jingjai9

Yes they are being reported, but the public hearings are not truly in the spirit of investigation and fact finding. Why couldn't all the witnesses give information at the hearings and let people hear all they have to say. Why do we get videotaped testimony that is edited, for example Barr's testimony. Why do we have to hear the collected information being narrated by a congressperson? Why can't we simply listen to all relevant testimony and decide for ourselves. We don't need the Congress to spoon feed us. Can we really hear all the facts if the investigation and hearings lie in the hands of a Congress that reeks of partisanship.? How about a special prosecutor?

I am not any kind of a fan of Trump. I think the chances of Trump being "bent" are quite high. However, having a bunch of Democrats accompanied by a few Republicans (Ms. Cheney for one, whose father and boss Trump disparaged) gathering facts with no real prosecutorial power coupled with a Department of Justice which has been dormant up to this point, does not appear to be a sincere pursuit of truth and justice. It is most difficult to not view this process as an exhibition of the lust Trump's enemies have for eliminating him . Does anyone really think Trump's constituency will listen to all of these allegations from Congress and then say, "Gee fellas and gals when you put it that way, we must admit Trump is a bad man and needs to be punished, It will only motivate Trump's people to take further action and the cleavage between the two political parties will only widen. There needs to be another process where impartiality is recognized and respected (excuse me for using foreign terms) . This is possible, but there is no political will to bring about an alternative process for seeking justice. Unfortunately we are entrenched in a time when politics has been reduced to spectacle and the current Congressional proceedings mimic reality TV. Check out Youtube for videos of the Watergate hearings and look at the difference between now and then. That was a hearing. Witnesses appeared live, took an oath and answered questions in real time, none of this garbage with videotaped snippets. The current proceedings are for show. Democrats are shivering in their shorts about the mid term elections this November.

Bill Clinton needs to reflect a bit on what part he took in diminishing democracy. First of all, during his terms in office many regulations on large corporations were relaxed enabling multiple mergers, thus lessening competition. Next, during Clinton's years in office, the Glass- Steagall act was repealed ending many banking regulations which in turn opened the doors for banks to engage in riskier investments and plod in financial endeavors that had been restricted since the Great Depression. How does this threaten democracy? Corporations are more powerful than ever in 2022. The relaxing of regulations on banks fast forwarded the flow of money into the political system Thus creating the financial means for corporations to hire a multitude of lobbyists to do their bidding in Washington. Clinton was creative in his efforts to raise money for the Democrats. In one of his classic Clintonian bids to raise money, he auctioned off one night lodging in the Lincoln room at the White House to the highest bidder. This shed light on a new political culture emerging in the USA in the 1990s: namely that anything was fair game and open to commodification. In his zeal to raise money, Clinton stained one of the American people's most cherished landmarks: The White House. This has devolved into our current situation where we have members of Congress "whoring for corporations". Members of Congress are beholden to the wealthy donors. When nearly 50% of Americans favor gun regulation, yet Congress takes no action and when nearly 50% of the people in the US are pro-choice, yet abortion rules seem to be tightening year by year, I would say representative democracy is being strangled. Clinton is not responsible for all of this but he certainly got the ball rolling much faster during his eight years in office. His administration had a big role in creating the political culture we have today which many define as "less democratic."

For me the biggest insult is not the extra money, but the fact that Thailand is ignoring the contributions working expats make to Thai society. This, along with other restrictions lessens the incentive for talented foreigners to come and stay in Thailand long term. Even if a working foreigner can pay the extra money, it alienates a person living here long term.

I stop for Zebra crossing but sometimes the people will stay at the curb and not cross. They are not sure what to do. I can understand why. Last Wednesday I was out driving and I saw two women crossing the street at a zebra crossing. They were three-fourths of the way across the street when a car turned the corner, drove right up to them and sat on his horn until they ran out of his way. I felt sorry for the ladies. I am not sure which would be more difficult, to get consistent, evenly enforced traffic rules in Thailand or remedy the gun problems in the U.S> which would you make book on?

Looks like another opportunity to spread fear in order to justify a bigger budget for law enforcement and of course the need for control - more cameras, more surveillance. Then when the fear campaign is in high gear, they can employ the tactic that gives the control freaks an erection every time - CRACKDOWN!

I have used Udon Thani immigration for the past 8 years. My experience has varied over the years. Not getting the 100 baht change is usual. I asked them for the change and they begrudgingly gave it to me. I think the Udon Immigration office in Udon got a new lead official about 2 years ago. Usually they are polite and expeditious

The US constitution once approved of slavery. I wonder if the pro-slavers made the same kind of arguments as those who argue for the second amendment (I am right because the constitution says so). The US constitution was not written by God. It was designed to be changed, for example the second amendment. The debate for and against gun control illustrates how money controls US politics. The courts have essentially legalized corruption. Seems like the only solution is to propose new legislation or put up state-wide referendums taking money out of politics so that no one may contribute as much as a dollar to the election of public officials. If people running for public office had to run their campaigns using a set amount of money obtained from the government's election funds, the people would be able to see how well each candidate could manage a budget - kind of like an audition.

