richard_smith237

Agreed... I'm just being daft enough to respond to the baiting of an idiot... My first post on this thread approaches the issue with what I think is a balanced outlook. .... Highlighting that van drivers are known for reckless driving, I've been driving here for over 20 years and the van drivers are notorious... ... Then also highlighting that the video made it clear the foreigner escalated the incident firstly to a verbal conflict, then escalating further to violence for which there is no excuse at all...

Wrong... IF there were no video, my comments would have involved questioned what actually happend, from the perspective of 'both sides'... as the story quotes the victim, but not the foreigner... And make no mistake Malky... The only bigot here is you - its clear you lack the intelligence to critically evaluate balance due to your unhinged bias against foreigners... That’s a ridiculous comment - you speak as though every Thai person is our gracious host and a shining example of virtue. That kind of naïve idealism is just nonsense. Thais, like people from any country, are individuals. Some are kind and decent, others are far from it. Just like the Westerners living here. Yes, it’s appalling when some Westerners speak to Thais with arrogance or condescension. But it’s equally appalling when some Thais treat foreigners with the same disdain. That’s the reality - but it’s a balance you consistently fail to acknowledge. Your inability to see beyond a one-sided narrative shows a complete lack of critical thinking. You seem incapable of accepting that some Thais can be awful, just as not all foreigners here can be awful. Most of us happily assimilate, respect the culture, and live their lives peacefully amongst the community as equals. Your commentary is so entrenched in a singular, myopic worldview that it loses all credibility and veers into delusion. You consistently make sweeping generalisations based on isolated incidents - and that’s where your argument falls apart. It’s a textbook display of poor critical thinking, with your bias on full, unapologetic display. You parade it around like some polished turd, rolled in glitter and presented as if it were a nugget of profound insight - when in reality, it’s nothing more than shallow, reactionary nonsense dressed up as observation. Your unwillingness - or perhaps inability - to differentiate between anecdote and pattern is what truly undermines any credibility your argument might have had.

“People are asking for verifiable proof / evidence etc.. which is impossible when they can turn around and simply say the IDF was lying.” Well apart from the video footage recovered from the phone of a paramedic gunned down and dumped in a shallow grave by the IDF and the actual statements made by the IDF which are contradicted by that video evidence. The statement ‘The IDF lied’ is a statement of fact. Agreed... But was there a Hamas member in the ambulance ? .. there is no verifiable evidence of that - and this is also a key point. IMO this is a potentially a 'heat of battle error in an urban environment'.... the IDF lied about the events afterwards telling a 'white-washed polished version'... Of course, they have to do this... I'm quite sure every report from 'such lines' (from any military) is polished - the true dirtiness of war is not fit for the viewing of those who pass judgement from their sofa's having never faced violence on their doorstep. So the underlying question is perhaps: - Did the IDF know this was nothing more than a Red Crescent Ambulance and open fired deliberately murdering innocents ???? Or - Was this a heat of battle mistake and the IDF thought those in the Ambulance were a threat ??? - Were some of those in the ambulance an actual threat and were hiding behind human shields ? So.. IDF lied... I understand why they might do so, war is dirty....

Further comments highliting your goal isn’t honest discussion but provocation by an adolescent mind trying to stir the pot for attention.... at your age a boomer should know better. You chose a very poor example: gun crime is rife amongst Thai's... you conveniently ignore facts with your ridiculously delusional bias.

Agreed... It is always said - there are three sides to a story... When we only get presented with one side of a story, we are left with nothing speculation and discussion surrounding that angle... Many of us are accused of 'whataboutery' which is created by the void of one sided or one half of a story.... ... Often what is left out of a report is as important as what is reported.

It would be an an interesting ’factual study’… to proportionately identify arrest based on nationally & population… i.e. xx arrests per 100,000 British visitors etc We can’t go off news reports alone as there is a heavy influence of bias towards ‘western readership’… along with the prevailing attitude & sentiment at the time which ebbs and flows with the prevailing rhetoric & biases which self feed. Ignoring neighboring countries & migrant laborers… If I’m not mistaken the Chinese top the arrest charts in Thailand …. But that’s not unexpected as they are here in far greater numbers than other nationality’s, thus if we wish to achieve a realistic comparison it’s important to source & handle any data intelligently…

