shadmo63

It's my experience that the youth of today, compared to the youth of you and your era, are 1. Much better educated and worldly, 2. Nowhere near as homophobic, 3. Nowhere near as racist, 4. Nowhere near as bigoted 5. Nowhere near as sexist, and last but not least 6. Nowhere near as ignorant and small-minded.

Machines as a rule have moving parts, digital devices as a rule do not. Only a creature from Jurassic Park would refer to a smartphone as a machine.

Thai culture is evolving unlike some of the 'dinosaurs' around this forum. The arrogant attitude toward youngsters is from another era too. Who do you think you are to judge a persons whole life and culture from a two minute viewing of them having dinner? Your use of simple anecdotes to make and pass judgements is just so TV and so ignorant it's laughable. What utter arrogance!! Anyway as I recall, in the Jurassic period, children were to be seen and not heard. So what's the problem?

Did it ever occur to you old codgers that the people using their 'machines' are actually communicating 100 times faster and a 100 times more than when you was a lad. Some of you old codgers on here really need to move with the times. The average 8 year old has absorbed and processed more information than their grandparents did in their entire life. If you want to stay in the dark ages with your <deleted> boring anecdotes and 'real' communication - be my guest!!

... "More " and " Faster " is not necessarily better.

Everything has a price, if you can't see the price humans are paying for technology, better wake up and smell the coffee.

Ah, this forum is so full of Luddites. mauGR1 if you can't see the benefits to humanity from technology....I dunno! Usually "more" and "faster" do mean better, I cannot think of too many examples where they don't. Sex and holidays maybe, but thats only for the faster side of things, eh?

But what on earth are you getting at? Sure there is nothing more annoying than someone sitting on their mobile or laptop when they are supposed to be socialising with you and your group. Is that what you're talking about? The rudeness and lack of social skills? Or is the world going to hell and all humanity is doomed because of all this evil pervasive technology? Should we all be outside playing with two sticks instead of playing shootemups on the computer? Is that it, the desensitising of young men to violence? Mind you they're sure good at flying those drones these days, where did those skills come from? Or is it the obesity epidemic you are on about? You can now get apps on your smartphone to help with exercise and weight loss, and probably even social skills too. Hey there's an idea. Or maybe its cyber-bullying that bothers you, those teenagers can be nasty cant they? Personally mauGR1, I worry more about religion and aggressive foreign policies and wars and human rights and gun laws and whatever people on TV are groaning about today, things like that. My iPad and the internet sure are handy for keeping up with those things.

I just dunno what you are on about mauGR1, but i am certainly trying to wake up and smell the coffee!! Maybe you can help me out here?

Did it ever occur to you old codgers that the people using their 'machines' are actually communicating 100 times faster and a 100 times more than when you was a lad. Some of you old codgers on here really need to move with the times. The average 8 year old has absorbed and processed more information than their grandparents did in their entire life. If you want to stay in the dark ages with your <deleted> boring anecdotes and 'real' communication - be my guest!!

Oh yes, the average 8 year old has probably seen more porn than I saw in my first 40 years. Good going .

It's interesting that a question about whether machines are destroying Thai culture or not has brought vitriolic diatribes against older people. Obviously the machine culture hasn't improved comprehension or manners.

Don't take it personally old man.

Ah, Ive never seen any 8 year olds either interested or searching for porn. Contrary to popular belief the total porn on the internet is a very small percentage.

Being an old codger is only partly a function of age; mostly it's an attitude. I've met plenty of 25 year old codgers. The internet is not some OTHER world, it's merely a reflection of THIS world. Comments like '99.9% of the internet is BS' show you have an ignorant codgers attitude.

There was a time when only priests and other learned men could read and had access to information. Then came the printing press and universal education. Now each and every one of us have instant access to 99.9% of humanities combined knowledge, and the ability to communicate with most of existing humanity. What a wonderful age to live in, we are so lucky. I do feel sorry for you having to live with all the BS and those dastardly 'machines', but mostly I feel sorry for you for having a codgers attitude. I'm 51 myself, but I'm not a codger.

