FourAces

By the looks on their faces, I would have thought the guy wearing the gold colored, hotel porters shirt, had farted and everyone broke out in laughter

The Sunnyland Principle

Joint Statement of the U.S.-ASEAN Special Leaders’ Summit: Sunnylands Declaration

Sunnylands, California

February 15-16, 2016

We the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States of America gathered in Sunnylands, California, on February 15-16, 2016, for a Special Leaders Summit. This Special U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Summit was the first ever to be held in the United States and the very first Summit following the establishment of the ASEAN Community.

The Summit marked a watershed year for both ASEAN and for the increasingly close U.S-ASEAN. strategic partnership. In 2015, ASEAN Member States celebrated the establishment of the ASEAN Community, working together toward an ASEAN that better serves the people of Southeast Asia.

At our Summit in Kuala Lumpur in November 2015, we elevated the U.S.-ASEAN relationship to a strategic partnership, recognizing the transformation of our relationship over the past several years. On the occasion of this Special Summit, we the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of ASEAN and the United States of America take this opportunity to reaffirm the key principles that will guide our cooperation going forward:

1. Mutual respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality and political independence of all nations by firmly upholding the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, the ASEAN Charter and international law;

2. The importance of shared prosperity, sustainable, inclusive economic growth and development, and the nurturing of our young people to sustain continued peace, development, and stability for mutual benefit;

3. Mutual recognition of the importance of pursuing policies that lead to dynamic, open, and competitive economies that foster economic growth, job creation, innovation, entrepreneurship and connectivity, and that support SMEs and narrow the development gap;

4. Our commitment to ensure opportunities for all of our peoples, through strengthening democracy, enhancing good governance and adherence to the rule of law, promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, encouraging the promotion of tolerance and moderation, and protecting the environment;

5. Respect and support for ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN-led mechanisms in the evolving regional architecture of the Asia-Pacific;

6. Firm adherence to a rules-based regional and international order that upholds and protects the rights and privileges of all states;

7. Shared commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, without resorting to the threat or use of force in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS);

8. Shared commitment to maintain peace, security and stability in the region, ensuring maritime security and safety, including the rights of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas, and unimpeded lawful maritime commerce as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of activities;

9. Shared commitment to promote cooperation to address common challenges in the maritime domain;

10. Strong resolve to lead on global issues such as terrorism and violent extremism, trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, as well as illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber;

11. Shared commitment to addressing climate change and developing a climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable ASEAN, as well as to implement individual countries’ nationally determined contributions made under the Paris Climate Agreement;

12. Shared commitment to promote security and stability in cyberspace consistent with norms of responsible state behavior;

13. Support for the advancement of a strong, stable, politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible, people-oriented, people-centered and rules-based ASEAN Community;

14. Shared commitment to strengthen people-to-people connectivity through programs that engage ASEAN and American citizens, particularly young people, and that promote opportunities for all our peoples, particularly the most vulnerable, to fulfil the vision of the ASEAN Community;

15. Shared commitment to promote a global partnership for sustainable development through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, to ensure a sustainable, equitable and inclusive society where no one is left behind;

16. Shared commitment to enhance collaboration at international and regional fora, especially at existing ASEAN-led mechanisms; and

17. Shared commitment to continue political dialogue at the Head of State/Government level through our Leaders’ attendance at the annual U.S.-ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/16/joint-statement-us-asean-special-leaders-summit-sunnylands-declaration

I will sleep a lot better at night now, knowing all of that

Are monks supposed to claim the role as a supreme patriarch's ?

Aren't they supposed to be a monastic order begging for their meals and spend most of their time in meditation and study of the Buddhist texts on the way to the path of enlightenment.

Is a Supreme monk even supposed to exist according to the Buddhist texts.

Would the Buddha be spinning in his non corporeal form, to know this is happening and that the peaceful mediating monk is fighting and demanding immediate Royal endorsement

While dragging in the self imposed leader of a military government to intervene

Mai pen rai followed with a big smile and a Wai = I hate you and all I want is your money Farung.

I have heard it so many times my brain just cancels it out now

All I hear now is Arai Mai Roo?

I have to learn how to cancel that out too

Are monks supposed to claim the role as a supreme patriarch's ?

Aren't they supposed to be a monastic order begging for their meals and spend most of their time in meditation and study of the Buddhist texts on the way to the path of enlightenment.

Is a Supreme monk even supposed to exist according to the Buddhist texts.

Would the Buddha be spinning in his non corporeal form, to know this is happening and that the peaceful mediating monk is fighting and demanding immediate Royal endorsement

While dragging in the self imposed leader of a military government to intervene

The original intent of Buddhism was to be a way of life not a religion of worshiping idols

As preached by Buddha in the texts.

