mfd101

So even before the event there was an expectation that violence was likely ...

I am what is ridiculously called 'white', meaning a person of European origin (born as it happens in NZ of parents of English & Irish descent). I have the impression that the use of the term 'Caucasian' to mean 'white person' is mostly a Usofan euphemism. It derives from C19th theories about the historical origins of Europeans (not that the Caucasus is very far from where modern prehistory and archaeology would place our Indo-European ancestors of over 4000 years ago).

Ditto Oz.

Nope, here I am at your service. The proper word in common language is farang. I was satirizing the use of the word 'Caucasian' to mean 'white man'. If he were really from the Caucasus, his likely first language would be hard to find here in Thailand or indeed anywhere outside the Caucasus, and his second language would likely be Russian.

Imagine his military predecessors doing anything like that ... I think the contrast is to Srettha's credit. The common touch is an indication of egalitarianism which, in this country, is a welcome step forward. In public life even little gestures count.

Caucasian? Gosh, it'll be hard to find anyone here with a common language.

Unfortunately, Pistorius's boss Scholz is a pussy.

Just what the Ukrainians need. Now.

The Chinese government is expert in crowd control & use of AI ...

Yes, a certain irony in that: It takes an effective Communist government to build a successful capitalist economy. I guess the essence of the matter lies in the phrase 'effective government' ...

Thanks. I've made a note & will try it out. (I'm trying teaching myself Spanish - reading only - by having both the Eng & the Sp versions of Spanish novels to read together eg Pérez-Reverte)

Yes, I have noticed that over the last 2 or 3 years.

I mostly just buy Kindles these days (unless in Bangers).

In sum, less celebration, more cerebration required.

I always visit one or other of the Kinokuniyas when I'm in BKK and there are always Thais browsing there. But that's scarcely representative of the broader Thai population.

And then there are millions of mostly older Thais who have never read (or written) a single word in their lives (I live amongst them). And there are those - like one of my SILs - who can read fluently and has 'been to university' but there's not a single book in her little house. But of course her 2 children have mobile phones to which they are glued 24/7.

Yes, I agree with you. Not the fault of the individual soldier at the front. But the main point is that NZ, like Thailand & the Philippines, has no military capability to offer for a C21st stoush with bullyboy China. And Oz doesn't have much at this stage either, with little sign of anything real happening to lift its capabilities (as opposed to hot air).

Pot stirrer. I wonder what the (real) point is.

An example to us all.

Yes, you have confirmed by view of NZ as seen from Oz and elsewhere: A taker not a giver. The beg, borrow or steal bit is notorious in the Oz military.

Thailand, Philippines & Singapore have no military capability worth recruiting. And neither does NZ: It has been a taker not a giver since the 1960s (as any Oz soldier alongside them in V'nam can vouch). As to Japan it's currently being worked in to the AUKUS arrangement, which is much more relevant than NATO could be in the Indo-Pacific region.

Ground-to-air missiles? They may have some, likely stolen from the Myanmar regime. But making them work might be a different matter

The contrast between Thailand & Japan - on just about anything you can think of - is laughably huge.

So what will happen when a Mig strays across in to Thai airspace? F16s gonna shoot it down? force it down? I doubt it. But good exercise for the boys in any case.