dukkha

Therein lay the crux of the entire story.

From my home in Australia after 9 years in Thailand I am reading this thread...all those years of reading about the tolerance of Thai Society with regard to Homosexuality, the lack of homophobia etc....well it seems to be a different story....maybe am lucky to be back home, albeit ill, but luckily got my partner here yesterday for 6 months, buddha be praised...I have not read the thread extensively but was taken by the sub title which prompted me to make comment...a bit of a worry, maybe....and all those years of struggle in the gay liberation movement across the world.... Dukkha

I find this quite repulsive,,it does nothing for Thailands image around the world.

Most thais do not have a sense of 'around the world', ask an Isaan farmer a geographical question outside of their immediate geographical boundaries and the response will be slow...not much curiosity needed in ones life when you are doing back breaking harvest work in rice fields from the age of 4 or 5 on your mothers back in the heat, cant afford to indulge in the body politik in the same way as we in the West do as a matter of daily chit and chat...but they do know something about distrubution of wealth and that essentially needs addressing....I built a modest house for my thai partner in his Roi Et village, I was welcomed of course, could not possibly live there personally but at least I know he has a roof over his head when I am dead and buried, spent many times in the village...saw the dire poverty, got to understand that the rice is grown for their consumption not to sell, maybe from time the sale of a buffalo got them through a hard time, yes I did provide small amounts of money but never on a regular basis nor through any demanding behaviour of these gentle people...poverty drives people to all kinds of behaviour, I am sure if I were black, in America, poor, I most likely would be dealing in illicit stuff....but not blood letting! Dukkha..

I have been emailing with Khun Voranai for some time now, told me he had been at BKK POST for a few months stirring things up, for a Texax high school educated thai, he mentioned how it was amazing it was he could string a sentence together, well he has certainly shown he writes with excellence, insight and professionalism,what a refreshing approach to the thai media....have been fan club number one for some time.....of course there will be some who loathe him but he speaks the truth in my umble opinion Dukkha

Phillipines nominally Catholic, Thailand nominally Buddhist, I dont think blood letting is anywhere in the Buddhist Canon then I may be wrong....I find it is becoming a total circus and the Ring Ting Tong Master is watching from afar....saddens me greatly after my 9 happy years in The Kingdom, should be thankful illness forced me to return home while this is going on in a country that I loved some much and did some much healing for me, without much blood letting only at BNH for my cholesterol readings etc...Dukkha

what a convenient way of prolonging their cushy jobs - just not turning up for the parliamentary session.

they treat their electorate as a naive mass which is able only to elect them, but not to revoke their mandate to represent them - a very undemocratic and selfish behaviour.

for me it means, that financial negotiations how much money is going to be payed to each individual parliamentarian to change their seat are still carried on and MP are waiting for a higher bidder to come forward.

the last time, over a year ago, it was up to 50mln baht. How much do they expect this time?

Precisely , dead right on target ...

http://bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/345...s...intelligent man is Khun Voranai and certainly worth a read....Dukkha

Do they serve exotic mushrooms in Siam Reap by any chance?

Again, Thaksin has proved to the world he is a habitual liar, and a convicted criminal on the run. I place zero faith with habitual liars and criminals. You may place your faith in liars and criminals if you wish. He can Tweet all he wants and as you stated...beware of the propaganda in the air."

yep, i got that message you don't like Thaksin.

but think about it, why he should suddenly deny that he is in Cambodia, when it was his plan and intention just because the FM brought us the news that he his in Cambodia? and that cunning Thaksin then leave Cambodia immediately just for the lulz to prove the FM wrong? what an evil plan. :faceplam:

bad boi Thaksin don't act that way how The Nation or the government propaganda had predicted it. all his fault, can't trust that guy, right. you may rethink how you have been fooled.

i don't place my faith with with liars, i don't believe every trash, specially not when there is reasonable doubt.

We all know Thaksin is a liar. The people who say he isn't, are just lying to themselves (in addition to Thaksin lying to them).

