mick220675

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

Even before the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia to overthrow the Khmer Rouge, Khmer people unhappy with the Khmer Rouge had fled Cambodia and settled in Thailand, mostly near the border as early as the late 1960's. As the flow of Khmer became heavier the Thai government set up refugee camps along the border and eventually these contained tens of thousands of displaced Khmer. Eventually the KR was overthrown but many of the Khmer settled in Thailand, by this time many had grown familes that included Thai spouses and the children were eventually given Thai ID cards. Today, in many areas along that border and even further inland there are entire communities of Khmer speaking  families where the Khmer language is primary.

Yes our village has some who fled Cambodia during the war, we even have a ex Khmer Rouge soldier (he had no choice fight or die). As you say they were given Thai ID cards. 

My wife's grandparents were born in the village as were there parents. Not having been to school they speak there mother language Khmer.

On 2/1/2018 at 8:03 PM, EricTh said:

 

Yes, Khmer are the real natives of Thailand, there are more articles in that blog that explains this. Click below.

 

http://eastasiaorigin.blogspot.my/2017/06/ethnic-origin-of-cambodians.html

 

The Khmer in Thailand have been assimilated, most of them don't speak Khmer anymore.

Just like the Han Chinese in Thailand who can't speak Chinese anymore.

 

http://eastasiaorigin.blogspot.my/2017/07/main-ethnicities-in-thailand.html

 

 

 

Where I live in southern Buriram Khmer is still spoken by people. Many of the older generation do not speak Thai including my wife's grand parents, when visiting officials they are reliant on there family talking for them.

The locals have always been told they are inferior by the whiter skinned Chinese/Thais and I think they feel they are. When I read the link I was interested that the dark skinned Khmer/Thais could be the original people of Siam

I am going to one today.

I must have been to close to a hundred Thai funerals, the only sombre ones have been children's. I have seen fighting at funerals caused by gambolling and heavy drinking. Last year the army stopped all gambolling in our area, but it is back this year.

In some respects I think Thais have a good way of looking at death. Growing up in the UK death was hidden from children, but hear in Thailand children are exposed to so many funerals it is just part of life.

3 minutes ago, mok199 said:

I will admit we have seen several improvement in Nhong Hong (burriram) a newley paved road was very much welcomed ..all improvments are welcome...

The area I live in has improved much in the last 15 years and that is something that many poor farmers have benefited from. The massive irrigation work had made a big difference. The road building is defiantly welcome.

The problem is while houses are now made from block instead of wood and buffaloes have been replaced with tractors the poor now have very high levels of debt. Until they can make there repayment affordable they will remain poor.

Any thing that helps poor farmers is welcome. But looking at the figures quoted 35 billion is money already budgeted for (irrigation/ crop development etc). The remaining new money 12 billion less the 2 billion for officials leaves 10 billion for the 70,000 villages. If each village has an average of say 200 residents, they will be lucky to get a couple of hundred baht spent on them.

I can only comment on what I see in my village and the people I know and from what I see the biggest problem is debt. When you have 3 or 4 family's living on a 24 rai farm and have made the mistake of borrowing money to buy a tractor of car. They find them self's borrowing against the farm to cover there repayments and in no time the profits from there farming do not cover the repayments.

Not all poor farmers can blame the government for there problems, but when the PM thinks cutting down rubber trees and replacing them with coconut trees is a good idea, it is obvious the government is not qualified to teach farmers how to farm.

Hundreds of years of tradition can not be changed with a new PM. Everyone in a position of power expects to be rewarded financially by those they hold power over.

The current government is no different to any elected, totally corrupt. The people of Thailand understand and accept corruption as long they receive some thing in return.

The government has not been able to help the farmers in the north and north east. Those in the south who supported the coup and expected to be rewarded, have not been. If the Bangkok middle class have benefited from the government, they are outnumbered by those who feel the government is offering no help.

The only way the government can prevent the inevitable is to postpone elections and suppress any dissent. But in doing so they are becoming more disliked by the day. 

420,000,000 pounds/ 18,606,000,000 baht 

If it was my building I would sell it. Lets face it nothing that happens in that building benefits UK citizens living in Thailand. Maybe with that kind of money there staff might start to smile.