The five basic steps(Precepts) on the way to this way of life are;

1. Don't kill
2. Don't speak ill of anyone/don't lie
3. No drugs or alcohol
4. No adultery
5. Don't Steal

Also dont worship images/statues of the Buddha

Sadly, I have not seen any Thais practicing all of these precepts together, lieing, stealing, adultery and drugs/alcohol are an ingrained part of the culture.

I have been visiting Thailand since 1987 and lived in Thailand for a few years and considered converting to Buddhism, After reading the texts and seeing how Thai's practice their understanding of the faith, mixed in with a loose understanding of Hinduism, i did not convert, but still respect the Thai understanding of Buddhism

Remove her tital of Dr and rescind her qualifications, until she has paid her tuition fees plus 5% interest calculated daily.

The US has been over there for over ten years yet the Afghan troops are still green?

The US must be charging the Afghanistan government by the hour.

Sa Kaew governor admitted on Thursday it is difficult to stamp out fake brand name products

Especially, when the Governor and his minions are making a hansom profit from it!!

Oh!! sorry, did I say that out aloud?

The first Europeans visiting Thailand or Siam as it was known then, described the Siam people as "Childlike and Inferior".

Looks like there hasn't been much evolution in the past couple of centuries.

Try Ramkhamhaeng university, put up a few flyers for private English tutor.

you get paid 100 baht for 1 hour you find out what they are all about, eliminate the;

1. Fat (I don't think it's fair for me to date a fat girl when I work hard to not be fat, so that's out)

2. Speaks no English (I like having a conversation with a girl)

3. Is a total flake (will chat briefly, then disappear)

Then when you have met the right girl you ask her out.

If it worked for me it can work for you and this advice came for free and without any snark, sarcasm, or mockery

Let me know how you go, good luck fella!!

This sounds like an extremely good (if somewhat morally dubious) idea.

All is fair in love and war!

The only two areas of life in which you can be forgiven for doing anything are love and war.

Dubious or not I got paid to teach them some English, after some trial and error, I got to find a really special and intelligent lady who I have been married to for 7 years.

I also had a lot of fun with the ones that didn't make the grade.

Summary;

They got what they wanted, and I got what I was looking for and I didn't have to take the risk of getting cork screwed in a seedy bar literally and figuratively

For me it was a stroke of genius and a Win Win situation, which is very hard to find in Thailand, especially if you are a Farung.

Should be able to find it at this site.

http://www.siam-info.com/english/snakes_mildly_and_non_venomous.html

Looks like its all down hill from here now Molly.

Try Ramkhamhaeng university, put up a few flyers for private English tutor.

you get paid 100 baht for 1 hour you find out what they are all about, eliminate the;

1. Fat (I don't think it's fair for me to date a fat girl when I work hard to not be fat, so that's out)

2. Speaks no English (I like having a conversation with a girl)

3. Is a total flake (will chat briefly, then disappear)

Then when you have met the right girl you ask her out.

If it worked for me it can work for you and this advice came for free and without any snark, sarcasm, or mockery

Let me know how you go, good luck fella!!

An insensitive as well as offensive post has been removed as well as the appropriate reply pointing out the insensitivity.

Not from my point of view

Yeah nobody wants to hear anti Semitic drivel.

But why is it that some countries, make it a point to want people to respect their customs/culture and religious beliefs.

Yet couldn't care less and have no interest in other peoples customs/culture and religious beliefs, even going as far as giving foreigners racist tags, and religious bigotry for their own people.

Seems whats good for the goose isn't good for the gander.

Racial and religious tagging and discrimination is against the law in my country.

The day that they can stop cheaters exploiting the country, any country, is the day when a massive asteroid hits the earth and wipes out all life on it.

Quick slide of hand with a large brown envelope, some smoke and mirrors and hey presto, migrant/under paid/overworked stooges and potential scapegoats for serious crimes committed by high income earning crime bosses or their children.

Facebook and all the other social media sites, including should be outlawed on a global scale

Thieves and scammers those Furungs, how dare they, come over here and give us a dose of our own medicine??

Don't they know that children don't like taking their medicine??

Ah the defender, brings back memories, I loved sitting in the turret cranking off rounds from my 30 cal MG, them were the days, luxury!!

Depends 0n whether you are stupid enough to live in Pattaya or Phuket.

I am amazed that anyone is stupid enough to live in Thailand, Period!!

The official terminology for the abbreviation LOS is Land Of the Stone age.

Sad But true!!