Totally deranged I would suggest, certifiable! Dukkha

Again, Thaksin has proved to the world he is a habitual liar, and a convicted criminal on the run. I place zero faith with habitual liars and criminals. You may place your faith in liars and criminals if you wish. He can Tweet all he wants and as you stated...beware of the propaganda in the air."

yep, i got that message you don't like Thaksin.

but think about it, why he should suddenly deny that he is in Cambodia, when it was his plan and intention just because the FM brought us the news that he his in Cambodia? and that cunning Thaksin then leave Cambodia immediately just for the lulz to prove the FM wrong? what an evil plan. :faceplam:

bad boi Thaksin don't act that way how The Nation or the government propaganda had predicted it. all his fault, can't trust that guy, right. you may rethink how you have been fooled.

i don't place my faith with with liars, i don't believe every trash, specially not when there is reasonable doubt.

We all know Thaksin is a liar. The people who say he isn't, are just lying to themselves (in addition to Thaksin lying to them).

Totally deranged I would suggest, certifiable!

Dukkha

The carrion gather gather to feast upon a carcase ?

'carrion' means 'dead and putrefying flesh' so carrion cannot 'feast' it IS the feast. 'Carcase' is spelled 'carcass'. Sorry to be so anal about language but it is the key to understanding between humans.

Sorry to be so pedantic but language only accounts for about 30% of communication, the rest is to be found in body language.....well from the linguistic research I have read, that is the problem with ecommunication, no nuances, no body language, no intonation etc......hope that tomorrow does not bring sorrow....Dukkha

Will the airport be a safe zone for my thai partner who is coming to Melbourne on March 22 from Bangkok on March 21st on Jet Star ...........how badly timed is that! I do worry as he will be travelling alone with little english and doubt whether Jet/No Star do refunds if things go pear shaped....also doubt whether Aus Embassy will offer him another 6 month tourist visa if he cant catch his plane, he does have both a ticket and a visa but think there are restrictions with the ticket and dates...Dukkha

1) March 22 is over a week away. No one has any idea what the state of affairs will be by then.

2) If Jetstar cancel flights, then they will offer alternatives. If they don't cancel, but he can't get there ... don't like your chances.

3) If he has a 6 month tourist visa, then he has 6 months to use it.

My 73 yo mum is in Thailand, up Chiang Mai way at the moment. Arriving back into Bangkok by train on the 14th and flying back to Melbourne on about the 25th. I hope things have calmed down by then, cos I want to make sure she gets out of here.

Thanks Peter for taking the time and effort to list alternatives....being a panic merchant does not help me of course....Dukkha

Will the airport be a safe zone for my thai partner who is coming to Melbourne on March 22 from Bangkok on March 21st on Jet Star ...........how badly timed is that! I do worry as he will be travelling alone with little english and doubt whether Jet/No Star do refunds if things go pear shaped....also doubt whether Aus Embassy will offer him another 6 month tourist visa if he cant catch his plane, he does have both a ticket and a visa but think there are restrictions with the ticket and dates...Dukkha

When visiting a village in Roi Et some years ago I was disturbed by the fact that three people in the family of my partner were dying from diabetes.....I am no medical researcher but have read astounding statistics of the numbers of Thais with Diabetes Type 2 and Cardio Vascular Disease........Sugar=White Death...I myself at 60 developed Type 2 diabetes after 5 years in Thailand...thankfully now controlled by diet and exercise without any medication, and sadly, I no longer live in Thailand but that is a whole other saga, but health related also.....you just have to see how the Thais use sugar in almost every aspect of cooking....not saying the West does not have a problem either, take a look at obesity..... Dukkha

Sounds like a bit of monkey business to me, I mean the entire Sangha is not exactly clean so to speak.....

