

Nearly all rules, laws, regulations and "liability issues" are already aimed at the very lowest possibly denominator. No point in lowering the bar IMHO.

 

[TallPine]

"dark influence" ... I'm sure Ashcroft will be jumping on that one shortly

 

[CWL]

Yet another country to totally ban firearms...

Has everyone failed to read the oft-repeated wording "illegal guns" in this article?

It is legal to purchase, own and (sometimes) carry firearms in Thailand. You can browse gun shops in Thailand, they are family owned. I have been lent firearms while visiting border areas.

Unfortunately, Thailand also happens to be a major arms-trafficing and drug-trafficing country. Thailand is the major source of illicit weapons to neighboring countries, supplying firearms, military weapons and munitions for decades. From strongmen like Myanmar to drug trafficers to rebel/terrorist groups, private armies and warlords. It is well-known and often reported how corrupt military commanders and regional governors/bureacrats are involved in these acts.

Total banning hasn't happened yet. Probably never will.

 

[sandy4570]

The new law will only permit two gun for each person -one long gun and one handgun only and they have to have permitt and registration.Of course if a person profession is

 

[makarov1]

No doubt that Thailand is the most democratic country in the entire region. However, once the leftists take over (to the extent that they have in the PRK, PRM, Ill-Annoy, etc.), the Thai criminal element will quickly gain the upper hand and have more of an influence in the everyday lives of ordinary Thai citizens. Thai criminals are very well armed, very well financed, and very well connected to Thai govt. officials. Thai tax collections and other govt. revenue can't hold a candle to the money that drug traffikers in the region make in profits.

I've traveled throughout the region(Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) extensively and there is something about that region that breeds sheeple.
It must be the SouthEast Asian mindset, but the region has had numerous terrible regimes that were devoted to anti-freedom ideologies. The people followed them as if they were in a trance. Only when the people were disarmed did they realize it was too late to fight. War is a dirty, tough business, and if the sheeple didn't want to get their hands dirty, then they were partly responsible for their miserable plight. Collectivism was and still is a flaw in asian thinking, and Southeast Asians have paid a terrible price throughout history by not placing any value on individual liberty.

 

[feedthehogs]

Turn in the fireworks?

There goes the new year!

 

[c_yeager]

Owners of illegal firearms will have 60 days to surrender their weapons without facing legal action,

Uh guys, it seems to me that no MORE guns were made illegal with this law. In fact the way i read it all it does is provide an AMNESTY to people who turn in ther ALREADY ILLEGAL weapons. So, in other words it is in effect SUSPENDING the penalty for possesing an illegal weapon if you turn it in. Now i realize that this isnt exactly great but it is a heck of a long way from "a total ban on firearms."

 

[Bruce in West Oz]

Maybe comprehension is my strong suit, but doesn't THIS:

... government's policy to ban sales and possession of firearms within six years.

indicate a TOTAL ban?

 

[telomerase]

>Assisting a larger portion of the population to become crack and meth heads will only reduce rights for those of us who choose to live reponsibly.

Blueduck, are you going to run out and buy some crack if Drug Prohibition ends? For that matter, is there anything stopping you from doing it right now? No and no, of course. But there is something stopping you from buying a cancer cure: FDA restrictions that make drugs cost 800 million to get through development:

http://freedom.orlingrabbe.com/lfetimes/federal_data_proposal.htm

Would George Washington or Thomas Jefferson let Congress tell them what drugs they were "allowed" to have? What treatments that their terminally ill relatives could use? No, because they were men, not sheep.

Either you own your bloodstream or the politicians do. Which is it?

 

[Mark Tyson]

Are you saying that the 'southeast Asian mindset' is to mindlessly follow their leaders into tyranny? Have you ever met any Montangards?

 

[telomerase]

I know a few Hmong, a few Chinese-ethnic boat people (my uncle took them in for six months while they got jobs), and there's a Khmer family that run the nearest convenience store in rural Ellis county.

None of these people are as mindlessly domesticated as the average American.

BTW, it is probably not a good idea for us to be too hard on Third Worlders for not overthrowing their bad governments, since it's our taxes that pay for their dictators:

http://freedom.orlingrabbe.com/lfetimes/dependent_dictators.htm

 

[makarov1]

Ethnic groups such as the Montangards in the hill country and the Okinawans in the Ryu Kyu Islands have several things in common. One, the were singled out by an oppressive central government and treated very poorly. Secondly, they were, and no doubt still are, small in stature but incredibly tough, skilled fighters. Thirdly, they had a "Dont tread on me" mindset, which is rare in the region.

This part makes me angry, but somewhere in the neighborhood of a million young Vietnamese men died in battle fighting for a communist Vietnam. These young men gave the ultimate sacrifice for............absolutely nothing. THEY DIED FOR NOTHING. Were a million young men duped? You bet they were. "Collective thinking" , "Agreement by consensus", or whatever you want to call it, if people in the region don't learn to think independently of one another, they will be led to their deaths again via the nationalist propaganda of some other horrible regime.

