How would you like to live in a city were you can be fined $50 for littering, where journalists are fired for criticizing the government, where suspected drug dealers are executed on the spot by the police, and where nobody can drink beer after midnight? I sure wouldn’t, which is why I don’t live in Singapore. Unfortunately, I’m not talking about Singapore, I’m talking about Bangkok.

Bangkok, formerly known as Fun City because of its non-stop nightlife, is being tamed by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party, which holds a monopoly on power. Thai democracy is young and fragile, with the constitution dating only to 1997, but Thaksin is working towards a return to dictatorship. There is a parliament, but it doesn’t do much, and the Prime Minister rules by decree.

A year ago he decreed that Thailand’s methamphetamine problem should be eliminated, and set the police loose, resulting in an estimated 2,000 extra-judicial killings of suspected drug dealers. A recent US State Department Human Rights report criticized Thailand for these killings. The Prime Minister’s response? The United States is a “worthless ally.”

Then APEC came last November, and Thaksin’s vision for Bankok was there for everyone to see: empty streets devoid of vendors, dogs, beggars, and children selling flower garlands. Huge sheets were hung up to cover slum areas, and people were even forbidden to hang laundry out to dry. Bangkok was transformed into a dirty version of Singapore for a week.

Next came the chicken flu. The Prime Minister suppressed the news for months because he didn’t want to damage the economy, resulting in a country-wide epidemic, and mass hysteria. But can anyone criticize him? The Prime Minister warned newspapers that they would lose business if they report bad news about him, so they are afraid to. The most critical paper, the excellent Bangkok Post, which most Thais don’t read anyways, recently “promoted” its senior editor to an inactive position because he was too negative about the government.

On the horizon is a curfew for all teenagers, who will not be allowed to go outside after 10 pm, because a few engaged in violent activities.

And, most unbelievably, a decree that bars and nightclubs outside of three designated zones would not be allowed to stay open past midnight, starting last Monday, in order to preserve teenagers’ virginity. It was unclear up until last Monday what would actually happen, and, as expected, nightlife owners and employees staged massive protests. I think the government has backpedaled, and declared that the decree would only apply to new venues. I plan on doing some research this weekend, and seeing if I am allowed to stay out until the former closing time of 2 am. Incidentally, the 2 am closing time was never even enforced until the Thaksin regime.

So, Thaksin’s “social order crusade” continues, making Bangkok into the new Singapore. Meanwhile, Singapore has allowed its bars to remain open all night. Asia has a new Fun City.