JurgenG

If your boyfriend provided the "good" service you deserve, it will be the neighbours who woud complain about the noise.

Instead of posting non sense on TV, you should look for a new BF

A win-win situation.

Fast forward 2013. For the past two years we are back to where we were in 2006. People are happy. You talk to people everywhere they are quite satisfied with their life.

In well over a decade of living in Thailand, with all the various ups and downs that have occurred along the way in that time, i have found Thais generally a happy bunch at all times, even when their backs have been up against the wall, as they surely were in 2011 with the floods. I think this happiness you speak of that you believe existed in 2006 and you believe has existed for the last two years, but that disappeared between those two times (ie the period when Thaksin was not in control of the country), is nothing more than a figment of your imagination... a projection of your own feelings onto other people.

If you're been here for the time you say, you have witnessed the rage and and the hatred that was goiing through the social medias a while ago.

No more.

We are back to 2005.

Of course there are still some political division but the excesses that was created by Sondhi are gone. Nobody call for a coup anymore.

You don't like Thaksin, fine, but you have to admit when he is in charge Thailand enjoys peace and prosperity.

Bikie: I think Thailand is way to hot for the cool leather clothes: No

Monk: that is too boring after 2 weeks

I would go with the sailing, first of all not many sharks around anymore as the Chinese killed them already and for the rest I recommend to have a lot wiskey on stock (rum will also do) as tranquilizer. A parrot as company is recommended.

Or you could ride around on a HD, dress as a monk, with a parrot on your shoulder...

With a couple of big tattoos

You have my vote !

In 2005 I was happy working in Thailand. I didn't really care about Thaksin or the democrats. To be honest at that time you ask me who I support, I would have say the democrats. Not that I knew much about Thai politic but everybody around me was supporting the democrats so I guess if the people I chose to associate with prefer the democrats so should I.

Then some people started talking about a coup. I was not so happy with that. Thailand was a great country, an oasis of democracy in a middle of authoritarian countries.

The yellows managed to destroy that country.

Fast forward 2013. For the past two years we are back to where we were in 2006. People are happy. You talk to people everywhere they are quite satisfied with their life.

Personally I don't really care if the yellows go to jail or not. They don't matter anymore.

We should focus on building the future. That what really matters

_

It is not because she is a woman that she is always right

A true story that happened to a friend of mine. He was with a lady friend of us who was at the time heavily pregnant. The lady is a big mouth, a really BIG mouth. She got into an argument with some guy in the street. The guy got really upset and suddenly hit my friend right in the face. He then looked at my friend, half sorry and say "Sorry, she is a woman, I couldn't hit her, could I ?" and walk away.

Chose your friends carefully.

rene123: You, I and many others will never understand, why Thai give to monks when they themselves have so little... we will never understand why they go to fortune tellers and pay money when they don't have enough for themselves... but that is the Thai believe, they think when they give, it will increas their Kharma and sooner or later, whether in this life or another, they will be rewarded...

Personally, I think this way is still better than the European way, where the governments raise taxes on behalf of the churches and when you decide not to pay those taxes, you must leave the church first through a registered letter which you need to include as evidence in your next tax return... and the catholic church could then even excommunicate you for that treason...

I know people who give half of their earning to their church. And they are happy people.

And other people who give nothing and are full of hate and resentment.

It's up to you.

They should have been tried years ago and given the max penalty that way the reds might have given a second thought to their attempted rebellion.

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Perhaps if the earlier offending 2007 Red Shirts had been tried years ago and given the max penalty, perhaps both the yellows in 2008 and the reds (on two major subsequent occurrences in 2009 and 2010) might have both had second thoughts.

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Perhaps without a coup in 2006, we would never have to go through all these trouble

Never thought about that ?

_

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Sure, and perhaps without a bizarre outcome on the concealment of assets in 2001, we would have never gone through all these troubles.

However, with focusing on the sequel of violent actions that were being addressed in the foregoing posts, we're left with the initial Red Shirt actions of 2007 going unpunished as the precursor to subsequent colored shirts actions.

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For people like you a military coup is something acceptable.

For people like me fighting against a military dictatorship is something acceptable.

Let's agree to disagree.

_

They should have been tried years ago and given the max penalty that way the reds might have given a second thought to their attempted rebellion.

.

