FruitPudding

Nope.

The south of Thailand has 2 seasons: hot and rainy. The rest of Thailand has 3 seasons: hot, rainy, and cool. It can be very different. Isaan is very dry, quite cool a lot of the year compared to the south. The soil is also like clay.

In Isaan? Never saw a single tree up there. Might be hard. Other places are known for durian. Cashew nut trees grow easy in Isaan. Good price for selling too. Mango, papaya, jack fruit, coconut, tamarind, mulberry. All these are low/no maintenance. Easy in Isaan.

I don't see the correlation.

In most ways, yes, I'd say farang are smarter. But Thais are generally more cunning, ruthless, and deceitful - all of which (in the correct context) can be "smart" You can't get one over on a Thai easily; they know all the tricks of the trade; it's a way of life. Farang are a lot more gullable and soft in the head making them dumb, sitting ducks. Though, if you've been here long enough, you usually learn the law of the jungle.

It makes sense because Russia is currently facing the exact scenario I am describing. What should they do? What would the US and UK do in Russia's current position? Probably war. They have started wars for less. And, BTW, NATO was created to fight the Soviet Union. Once the Soviet Union fell, NATO probably should have ceased to exist too and the West could have been friends with Russia, but instead it continued moving east towards Russia as an enemy (which it no longer should have been after the fall of the Soviet Union). Okay, but expect conflict. Duh. Russia expressed interest in joining NATO too, funnily enough, on multiple occasions, but could not. 🙄

If our adversaries (Russia, China, North Korea, Iran etc. etc.) had a military alliance that would be a very very big problem for the West (a national security threat actually). There would be conflict, especially if it spread further west. You know this. You are pretending you don't. Making up reasons why countries may or not join is irrelevant. If it was happening to us - which it is for Russia - it would be an issue and likely war.

If she's views it as a partnership, fine, but if she views it as a lucrative business opportunity, then not fine. I suppose she gives and doesn't just take, take, take?

Don't know your (recent) history do you? 😄 😄 😄

Well, I didn't hear you saying anything about Palestine taking child hostages; you are just playing favorites. You took us off topic, then blamed me for us being off topic. Lol. What do the hostages have to do with NATO on Russia's doorstep? Well, except from the fact that the war probably wouldn't have started if Ukraine had remained neutral and diplomatic towards Russia, rather than ignoring Russia's concerns about them trying to join NATO. Zelensky led his country into a war they could never win. Total idiot.

You brought up child hostages, which has nothing to do with NATO's expansion closer to Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union affecting Russia's national security (which is what we were discussing). You were just deflecting and going off topic I wonder how many innocent casualties of war NATO has totalled over the decades?

Not at all. And I didn't ignore it - like most people on here - when Palestine took Israeli children as hostages. I wouldn't blame Ukraine - like most people did with Israel - if they gave Russia hell until every last hostage is returned.

What if Ireland joined such an alliance? What would Britain's reaction be? Wars have been started for less.

Please......Western countries would do the same thing if a military alliance between our adversaries was moving right up to our doorstep. Imagine if a military alliance between Russia, China, North Korea, Iran etc. etc. began moving closer to American soil, say Cuba or Mexico. America would be in Cuba or Mexico in a second using force, making sure they didn't join. It would be a national security threat. Yeah, I am talking about NATO, incase you aren't following

I accept 👍 Why wouldn't I? Nobody is pretending Putin is innocent.