There is a revolution in progress, i.e. a revolution in the distribution of commodities and other goods on international markets. "True power rests in the hands of those who control the means of production and distribution." Regardless of the outcome of the war in Ukraine, changes in the worldwide distribution of goods are taking place. Price hikes in all sectors of manufacturing as well as the world distribution of energy will in all likelihood continue. The war in Ukraine will enable new monopolies and power centers to emerge as they form new channels of trade, With oligarchs all over the world walking hand in hand with their countries' leaders, new trade routes will emerge to satisfy the supply chain while spot shortages (real and staged) of essential goods will pop up from time to time while prices spike (and profits as well). The bottom line; the War in Ukraine will no doubt enable more than a few corporations and the oligarchs at the helm to tighten their grips on the levers of power as they get wealthier.

I have not seen any mention of where the car seats should be placed - front seat or back seat. In the western countries car seats are supposed to be placed in the back seat. If a child is in a car seat on the passenger's side in the front, there is a danger that the child could be smothered by air bags if there is any kind of impact from a collision. From what I have observed over the years, most motor vehicles laws are for show. Anyone will tell you the laws in Thailand are enforced arbitrarily in certain places at certain times. How can we think the car seat requirement for children will be any different? We will not have safe roads in Thailand until vehicles are programmed on tracks or "smart roads" and run by computers, It is easy to change a law, swear you will enforce it with zero tolerance and then lay on the PR; However, it is not so easy to change the road culture in Thailand.

Two other points come to mind as I read this article. I pose this as a question and NOT an opinion. Could the concept of Karma be a reason why women suffer in their attempts to combat sexual harassment? Is it implicit within the culture that if you are born a woman, sexual issues will be one part of your suffering? No one really has it easy and all people struggle through life. Sexual harassment in a society is one struggle specific to women. As I said, this is a question I pose which I did not see addressed in the article. In western countries the issue with sexual harassment can be troublesome because lawyers are so skilled at spinning the facts so they can win in court for their client in civil court. There is a profit motive here because lawyers often receive a percentage of money won in a cash settlement. So it seems to me, watching from the outside that trials become a dramatic event and perhaps the lawyers efforts to win the case do not always probe deep enough into the merit of the charges. Also, many cases in the west never make it to court, parties settle before any trial takes place. Some critics say in such a system some people who file charges concerning sexual issues with high profile people visit their lawyer before they take it to the police. The settlement by Prince Andrew is the latest example. By settling, he paid the victim, but it was a civil case and does not result in a conviction in a criminal court. "The out-of-court settlement accepted no liability and Prince Andrew has always strongly rejected claims of wrongdoing. But the prince agreed to pay an unspecified amount to Ms Giuffre and to her charity for victims' rights"

I will be landing at Surat Thani Airport around 2:30 in the afternoon on a weekday later this month. Can anyone tell me the best way to navigate from the airport to the ferry pier on Koh Samui? My final destination is Chaweng Beach, would appreciate any tips. What is the usual time for traveling from the Surat Thani airport to the Ferry Terminal? Also, I read on the websites that the ferries to Koh Samui are available virtually every hour until early evening. I hope this is correct. From my research I understand there are really no accommodations at the ferry terminals. Finally, what is the best way to negotiate a ride from the Ferry Terminal on Koh Samui to Chaweng, shared mini van, car taxi, bus?????? Thanks, I appreciate the members of this forum. They have been so informative in the past.

The usual - Get tough with the people who are most vulnerable.

I used Fed Ex too. My bank, Wells Fargo, insisted on sending the first card by regular mail; it never arrived. Make sure you use a service that requires a signature, nothing less. Because my first card did not arrive, my number had to be changed. That can cause some inconveniences.

Is it unusual for elections to be nothing more than personality contests - In a world dominated by business, brand names? Perhaps the interest in the Shinawatra clan lies in the fact that it may be the only viable alternative to those currently in power. Who else possesses the organization and name recognition equal to Thaskin and company? Plus as the article says, they have a track record over the years. An election that involves any member of the Shinawatra family may be the closest thing the Thai electorate has to a choice. They may be the only ones who can get to the level of running against Prayut without being disqualified in the process. I say this with all humility as I hail from a country locked in a two-party universe - the Democrats and Republicans. These two "gangs" are expert at blocking third parties.

