DocN

Should read like this:

Mental Health: Thai children have high risks of bad parenting....

Dear me. I'm not in America or England anymore. I'm in a developing country that literally has the potential to surpass them both. Yes, this country is lacking in many respects compared to the aforementioned nations, but your criticism begs the question of why you are here in the first place.

Yeah...folklore!

Tradition!

Culture!

Here are my questions: why does "living here" always have to include to accept, that you can die at every second and have to welcome it? Why does "living here" mean, to leave your brain at immigration? Why does "living here" mean, not trying to make things better?

Oh, yeah...the lovely culture and tradition, of course!

Seriously, dude...stay off the booze, as Rob already suggested!

yeah....right....

the only attraction they have besides the girls are the beaches and they are destroying them due to the local people greed

...the girls or the beaches?

As hard as it may seem: maybe there is a positive aspect to this.

We (the ol' ball and chain and I) are planning to visit the family near Korat over New Year.

We will NOT stay all week, so maybe this is also a chance for the overall traffic situation too relax.

Last year we went home on 1st Jan and it was a disaster with EVERYBODY going home at the same time. With almost one full week of holiday, things might be stretching out a little...maybe...

Karma is a biatch

Vote PTP and you get to live under water

Vote for the Democrats and be happy, save from all harm and been taken care of at all times!

Reality is a bitch, too!

I agree, the dems most likely would not have done much about the flood problems either, but at least with the dems in power, we would not have had to pay 350 billion for "nothing"

In short, it is better to have a government that does absolutely nothing, than a government that does nothing but steal public funds!

How are you all so sure, that any other party would have acted any different?

With corruption being a part of everyday life in Thailand, why would any politician, who has his snout in the feeding bowl, act any different!

In this country, everybody who can get hands on the money, will get hands on the money!

But that is only my private opinion.

My girlfriend was in a taxi about 2 months ago.

The driver locked the doors and only unlocked them, when she gave him her telephone number and agreed to meet with him the following day!

The threat is very real, folks!

But unless the "plan" is fully thought through and on solid ground (female drivers, maybe certain service- points all over town, with free- phones to call a taxi if non is waiting) it makes no sense to talk about it!

By the way: my girlfriend called the taxi-company the next day, to complain.

a) we never heard from them again and b ) my girlfriend knew, that nothing would happen, even before sh called!

Talk about "a plan" and "thinking it through"...

Yeah...all very nice and so on...but what are they REALLY willing to do about it?

...oh...mai pen rai...

Any "religion" that tells you, it is okay to donate some money/ fruit/ flowers/incent sticks and you will be forgiven....instead of apologizing to the person you did wrong or take responsibility for your wrongdoings, not by symbolism, but by "real life" action, is a fraud!

Excellent, hope one of the most disgusting habits on the planet, forced onto others by no choice of their own, but the selfish narrow mindedness of smokers, is banned somehow forever from public space....all of it...and indoors anywhere.

I take issue with the broad brush accusation of being selfish and narrow-minded. Additionally the accusation of "forcing" on others what you say is a disgusting habit really makes non-smokers (in your implication) to be mental weaklings without the courage to speak up at given points in time.

As I am certain you are not a mental weakling, and rather instead the kind of person who refuses to subject yourself to inhaling second-hand smoke, or positioning yourself in an environment where you inhale second-hand smoke, then your vote against what you describe as a "disgusting habit" holds about the same weight as protesting how people wipe their asses in the privacy of their own water closets (and that is indeed a disgusting habit); that is, unless you have a lewd desire to stick your nose there.

Why not instead complain about the poisonous substances which emit and belch forth from inanimate objects (of which I am certain you inhale almost daily and in great quantities) instead of the substances which people emit out of the holes in their bodies?

People in Hong Kong and China do not wear masks over their faces because of second-hand smoke. That is an issue much more worthy of the attention of courageous and noble do-gooders with the desire to get the public eye focused on legitimate and very real issues.

Here we go again....

Let me run by you a typical smokers interaction which I had recently and have had a few variations of same same but different many times.....we as a family, sitting at our dinner table near the open window and a smoker walks outside to smoke, nice guy, stands in front of the window and smoke blows in directly on us. He does the same over several fags, cigarette type, and when I have words to him, he basically says 'what can I do, not allowed to smoke inside'....he shrugs his shoulders and walks back inside to his smoke free table.

So...basically everybody has to bow to your needs and wishes?

Inside the restaurant is smoke free, so the guy -following rules forced onto him by the likes of...you, basically- goes outside (which is nice in October in Thailand...not so nice in October in Germany f.e.), but since you want to sit at an open window, he even has to be removed from that window?!

You want to enjoy a smoke-free atmosphere (granted as inside no smoking allowed) and he wants to enjoy a smoke (granted...as long as you are not even troubled by that!?)...

I am a non- smoker (except when I am really...really drunk) and I don't give a sh1t!

I am always wondering, why adult human beings do not find possibilities to deal with stuff like adult human beings?!

No, we need regulations for everything, because there is always one douche, who needs an extra- treatment!

No smoking in public places?

Like in "outside, where the wind is blowing"?

Give me a (cigarette) break!

Unless they explain further, I am sceptical.

In all my years to / in Thailand, I had just 2 female taxi- drivers ever and you are NOT telling me, you make "women only"- taxis with MALE drivers, do you?!

After several hours of deliberation, we grant the Darwin's award to applied Physics tutor Prakitpao Tomtitchong.

You mean "minutes", don't you?

Another proof that "irony" or "sarcasm" is not the strong side of Thai- humor.

Other than "boing" or "whoooooo"- noises and slipping on banana- peels!

Maybe if could have little acoustic piece or an audio- book of this "thing", it might be a lot more entertaining..."huuuuiiiiiiiiiii"

Hmmm...caught up in his own witch- hunt?!

Oooooh, the irony!

Anyways: the chances he will serve are snowballinhell- like...

Caption contest: YS: "Look...just a little more ..and that one is gone!"

oh damn...it is early!

I read "Heinecken" and though "Oh, look...here is another thing they have no clue about, besides brewing beer!"

Oh come on <deleted>...it happens every year, around the same time!

Just pay me some money and I pick up the phone at the beginning of September and "early warn" you!

Personally I do not see why people use tour agencies

Less expensive and more fun to do it yourelf

A little research and my friend Mr Google is the best option

Why pay someone to book everything for you

I can point and click just as good as someone else

as or tour groups ... never ... I would not travel in a heard

and be told when to eat .. what to eat ... what to see ... I am not a sheep to be herded around

...just wait, until you have areal problem...and see if your friends at google help you out!

Obviously, all of you have not been to Teheran!

But is that the point?

Thailand airport authorities constantly blubber out this nonsense.

Though Swampy may not be the worst of the lot, it is still a far cry from being anywhere near any number that it is viewing distance of being even close to No.1...if you know, what I mean!?

2 suggestions: Koh Lanta (though it is a bit far off): great shallow beaches.

My No1, not only for families is always Khao Lak, especially the beach hotels at Nang Thong. Great beaches, fantastic infrastructure...

Have a look at Tesco.

If they don't have, maybe Tokyu at MBK has.