smileydude

9 hours ago, realfunster said:

Some nasty business ! They seemed to have been making a <deleted>-ton of money.

If I was RPT, I would think that keeping an eye on purchases of super cars and doing a little digging now and again might reveal some interesting things...

 

Anyway, my wife constantly tells me I am wasting my life playing computer games but thanks to Call of Duty, I can identify that pictured gun as a fennec.

Rapid fire rate but inaccurate as hell, that's just as well for RPT, whom I hope make a swift recovery. See, games have their uses after all !

I think its a CAA Roni with a Glock 17 and extended magazine.  Glocks are common in Thailand and the Roni sells for around 25,000 baht.  It decreases recoil when firing due to the added stability of the buttstock and dual grip but you’re still firing from the Glock with its 4.49 inch barrel gun with a faux compensator at the end so no change in ballistics.

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

Just can't get my head around this "gender they identify with" stuff, because if they were born with a Y-chromosome, have testicles, and a penis, then in my biology classes they were always classified as male.

 

These days the in-thing seems to be this "gender identification" which was unheard of years ago, so it's lucky that some of these lady boys didn't play with bananas when they were young, and later on identified as an elephant or a monkey - - would take a whole lot of surgery to put that right!

I think nowadays Woke people are trying to make sense of everything with lots of new jargon and logic while the rest of us are left behind as archaic and relics of the past.  

I don’t pretend to try to understand what I don’t and think it would be great if we just all agreed to disagree sometimes considering all the divisiveness and hate going on.  

I think this sign is about having realistic expectations.  Both sides, Thai’s and English speakers shouldn’t be over sensitive or nationalistic about it.

Thailand has always ranked high in terms of gun related deaths.  Don’t see much change in the stats.

In 2016 Thailand was ranked #11 in the world with around 3800+ deaths.  Brazil and the US take the top spots.

Per capita we aren’t even in the top 25, because many smaller countries especially in Central America like El Salvador have that distinction.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/theres-a-new-global-ranking-of-gun-deaths-heres-where-the-u-s-stands

Thai’s tend to get all riled up and aware about stuff especially if its perpetuated on social media and that has often skewed its significance.  Then with our goldfish memories distracted by playing on our phones we forget about it and move on to the next juicy drama.

Illegal guns (from bordering countries) will always be available eg. Chinese made AK 47’s can be had for as little as 5000 baht.  Just gotta know where to source them, same as that silencer made infamous in the recent gold heist.

Violence is increasing because of several reasons:

1. Social and income disparity. 

2. Disruption taking away certain jobs —> debt and despair

3. Instant gratification society buying stuff they can’t afford—>debt

4. Widespread gambling culture eg. Football betting, online gaming, lottery etc—>debt again

5. Face saving is a big thing in Thai culture—> road rage, arranging dowries and weddings more then you can afford—> debt and more debt

What Thailand needs to do is solve some of the reasons listed above and completely overhaul its face-saving culture.

You will never stop the flow of guns like you can’t stop the flow of drugs but you can lower the potential of abuse.

On 1/11/2020 at 7:18 AM, Nyezhov said:

Well Kwaibah, you gave me a sad emoji, I assume becasue I say he needs to be captured and interrogated?

 

Well he had a Can on the pistol. Where did he get a Can (which are usually European or American or Chinese made)?

 

How did he chose that shop?

 

How was he planning to unload the gold?

 

Where did he get the gun?

 

Ordniary robbers dont attach cans to their guns. The USA has thousands and thousands of legal Suppressors and virtually none are ever used in crimes. Robbers dont rob with cans. Why was this guy using one?

 

Arent those questions worth answering in a proper investigation.?

 

 

Most cans in Thailand (aka suppressors/silencers) are local made.  3 provinces with competent gunsmiths and CNC skills have been identified as suppliers: Cholburi, Lopburi and a third I can’t remember.

Unlike Finland where their use is encouraged during hunting and thus easily obtained or with ATF permits in the US, they are almost impossible to get hold of legally in Thailand unless you’re in the Army/police.

Thai’s are required to purchase travel insurance (2 million coverage minimum) when applying for Schengen Visa’s.  