Perhaps if the earlier offending 2007 Red Shirts had been tried years ago and given the max penalty, perhaps both the yellows in 2008 and the reds (on two major subsequent occurrences in 2009 and 2010) might have both had second thoughts.

.

Perhaps without a coup in 2006, we would never have to go through all these trouble

Never thought about that ?

_

International airports get forced to close quite often, usually admittedly not from a large group of people sitting down, but from other things like the weather. Gatwick airport was forced to close for example in 2010 for a couple of days because of snow. After the snow cleared, it reopened, and life went on as before.

The fact that Bangkok airport was closed down by protesters rather than weather, does make a difference to how the incident is perceived internationally, and the culprits should be punished, but the fact that is was overwhelmingly peaceful, the fact that it barely lasted more than a few days and the fact that the protesters didn't burn anything down, in fact they actually cleaned things up as they left, enabling the airport to reopen almost instantly, does make it an incident that has been largely forgotten by most people outside of Thailand, besides those who were directly affected.

Yes, they cleaned up that which was showing on the surface. Typical "form over substance," in Thai culture. However, it's the underlying, long-term results which are hard to quantify but are the most-lasting and most-damning.

Do you suppose these Bangkok elite are ready also to pay back the millions of damage in cargo and lost business they were directly responsible for? Maybe the judge can get some of that out of them, as well. There needs to be a massive exchange of wealth from these silver-spoon trouble-makers to the coffers of the hard-working business people of this country who were shafted the worst in this fiasco.

And you don't even take into account companies, including mine, who decided that enough was enough and closed down business ?

For international companies, transportation is THE most important factor when chosing a location where to set up shop.

Anyway the PAD always made it clear they hated foreigners so it didn't really matter to them.

I'm glad they are now history

This is the most inane post in this thread. Tough about the business - maybe AOT over-reaction played a part.

The PAD have NOT made any foreigner hatred clear. I know supporters of both sides & it's all about hatred of each other. Also, they are certainly not history. If they were, amnesty, 'reconciliation', constitution changes etc would be underway if not completed.

What you say is if the PAD were gone for good, reconciliation would have already been achieved.

We agree on that.

From the beginning Sondhi and his henchmen have always been a source of division and hatred. The only thing they have ever achieved is wasting 5 years (2006 - 2011) of Thailand development.

Thailand is now back on track.

We don't need any more trouble.

International airports get forced to close quite often, usually admittedly not from a large group of people sitting down, but from other things like the weather. Gatwick airport was forced to close for example in 2010 for a couple of days because of snow. After the snow cleared, it reopened, and life went on as before.

The fact that Bangkok airport was closed down by protesters rather than weather, does make a difference to how the incident is perceived internationally, and the culprits should be punished, but the fact that is was overwhelmingly peaceful, the fact that it barely lasted more than a few days and the fact that the protesters didn't burn anything down, in fact they actually cleaned things up as they left, enabling the airport to reopen almost instantly, does make it an incident that has been largely forgotten by most people outside of Thailand, besides those who were directly affected.

Yes, they cleaned up that which was showing on the surface. Typical "form over substance," in Thai culture. However, it's the underlying, long-term results which are hard to quantify but are the most-lasting and most-damning.

Do you suppose these Bangkok elite are ready also to pay back the millions of damage in cargo and lost business they were directly responsible for? Maybe the judge can get some of that out of them, as well. There needs to be a massive exchange of wealth from these silver-spoon trouble-makers to the coffers of the hard-working business people of this country who were shafted the worst in this fiasco.

And you don't even take into account companies, including mine, who decided that enough was enough and closed down business ?

For international companies, transportation is THE most important factor when chosing a location where to set up shop.

Anyway the PAD always made it clear they hated foreigners so it didn't really matter to them.

I'm glad they are now history

Most of the Thais I know don't drink much, much less than the average falang.

Even those who bring their bottle of whisky with them to restaurant. They just pour two or three drops of whisky in the bottom of their glass and then fill it with soda.

If you want to stop smoking Allen Carr's method is worth a try

I tried 7 years ago. I was smoking between 1 and 2 pack a day, tried every other method including skin patch, nothing worked. I read the book, never smoked again. And I'm not the only one. I don't say it works with everybody but it's worth a try.

In the corporate world, it is something that is related to your employment contract, "expat package" or "local terms".