No, that is the great fallacy: the wisdom of old men. They do not grow wise. They grow careful.

― Ernest Hemingway

Did it ever occur to you old codgers that the people using their 'machines' are actually communicating 100 times faster and a 100 times more than when you was a lad. Some of you old codgers on here really need to move with the times. The average 8 year old has absorbed and processed more information than their grandparents did in their entire life. If you want to stay in the dark ages with your &lt;deleted&gt; boring anecdotes and 'real' communication - be my guest!!

@OP. Its been my experience that, as a group, teachers are the biggest bunch of whingers on the planet. It doesn't matter where they come from East or West they just have a lot to complain about. If you don't like it find something else to do. Sure looking after children/teenagers is not easy and you have to do a reasonable amount of out of hours work, but 7-10 weeks paid holidays every year is compensation enough. In Thailand you can make double what any Thai or Filipino teacher makes, and for many all you have is a 'native tongue' and a one month qualification. Suck it up!!!

doublephil, on 01 Sept 2014 - 09:54, said:

I often wonder who writes these articles and whether they have any real knowledge. They always make it sound much worse than it really was.

 

I travelled extensively through northern Chiang Mai province - Mae Taeng-Chiang Dao-Fang districts and Chiang Rai province - Mae Suay-Mae Lao-Meuang-Mae Chan-Mae Sai districts over the weekend by car - and only encountered a bit of light rain here and there on Saturday - though there was some heavy rain on Saturday night - and Sunday was quite hot and sunny - and no evidence of flooding anywhere except some local flooding in Mae Suay district of Chiang Rai from heavy rain on Friday

 

The level of the River Ping in Chiang Mai is slightly higher this morning than it was yesterday by a few centimeters - but nowhere near the levels required to cause any general flooding. Some low lying areas in the city do suffer temporary flooding due to local drainage problems when there is heavy and/or persistent rain - but that happens in lots of places around the country - or around the world for that matter

 

@me313

True!!! But all eating establishments are the same

Every country in the world.

Food is just business for money

Does a brick layer care about everyone of his bricks?

When residing in the uk I eat 99% at home

I cook in a clean enviroment.

But when in thailand I have to eat out.

Like in the uk last we they anounced on tv stop washing your chicken before you cook it.

The uk health authorities believe when its cooking the salmonella and listetia bugs will be killed so dont wash it! ( personally I dont trust these people anymore, cancer, dimentia and diabetis agents)

So people started to ring the radio show

A top chef rang up; when asked if he washes the chicken before he cooks it? He pompously replied of course I do not.

Apparently 2/3 of uk chefs dont wash the chicken before cooking it. (dirty! Filthy! Disgusting!)

So now not washing chicken will become law.

Then all of a sudden people will be sick, falling down dead everywhere.

Superbugs emerging apparently from nowhere

Then the government will act like they dont know why. Satanic demons!

I've never been sick eating in thailand and love the street vendours!

Partly because we can see the whole cooking operation.

Laa gon

So do you wash your chicken? Do you wash your minced beef? Do you wash your salami or your sausages? Rinsing your meat with a bit of water does nothing. Cooking kills all the bugs, and not keeping food sitting around at 5-60 deg C where bugs can proliferate. Superbugs are caused by oversubscribing and overuse and incomplete courses of antibiotics, not lack of rinsing food with a bit of water.

Me too never ever been sick in Thailand and I eat anything and everything. My only rule, derived from experience, is never eat in an empty restaurant.

Thailand gets what Thailand deserves..... always has and always will.

Well you could say that for any country really. For example, look at all those reckless countries in the Euro, England included, years of reckless policy and spending, one could argue they got exactly what they deserve. Sadly its always the working class citizens that suffer at the hands of incompetent foolish pollies.