Why does he have to take this posture where he gives permission? I thought government leaders were public servants.

Is the government lying or is it simply - don't ask don't tell? The government is telling people if you test positive at home, you should self-isolate. Therefore, there is really no intention of actually counting how many cases there are with any degree of precision on any given day. The government said the count could get up to 100,000. That may be the case now, or close to it. All of this bloviating or TRUMPeting outrageous claims about being in control and being number one is part of the zeitgeist in which we are enveloped in the Roaring 20s.

Thai friend who has Covid had to spend 6 hours queueing in a crowded hospital yesterday to get reams of medication and then went home for 14 days to isolate!"" I had the same thing happen to me. It is so miserable sitting outside the hospital in the testing area when you have a fever and constant discomfort. The wait for the medication is eternal. You would think they would want to get sick people out of the hospital as quickly as possible, of course not for the sake of the patient but for their own safety. I tested positive and they wanted me to get into a van with six other sick people, including an unmasked child. I simply refused. It seemed like sheer madness to me to sit in a small van in such close proximity to others. I am over 65 and in a high risk group. It is certainly a miserable time when you are sick. How do I know what else I might catch?

I think Thais face the same challenge fighting corruption that Americans face trying to combat gun violence. Both are deeply rooted in the culture for so long that it is virtually impossible to extinguish. Any marked improvement could be seen as progress. We can't forget: corruption is convenient when it is working for you.

I do not see any mention of "the social media effect". Staying home for long periods of time being constantly bombarded with information can create cognitive dissonance, the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. I would think this would weigh in as a factor. I appreciate the posts on this site offering alternative explanations. This is the last thing people who are recovering from Omicron want to hear. This professor may be totally sincere, but he seems to be one in the parade of Thais in the medical profession putting forth an edict concerning COVID and the pandemic on a daily basis. One study is cited as evidence for this mental health theory. However, have the results been peer reviewed? How many in the scientific community agree with these findings? How many may agree, but call for further study?

The idea that Thailand uses an emergency decree to control protest movements is certainly not excusive to Thailand. It is merely a local version of a worldwide theme. What about China and Hong Kong or what about the US and The Patriot Act which has been renewed several times since it was first invoked in 2001? I heard one social critic articulate a litmus test for evaluating whether or not a country is truly a democracy or not with one simple question, "In your country could you go to the center of a big city within the earshot of a large number of people during the day and shout out at the top of your lungs: 'This country sucks' and then bellow out the names of the most powerful leaders accompanied by some spicy adjectives, and not get arrested?" Many countries pride themselves on freedom of speech, but as Malcolm X pointed out - there is a difference between free speech and effective speech. In other words, you can say anything you want, but if your speech begins to change the way people think and act, will you end up on the radar of the intelligence community? The security and surveillance state is global.

Does anyone know if visa agents are cheaper in Bangkok than other provinces? I would expect in Bangkok there is more competition. I had a visa agent in the northeast quote a price of 23,000 for the visa for supporting a Thai child. Can anyone quote agent fees for marriage visas or retirements visas? Would be interesting to see comparisons from different areas.

My warning to parents to be careful. If you try to find the perpetrators yourself online, you may end up with indecent images on your computer for which you could face criminal investigation and penalties. Report anything suspicious to the police. Do not play detective.

Why don't they report how many new cases in Thailand are Omicron and how many are delta or at least give a per cent?

Over the years as the number of cars on Thai roads increased, so too did the number of motorcycles. The roads cannot handle the volume of all this traffic. At intersections with traffic signals motorcycles can advance to the front of the queue. This results in motorcycles weaving around cars to get to the front. Hazard number 2: Because of the volume of motorcycles and cars, motorcycles will often not wait to make right turns properly between traffic signals. They often cut across the road and drive on the shoulder for oncoming traffic. The result of course is a motorcycle riding on the wrong side of the road adding to the chaos. Should anything unusual occur while the motorcycle is driving on the wrong side - Crash! Hazard number 3: You not only have cars and motorcycles on Thai highways and byways, but slow moving baht buses (loading and unloading passengers along the roads in non-designated areas), tuk tuks and venders on motorcycles with sidecars for their wares. In most areas, especially sois, it is virtually impossible to widen roads in order to accommodate the volume of traffic. Tuk Tuks are in most cases not even legally registered to drive on the public roads. Add to all of this the frequency in which people double park, for example, in front of markets. So it is no wonder, 86% of traffic accidents on Thai roads involve motorcycles, especially in cases where a motorcycle is carrying three or even four people. There is no room on public roads for all of these vehicles at peak traffic hours to operate safely. Not sure if there is any solution to this problem as many people cannot afford cars and many Thai people use a motorcycle as the primary transport for an entire family.