The US and the UK are exceptional where travel insurance isn’t required.  The UK has an excellent National health system where you will be treated for emergencies regardless of having insurance or not.  

Not so in the US.

I think its wise to purchase it.   Even though tourists are contributing to the economies of the countries you visit you shouldn’t dump being responsible for your own health on them.

Greed and interests knows no boundaries.  We often look at less developed countries as corrupt and violating human rights yet one of the most advanced countries in the world does it on a systematic basis albeit in the form of trade deals, GSP privileges, tariffs, non-tariff barriers etc (aka economic bullying)

Money talks and ethics walks.

Like many countries it depends on which crowd you mix with. Everybody has to think which leads to everyday decisions but the depth depends upon a lot of things.

Are they knowledgeable or interested about that specific subject?

Are they the philosophical type?

Do they have the luxury (time) to ponder about things when they may have more pressing matters?

Are they opinionated or tend to keep to themselves?

Thais are often perceived as being less opinionated and vocal then their western counterparts but this like many things we observe are often just limited experiences summed up into generalizations.  

If you talk to an activist or NGO’s on a topic they are passionate about and you will probably run into tons of thinkers.

Again it’s all relative to who and what your thinking about.

In Thailand there are concealed carry weapon licenses (CCW) for both military and civilians which are often issued to:

-government officials who request them on the basis of security risk duties such as mayors, tambon officials etc.

-security personnel of banks (not common as they prefer you hire off duty police personnel)

-anyone who can prove their jobs require self protection at all times.

They are rarely issued to the last group mentioned and if issued will be for one specific firearm piece valid for 1 year to be extended on a case by case basis which pretty much means you will have to pay an undisclosed sum(bribe) to have it extended unless you know someone who knows someone.

With the information you have so far there could still be many possibilities:

1.  She is NOT PREGNANT and her period just came late.  Let's wait for a pregnancy test.

2.  She is PREGNANT and its not your child.  Get a DNA test to confirm this before you make any decisions. You will need to provide a DNA sample somehow.

3.  She is PREGNANT and its your child.

Ask for evidence THAT IT IS YOUR CHILD.  Give her the benefit of the doubt before assuming she is milking you but don't do anything until fatherhood is confirmed.  When I mean don't do anything is, don't block her, don't accept any responsibility.  Play it cool but gentlemanly.

Now if it is scenario 3 you will have to decide, which I feel should not be based on legal rights, but your decency of being a father on what support you can muster.  I understand you feel that you used protection but these things do happen and leaving her to take care of the child alone is not the right thing to do.

I hope its either scenario 1 or 2 for you.

Here's my take on honesty that I think applies worldwide.  The majority of hardworking people who built up a small business by themselves are honest. 

Many of the experiences you mentioned seemed to be from dealing with these kind of people.

If the business has to do with tourists or targeting foreigners then shady figures start to get involved thus the cynicism you often see here.  We're talking jet ski operators, parasailing, banana boats, beach chairs, those 0 baht Chinese tour operators and gold diggers to round it off.

Dishonest people exist in all socioeconomic levels.  From CEO's who have only profits in mind all the way down to wandering gypsies.

Some people are corrupt at systemic levels while others just do it case by case.  

There was some research done recently on the corruptibility of people and it went like this:  A group of students were assigned to find spelling mistakes in some research papers.  Each mistake found was rewarded 5 baht per word.   They were separated into 2 groups.  Group 1 was allowed to report the mistakes and claim the money directly without having to go through an approval process.  Group 2 was required to have each mistake found checked and reimbursement rewards checked by someone.  The mistakes on each paper were actually controlled to 10 each.  Results?   Group 1 found on average 12-15 mistakes per paper.  Group 2 found 10.

The results seem to indicate that by nature people will be dishonest if there is an opportunity to do so and not be caught.

I personally believe honesty is something that was ingrained into us when we were growing up, either by our parents, teachers, religion or societal values and norms of where you grew up.

From one vantage point it can be said that the military are nit picking or bullying people who disagree with them.

From another it can be seen as a strategy to contain and control regardless of public opinion.