Same world over.

...who get elected by the working class citizens...

Yep, that's right Hawker, I'm aware of how it works. Sometimes, the people have to pick what they think might be the best turkey, sometimes it works out for them other times it doesn't.

Occasionally, a good one comes along, he/she doesn't always get to where one would hope he or she gets to. Pollies bandy together and look out for competence, then they white ant it.

Socialism/"progressivism" never pays its way and never keeps a promise; not in the long run. NEVER. Yet it's what the "working class" get duped into buying, over & over & over again. They suck it up every time. The speechmaker says social consciousness and redistribution of wealth; the voter gets elitism. In Thailand it's called the PTP or Thaksinism. Socialism & elitism: two different words for the exact same thing.

I know its a waste of time lecturing people on their political viewpoints - they seem to be hard wired into us. I have never ever seen anyone change their political standpoint because someone proved an argument to them. Having said that.....

It's funny how right wing Americans love to put their one eyed slant on the evils of 'socialism'. It's just not a word we use in the rest of the western world. There are so many varieties of socialism how can you brand them all as bad? On the whole the rest of the western world have education and health systems that look after EACH and EVERY citizen, at least to some degree. Funny how both education and medical costs are higher in the US than pretty much any where else on the planet. Also on the whole all sides of politics support these systems - not just what you call the 'socialist' left. Your GOP is just way way to the right of the rest of the planet. In Australia our right wing party (ironically called the 'Liberals') are probably no further right wing than Obama. In Australia we have a great health and education system, superior to the US in most measures of quality. But disgusting to you cause it's what you call 'socialised'. Just so you know we have complete freedom to choose private schooling and private health care if we can afford it.

I really find it hard to equate socialism with elitism too, no matter now hard I think about it. They seem to me to be almost opposite. No doubt you have an argument to help me there.

So Thaksinism and PTP stand for 'socialism' too. The Thai political system doesn't seem to based on the left/right dichotomy we are used to. But it appeals to your simple left is bad, right is good mindset. Good luck to the worlds mindless working class.

I think Prayuth and his team are smart enough to maintain good relations with the EU and US for economic purposes such that the Thai economy doesn't suffer. I don't think Thailand is cornered or under pressure as the article may suggest. However the US should be smarter than stopping military exercises with Thailand. Thailand is a strategic important partner for the US from a geopolitical point of view. Now with the action from the US army to stop joint exercises, they have opened the door for the Chinese to closer cooperate with Thailand from a military point of view. Clearly not something the US want. Hope the US foreign policy has more foresight in future.

Of course the US know exactly what's going on in Thailand, and probably approve too. What is it, the 18th coup in 80 years? It's just more of the same. Here we go again in the LOS. Have you not read the MacGregor Marshall book? They know more than we do. But the bastion of democracy can't be seen to be approving of a military coup. Not in front of the populace. A few pro-democracy anti-coup declarations for good measure and a few cancelled military exercises for a good look and then it's back to business as usual.

These Thais with their whitening crap. They really need to get a life!

They also put pegs on their nose , they are trying to look like Europeans , the flared nose for those who don't know, plays a important part in your body cooling, that's why Europeans suffer in the heat our nose is shaped for cooler climates, so this of course wont make their nose narrow and sharp looking, unless they are Michael Jackson , but along with the whitening, this is some silly idea that they will look like UK Princes Kate.

What utter rubbish. Humans have sweat glands to keep cool. Dogs and other mammals like yourself pant.

I like the dark skin and she's very pretty, but I think she'd be better without the Farang nose job.

I'm no expert but I'd say all 3 have got one. Beauty is beauty in any colour but agree - give me a natural flat nose any day.

I can arrange that for you - any day.

I like the dark skin and she's very pretty, but I think she'd be better without the Farang nose job.

I'm no expert but I'd say all 3 have got one. Beauty is beauty in any colour but agree - give me a natural flat nose any day.

