I Like Thai

Moral of the story, don't try and take a right turn at 65 mph

Had a nice day Took the daughter to feed the ducks at the river. Nice to have a day off and spend it with the family.

I know ye are known as the land down under, but do ye do everything upsidedown

I take ducks to feed my daughter

I'm American. Like I said the vast majority (over 90 percent) of American boys of my generation were circumcised because that was the standard medical practice then. Nothing to do with religion except for a very small segment of the population. Now it is being questioned more, Latinos generally don't cut for cultural reasons, but still quite widespread, and still perfectly OK to do according to the U.S. medical authorities. It is not considered mutilation. It's considered an optional medical procedure for babies and sometimes a medically required one for older males. There are pros and cons of cutting, yes there is some surgical risk but overall a very low risk procedure. The argument that if there is any risk it should never be done is bogus considering there are documented benefits to doing it.

The American medical establishment policy here is relevant to this thread as it's a story about a case of circumcision controversy there.

To wit:

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/2011-11-15-ama-adopts-new-policies.page

Stop Legal Prohibition of Male Circumcision

Ballot and other legal initiatives have recently been proposed in California that would ban infant male circumcision and penalize any physician who performed it. The AMA voted today to oppose any attempt to legally prohibit male infant circumcision.

"There is strong evidence documenting the health benefits of male circumcision, and it is a low-risk procedure, said Peter W. Carmel, M.D., AMA president. "Today the AMA again made it clear that it will oppose any attempts to intrude into legitimate medical practice and the informed choices of patients."

Is that the same American medical establishment who decided that Lobotomies were a valid procedure for people with mental illness ?

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/03/21/the-surprising-history-of-the-lobotomy/

In 1936, psychiatrist Walter Freeman and another neurosurgeon performed the first U.S. prefrontal lobotomy on a Kansas housewife. (Freeman renamed it “lobotomy.”)

Freeman believed that an overload of emotions led to mental illness and “that cutting certain nerves in the brain could eliminate excess emotion and stabilize a personality,” according to a National Public Radio article.

He wanted to find a more efficient way to perform the procedure without drilling into a person’s head like Moniz did. So he created the 10-minute transorbital lobotomy (known as the “ice-pick” lobotomy), which was first performed at his Washington, D.C. office on January 17, 1946.

(Freeman would go on to perform about 2,500 lobotomies. Known as a showman, he once performed 25 lobotomies in one day. To shock his audiences, he also liked to insert picks in both eyes simultaneously.)

People who do it for religious reasons, are they saying God made a mistake in his creation of man and it's up to mere humans to fix his mistake ?

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

Yet the same locations continue to claim lives.

Do YOU get it now?

As do accident black spots in the West

A group of farang was found doing a workout [at a temple], supposedly yoga. They spread their arms and legs while their friends were taking photos. This was done in public view of both locals and tourists," the caption said. Common temple etiquette requires visitors to remain calm, and act in a composed manner"

Boo hoo hoo

If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign.

Say you on an Internet forum 555

Lets see: Whose picture did I publish to name and shame…oh, look no one.

If I saw someone doing something that I found offensive I would tell them.

Get me in contact with the knob head who started this campaign and I tell them what I think about their behaviour.

Remember the guy from the BTS who had a hole in his shoe, yet was vilified on the forums for having a camera shoe.

Netziens and their online outrage, make me want to puke.

Confrontation is not appropriate behaviour at a temple.

Why don't you go and get yourself in contact with the person that started the campaign. It's pointless sitting behind your keyboard, doing this and doing that, but in reality doing nothing.

"Common temple etiquette requires visitors to remain calm, and act in a composed manner""

I wonder whether that is all the expats who have suddenly disappeared from BKK over the past week. If so then your mini-boom will end on Sunday tailing off fully 6 days later. We'll see.

Impossible, everyone knows that the high class expats found in BKK would never go to a place like Pattaya

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The beauty of the USA is I can say anything about the government I want to say without fear of reprisal. I have freedom of speech.

On this forum I can't say what I want to say about who I want to say it.

So the topic is open to USA bashing without the opportunity to explain WHY.

So let's bash the USA and ignore what's happening in Thailand.

I have quoted you when replying to your posts. On my initial post in this train I did not quote anyone as my reply was not aimed at you, there were numerous posters that complained of America hating/bashing etc, not just you.

I think it incorrect for America or Wales or any other country to go and speak negatively about another country and try to tell that country what it should and shouldn't do.

If Wales had spoken likewise and there was a topic on Thai visa, then I would also say they were incorrect in their views. If a Welsh poster agreed with the view that Wales was entitled to slate another country and took exception to anyone saying Wales was not then accused them of Wales bashing, then I would also get the impression that they were using double standards.