Understand the Saffron Revolution in Burma, where the Military butchers are in charge, but Theravayda Monks in Thailand joining the UDD is rather disturbing .....is there something I do not understand with this issue...I spent 4 wonderful years in Chiangmai teaching at a Buddhist University, this news concerns me..... Dukkha

Many a pleasant flight twixt Bangers and Roi Et.......the bus, me thinks not...Dukkha

2. I find it amusing that the Ugandan authorities believe you can 'attempt homosexuality'. It sounds deliciously a la carte. A simple physical manouevre that if not undertaken you remain, presumably, ruggedly masculine.

That reminds me that I am a practicing homosexual. I keep practicing but I just can't get it straight.

Yes thought the same, and all those doctors practising medicine, cant they get it right either...dukkha......i think it is with an 's' in the verb form...

Have heard one American NGO already has evacuation procedures in place.........getting scary!! Dukkha

As a fully paid up pedant the word continually mispelt is "Kudos"....the apostrophe is incorrect...it is a greek derivative from my memory...but in the memorable words of Peace Blondie, I may be wrong as I have been a million times...but how important is it for me to bring such trivia to the attention of TV....teaching spelling for one hundred years, I just could not resist making a comment...but we all fall into the trap of self indulgence either linguistically or otherwise....must be time for this old man to hit the mattress....my concern is the alleged assemblage of one million red shirts next Sataday and the following weaks ahead..can I reccommend that people read the Sunday Bangkok Post column by Khun Voranai.....as a thai he writes some of the most insightful pieces of journalism despite the fact that he received his eductation in Texas...but is not afraid to write of his culture and politics of the country of his birth...he addresses current issues with clarity and intelligence, a refreshing change from a lot of babble that one is subjected to in the Thai Press...wonder how long he will be permitted to so...I dont think the threats to Abishit life are to be taken too lightly...I have heard that several NGO'S already have evacuation plans in place..not to be alarmed but rather to be alert.... ..Dukkha

Lifes a Beach ......

Hello Dukkha,

and, how is the beach in Bangkok?

After two years living in Hua Hin and several visits to SP Hospital including some hours in the ICU, I too left Hua Hin as, in my humble opinion, there is inadequate medical care, thus the move to Bangkok.....some may agree others may not, up to the individual I guess, for me it was peace of mind which I have at BNH and Bangkok Christian Hospital. Dukkha

what do you mean? He's up in opinion polls...No points lost as far as I can see.

Siding with Cambodia, foreign ownership of what are seen as national assets....all the third rail of Thai politics.

Mark seems to be playing his hand quite well me thinks. Thaksin's hubris (or is it lack of friends?) doing him in. He's had to make some sort of noise about it...get the people remembering some of Dear Leaders weak spots.

Reasonable position though I don't fully share it.My main concern is that Thailand has been pulled down to Hun Sen's level.I had expected a more nuanced response from Abhisit but haven't yet seen it.

Pulled down, in who's eyes? Apparently the Thai population doesn't see it your way according to those polls.

Probably what is happening doesn't go down to well in diplo-land where the word 'disappointment' is strong stuff.

I'm personally of the Paul Keating (peace be upon him) school of politics, so I'm all for a bit more of a head kicking approach by Mark and maybe K.Kasit. I need my politics entertaining!

Saint Paul is my hero.....but few liked his intelligence, preferred the beige of John Coward...

I am an American citizen that has a residence in Pattaya and i am in Thailand about 20% of the time for the next few years until I retire there. Right now I would like to take my lover with me on a trip to Sydney and need to know how to go about it. Can we just have a travel agent organize it all. Money in the bank is no issue and we have been together for over a year. I would like to take him there in jan/feb 2010.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

Thanks for whatever help you can give.

Aussie citizen living in LOS, took my partner, thai, of 3 years then, to aus two years ago, got his visa in 4 days, had to provide loads of documentation that we had been together etc blah and blah...needs go to Tower on Sathorn, where the aus guvment issues thais visas, that will be your first step...good luck! Dukkha

Went to RASA tower yesterday, took longer waiting for the lifts than it did to do the sign in...painless... Dukkha

TM.47, old receipt and passport.

Once agian Lop, another succinct and intelligent reply...good onya mate! Dukkha