!

Bonefish I accept your comments and I too would be worried if all my wife's relatives had died from a young age of liver cancer. But I would still have an enquiring mind. For example are you so sure however, the causation solely falls on the shoulders of the fermented and/or undercooked fish, rather than fluke contaminated drinking water or high levels of alcohol consumption in some sectors of Thai community?

If reason for liver cancer and flukes is from poor sanitation, so it follows where you have poor sanitary provisions, you'll likewise have risks from poor quality non-mains drinking water supplies in rural areas. I would hope, that there comes a time when there is widespread fluke screening for infection in high incident areas. If Thai authorities cannot afford this, why do not international aid Agency's step-in?

And no, there is no ulterior motive, other than an enquiring mind. My wife stocks jars of commercial pickled Gouramy fish. Would you say these commercial supplies are treated to kill the parasites before being distributed? I'm glad you cook at home, a good choice.

Being involved in hospitality, opinions are like A$$holes, everybody has one

The cause of thebcancer may be this particular fish however there is like 100 other possibilities so definitely saying it's fish is a bit silly

How many internet reviews so you see with people saying "I got food poisoning from this restaurant, I was feeling sick by the end of the meal and I know it was the medium rare steak, rare meat gives me food poisoning! "

Newsflash! Food poisoning occurs anywhere between 8-36 hours after the meal, there is no way you could get food poisonibg during the meal,

Maybe the food was laced with some kind of cyanide?? Then chances are youd be dead, and chances are every other person who ate the same steak from the same batch would get sick on the spot

Unless its the only thing you ate in the last 48 hours you can only narrow it down slightly

Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcal food poisoning 1-6 hours Sudden onset of severe nausea and vomiting. Abdominal cramps. Diarrhea and fever may be present. 24-48 hours Unrefrigerated or improperly refrigerated meats, potato and egg salads, cream pastries

http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm103263.htm

Seems you can if you are not a fast eater.

That's one strain out of the 15 or so mentioned on the fda website, plus it's more the uncommon one!!

Yeah that's Staph Aureus - otherwise known as Golden Staph and in its antibiotic resistant form as MRSA. Nasty bug that one, and not that common in food poisoning.

I had a double hernia OP about 5 years ago. An indication as to how well it was done is that I play tennis 3 or 4 times a week and I often forget that I ever had the op. I had a mesh inserted and I have no visible scar. I had it done at Ram, so probably the same surgeon, as mentioned by TPTHAI2, who was recommended to me by Dr. Tawatchai at Loi Kroh clinic. He said he had a very good reputation of none recurring problems, which so far is true.

The fly in the ointment was the bill, about 70,000 baht.

Price is not too bad. I paid 60,000 for one side.

I envy you both. Because I have low blood palettes, (thin blood), Bangkok Heart Hospital in Bangkok wanted 550,000 baht because they were afraid I would bleed to death inside after the surgery. I said no, even though my hospital in the states would not even consider doing the operation with low blood palettes. 30 years with the hernia, I can go on. {Umbilical hernia}.

I think you mean PLATELETS.

!

Bonefish I accept your comments and I too would be worried if all my wife's relatives had died from a young age of liver cancer. But I would still have an enquiring mind. For example are you so sure however, the causation solely falls on the shoulders of the fermented and/or undercooked fish, rather than fluke contaminated drinking water or high levels of alcohol consumption in some sectors of Thai community?

If reason for liver cancer and flukes is from poor sanitation, so it follows where you have poor sanitary provisions, you'll likewise have risks from poor quality non-mains drinking water supplies in rural areas. I would hope, that there comes a time when there is widespread fluke screening for infection in high incident areas. If Thai authorities cannot afford this, why do not international aid Agency's step-in?

And no, there is no ulterior motive, other than an enquiring mind. My wife stocks jars of commercial pickled Gouramy fish. Would you say these commercial supplies are treated to kill the parasites before being distributed? I'm glad you cook at home, a good choice.

