POSTSCRIPT
ROGER CRUTCHLEY
Every now and again in Thailand you get a story that prompts raised eyebrows, usually followed by a deep sigh as it tends to confirm your worst fears. Falling into this category is the case of the pastry lunchbox apparently destined for a judge presiding over an important case. Nothing extraordinary in that of course, except it happened to have two million baht stuffed into it, plus possibly a couple of stale pastries. There was the predictable initial confusion about who had actually delivered the box, which wasn't helped by sudden attack of amnesia by assorted eyewitnesses. For a while it looked as though it could even have been the work of the Invisible Man. Assorted red herrings were floated including a suggestion the whole thing was simply a "joke", although it seemed a rather expensive way to raise a laugh.
It was eventually determined that the delivery man was a lawyer's clerk whose boss is representing an important politician. According to the unnamed fellow, there was nothing underhand about it at all, but simply a "mistake". Now where have we heard that before? He claimed he was carrying two bags and handed over the wrong one. A perfectly reasonable excuse. Could happen to anyone.
However, you get the feeling you wouldn't this like fellow or his boss defending you if he goes around accidentally handing over bags stuffed with millions of baht to the wrong people. So what was he doing with all that cash stuffed in a bag anyway? A shopping expedition perhaps? We know inflation is taking a grip in Thailand, but that's rather a lot of cash to carry around for a trip down the local supermarket.
And where is the evidence? Well, it seems the two million baht was simply handed back to the lawyer's clerk after his unfortunate absent-mindedness.
Will we ever find out what really happened in this case that our friends at the Nation have delightfully dubbed "Pastrygate"? Will someone be sent to jail? Do pigs fly?
No red faces
One of the first things any new Thai government announces is that it will crack down on corruption, news which is usually greeted by stifled yawns. Everyone knows that even if a case is pursued, it is more than likely to end up joining the queue at the Ministry of Sweeping Things Under the Carpet, never to be heard of again. No one ever seems to end up doing "porridge" . At the very worst, an odd inactive post might beckon for someone stupid enough to get caught.
Of course bribery and corruption have been going on all over the world for a very long time. English statesman Francis Bacon, who was in charge of the country's financial affairs for a period in the 17th century, was accused of taking bribes and even spent four days in the dreaded Tower of London.
Writer Edmund Clerihew Bently described the scene in Parliament when Bacon was challenged about his financial misdemeanours:
When their lordships asked Bacon
How many bribes he had taken
He had at least the grace
To go red in the face.
Unfortunately we don't even get to see anyone go red in the face, let alone locked up.
Horse opera
Someone who is never shy to come up with new ideas is the Interior Minister. In the spirit of saving energy and cost cutting, last week he suggested district chiefs should literally turn to horse-power and go to work aboard a gee gee rather than take the car. This is not a bad idea, except that not too many districts chiefs happen to have a horse tied up in the back yard. Also buying and maintaining a horse is not exactly cheap and more likely to add to one's costs than cutting them. One suspects we won't see too many officials saddling up for work and galloping off into the distance. Of course, going to work on a buffalo would be a lot cheaper, but it would take all day to get there.
In the meantime the good minister will no doubt stick to his own form of horse-power - a Bentley.
Get on yer bike
Maybe government ministers should ride bicycles to work to set a good example. But can you see these gentlemen abandoning their limos and riding to Parliament on their pushbikes? No, nor can I.
Maybe it's not such a good idea anyway. What would happen, of course, is that the jams throughout the city would get even worse because they would have to close off the roads to ensure the precious VIPs didn't get knocked off their velocipedes by passing 10-wheel trucks, buses or motorists for whom anyone daft enough to ride a bike in Bangkok is regarded as a valid target.
It could be a money-spinner, though. The general public would happily fork out a few baht to watch senior politicians working up a sweat pedalling furiously to work. Even better, they might see some of them fall off.
Contact PostScript by email at oldcrutch@hotmail.com.
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Next