Fair enough - those were my first thoughts & I openly accepted my bias against these van drivers - which I immediately corrected after watching the video…. The difference between you and I is that I can accept that through experience & over two decades of living (and driving) here I have developed some bias which through balance I’m aware of & can readily keep in check when observing & dealing with each situation on its individual merit. Conversely, you are so locked into the ‘farang always wrong narrative’ that you have no intellectual balance or any critical thought process… In this example it’s clear the foreigner was in the wrong for stopping, getting out of his car, escalating to confrontation & violence…. Very wrong. What someone like you will not accept is the possibility of the van driver pulling off a maneuver reckless or dangerous enough to trigger the incident in the first place…. Or perhaps as others have pointed out… roid-rage & the foreigner is simply an unhinged mental case looking for a problem at every perceived slight… Nevertheless - I was prepared to walk back my initial thoughts very quickly after watching the video - whatever happened in that buildup - the foreigner is a nutter & I hope he’s dealt with.

Or maybe the news is looking for events that may not have been newsworthy in recent years. I don’t think there is an increasing number of ppl (foreigners going nuts). With videophones & social media there is simply far greater access to the information which of course is perfect for forum discussion. Then there is the ‘reporting contagion’ effect where news / information follows patterns…. … next week we will have the usual news of Songkran traffic Jams, deaths, LBs getting their norks out… bringing Thailand into disrepute etc… before another bus rolls down a ravine & a speedboat full of tourists flips… … If a Brit or a Swiss man act out - perfect for more news & forum debate…. It’s not happening more, we’re just seeing it more I think…

There were two vans…. According to the article. The foreigner in the pickup stopped in front of the van & got out to confront the driver (maybe to compliment his considerate driving style)…. Another van driver saw what was happening & pulled in front of the pickup… we see the action from the rear-cam of the second van. What we do not see is the driving behavior of both the pickup or the van driver before the on foot confrontation evolved. Nevertheless - it looks clear the foreigner escalated this…. Hopefully he’s be charged & dealt with exactly as a Thai would under similar circumstances.

You didn’t know Thai male drivers in pickups and vans keep a loaded pistol in their glove compartments? It’s astonishing how many drivers here keep weapons in their vehicles… That comment will of course be used against me now by Malcy, but it won’t change the validity of that fact.

Like clockwork. Like a Rolex. Those terrible reckless van drivers. I now know that if a farang attacks a Thai there must be something that the Thai did wrong first that is never reported. Thanks for educating me Richard. Nice try…. Like the true halfwitted conwomble attempting to trigger argent with every comment, you’ve deliberately misquoted to remove the context….

Easy to avoid - go elsewhere !! And that’s kind of the point - The area wants to increase its tourism revenue by attracting more tourist, whether we like it or not. There are ‘other islands’ that are under developed - those who prefer such ‘vibes’ will naturally move ‘further’ as that access improves… i.e. koh Kood etc…better access to Koh Chang means better access to further islands. As pointed out - nothing is likely to be improved in the next 20 years, the Koh Chang bridge has already been a discussion for over a decade… But the island is already undergoing development & the ‘over development’ is already in progress, albeit slowly… that can’t be stopped, but it can be managed. Improving all infrastructure could see improved panned development down the line, rather than haphazard growth, congestion etc…. … careful planning & development is better than letting this take place naturally - which is where all the problems start (have started). (I’ve had 2 hrs waits for the ferry on both sides, I’ve also often been luck with a 20min waits) - I’m sure the long ferry queues will be in the news in the next few weeks…

In your opinion (and that of some others). Clearly ‘access’ needs improvement, I like the suggestions made by Ben Zioner (earlier on in the thread). IF Koh Chang plans to welcome more tourists, infrastructure need development. - Will that change the character of the island ? Of course it will, but that’s happening anyway & without further improvement to infrastructure the island will suffer further increased congestion both on the island & getting to it. That may not be popular for some, even many who ‘like it the way it is’ - but that’s just the issue with development - some don’t like it. The aim of the authorities in this matter is to increase tourism revenue & that requires improved infrastructure - there is no other way around it. Maybe the bridge is not a great idea without improving roads & parking on the island. Maybe public funds are better directed towards improving the on island roads & parking… Nevertheless development is unstoppable - like it or not. Will it turn into another Phuket ?? That can be controlled, by policing of course.

Yawn… in every thread where a non-White person of ‘Western’ nationality is the subject we have the same comments… She has a British Passport & has likely lived there longer than I have, and, was probably born there, possibly generations have been Brits…. Where is the line ? My Son, also British, has never lived there !

‘they’ll’ all quit their jobs & move ?

