In the past 50 years, most countries in South East Asia have had reputations sullied by military dictatorships (Myanmar) and by war (Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia). In comparison, Thailand has long been the darling of the area, attracting backpackers and resort tourists alike. Over 14 million tourists a year are attracted to Thailand by its beaches, cities and temples. This is in spite of almost yearly coups and the ever-present sex trade, which may account for up to 10% of tourist spending in Thailand. However, in Thailand, its not just the ladyboys with a dirty, little secret.
When my wife and I went there for our honeymoon in 2003, the Thai government were in the middle of a purge of suspected drug users and dealers. Suspects were given time to turn themselves in or face punishment. Punishment came in the form of execution, with 600 suspects shot in a two week period. Over 2, 500 suspects were killed in the year. Authorities refused to allow autopsies to be performed on the bodies, with reports that bullets were excised to remove forensic evidence. No international upcry was heard, mainly because the people killed were suspected drug users. A review board found that up to a half of the people killed were not drug dealers or suspects but were killed by security forces because of personal grudges, family feuds and as the result of misidentification. If such actions had happened in Myanmar, the world would be shocked and rightly so. But Thailand and its tourist trade was left largely undamaged by these actions. The Thai government at the time and subsequently have dealt with the matter in a way that has limited any damage to Thailand’s tourist industry. It appears the West doesn’t mind shutting its eyes to such acts as long as the government involved is a Western style democracy and isn’t a militay junta or a pseudo-Communist regime.
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