ProfessorFart

<deleted>! I didn't see any and I'm about 2 miles from the Airport so.....

Anyone have a degree in Asian History? Asian Studies in any respect? Any decent reading?

Having spoken to a girl who may have been a graduate doesn't count.

Nah. You're bar stool experts. You can bang on and on about your educated Thais all you want but until you actually understand the basis of the topic, then leave such matters be.

Game Set and Match I think you mean...

Have you even offered an explanation of what Sakdina is?

Has Heng?

I'm still waiting.

You really are coming over as a barstool fool.

I have asked you several times now to define just how Sakdina is a caste system.

Please reply without resorting to asking your mates to try and weigh in...

Oddly enough so did I but I only mention that in passing. I don't need to namedrop to try and reinforce my iffy posts.

Now, how about addressing my basic point?

LOL! Another 'internet expert' trying to make out that all he does is discuss such matters with Educated Thais and Indians on a regular basis....

Seriously, show me a case of 'caste breaking' in India....

A lot of classics (Conan Doyle, Shakespeare, Dickens etc) are in the public domain and available as ebooks from Project Gutenburg or as Audiobooks from LibrVox (some good, some bad)

When I'm on the road I'll download a few on my phone and read them with Mobipocket.

The price - free.

I love it when prats start rattling on about 'riff raff' like some Colonial throwback.

You get the odd arsehol_e but on the whole it tends to be blokes out for a bitof flange and a few beers and thats it. No harm no foul. If you don't like it, and it so upsets your tender sensibilites simply stay away. Far away. The USA maybe? Easy!

It's deemed racist because of connotations (esp in the UK) to groups such as the NF and BNP.

'Poo'

What a great word!

How can he have a grasp of the concept when he doesn't even grasp the basic premise? He thinks its a caste system...LOL!

Sakdina does still exist in Thailand but it is now reclassified and rebranded as 'The Elite'. The mechanics are the same as they have ever been. You buy your way in and then you all look out for each other and protect each other's interests with lots of nice laws on your side, and lots of crap spouted to the population on your behalf.

It isn't purely a Thai thing mind you. Its a global thing. I can't think of any country where the Elite don't make self protecting laws and look out for each other.

Guest House's classification is <deleted>. Maybe thats why he spends his life online banging on about his amazing life ...ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Walter...meet Walter....

JD. No they can't change caste in India. Please don't post such halfwitted crap. If you knew even a modicum about Asia you would know that is shit.

Seriously. This is a potentially fascinating topic but please don't fuc_k it up with your nonsense.

When you are in a position to set out what Sakdina is before dismissing all else then we have a starting point to the rest of your crap.

Cheers guys.

I had the same thing happen a while back but luckily I was in Chanthaburi and a mate of mine there is handy with computers and sorted it for me. As it happens I'm heading back for a few days in the week so he's going to sort it for me once again and check for a deeper problem.

You fail to understand the basics of a 'caste' system. A caste system is birth dictated and utterly immovable. You are born into it and that is that. You can't 'elevate' into one.

Sakdina was not a caste system but a socio-political system of power and privilege set in place so that those whom held the wealth and power could hold on to it. Once you were deemed as having the necesary Na, you were into the elite.

Nah that would be the privilege of modern top tier politicians everywhere... if it happened.

So just what is Sakdina if it is not handing privilige to the powerful?

As an asides, it used to happen regularly in the Thaksin era.

Bangkok can have that affect on people, especialy if you get out of it for a while and then return.

It doesn't sound like Culture Shock to me, not after 6 months.

I love Bangkok and the wealth of experiences it offers. For me its the best of all worlds. I get grumpy when I'm away from here for more than a week.

Oh dear! I predict yet another TV "I'm a better expat than you' cock waving contest coming on.

Mercedes drivers ---- as likely to be middle class as anything else. I OWN the road is a common belief of any driver. See the "mercedes mentality" thread and read the OP's thoughts ... he seemed to think even on a motorcycle HE owned the road.

Now, were that Mercedes flanked in Police Motorcycles haring down an empty rush hour street while thousands are kept waiting in hot cars stuck in sub sois, all so some jumped up politician could make his lunch appointment, that would be a case of Sakdina in a modern context.

Basically Sakdina = people control. It was/is a feudal system introduced so people accepted their (usually poor) status.

I actually think that after 100+ replies, #1 is still closest to the mark.....

There does seem to be a way around it but it lookes incredibly difficult and the lengthy instructions are only given in Thai.

It'd be hard enough to d in English and I managed to follow it through for while but just fell flat on my arse. I just don't know eough abou computers.

Where did you find it and how much was it if you don't mind me asking?

I've picked up a bit of an annoying flicker on my HP notebook screen. It's not serious but I'd like it sorted ASAP.

I'm looking for a laptop repair shop in Bangkok or Samut Prakan who will: A] not charge me silly prices for a 5 minute job as I know it's just a little tweak needed (I've had similar prob once before) and B] Do it then and there or within a few hours (I don't mind nipping for a pint or three while I wait.)

Cheers.

You may have difficulties here. I've been on the lookout for a while now and can't find XP anywhere. It's all Vista and Windows 7. Even the MS people here in BKK told me to 'Try Panthip'

Whether or not that was a euphemism for 'get a good pirate copy' or that I may well find a genuine copy there in the myriad computer shops I couldn't tell you.

I'm planning to pop in to Panthip this weekend to have a look but I despise the place so if I find one I'll post here.

So it went off like a damp squib, much the same as all the red shirts nonsense. They are clueless and rudderless, doomed to following a will-o-the-wisp has been.

Well put Sir!

yes of course Khun Jatuporn...it will next Thursday at 9:00am......think these people miss the point of a coup...its generally not advertised as it kinda defeats the object somewhat...