DocN

"The German "Bundestag", the Parliament buildings in Berlin were built by East European workers without work permits, etc. None of them payed taxes, while hundreds of thousand "professionals" in construction business were jobless."

What?

Where are you getting this sh1t from?

It's called "history". Apparently back in the old times there were documentaries on TV. "Der Spiegel" and other serious magazines made it public.

How can you criticize somebody, because you don't know facts of what had happened? -Good day.-

I can, because a friend of mine's company was involved.

The mas you could throw at them, was that they used "cheaper" workers from Eastern Countries of the EU- which is totally legal but nonetheless hurting the local German job- market!

Beaten to death over a telephone call?

Either there is something missing to this story...or I am very , very scared from now on!

In a country where everything is about status and class and money and social standing, it is school- uniforms, that are making the big difference?

What a sorry- a$$ excuse!

"The German "Bundestag", the Parliament buildings in Berlin were built by East European workers without work permits, etc. None of them payed taxes, while hundreds of thousand "professionals" in construction business were jobless."

What?

Where are you getting this sh1t from?

Now that is a surprise.....

New record numbers, directly from the darkest of dark places of the TAT...someone's @$$!

......that he used to organise a regular prayer session to appease the vengeful spirits...

....he used to organise a regular prayer session to appease the Thai public that are superstitious.

Which is what is being done in this case.

======================on the other hand========================

How many people reading this thread have been at sea?

Did you go through the ceremony for appeasing Neptune when crossing the line?

And also carry out a ritual when it was necessary to re-name a vessel?

And who would mention a pig by name but always refer to them by fat-one or curly tail etc.

Yep...I also do not believe in St. Claus, but like to celebrate Christmas.

There is a difference between "folklore" and what is going on in this case....a 200 -people-per-plane- difference!

No crime committed. This is supposed to be a Democracy and citizens have the right to Free Speech. Pictures "imply" and may be considered "risque" but not offensive. You can not insult an inanimate object, only living people. Another "Black Mark" on the government brilliant thinking.

Thailand has no Free Speech at all. It doesn't even pretend to have it.

Oh, it does pretend!

It is a democracy, didn't you know?

First of all you can have democracy without free speech and you can have dictatorship with free speech. The form of government isn't important to it.

Thailand is constitutional monarchy.

Well Thailand pretends but in such a weak way that no one will seriously believe it.

You have the lese majeste laws.

You are not allowed to discredit Buddhism (and other religions)

You are not allowed to insult other heads of countries (referring to that law my posting rights got suspended once).

P0rn is banned (and who decides what is allowed and what not)

there numerous movies that are banned in Thailand

there are harsh defamation laws that are complete over the point of protecting people

there is a huge amount of webpages that can't be accessed from Thailand

...my sarcasm didn't hit home with you, it seems!

So happy, Thailand is not a nanny -state, where everything is safely regulated!

NOT!

Well on the alcohol sales times, cigarette display and bar close they are strict. They know what is important.....

Go to a mom & pop- shop on any given day...get your beer!

Most bars may close at 2, but I still can name at least 2 (thai) places that are open way longer!

There is only one thing, that is way over-regulated and that is a certain law...and only one certain law!

No crime committed. This is supposed to be a Democracy and citizens have the right to Free Speech. Pictures "imply" and may be considered "risque" but not offensive. You can not insult an inanimate object, only living people. Another "Black Mark" on the government brilliant thinking.

Thailand has no Free Speech at all. It doesn't even pretend to have it.

Oh, it does pretend!

It is a democracy, didn't you know?

So happy, Thailand is not a nanny -state, where everything is safely regulated!

NOT!

Amazing how some people come from western societies that preach that a man walked on water, turned wine into water and came back to life after three days......Oh yes, let's not forget the Holy Ghost....... yet these same people rubbish Thai beliefs (or anyone else's that are different to their own).

In more than one European country, I've seen people take a new car (for instance) to be blessed by the local priest.

So now tell me how European / Christian beliefs are so much better / more logical / less crazy than any others?

I will call any Westerner, who says, we should pray, to make airports or planes safer, an idiot as well!

"Yes painting over the name was a dumb thing to do and trying to avoid blame was the wrong thing to do. But that has nothing to do with what caused the accident."

No!

Of course not!