Expat packages are rapidly disappearing and high flying locals are more and more able able to negotiate terms similar to those offered to expats for similar position.

I recently read about the problem Ajahn Brahm had because he was involved in the ordination of female nuns.

On a personal level I really appreciate Ajahn Brahm. I had the chance to meet a number of Ajahn Chah students and Ajahn Brahm was the one who was the more able to translate Ajahn Chah teaching in a way that makes sense in my every day life.

On the other hand, if you belong to a group, an association, a church, you have to respect the rules.

I believe women can bring a lot to Buddhism but it is not in trying to gate crash established association that they will achieved the most.

Seems every "filmmaker" that comes to Thailand is obsessed with bargirls.

History and culture, the filmakers could have an absolute fielday here if they wised up.

1001 stories to be told and they focus on bars, boring as its the same old stories the same fools.

I got a mate who's story is so pathetic it would not make it into the non fiction section.

my wifes father left school at ten to look after his sick mother,washing dishes, he became a chef in dubai and various parts of Europe, sent his children to uni, now thats a story.

my friend was raised in a slum, won several gold medals in the Asian games and does alright now, thats a story and there are many more.

I personally am fascinated by the Chinese diaspora. I had the chance to visit with a Cambodian friend the village where his family comes from and to follow the family history from sheer poverty to success in Cambodia before the Khmer Rouges, then exile to France, then back to Cambodia.

I wish I could follow like this the history of my wife family. They were Chinese traders who established themselves in Thailand at the beginning of the last century and then progressively integrated the Thai society. But it seems they have no interest in revisiting their family history. What a shame.

Personally, I find a woman with dirty elbows a turn off. I am always surprised by the number of Europeans with dirty elbows and forearms along with black dirt encrusted toenails. If I can get past the bad hygiene issues, skin colour is a minor issue.

Seriously foreign people, please wash your feet and arms.

You sound like my mother. She too had a fixation with dirty elbows

What about the knees and the ankles ?

PS : Unfortunately, because of this early age brainwashing I'm now like you, cannot stand dirty elbows. Should I sue my mother ?

Same thing in Europe.

In the old time white skin was good because poor people were working outdoor while the upper class were staying indoor.

Then the poor started working in factories and the rich holidaying in the sun, so suntan became the fashion.

Anyway the sun light is important for our health but too much sun damage the skin so as usual the middle way is the way to go.

This is so funny. I mean the way a lot of Farangs have reacted to this story. It is just another excuse for them to feign moral indignation and outrage and bitch about Thailand and her people, just like every other day on Thai Visa.

Sieg Miaow!

You called your cat Harry ?

TV is an international forum. Different cultures mix.

I know it is considered acceptable in English pub culture to shout arguments in an intimidating manner in order to show one's virility. In other cultures it is considered incredibly rude, we are not baboons.

Also in England fistfights are considered an acceptable form of pub recreational activity, like darts and snooker.

TV is an interesting melting pot.

Who might I ask informed you that fistfights are considered an acceptable form of pub recreation?

Two summers in England when I was trying to learn the language and avoid being beaten up by the locals.

TV is an international forum. Different cultures mix.

I know it is considered acceptable in English pub culture to shout arguments in an intimidating manner in order to show one's virility. In other cultures it is considered incredibly rude, we are not baboons.

Also in England fistfights are considered an acceptable form of pub recreational activity, like darts and snooker.

TV is an interesting melting pot.

Why do developed countries like the USA want to impose their will on countries like Thailand? Well, in this case, because the buyers of the Thailand-produced pineapple juice have obligations in their own countries that they are providing products to their customers that have been sourced under ethical conditions. Pretty straightforward.

Actually the only people who impose anything are the consumers in developed countries. They say we will only buy goods that were produced / manufactured under some well defined condition. In turn the big companies like Coca Cola, Wall Mart or Disney tell their supplier that if they want to supply them, they will have to respect these condition. Just look at the recent Apple scandal, it's only under the pressure of their customers that they increased the monitoring of the working condition of their suppliers.

But in fact nobody impose anything on anybody. If you want to supply top computer manufacturers, you have to invest in clean rooms. If you want to supply top western brands, you have to invest in "clean" working condition. But nobody impose anything, it's just if you want to supply them.

Now are the demands of western consumers misguided ? Maybe, but that's an other debate.