You wrote, "Why is it that when America speak negatively about Thailand or any other country it is seen as acceptable, but when anyone speaks negatively about America is it "America Bashing" or "America Hating"

Seems as though a lot of Americans on this thread operate a double standard.

Please provide one example.

You wrote, "I think it incorrect for America or Wales or any other country to go and speak negatively about another country and try to tell that country what it should and shouldn't do." This is obviously wrong as there have been many cases of massive human rights violations that all civilized countries of the world are bound to point out. Would you accept the Holocaust again and have other nations remain silent?

Third post in the topic, quoted above, even before anyone disagreed with the USA statement

I think that if a minority in any country is subjected to mass brutality, then other countries should do what they can to extricate these people from that country if they wish to leave and give them a home in their country. Condemning these kinds of actions with words is meaningless waffle.

On WW2, at no time did any of the countries go to war with Germany to protect the Jews or other minorities that were being massacred, this was only added as a reason long after the war finished by people that like to re write history.

There have been many Holocausts throughout history and right up to modern times that have gone unspoken about and ignore, because it was countries of the so called free world that were committing them.

Why do they bother then writing the names of the streets in english ? Why does dtac ais 7/11 etc bother to do english marketing? Lol

So that tourists don't continuously bother the locals by asking them for directions in a language the locals don't understand.

Why is it that when America speak negatively about Thailand or any other country it is seen as acceptable, but when anyone speaks negatively about America is it "America Bashing" or "America Hating"

Seems as though a lot of Americans on this thread operate a double standard.

You are not telling the truth. If you are and I'm wrong then use the quote function instead of general flames against one country or another. Unless you do that the only double standard will continue to be where it is now "in your mind."

You're American. I'm neither Thai nor American. You are biased in favour of America because you are American. I have no axe to grind with America/Americans or anyone else.

Why do you get upset when someone speaks negatively about America, but feel it's acceptable for America to speak negatively about other countries ?

Because you are not telling the truth. I asked a simple question, "If you are and I'm wrong then use the quote function instead of general flames against one country or another. Unless you do that the only double standard will continue to be where it is now "in your mind."

For example (not true just an example). Why is it that when Wales speak negatively about Thailand or any other country it is seen as acceptable, but when anyone speaks negatively about Wales is it "Wales Bashing" or "Wales Hating"

The first thing anyone would ask is where? When? Use the quote function.

You wrote, "Why is it that when America speak negatively about Thailand or any other country it is seen as acceptable." That's a lie. This whole thread is testament to the fact that most of the posters on Thai Visa want America to mind its own business right or wrong.

I have quoted you when replying to your posts. On my initial post in this train I did not quote anyone as my reply was not aimed at you, there were numerous posters that complained of America hating/bashing etc, not just you.

I think it incorrect for America or Wales or any other country to go and speak negatively about another country and try to tell that country what it should and shouldn't do.

If Wales had spoken likewise and there was a topic on Thai visa, then I would also say they were incorrect in their views. If a Welsh poster agreed with the view that Wales was entitled to slate another country and took exception to anyone saying Wales was not then accused them of Wales bashing, then I would also get the impression that they were using double standards.

Why is it that when America speak negatively about Thailand or any other country it is seen as acceptable, but when anyone speaks negatively about America is it "America Bashing" or "America Hating"

Seems as though a lot of Americans on this thread operate a double standard.

You are not telling the truth. If you are and I'm wrong then use the quote function instead of general flames against one country or another. Unless you do that the only double standard will continue to be where it is now "in your mind."

You're American. I'm neither Thai nor American. You are biased in favour of America because you are American. I have no axe to grind with America/Americans or anyone else.

Why do you get upset when someone speaks negatively about America, but feel it's acceptable for America to speak negatively about other countries ?

Why is it that when America speak negatively about Thailand or any other country it is seen as acceptable, but when anyone speaks negatively about America is it "America Bashing" or "America Hating"

Seems as though a lot of Americans on this thread operate a double standard.

@Baerboxer

You

You'd need to be incredibly dumb to actually believe violence could win over the long term. It never has and many of those who live by the sword die by it. Thatcher, I think, despised the IRA for the cowardly murders of people including her friend the WW2 hero Airey Neave, But she realized the the IRA, INLA, UDA, UVF and UFF were not the entire population. You can't strife for a fair and just society in the UK and leave out Ulster.

Martin McGuiness and Ian Paisley saw this, and were able to put the past aside and work hard together to achieve real progress. Dinosaurs like Adams were sidelined.

Do you know of any politician who isn't two (or more when necessary) faced?

Me

The IRA didn't murder Airey Neave, that was the INLA.

