mfd101

I assume (though do not know) that, as in most non-1st World countries, Thailand's statistical inputs to decisionmaking are likely to be less than 95% accurate.

Quite basic things too, like demographics. How accurate are population statistics & predictions in a country where large numbers of the population are totally or functionally illiterate? where accuracy & precision are not cultural norms and where many citizens see no particular need to cooperate with government officials (what do I get out of it?).

Reminds me of the Soviet states: We pretend to work and they pretend to pay us.

How can governments make decisions on moving forward when noone has any idea where we currently are?

The question is: Why do idiocies like this keep occurring in Thailand?

Because (1) noone - the workers or the bosses - has their brain switched on for independent thought or action and (2) noone will in any case take responsibility for doing anything.

And why is that? Because of the constant presence of the cultural values: hierarchy & status, and fear of loss of status. If you do nothing and say nothing, no harm can come to you ...

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Don’t doubt your feedback from your engagement with the locals. What age group are your friends. This is purely for my own perspective and not meant to be provocative. 

40s & 50s, so born into British HK & grew up there. But I'ld be surprised if both older & younger didn't generally have the same views.

The point is that when the 'same' people grow up on different sides of an 'artificial' border (most borders are artificial - think Serbs & Croats, think East & West Germans), over time they become different people & have different IDENTITY, which is very difficult to change back again.

Well, seen from afar, Frau Merkel seems to have gone to sleep a bit early.

Poor Surin. Not on anyone's list. (Thank God)

24 minutes ago, Brigand said:

Give them 10 armed coast guard ships ... that will really annoy Beijing and the Viets would love it.

True, but they have to know how to use them, and then have the guts to use them. The Chinese won't yield to minor bluffs.

28 minutes ago, Brigand said:

He had some bad advisors for sure

He didn't have bad advisers at all. He had perfectly sensible advisers whom he ignored. As he has done on many previous occasions.

Which just reinforces the image of an arrogant self-centered <deleted>.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The point is that Andy has been convicted, hung drawn and quartered based on a woman claiming to have been coerced when that has not been proven..

If and when she proves that she was forced to have sex against her will, the lynching can start then.

As someone that has seen for myself young women using sexual attraction for personal benefit, I prefer to wait for proof before taking a female accuser's side.

This is the problem of all the current wave worldwide of complaints of rape & sexual harassment, and including those against priests. The claims are made 20 & 30 years after the supposed 'event', usually with no evidence in support, just assertion. So it becomes one person's word against another's.

As we see with Cardinal Pell's case in Oz, application of the criminal law becomes difficult in an environment of public hysteria stirred up with modern comms technology (what used to be known as 'witchhunt').

In the moron York's case, clarity is made more difficult by his manifest stupidity, blindness & arrogance. The US court hearings - if they ever happen - will be fascinating. Not expecting anything in the UK but.

Sensible to be doing this. Veetnaaam needs to be able to defend its own waters, without the Usofans being directly involved. It would be helpful if the Europeans understood that approach better.

On the other hand there's the Mahatir approach, that he expressed a few weeks ago: Of course, if the Chinese attacked we would surrender immediately. What would be the point of resisting?

The Ship of State is slowly deserting the sinking rat.

10 hours ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

I'll stick my neck out here but I strongly suspect he ain't going to go to court anytime soon and most probably if at all. 

Well, probably not in the UK ... but there's always the possibility at some stage of an extradition request from the US. Now wouldn't the progress on THAT be fascinating to watch! I don't suppose PM Johnson would give a damn as far as looking after the Royals is concerned. And PM Corbyn would be delighted ...

2 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

That will go straight over the head of the folks who aren't Australian or English!

And old!

Well at least some of us still have a sense of humour, despite daily provocation ...

So, no more trans-Atlantic travel for this particular honourable gennelman!

I took my young (20s) Thai b/f to Singa 4 years ago. No probs. The pause when we checked in at the hotel - Um, will that be 2 single beds, Sir? - was only 1.5 seconds, about the same everywhere.

Singa & Thailand are both members of ASEAN ...

4 hours ago, animalmagic said:

I love the irony of the visit.  Promote HK as a dispute resolution hub; that should be very enlightening.  Perhaps she should have kept her expertise at home?

New graduate. Inexperienced.

11 minutes ago, lujanit said:

In Thailand there is a sixth concern. Massive corruption at all levels of government.

Comes under Item 2.

These things usually take AT LEAST a couple of years once the formal negotiations actually get under way. Can be MUCH more. Then there's the ratification process which, in Western countries with real Parliaments, takes usually another year.