​Photo by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels

Arecent court order which required Michelin-star restaurant in Bangkok to make a number of changes in its operations following a neighbor’s complaint is a strong message to commercial establishments that locate in residential areas, as well to local district officials who grant the operating licenses.

The neighbor sued the top-rated restaurant, complaining about late night smoking and noise and smells from its kitchen exhaust. The neighbor agreed to withdraw the suit after the restaurant owners consented to six conditions in a court-supervised compromise.

They included, moving its exhaust system away from the house by extending it by 10 meters, and properly maintaining exhaust filters, refraining from taking kitchen order after 10pm, turning off all outside lights and moving all customer cars from a parking area adjacent to the house by 11pm.

The Court said violation of any one of the conditions would be considered a violation of its order, and that it could lead to confiscation of property, jail term and fine. The neighbor could resume legal action to seek remedy in the court.

The Court order should make local districts more vigilant in issuing permits to commercial establishments that want to locate in residential areas. Noise, congestion and pollution problems are on the rise in metropolitan areas, and they risk public health particularly in communities densely populated with homes.

Most victims quietly endure the nuisance, or find themselves helpless after complaining to local authorities. Some victims have taken the matter into their own hands against their perpetrators.

There is the famous – or the infamous – case of axe-wielding ‘aunties’ who smashed a pickup truck that had blocked her driveway. She had complained to the authorities for years about the illegally constructed markets which had overrun her residential village and caused noise and congestion.

It wasn’t wise for the two elderly sisters to resort to such a recourse, as they were fined and given a suspended prison sentence for their act. But they also won much public sympathy, and a court case against the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Prawet district for a court-ordered demolition of the illegal markets. The Court also found that local authorities were negligent in performing their duties.

FROM THE YEAR 2005
 
After being ‘absent’ for some time, well-known crime-buster Police General Sereepisut Taemeeyaves takes up where he left off to clean up Thailand.

Police General Sereepisut Taemeeyaves, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, is once again making headlines, both in the local media and international press.
 
The officer is not out for publicity, however. He is on a crusade against the mafia who extort money, threaten people and inflict huge financial losses to the government in order to put millions of baht into their own pockets. His campaign against the Thai mafia has already resulted in the apprehension of many suspects, some of them government servants and even “men in uniform.”
 
One of his staff members confided that his crusade against criminals – “whoever and wherever they are” – had come to a halt a few years ago for reasons that no one in his office really wanted to talk about. Pol Gen Sereepisut himself said: “If your superiors don’t give you any important assignment, how can you show your ability?”
 
His office, located at the Royal Thai Police headquarters, is in a state of controlled chaos, with officials working at all hours while ordinary citizens come to express their grievances and ask for help.
 
His small private corner is decorated with no fancy furniture, only the cabinets for the files and documents needed to keep him up to date on a large number of investigations.
 
“I have been in the police force for many years,” said one of the policemen in his office, “but working here is the most active. My boss doesn’t allow much rest. We have to work around the clock. His comeback will definitely benefit our country. He is the worst nightmare for the mafia, and with three years before his retirement, they should brace for more troubles.”
 
Pol Gen Sereepisut admitted that he is facing an acute shortage of personnel, equipment and other resources. “I need more support from my superiors. For example, I need them to provide me with official vehicles. My staff and myself must arrange our own transportation. I have to ‘borrow’ policemen from other departments, which is not always easy. With more staff, equipment and budget, we could perform our assignments more efficiently,” he said modestly. 

Crackdown on extortion
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Pol Gen Sereepisut’s most well-known case is probably the break-up of the gang that was extorting money from hundreds of street vendors at the Bo Bae garment market in Bangkok.
 
Pol Gen Sereepisut is also chairman of the Committee Against Roadside Mafia, whose objective is to eradicate the mafia’s activities and overhaul the system at Bo Bae.
 
He said that extortion had been going on at the market for a long time and that some government officials were involved. This contributed to the perception that they could get away with violent acts.
 
“That’s why the prime minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Wannasathit made me in charge of enforcing law and order for street vending in the area.
 
“Since we started the suppression of the mafia at Bo Bae in April, until the crackdown stopped in September, we have successfully prosecuted 93 cases involving 199 suspects. No more offences have been reported after the crackdown. I can say that they [mafia] have gone and no extortion is going on there at this moment. I have a number of undercover men there,” said the officer.
 
However, some vendors are still pessimistic. Because of their suspicions about the state system, they don’t believe that the extortion gang has been really wiped out.
 
One garment vendor said: “After a while, when the publicity subsides, the gangsters will return. As far as we know, not even one mastermind was arrested.”
 
A policeman attached to the local Phlapphia Chai 1 police station said the police know who are behind the extortion racket but they can’t do anything because his underlings do not dare to implicate them for fear of their own safety.

Pol Gen Sereepisut acknowledged that the gang has not been eliminated. “I know that some bad people, including some in uniform, are still roaming around the market, waiting for the opportunity to resume their business, which has made them and the people behind them a lot of money. At this moment they are afraid,” he said.
 
Inside the market there is a red fan with the written message: “If you are intimidated or asked for protection money, please inform Pol Gen Sereepisut Taemeeyaves,” with a PO Box number, phone numbers and website address.
 
Vendors at another Bangkok market in Klong Toey also lodged a complaint with Pol Gen Sereepisut about extortion. The officer asked the vendors: “Why are you paying money to the extortionists and why are you afraid of them?” They replied that when someone refused to pay, the gangsters would harass them, so they had to comply with the mafia.
 
