Gillespie

Hooray! Now even more people will be able to summon up naughty pictures of underclad ladies in parliament!

'“Today is a public holiday. I will report to Phuket Provincial Police Station tomorrow,” he added.'

So cops who are transferred to an inactive post are allowed to take a holiday from their inactivity. That's nice.

The inactivity of the inactiveness cancels each out. Therefore creating an active inactivity. Simple.

My head hurts.

The most recent ad I saw on an ATM gave the options INTEREST and NOT INTEREST. Since it was for a banking product, I assumed it was asking what sort of account I wanted. In fact, it was asking whether or not I gave a dam_n.

[bites tongue]

Can teachers be transferred to inactive posts?

Well at least Thailand has no *real* racism, because everyone loves each other, regardless of ethnicity or skin colour.

All of Chavanond's claims may well be true. But the fact remains that Thaksin and/or his supporters win every election that comes their way; something that the Democrats haven't managed in 20 years. While I don't doubt that vote-buying and patronage play a major part in this, that's how the Democrats hang on to their own fiefdoms in Bangkok and the South, so they can hardly compain.

The Dems increasingly remind me of small children pounding the floor with their fists, squealing "It's not fair!" Come up with some policies that people like, guys. That's how democracy works. Remember democracy? You're named after it.

Actually, I think this shows Thailand in a good light. OK, the country's got its fair share of drunken, sociopathic morons, but they conduct their homicidal mayhem in the true spirit of sanuk that we all know and love so much. If only insensitive farang would appreciate this before they fall from their Pattaya balconies.

How does one evaluate personal hygiene with a written test? Question five: When did you last wash your socks?

Men who touch female revellers inappropriately or molest them will be arrested.

What about women who touch men?

When he's done that, maybe he should check out the brothels that are rumoured to exist.

So Thaksin is a liar.

Unlike all his political opponents, who are paragons of honesty, selflessness and rectitude.

A good summary of the beginnings of the Chakri dynasty, but it leaves out what happened to poor old Ta[a]ksin. Was that deliberate?

Aerosmith, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Noel Gallagher. The perfect soundtrack for a critical mass of dull, middle-aged white men indulging themselves in a second youth of drinking and whoring to stave off a gnawing sense of failure and mortality. Welcome to Bangkok.

Positions on the grid will be awarded on the basis of contributions to the boys in brown.

Actually, I wonder how useful Lewis Hamilton would be with half a dozen building workers piled onto the back of his car. Or his wife and kids fore and aft.

Is it my imagination, or are all English-language marketing slogans in Thailand based on the rearrangement of six or seven vaguely positive-sounding adjectives, half of which are never used by sentient native English speakers? I suppose we should be grateful they haven't used "upscale" or "trendy". Actually, that might work. "Trendy Thailand, For all Your Upscale Lifestyle Needs".

Oh man, the full version just gets better and better:

The Thai woman and the foreigner were performing their sexual act in the sea for 20 minutes until they reached climax and then walked back to the beach looking tired.

My commiserations to the good people of Tonga. The late king often sported a monocle and a top hat. I think the world would be a better place if more world leaders were dandies.

The question is do they have a choice in the matter-- answer no! Do they get compensated for loss of earnings-- answer no! is there any consideration for the effect that this will have on businesses-- answer no! Has this been particularly well thought out-- answer no!

You are right they will not be compensated for their loss of business.

Has this been well thought out.YES it is part of their tradition. Problem being many westerners continue to think they are the only ones that count and have no problem putting down another countries customs and beliefs.

Maybe they should figure the cost of doing business in the country into their budget before they open up for business.

So in the mean time jut go to the store and stock up on your booze and get a hold of yourself.

I agree that one should take into account such cultural conditions before doing business in a country. We know there is widespread regard for the royal family in Thailand. But the practical ramifications of such regard (the length of mourning, which establishments need to shut, how much time off should be allowed to staff) are pretty opaque to say the least, and many Thais I know are none the wiser, until an official announcement goes out, a few weeks (or less) before the event.

It may have been well thought out, but that's not much help if the people who do the thinking don't bother to tell anyone else.

I would never claim to be an expert on royal protocol, so perhaps someone could help me out here. Are there fixed rules about which members of the Royal Family deserve such commemoration? I understand the late Princess was the daughter of a monarch; but did this enforced no-booze spell come into force every time one of King Chulalongkorn's 77 offspring died? Or does this also apply to the deaths of other relatives (siblings, grandchildren, etc) of a monarch? (I don't remember it happening when His Majesty's grandson died in the tsunami, for example.)

I have asked Thai friends what the rules are, but they seem a bit nonplussed as well, and also seem to have only the vaguest knowledge of HRH Princess Benjaratna's life and works - beyond, oddly, the fact that if you gave her any historical date, she could tell you the day of the week on which it occurred, which is pretty cool.