oh for sure. Every story you have seen about how horrible Thai prisons are... it's actually much worse. I have only ever been to the prison once and that was to bail out my friend who got arrested for playing at an open mic night without a work permit... it was dumb.
The government would claim that it had an impact but the problem is that foreigners aren't the ones committing a majority of crimes. They get blown up in the media when a foreigner does do it (just like any country would do) but for the most part the expat population here is pretty tame.
Wow, that sounds like a heck of a story! :) I understand what you are saying about it mostly being locals and things being blown up when it is not one.
yeah, unfortunately a feeling of ethnocentrism is pretty strong over here but i wouldn't say that it is really any different than anywhere else.