What caused the accident, was the Ghost of Christmas Past!

"If that is true why does Thai air not have a history of accidents?"

a) they have! It's not the longest in the world, because they bathed the plane in holy water and sacrificed a goat!

Just goes to show how many farangs really don't understand the "Thai mind". You must be here just for the ladies. Hope the curse that your Isaan bargirl GF puts on you doesn't come true. The consensus here is that either religion is a sham, Thais believe in the tooth fairy, etc. It's animism--not Buddhism, and it's the oldest, most ubiquitous belief system in the world.

You don't have to believe in what they do, but when you mock it, you just show how superior you are to "them".

Can't you just suspend your superiority for a moment and replace it with anthropological curiosity?

Most of the comments sound as if they were made by British East India Company employees on a tear through Asia.

sorry to disapoint you but not all farang are here for Issan girl or thai wife ....or bar girls in general .... but let me ask you a question .. do you really believe a bad spirit has cause the TG flight problem ? if you answer Yes ... then I have nothing to ad , I will only feel sorry for you ...in general !

Of course not. This is about easing the minds of the Thai nationals that are the main customers--not farangs. Ghost appeasement rituals are not unique to Thailand. They do this in Japan, Taiwan, China, etc.

YOU might not believe that evil spirits cause these accidents, but the THAIS do.

That said--yes, they need to fix the airplanes, but the Thai people also need their animist belief in evil spirits to be assuaged.

Full disclosure--My ex GF's family was deeply into the Thai dark arts. I was exposed to it for years and wrote a book about it and my experience with them.

So, yeah, it's THEIR reality. Shift your paradigm to something other than your Western ways (and superiority) and you might learn more about the culture.

This isn't about the planes--it's about the customers who fly in them.

Awaiting more Richard Dawkins acolytes. I really enjoy hearing about pasta monsters.

You still don't get it, do you?

It is not about that they might do it!

Do it <deleted>!

Kill a goat if you have to or nail a dead cat to the nose of the plane, if that helps!

But what Thai Airways did so far is a mess and a disaster and talking out loud, that they make evil spirits responsible for the mess is a big fat joke!

It starts with painting over the logo, lying about that being standard procedure for Star Alliance and practized the world over, lying about Airbus -statements, neglecting Airbus- advice and now this voodoo- story about spirits and ghost-condos!

Blaming everyone and everything and never accept responsibility and coming up with the most stupid cr2p of all to appease all other yahoos, who don't believe in modern technology!

I bet the many, many international passengers (!!!)will be happy to hear , that Thai basically Fxxxxd up everything until now, but is now trying to appease the ghosts!

...and Thais, no matter how many ghost- babies the have or make, should be very happy and extremely proud, too!

Hooray for Thainess!

Just goes to show how many farangs really don't understand the "Thai mind". You must be here just for the ladies. Hope the curse that your Isaan bargirl GF puts on you doesn't come true. The consensus here is that either religion is a sham, Thais believe in the tooth fairy, etc. It's animism--not Buddhism, and it's the oldest, most ubiquitous belief system in the world.

You don't have to believe in what they do, but when you mock it, you just show how superior you are to "them".

Can't you just suspend your superiority for a moment and replace it with anthropological curiosity?

Most of the comments sound as if they were made by British East India Company employees on a tear through Asia.

No, I can not!

If you buy a Tamagochi or a ghost baby or whatever and believe, that the gates of hell will open for you , if you don't feed it or pet it or do-whatever-the -hell- you -want-with-it...or if you pray to an invisible sky- being or write letters to Santa Claus - that is up to you and none of my business.

But if an AIRLINE or the authorities of an AIRPORT, who have responsibilities for millions of people, try to tell me, that accidents are NOT caused by false judgement, human error, neglect, inefficient maintenance but by evil spirits and they try to "cure" the problem not by learning, thorough investigation and better maintenance, but by building SPIRIT CONDOS...that is, where the fun (and my tolerance) ends!

Do hokospokus in your own house, with your own family as much as you want OR exclusively transport other dorks, who believe in the flying spaghetti monster.

Who gives a sh1t???

Seriously!

No bigger problems?

Fine!

What a happy nation!

Come , Thai- apologists! Where are you?

Such nice tradition and culture and if you don't like it: go home!