Afterwards, Pol Gen Sereepisut ordered the Thonglor police station, which has jurisdiction over the market, to take “resolute action” against the offenders. A number of them were arrested and some had their assets seized as well. The extortion stopped and everything is quiet there now.
 
After inspecting street vending locations in many areas of Bangkok, Pol Gen Sereepisut has urged the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to take action against those who obstruct footpaths, as pedestrians are forced to walk on the road and risk being run over. 

Name: Tori Rogers.

Nickname: Lately, I’ve noticed that people I meet here call me ‘Tori Talks’ - which is my profile name on Instagram. So, that’s pretty cool because that’s how I’ve met so many dope people over the last two years! You can find me on IG @ ToriTalks.

Born and raised: Houston, TX. #HTown

Education: I’m a Longhorn. I have a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from The University of Texas at Austin. Hook ‘Em!

Employment background: Marketing, advertising, PR and events. I’ve worked directly in media both on the radio side and on the other side pitching to media contacts. I’ve also worked on the corporate side with Fortune 500 companies, influencers and large brands.

What do you do here – and how long have you been in your present job? I’ve been a Marketing Consultant at an agency here in Bangkok for two years now. Even though I live here in Thailand, I still get the opportunity to virtually  consult clients headquartered in America.
When I first moved to Thailand, I was an English teacher. But that was short-lived because a) I realized that wasn’t my calling and b) there was something in my spirit that made me feel like Bangkok was my city for longer than the six months I planned to be here for.

How long in Thailand? I’ve been living in Thailand for 2.5 years. Crazy!

What brought you here? There was never a plan to live in SE Asia. Before I moved to Thailand, I was living in Houston and I had just gotten laid off from the oil and gas industry. If you’ve experienced a lay-off or a similar, you know what it feels like where you start reflecting.
So at this time, I decided that my next move needed to fulfil me and feel right. I knew that there was more out there that I wanted to explore. I was ready to learn more about myself. I knew that I had more inside of me that I hadn’t tapped into. I was considering relocating to LA or NYC but then I decided to think outside of the box.

What attracted me to Thailand is the fast city-life in Bangkok that feels like NYC lifestyle. And on the other hand, I also have easy access to beautiful islands. Best of both worlds.

What’s keeping you in Thailand? As most expats experience, moving overseas is life-changing. You grow. You change. You thrive. About a year ago, I was thinking about leaving Thailand. My friend, Travel Journalist Minority Nomad, gave me some advice that really stuck with me: “A place should be doing 1 of 2 things for you: 1) helping you grow or 2) helping you thrive.” Thailand has definitely helped me grow in so many ways. And now, I’m thriving.

Also - if something isn’t helping us grow or thrive or making us happy, then what’s the point? Be happy!

What’s the best part of living here? One of the most beautiful is the ‘Mai Pen Rai’ lifestyle I’ve adopted. Mai pen rai means no worries. Living here has shown me that most things aren’t as serious as we make them. No worries. It’s ok. Breathe. Chill. Be happy. Also, travel is more affordable in SE Asia than it is in the States. My friend’s flight to California from Texas literally costs 5x more than it costs to fly to China. Getting to travel is an opportunity to learn and experience different cultures. I also get the opportunity to share Black and American culture with other parts of the world.

What are the demographics of KIS by nationality?
KIS intentionally strives for diverse national representation amongst its student body and teaching faculty. Towards that end, it uses nationality guidelines in its admission processes to ensure that it remains truly international. For both our foreign and Thai students, it creates an environment for global understanding and sharing of perspectives while offering a rigorous and well-rounded programme.
 
There are 55 different nationalities at KIS, all learning together in a multicultural, English speaking environment.
 
What criteria do you use when recruiting teachers?
We hire certified and experienced teachers from around the world, many with advanced degrees. In fact, we seek out teachers who are particularly experienced and heralded for their teaching of the IB programmes and who have a love of students and learning. Whatever their background, KIS teachers engage their students and want the best for them. KIS has very rigorous child protection standards that are a critical part of our hiring process and each candidate that makes the final stages of the hiring process will have had three different people from our hiring team interview them.

In the international culinary scene, Chef Chumpol Jangprai needs no introduction. Nominated ambassador of Thai cuisine, Chef Chumpol started cooking with the Blue Elephant group at the age of 19. The former Iron Chef and TV celebrity co-founded R-Haan and has never looked back since. We sit down with him for a quick banter after his restaurant was awarded 2 Michelin Stars

What’s your best kitchen experience in the early years?
Well, I will need to go back to the time when I was assisting my mum in the kitchen. Seeing her cook everyday, meticulously without fail - was and still is an inspiration for me. My mum takes only a few days off each year. Every day you will find her in the kitchen, preparing the spices, the ingredients and cooking for everyone. Cooking gives her happiness and her happiness is shared with her guests. That is the most important experience for me and one of the memories I will forever cherish.

What is your cooking philosophy?
For me, it is all about Thai repertoire, Thai taste and Thai ingredients. The caviar used in my dishes are all locally sourced. I take pride in using 100% Thai ingredients. The meat I use, the fish are all caught in Thailand! In my latest winter menu, I showcase a duck egg-yolk confit from my friend’s organic duck farm in Saraburi.
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What is your greatest achievement to date?
I have been truly blessed with all my culinary adventures. I travel extensively around the world to champion Thai food and Thai cooking. And with R-Haan, we appreciate every guests that come to us. It fills my heart with joy and it humbles me when everyone who taste my food is beaming with pride for Thai cuisine. To be able to contribute in spreading the wisdom of Thai cuisine so more people globally can experience our food, that is my greatest achievement.