Being involved in hospitality, opinions are like A$$holes, everybody has one

The cause of thebcancer may be this particular fish however there is like 100 other possibilities so definitely saying it's fish is a bit silly

How many internet reviews so you see with people saying "I got food poisoning from this restaurant, I was feeling sick by the end of the meal and I know it was the medium rare steak, rare meat gives me food poisoning! "

Newsflash! Food poisoning occurs anywhere between 8-36 hours after the meal, there is no way you could get food poisonibg during the meal,

Maybe the food was laced with some kind of cyanide?? Then chances are youd be dead, and chances are every other person who ate the same steak from the same batch would get sick on the spot

Unless its the only thing you ate in the last 48 hours you can only narrow it down slightly

Yes there might be 100 possible causes but we only have anecdotal evidence to go on so until proven otherwise I'll be avoiding it.

Agreed about food poisoning though, but as I understood food poisoning can have incubation period of up to a few days with a peak around 48 hours. In hospitality too and been accused a few times over the last 10 years - usually people got sick overnight and as you say thought it was from their last meal. Council health inspector comes and takes curry samples for the lab, but always negative. Once they understand about the incubation period they attribute it to some other source.

What were we talking about? Oh that's right, rice.

F^%#ing entertaining. Only a Yank would quote the bible, and only an Aussie would want to turn you into an akubra.

Thaimat you did bring this on yourself. I think you might be a couple of roos short in the top paddock.

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Bonefish I accept your comments and I too would be worried if all my wife's relatives had died from a young age of liver cancer. But I would still have an enquiring mind. For example are you so sure however, the causation solely falls on the shoulders of the fermented and/or undercooked fish, rather than fluke contaminated drinking water or high levels of alcohol consumption in some sectors of Thai community?

If reason for liver cancer and flukes is from poor sanitation, so it follows where you have poor sanitary provisions, you'll likewise have risks from poor quality non-mains drinking water supplies in rural areas. I would hope, that there comes a time when there is widespread fluke screening for infection in high incident areas. If Thai authorities cannot afford this, why do not international aid Agency's step-in?

And no, there is no ulterior motive, other than an enquiring mind. My wife stocks jars of commercial pickled Gouramy fish. Would you say these commercial supplies are treated to kill the parasites before being distributed? I'm glad you cook at home, a good choice.

Somtamme, please check the following link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/world/asia/26iht-thailand.html?_r=0

It gives a fairly good overview of the situation regarding liver flukes and uncooked fermented freshwater fish in Thailand.

Also a Google search for "Liver fluke Thailand" will come up with many publications regarding this subject.

Thanks @Bonefish, even though it's tasty I won't be eating 'ba-lah' (bplaa-raa) ever again. It takes 6 months of fermentation to kill the flukes.

After 15 years in Thailand, I still do not understand the whole gambling issue! First, you have government ran gambling lottery tickets - which we already know are sold above the going price all over Thailand. Cambodia is raking in tens if not hundreds of thousands in bets and gambling activity from Thai customers. The underground lottery system has been running for as long as I have been here, and to be honest pays out better! Why does the government refuse to open up to other income opportunities? Does it take away money from the people who keep fighting gambling? 15 years ago, the United States has had online betting (with tax reporting) and every state had a lottery system and nearly all of them take part in a multi-state major jackpot system (Powerball as an example). All of these systems provided local businesses with income stream - but more importantly they provide thousands everyday to the educational system, fire and police, and other benefits to the community! Singapore has seen huge benefits from the casinos, as have every other country! Anyone with a half-a-brain can by-pass the Thailand's internet blocks for online betting - the same used to get around downloading porn, or even reading the real international news that Thailand does not want people to know about. Why take all this time and energy trying to stop something that could prove a positive to the public. Online and vending machines should have been in place years ago! If people want it, they will do whatever it takes to get it - regardless if it is gambling, drugs, or even prostitution! Legalize it, tax it, and stop spending money fighting a losing battle when you can make it a profit center to educate and take care of the people!!!