Aren't you dlad, you are not living in a nanny- state, where everything is regulated?

Be a little advetorous, huh?!

Right on Doc. Up here where I live in Esaan it's over the top but I love it. No hair cuts on Tuesday or Wednesday, bad luck. Can't start a new house in January, bad luck. Have to dig a hole where the house goes, put money and other special good luck items. Have to get the date from the local monk. Have to have the monks come to the house for the first three years three times to bless the house for good luck. Can't take the morning shower until fifteen minutes after breakfast, bad luck. Can only buy a new car or truck in certain months. If you get married God forbid, have to get the date from the local monk. Can only wear new clothes on Monday. Plant veggies on Wednesday. If you don't want rain today pull up lemon grass plants and put them in the ground upside down. Never give a towel as a gift. Very insulting as this indicates the recipient is dirty. Every banana tree has a female ghost. They consult the tree for a good lottery number. I have to admit I try to abide by the local customs but sometimes I'm a rebel without a cause, adventurous and throw all caution to the wind.

All good and nice...mostly, because your HOUSE doesn't FLY with 200+ passengers on a cruising altitude of 20 km....I guess...

Come , Thai- apologists! Where are you?

Such nice tradition and culture and if you don't like it: go home!

Aren't you dlad, you are not living in a nanny- state, where everything is regulated?

Be a little advetorous, huh?!

Before you lot get carried away with the populist notion that Thailand is a morally bankrupt place, on a per capita basis, Thailand takes more Refugees then the world average.

More then the USA or Australia or many Western Nations.

Don't let facts interrupt a good story ... carry on ...

.

...and..? <snip>

... and ... please point the part of the Article where it says the Rohingya people were seeking Aslymn or Refugee status in Thailand ...

... or was it just an assumption on your behalf?

Don't let facts interrupt a good story ... carry on ...

.

.

Hmmm...maybe you point out, where they had the chance to do it?

Before they sailed out into the sunset?

Please don't logic interfere with your humanity...

Thailand is not so bad. In Holland the then famous footballer Patrick Kluivert was speeding in Amsterdam, killed 1 of a couple in a borrowed (and poorly insured) BMW M3. He walked away with it too.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2844/Archief/archief/article/detail/431138/1996/05/15/Rechtbank-acht-Ajax-vedette-schuldig-aan-dodelijk-ongeluk-Patrick-Kluivert-krijgt-werkstraf.dhtml

He had to work 240 hours = 6 weeks (to be finished in 1 year) on projects like gardening, maintenance blablabla.

It was a red convertible M3 and NOT insured. And the Dutch; always pointing finger to those 'terribly corrupted countries as Thailand'. Their Embassy in Bangkok is corrupt, the law system in Holland is corrupt.

So...he walked away with it, huh?

But at the same time, he was serving socially and lost his driving license?

Hmmmmm....

It may not be much, but a) it's more than the Red Bull- kiddo will ever get and b ) he factually didn't walk!

Nice try by a Thai- apologist!

Before you lot get carried away with the populist notion that Thailand is a morally bankrupt place, on a per capita basis, Thailand takes more Refugees then the world average.

More then the USA or Australia or many Western Nations.

Don't let facts interrupt a good story ... carry on ...

.

...and..?

Maybe you should read these parts again:

"We gave them water, food and fixed their boat," the official from the local Internal Security Operation Command, who did not want to be named, told AFP, adding the group then returned to the boat and set sail."

Aaaaaaawwwww...modern seafaring is so romantic! They just set sails and sailed into the sunset! So nice!

"We want them to go away out of the country... They do not want to stay here and authorities here do not want to take them", he said, adding the Rohingya normally want to head on to neighbouring Muslim countries."

Yeah...totally believe that! They just booked a sailing- trip to Malaysia and now they unfortunately landed in Thailand! No way, they would want to be here, especially....

"They are all men -- aged between 15 and 45-years-old... they looked skinny, they had no energy -- some could not even walk," Somnuk Khunsuek told AFP, adding they wanted to reach Malaysia."

Still they wanted to go to the promised land eg Malaysia!

It was just the best thing to do, to send them back out on the monsoon- strikken sea. I guess, they gain some energy there.

It is a crying shame, how these people are treated!

In Myanmar, in Thailand, before the eyes of the world!