Perhaps I should have softened my statement about the regional minset somewhat, but this propensity to assimilate contributes to the problems that already exist in the region. Given SE Asia's history, any attempt at even PROPOSING Gun Control legislation should be met not with mere suspicion, but with outrage.

 

[mercedesrules]

(telomerase) Blueduck, are you going to run out and buy some crack if Drug Prohibition ends? For that matter, is there anything stopping you from doing it right now? No and no, of course. But there is something stopping you from buying a cancer cure: FDA restrictions that make drugs cost 800 million to get through development:

http://freedom.orlingrabbe.com/lfet...ta_proposal.htm

Would George Washington or Thomas Jefferson let Congress tell them what drugs they were "allowed" to have? What treatments that their terminally ill relatives could use? No, because they were men, not sheep.

Either you own your bloodstream or the politicians do. Which is it?

Good post, telo!

 

[NIGHTWATCH]

What nations are still free? Still have an armed citizenry?

 

[Blueduck]

Been through the druggie/RKBA debate thing waaaay to many times. Their veins, my wallet. *edited per jimpeel *

We live in society that if you sit on your behind doing nothing all day then "caring" government people will focibly remove money from MY pockets to pay for your sorry butt.

95% of cocain/meth/opiate addicts cannot succesfully make a living within our society. Even if given free drugs they will still rob and steal to obtain income for food/housing etc.. If an addict wants drugs but has no money it's not a problem. Dealer gives them 3 hits, they take one and sell two taking the money back to the main dealer. Folks under my supervision do it all the time so the arguement that legalizing drugs will "reduce" crime is totally lame to anybody actually dealing with these folks. BTW 95% of these people will screw over thier spouse, parents,even children but very rarely there dealer.

The idea that turning something from a felony to a "freedom of the people" reducing the problem is just as silly. Nope I'm not gonna start using crack if you legalize it, but certainly there are more than just a few folks (mostly young) "on the fence" who avoid experimentation because of fear of punishment.

*Maybe* if we create a perfectly libertarian society we could even debate drug legalization, but even then your gonna have to deal with the issue of what to do with all the little addled children users create ( I worked on this side of the fence too). Suppose we could just line up the crack babies to die on the sidewalk, or once again dig into my wallet to pay for somebody elses thrills

Anyway once peoples minds are made up they tend to ignore the facts unless faced with them in person. I suggest all the RKBA/Legalize Drugs folks head to a NORML rally. Get right in the middle of the group, first look just look around, then start talking politics. You will soon find what a pile of societal excrement you've managed to align yourself with..

PS This IS my carring and compasionate version of the problem

 

[telomerase]

>We live in society that if you sit on your behind doing nothing all day then "caring" government people will focibly remove money from MY pockets to pay for your sorry butt.

Can't argue with you there. But if you think giving this "caring" government more power over you will solve the problem, then I reserve the right to be skeptical.

 

[Blueduck]

Can't argue with you over the power issues either telomerase. But at least now heavy drug use is considered an unacceptable and illegal, so at least *most* of the laws only affect you if you choose to use. I see no reason to align the RKBA along with groups that seek to reverse this. I think if legalized the government would just start treating everyone with the same rules set up for the most pathetic strung out heroin addict you can imagine. More government interference in our lives not less.

People complain about safety locks on revolvers, can you imagine the gun they would design for a "Perfectly law abiding crack head, who has every right to protect his property just like you and me". Like I said most laws, rules, regulations and "liability issues" are determined by the lowest common denominator. Lowering the bar ain't the answer IMHO.

I see firearms ownership as a statement of personal responsibility, from my experience I see drug use as the complete and utter opposite. Sorry to sound gruff about, but I have no patience or sympathy for the losers who cower from life with drugs and leave the rest of us to pick up the pieces and pay the bill- because it's "thier right..".

 

[telomerase]

>Sorry to sound gruff about, but I have no patience or sympathy for the losers who cower from life with drugs

How about anti-cancer drugs? Anti-aging drugs? I'd like to do a bit of cowering, if you don't mind; and the FDA is standing directly in my way.

How do you feel about alcohol, tobacco, and Prozac users? What about TV? Cowboy Action Shooting? There are many activities that you could ban as "escapes from real life".

I've never used any recreational drugs (turns out I should have been using red wine for the resveratrol, but that's another discussion). This isn't any sort of personal issue. It's a principle: either you own your bloodstream or you don't. When you give up the right to own yourself, what's left? How can you justify any other personal rights?

The first gun control law in the US was passed using the excuse of "gangsters" who profited from the first Prohibition. Today's gun control is often justified using the second (extra-Constitutional) Prohibition.

And if you look back even farther in history, you'll see that the US had no Federal drug laws whatsoever until 1918. And since cocaine and opiates were legal, there were no Latin American or Asian terrorist groups profiting from the trade. There was no huge wave of drug-related crime, because the drugs were cheap. Many well-known people used these drugs and held down responsible jobs (of course, the drugs were better labeled and more regular in dosage).

I hope you don't think me hypocritical for not spending much time at NORML rallies But at least the NORML folks are trying to free themselves, not enslave you.