6 minutes ago, merlin2002 said:

Why can't number crunchers in Thailand work out a simple thing like percentages.  Their stats are always wrong, it's not exactly a difficult calculation...  

Percentages are like magic in Thailand, no one understands them. The University educated women living opposite our house could not tell me what 10% off 100 is. I think its a way of making sure the banks and money lenders keep control of the farmers.

12 years ago I bought a nice red mail box from the post office. In 12 years its been used twice. My mail can be found in our local petrol station or noodle shop.

A couple of weeks ago my daughters new UK passport was delivered by EMS to a old woman's house in the village. The lady opened it and left it on top of her fridge for two days before I managed to track it down.

It once took The Thai post service 21 days to deliver a bill which had travelled 18km. I accept its not that important but it dose make it more difficult to pay bills if you do not receive a paper copy.

6 minutes ago, JAG said:

4 or 5 days training given with imitation wooden rifles would be the cube root of bugger all use in any widespread conflict. They would last for seconds in a firefight.

 

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if some middle ranking Walt in the regional military isn't playing at raising his own militia...

I live in a area with a large military presence, despite there being a good few work-shy drunks about the army have yet to round anyone up and train them.

The only time any villagers were trained was during the last conflict with Cambodia. The head of our village was also given a M16. I think it was more to prevent any burglary's with so many houses being evacuated.

Regarding the second hand police uniforms, The farmers would have to put on weight if they want them to fit.

When the wife's grandmother was cremated, the remaining ashes and bits of bone gave my wife the winning lottery numbers.

I refused do give her money for the village lottery, 7 years later I am still reminded about it.

Maybe they had lost or had there money stolen.

But I was asked for money by a dutch man on  Sukhumvit 19 a few weeks ago. He told me he needed money for a bus ticket and was desperate. Like a soft lad I gave him ฿500, the next day he stopped me and asked me again with the same story.

Some farangs are no different to the alcoholics wondering around our village begging for 10 for a shot of whisky.

Good info electric. There are also tickets available for the testing.

Moto GP testing 16-18 Feb. Tickets are ฿500-฿1000 or ฿6000 for VIP.  www.allticket.com 

I phoned the circuit yesterday and was told tickets go on sale for the world super bikes 10 Feb.

WSB Thailand 23-25 March. Chang International Circuit Phone number 044 604 200 for info.

Buriram is the place to be if you like your bikes.

13 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Yep, my teen does all the homework and course works for her group of 10, assisted by 1 other girl.

The other 8 copy her finished product ......... they only provide refreshments while she works.

 That sounds very familiar.

If you can upload it to a file sharing website or even facebook and provide a link, some of use could have a go at translating it.

My daughter speaks  Lao, Khmer, Suai . If the recording was clear it may be possible.

I just phoned the circuit, the tickets will be released next month around the 10th-12th. They will be available from allticket.com and can be collected from any 7-11.

WSB Thailand 23-25 March. Chang International Circuit Phone number 044 604 200 for info.

Moto GP testing 16-18 Feb. Tickets are ฿500-฿1000 or ฿6000 for VIP.  www.allticket.com 

Moto GP Thailand 5-7 Oct. Tickets are ฿1700-฿4000

I have been to the circuit a couple of times and it is good. They have good food/toilets and parking and its easy to get to.

 www.bric.co.th.

Try the above I don't think tickets are for sale at the track yet, but there are contact phone numbers on the websites.



 

The wife's uncle is a cop, he jumped out in front of a bike.The bike driven by a off-duty police man ran him over. 

Interesting link, so dose that mean that the Khmer speaking Thais are the original people of Siam?

The Chinese have the upper hand, the Thais will have to accept the Chinese ways. I would like to see a Thai try to stop a Chinese tourist smocking on the beach.

I was in Cambodia at siem reap airport, the security was stopping Chinese from passing thru security with flasks of tea. So the Chines one at a time poured there tea on the floor. Then a airport worker told a Chines man to stop smoking, so he gave his light cigarette to a young child. The child had a big drag and walked away.

Thailand is a violent place at times. I have seen some crazy stuff in my village, but it has always been Thai on Thai violence. I have never felt threatened by any Thai.

When I first came there was a lot of gun crime, most blamed on Cambodians. Our village is defiantly safer than it was 15 years ago. Tourist areas may have become more dangerous. 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

God bless you Karl.