He has got a scooter - it’s just not a step through !! Really though, there are 350cc step through scooter style motorcycles, then there are 125cc standard looking motorcycles… … all are capable of speeds that will cut a person in half if wiping out I to the wrong obstacle.

Like what ??? Her name ? Or do you mean that if she has a name such as Makena Adebowale instead of Sarah Jones she may have been treated differently ??

Did you join them or how do you know?😳 ‘cos its in the same manner that tens of thousands socialise in Thailand & millions socialise worldwide. It’s quite normal to stay out until 4-5am when young - unless you don’t have friends !!! (Which would explain plenty of your comments). To suggest the GF & friend ‘watched him drink himself to death’ is a callous and unpleasant remark… Nick is right (whether his comments in other threads are disagreeable or not). This is what is remarkably odd - if there is any poisoning of sorts from the booze itself it’s likely other’s would also have suffered ill health.

Anyone, any military force is capable of lying to protect themselves - I think that is simple common sense to understand that. Its also simple common sense to understand that Hamas are not playing by any rules, ones under which the IDF are being judged. There certainly is no moral highground here, but I can understand why an IDF attacked an approaching ambulance. I can also believe the ambulance did contain a Hamas terrorist. People are asking for verifiable proof / evidence etc.. which is impossible when they can turn around and simply say the IDF was lying. There is a lot of heightened bias involved whenever viewing such events - the optics are often highly distorted, particularly by the varying media sources - they are then simplified and dumbed down in discussion forums such as this were bias takes precedence. Its clear in this thread that we have 'some' very anti Israeli posters and some others who are expressing an understand of why and how this may have happened. I don't think anyone is Anti-Palestine, but Hamas muddy those waters incredibly so its impossible for anyone, intelligence forces, IDF, the Media or ourselves to know whether Hamas have masked themselves as Palestinians, and, as mentioned, in the 'fog of war' mistakes will be made... I'm sure the IDF operated from the perspective that its better to be wrong than dead when mere second are available for decisions to be made.

Its obvious that the IDF are capable of lying. Its also obvious that Hamas have been using ambulances as transport and this is also a key factor, as is the fact that the IDF had already been involved in a fire-fight. This has occurred in what could be described as the fog of war. Smoke and mirrors - I doubt we will ever know the exact truth. - Did this ambulance contain Hamas terrorists ? - Was this a genuine ambulance ? - Have the IDF made a terrible mistake and are now covering their tracks ? What I do see in this thread are comments where 'sides' have been taken with refusal to understand that both sides are somewhat 'muddied'. Its difficult for us (onlookers) to know what intelligence the IDF had at the time, if any. But, its also understandable why, in such zone of heightened alert that such a situation can occur - ignoring this shows the extreme opinions rather than seeking truth. Hamas are still holding hostages. IDF appear to have made a mistake The Ambulance 'may' have been carrying at least one terrorist.

Similar thoughts here - we have the 'van drivers story'... and they [van drivers] are rather notorious for their reckless driving. ... But then, like you I watched the video and there is simply no excusing the foreigners escalation... Firstly to cut off the van driver and stop in front of him and then to get out and escalate to violence. They'll catch the foreigner (from his license plate), this will cost him.

Nope.. Biotmetrics - she'd have to also change her DOB, her Nationality, her name for that to potentially work. A completely flawed comment which highlights a complete lack of understanding. Your comments suggests the immigration system in Thailand is antiquated and analogue relying 'only' on passport stamps and that Immigration are using e-gates to 'catch people out and profit'... which isn't the case at all. All details are registered in the Immigration database - every entry and exit is logged digitally whether using the e-gates or a 'desk'....

Similar to years gone past when an announcement has been made that riding in the back of a pickup is illegal and such laws will be enforced over Songkran... .. Then a backlash from the public as they claim the poor are being targeted... A further announcement is then made that its ok to ride in the back of a pickup, but only over the Songkran period - no further announcements and the flat bed of a pickup remains standard 'seating' for the extended family and friends... These simple issues and the manner in which they are addressed highlights Thailands haphazard almost absent minded approach towards road safety.

A farang whining about farangs whining…. The irony a fool won’t quite get… A farang generalizing about all other farangs… except himself !! The irony a fool won’t quite get… Not the sharpest of threads really…

Just to make it clear - the relevance of the overstay has more significance than the nationality…. That’s a long overstay for someone so young - he surely knew what he was doing… But.. this is of interest: There are areas known for overstayers ? Really ?