bigbamboo

Absolutely. Thais should not allow themselves to fall under the spell of alcohol. Be a good Buddhist and give up drinking now....... and gambling.... and chasing women. You will feel better for it.

OK, you won't actually live longer, but it will seem like it.

Thais sell ivory at the elephant farms...

Amazing Thailand. Must be Thaksin's fault.

No, but he did choose to employ a Minister who wanted a wildlife restaurant at Chiang Mai Night Safari so I think we can assume animal welfare is not one his things.

Better to lose 7-1 than be beaten by a team who were better than yours at taking penalties?

I'm sure United fans will just love hearing that!

another week of ....but, but, not us, someone else, unfair, they did it, and other bull from the thais

Along with China, Thailand is part of the "Gang of Eight" countries that have faced scrutiny over the ivory trade, but it is now seen as the key offender.

this statement says everything to make thailand wake up...the country of elephant lovers

It is all false love, Thailand couldn't care less about elephants they are nothing but a commodity to Thais. Everything is money to them alive or dead doesn't matter.

Sadly too many Thais care more about the changs that come in bottles.

why did they leave so much of that one tusk compared to the other?

Shows that they didn't intend on killing the elephant.. in order to cut the bottom tusk higher up they would either have to turn the elephant over (impossible in this situation) or they would have had to have risked damaging the elephants trunk. ie: the trunk was in the way.. the upper tusk was unimpeded by the trunk so they could safely take more without risk of harming the elephant. Note that even on the upper tusk, they did not cut all the way back because they did not want to expose the nerve.

Those in the elephant community believe that this was an accidental overdose of anaesthetic, they were trying to knock the elephant out to take the tusks, but had no intention of killing the elephant.

So what. The ivory still looks better on the elephant than on some rich hi-so's wall.

Basically still in charge for the time being no matter how you try to spin it.

And don't you just love the daily reconciliatory songs?

At least they're making an effort.

Please stop saying nice things about Chiang Mai, you'll attract all the riff raff.

it's too late for that!

You can always leave!

The best were 70 and 82.

I would say that this has been the best since then but all great World Cups need a great final. Here's hoping!

We've got a greenhouse. Is that any good?

Very, very bad news.

This messes up what could have been a great long weekend.

These days it must be horrible being a bar owner, or even restaurant owner, first the curfew, then the strict enforcement of the closing times during the world cup, and now another weekend spoiled.

But of course we are all happy.

Being a bar owner in Buddhist country where alcohol is frowned on must be a bind.

I think I'll stick to Cambodian Hom Mali for the next three years thanks.... just to be on the safe side!

At least she isn't Thai any more.

Didn't Khun T mention that when the wages (eventually) went up prices would too? I guess that wouldn't have been too popular

Well at least they now know why Korn was an internationally respected economist and Kittirat was a liar.

Here is the big whining for an elephant, but no one care how pigs for meat are treated or how the killings for halal beef is done....

And here is another whine about those who find the killing of these animals to decorate some rich <deleted> home abhorrent. Sure the killing of animals for food and how it is done is an issue just as killing animals for their fur but this thread is about elephants.

The fact that it happens in a supposedly animal loving Buddhist country where the elephant is national symbol simply compounds the crime.

Let's hope that under the new regime ALL those involved will be caught.

I have a little flat above soi Cowboy and have never traveled further than the end of the soi, but I am an expert on all things Thai

Fair point though that living here, or having lived here for decades, one could still have a very limited vision on what's going on. On the other hand, de Toqueville only spent 9 months in America and 180 years later his writings are still famous.

And some foreign governments seem to have even less idea of what's going on here.

edit typo edit.

I'm going to catch hell for this remark but here goes. Thailand sends the full army to the south and gradually rounds up every Muslim and forces them into Malaysia or sends them on boats to the middle east. They love Allah so much they should appreciate living in a Muslim state. They can even go to Bahrain where strict Sharia Law is enforced. Let's see how they like that. Religious zealots who think their way is the only way have no place in this world.

Given that the vast majority of the population in the four southernmost provinces are ethnic Malay muslims might it not be better to 'retrieve' the Thai minority and hand Pattani and the rest back to Malaysia?

Something bad happens down the line, the top guy falls on his sword. As it should be.

This wouldn't have happened before the coup. No matter how high you are, if you screw up, you will be held responsible. Well done!

Response self censored but we are all happy and everything is perfect.

Thank you TVGerry, you are enlightenment personified.

More sandwiches, anyone ?

He didn't so much fall on his sword as have it rammed up his jacksie but you're right this wouldn't have happened before the law returned to Dodge.

And things are not perfect, just a lot better than they were.

I'd like to see Argentina win it so we can stop all that 'Messi will never be considered the best until he's won the World Cup' nonsense but I still can't see past the Germans winning it on penalties.

Thanks for the reminder, just called the local shop and got them to drop round 10 slabs of their finest ale.

... you do realise it's just two days, don't you...?!

Perhaps he's got Chalerm coming round for dinner.

IMO anyone who has committed the crime this worthless SRT worker did should the world a favour and do the honourable thing by taking his own life.

As far as capital punishment goes an eye for an eye seems fair provided you are confident that when the police get their man it is the right one.

So the authors of this piece call for a total ban of alcohol despite the fact that the incidents mentioned have all involved staff.

A drug and alcohol test for staff before journeys makes sense and a total ban on staff drinking alcohol on trips makes sense however a total ban is just completely recalcitrant and reflects on thai society that they find it hard to deal with high profile incidents such as this.

I am not sure wether this ban includes the orient express or other trains that cross the border but it would've a stupid ban if so.

We all know the damage this cheap nasty drug yaa baa can do so why not start there and beef up the fines and jail time substancially for not only dealers but the users to as the way this drug is taking hold not on in Thailand but around the world it's only going to get worse and we will be reading more terrible stories like this one.

You read an article about a brutal assault and murder and all you can think to discuss is the unfair ban on alcohol.

The comment is also about how the authorities are deflecting blame and failing to tackle the problem by painting over the cracks.

Well if the victim was shot from three metres away that rules out any involvement by the son of a former PT politician.

That's WAY out of his range.

I'm new here, but my son has been traveling here for 4 yrs and loves going to phuket, however the news I'm seeing now is far from inviting. Please, someone is not biased, but knows the real scoop please give me the facts....

Phuket is a real curate's egg....... some parts are very nice and some parts should be avoided at all cost.