Its pretty obvious that Sombat is not just trying to make a living but instead trying to send a message that buying rice at a price higher then the market rates is fine as long as your helping farmers. He equates farmers = poor but the problem with that logic is not all farmers are poor nor are all poor farmers so while you may be getting the popularity votes you want from this policy your not really solving the problem of income disparity.

The rice pledging scheme was undeniably an economic disaster for the country.

If you want to help the poor and lessen the income gap between the haves and have-nots most economies rely on mechanisms such as minimizing jobless rates and increasing minimum wages and/or the median household income. Problem is Thailand is still what the WEF Global Competitive Index calls a group 3 country that relies heavily on labor intensive manufacturing where investors would just leave in droves if we say bumped wages to 360/day. We are not a group 5 country where R&D has pushed us to be highly innovative to the point that high minimum wages can be justified.

Sombat may have good intentions towards the underpriveleged and the poor but he needs to do his homework and come up with more economically sustainable ideas instead of such simple minded activism.

I think this is great. There are a lot of common conditions that modern medicine still doesn't have the answer for that alternative medicine might:

migraines

dysmenorrhea (aka PMS)

allergies

myofascial pain

facial nerve palsy

just to name a few.

When I read the title I was asking myself "why in the world would someone want to perform such an act?" until I read on and saw the word "drunken" which pretty much explains the reason why people do the most idiotic of things.

Sad little men who require that their pathetic existence be verified in their own minds by kicking someone unable to defend himself usually exist in the form of high ranking government officials, sons of said officials and men in uniform.

Kudos to dashcams. Hope he gets shamed until he shrivels up, crawls under a rock and dies.

You do with what you have.

Sometimes being attentive to her pleasure spots instead of focusing on your own orgasm can pay better dividends.

Yes, but some girls/guys get turned on by the visual aspects of the willy...

Could apply during initial mating play but once it's in action it's all about how it feels

You do with what you have.

Sometimes being attentive to her pleasure spots instead of focusing on your own orgasm can pay better dividends.

Its obvious a poll involving only Bangkokians is hardly representative of all Thai's and the justification a weak effort at best. Its all about security and containment of threats in which the military could care less of what others think. The power struggle has and will always be there. The claws are still there, just retracted and waiting to pounce and the military knows it, thus martial law. A lot of importance is being placed on the hope that ammending the constitution will bring about cures to many chronic problems, including those brought about by populist policies. We'll just have to wait and see but right now the referee has both sides sitting in the corner waiting while they re-write the rules.

The US invading another country? Sounds a bit far-fetched and naive.

They have agencies with far more effective modus operandi's such as covert support of the opposition, embargo's, WTO trade restrictions and media spinning when they want to play geopolitics and change the landscape.

There is a very fine line between love and over-possessive jealousy.

Its an emotion that brings out the worse in us when rejected.

Such a waste of life. RIP

If there is any indifference its probably because trying to make ends meet is more important then political ideology.

When you have more on the table then you need such as in highly developed countries, you usually have the luxury to ponder all the idealism you want.

Pheu Thai has always appealed via populist agricultural subsidy policies ensuring acceptable levels of income, thus their popularity in Isaan, nothing more.

Its more a wait and see attitude. If any new government can offer them decent livelihoods why stir the hive?

We often prefer short cuts and this tends to cause us to overlook the many underlying causes of low sex drive that might be the culprit such as:

Psychological issues: Anxiety, depression, stress.

Relationship issues: Lack of connection/chemistry with your partner. Lack of communication of sexual needs and preferences. Past experience of breech of trust/infidelity problems. Unresolved conflicts or fights.

Alcohol as too much can spoil your sex drive; the same is true of street drugs. Smoking decreases blood flow, which may dampen arousal.

Fatigue. Exhaustion from caring for young children or aging parents can contribute to low sex drive.

Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease can all affect our sexual desires.

Prescription meds like antidepressants and anti-seizure medications.

Menopause. Estrogen levels drop during the transition to menopause. This can cause decreased interest in sex and dryer vaginal tissues, resulting in painful or uncomfortable sex. At the same time, women may also experience a decrease in testosterone — a hormone that boosts sex drive in men and women alike —which may lead to decreased libido. Although many women continue to have satisfying sex during menopause and beyond some women experience a lagging libido during this hormonal change.