Your ideas would be for the benefit of the community? More likely for the benefit of a small group of fat cats with a monopoly at the expense of the community. Unfortunately 50% and more of gambling revenues come from people with gambling problems. You've mentioned so many positives but completely ignored the negatives. If you allow unlimited gambling you inadvertently sentence a portion of the population to a life of debt and the social consequences of that. If anyone with half a brain can bypass the internet blocks then leave it as it is. Thailand has enough problems as it is.

It has said she applied. If she was granted it she is. British citizenship does not exempt you from Thai laws. Read your Thai history.

ok so when she goes to thailand according to her will,she will be arrested

She will certainly be arrested when she comes back. She may also be extradited from other countries though it is unlikey Britain would allow it. If she is not given British Citizenship and has her passport revoked it is up to Britain whether to allow her to stay.

Well she can always bunk down in the Ecuadorean Embassy with the charming Julian Assange. He's just celebrated his 2nd anniversary holed up. Another couple of months and he'll pass Anne Frank.

Google stuff and it comes up blocked, The Smithsonian Magazine a security risk ? At times Forbes, The Economist?

L I E L A N D

That's what VPNs are for

This is a bit like asking which country has the best women in the world. You can't say until you've tried them all and even then it comes down to which particular dishes you had and your own personal taste.

According to the UN (as a result of worldwide opinion not their official's 5 star restaurant expense accounts) the top two cuisines in the world are French and Japanese. The most popular also include Chinese, Italian and Thai with English having been omitted in error I guess?

Of the oriental cuisines I like Thai the best but I like others too and of course Thais don't do deserts. And if you like a decent 'pud' from time to time then nothing beats a traditional English sherry trifle in the summertime.

Bon appetit tout le monde!

Whaddya mean Thais don't do desserts? Ex-wife Thai chef told me desserts are the highest art of Thai cooking. But too sweet for me.

http://migrationology.com/2010/09/thai-desserts-khanom-wan-thai-the-ultimate-thailand-sweets-guide/

I could not find any good food in England....the meat pies and mealy fish and chips in a newspaper were not my idea of food.

Fish and chips in a newspaper was banned over 30 years ago and if you ask for cod they think you are from another planet and the pies are full of gristle and fat.

The most popular dish in the UK is the Doner Kebab a disgusting concoction of mystery meat dripping with lard served in Pita bread.

I thought it was chicken tikka.

I love lamb kebab. Yes doner kebab made with 2kg of meat and 2kg of lamb fat. But sooo delicious smothered in garlic and chili sauce.

One thing I miss in Thailand is spring lamb - although I think you can buy it frozen from NZ at Rim Ping for a million dollars.

I read an article once malaysia and thailands cuisines were compared as being the same

The article claimed thailand copied malaysian dishes and credited malaysia as being the originators of that cooking style.

That I doubt very much. There are few, if any similarities and of all the SE Asian countries I rate Malaysia as having the worst food.

Yeah not much like Thai. But have you tried char kway teow? Murtabak? (Indian Malay) Some Malaysian hawker food is delicious too.

Best SE Asian cuisine - Thai

Worst cuisine - Philippines

Best dishes - Murtabak, pho bo & som tam (haa met) khao niao gai yang

Farming is not all science, in Thailand or anywhere else. It might be a highly efficient large business, that uses every new technology to get a better yield and more profits, but it might also be the old boy who farms in a certain way, because his father did it like that, and 'everyone will always need rice won't they'. I think changing the mindset is just as important as improving production methods, and making farming more sustainable. Probably 90% of farmers here don't know where their rice goes, and have never investigated changing demands, or the growing competition from other countries. Yes there will always be a demand for rice, but China, Vietnam, and India may not export more, but they produce way more than Thailand.

China is currently a net rice importer.