Adams hasn't been sidelined and is still a leading figure in the movement to unite Eire after the unilateral partition of it by the English, thankfully a peaceful movement.

Thatcher was one of the most despicable politicians of the recent past. All politicians lie I agree but her lies destroyed communities.

However that all said I agree with your condemnation of violence.

It is never a solution.

Thatcher was a politician I will never forgive but she wasn't stupid and realised that violence had failed.

All sides including the govt have blood on their hands because of the violence perpetrated by the paramilitary groups. All of them.

That is past.

A treaty was signed.

Peace has been achieved.

We all need to move on.

Was it the INLA who murdered Neave? They claimed responsibility although other theories exist. Anyway he was murdered, probably by Irish terrorists which I'm sure Mrs Thatcher would have noted.

You may view Thatcher how you want to, from an Irish perspective, but she took over a UK that had become the sick man of Europe being completely <deleted> up by trades unions that had been infiltrated by the extreme left. She was the medicine the UK needed at that time, however unpalatable that may have been. She was democratically elected, the longest serving PM of the 20th century and the only woman to hold that office. So, many did not support your view. Like many, she arguable went too far in the other direction.

Violence creates more violence as a response, which creates more violence. A vicious cycle. Once someone becomes embroiled it's hard to break out of. Adams still spouts the old rhetoric. He's held in check, and pushed south of the border. Understandable. McGuiness, has the intelligence and honesty to admit the wrong doings, on all sides, of the past and expresses correctly how things that seemed right at the time, can be seen to be so wrong later.

A deal was done, an agreement signed. There are dissidents and criminals hiding under political banners who still need dealing with. This warrant jumper is possibly an example. Peace anywhere is fragile - just look at how quickly violence has erupted all around the world.

One poster on this thread supports the idea of political violence, and even advocates it in support of a united Ireland, even though the majority in Ulster want to remain part of the UK. Whilst people think like that violence will always be just below the surface.

... and the majority of people in the Republic want to see Ireland reunited again. So who do we listen to? The wishes of the people of Ulster or the people of the Republic? I know! Why don't we listen to what the "majority of people on the island of Ireland" want... both from Ulster and the Republic.

Ireland should be grateful that we're nicer in the UK towards terrorists than the Americans are. Otherwise we'd have just gone to war on Ireland to teach them how terrorists should have been dealt with. That process of listening to the needs of the British people would take approximately a week.

Ye tried that for 800 years and ye failed

I think the USA isn't in the position to give recommendations......Instead they should consider to bring their own war criminals to court.

They don't recommend , the say its unwise , and they are 100% right about that.

The USA is 100% wrong.

In what way? Thais are running away from democracy and into the arms of China. The US has long had a defense treaty with Thailand guaranteeing Thailand protection against foreign enemies.

It can't have been a year, can it, since the USA sailed two Nimitz-class aircraft carrier groups through Asia in a show of force when China was threatening Islands belonging to other countries, blocking commercial air routes, and violating fishing rights of smaller countries in the South China Sea?

Also,

"LAEM CHABANG, Thailand (NNS) -- Aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), accompanied by guided-missile cruiser Cape St. George (CG 71), departed Laem Chabang, Thailand, Jan. 10, (2012) following a four-day port visit.

While in Thailand, Sailors from the two ships visited with the people of Thailand, experienced the local culture and participated in a series of community service projects (COMSERVs) to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. " LINK

NOW tell me what the US is to do if China starts bullying again but Thailand has run into its arms? Should the US void the treaty and let China have at it?

The US is a long time ally of Thailand and the second largest buyer of Thai exports after Japan. Japan is an ally of the USA.

It will be shown that Thailand is screwing the pooch.

I hope that if a certain person finds himself chomped in the jaws of China that the USA sits back and lets it happen. China is vastly underestimated as a crocodile.

America should mind it's own business, that's what it should do.

America gets involved in other countries only for Americas interests, it has no interest in what might be best for the countries it interferes with

Bel Aire Princess in Bkk

Siam Bayview beach road pattaya

Hotel on Koh Phi Phi

Chaweng Villas on Koh Samui

Bel Aire Princess in BKK

Home on plane

Stayed on 44th floor in Bayioke Sky on 2nd visit. I think this was the lowest floor of the hotel

Dunno if it came out in an earlier post, but apparently the farang was saying Fine as in everything is fine, but Fine means buffalo in Thai, so the monk thought the farang was calling him and maybe other Thais buffalo

Frank Kelly, before he was Fr Jack in Fr Ted

The 12 days of Xmas

Should this topic not be in the Ladies forum ?

I'd like some croc shoes but going by the photo it's feet are too small

Don't be silly. It's not wearing any shoes

When I was younger I was vain.

But now, I'm just perfect.