Totsagan

Agreed. Accordingly your observation and comment are most welcome.

Perhaps - perhaps - the bloviator who in the past few pages is responsible for the fact will begin to subdue and start to self-restrain himself from further posts that not only are arcane and obtuse but which are outright self indulgent and painfully boring.

I have a policy not to get involved in long and winding pissing matches with off center members (to include their eggers-on in the shadows) but this one time I found it necessary to stoop to that level. I've regretted decending to the same level as the factualizer but the fact is bloviators unfortunately have a blind spot to self-embarrassment.

Let's hope for the best from this point forward.

Vilaiwan Seeboonreaung - the Thai actress standing on the banks of the River Kwai....

It looks like a pawn slip for some gold jewlery.

Here is a partial translation, with my limited comprehension.

Someone with better skills than I can fill in the gaps or provide a better translation.

Store Petchatong 99

65/7-8 (street name)

Open 10:30 am – closed 9:30 pm

Customer (Person pawning): Ratchanee Murapee

Gold: Weight 2.1 Gram

Silver: 1200 baht #

Date received: 11 Apr 2053 Date of Arrival [Date to be picked up]: 11 May 2053

If I do not come to pick-up at this time, I will release (item) to the store.

This card is good for one month After which forfeit.

( [if ] the card is lost, the store is not responsible

I think you all better check your facts regarding Amercia and WWII.

If it wasn't for Amercians like William Holden, then Alec Guinness would not have realized his mistake and blown up the bridge, thereby ending World War II.

us_flag.bmp

The key and fulcrum of the outcome of the entire world at war was the stunning but modest Thai gal who fell in platonic love with the Brit appointed simulated Major Wm Holden, thus inspiring him to swim the Kwai, be shot to death by the Japanese soldiers, which then caused Guinness (the person not the beer) to collapse on the detonator thus blasting his beloved bridge to smithereens, consequently winning the whole and entire war for the allies. Without the luscious Thai gal, surely the war would have been lost and we'd now be bilingual only in German and Japanese.

So you, I and thousands of others of we farang thank the heavens above for our tendersweet farang loving Thai gals - all of 'em

I stand corrected. To William Holden and the Thai girl on the banks of the River Kwai

I think you all better check your facts regarding Amercia and WWII.

If it wasn't for Amercians like William Holden, then Alec Guinness would not have realized his mistake and blown up the bridge, thereby ending World War II.

us_flag.bmp

All you guys are way too funny.

It goes in sideways, doesn't it?

(With apologies to: cheguevara, MB1 and dinasia)

I once met a girl who claimed she was Chinese

In every which way she was too happy to please,

I’ve never regretted marrying a Thai-Chinese,

I’ve been ever so delighted since I’ve arrived overseas.

But bigotry and stereotypes raised its ugly head,

She read what I wrote on the Thai Forum thread

Now she is the woman who went back to Peking,

And I am the guy who went back to Wan-king.

This whole thread is too funny!!

I haven't been laughing so hard since the MacDonald's bombing thread two weeks ago...

I have to hand it to Abhisit. He took the middle road route, which he knew full well was going to be unpopular with EVERYONE, which sure enough, it was. He's sticking to his guns though, because he thinks this is the best way for Thailand to amend its divides. I have to say, that's nothing short of commendable. Let's hope he manages to make it out in one piece.

I think one could argue Abhisit is a weakish leader but I do agree he is a decent man. He doesn't seem too greedy or too proud. I have been disappointed in his leadership at times, but all evidence suggest he is sincere. Having a PM that is weak but decent is preferable to a PM that is effective but cruel.

It seems Abhisit is certaninly one of Thailand's best leaders to date. It also appears that he, personally, hasn't been involved in corruption.

Perhaps a sure sign that he trying to do the best for all parties in Thailand is the fact that BOTH Red shirts and yellow shirts are calling for him to step down.

A good man with a tough balancing act...

Abhisit and the government have made a very clever move. As pointed out by other posters, there isn't much new to this compromise from previous offers, but including an intention to address the inequalities at least creates the appearance of compromise and reconciliation. If the redshirts refuse this compromise outright, they risk global condemnation. The government has the opportunity to look like the peacemakers.

IMHO, the redshirts need to accept the compromise, or offer a reasonable alternative, while still making it clear that they are dubious about the government's sincerity. If the government fails to honor the intent and spirit of the agreement, there will undoubtedly be opportunities to ramp the protest movement back up. In the mean time, the country will have a chance to return to some normality, and hopefully the inflammatory rhetoric from both sides will cool down.

Somehow, the Thai people need to develop faith in the electoral process to effect change and resolve issues. This will be tough to accomplish in a nation that has had only one PM serve his entire term, and then he was deposed in a coup.

The worse case scenario for the redshirts, and the Thai people in general, would be that the government uses the next 6 months to suppress and dismantle the opposition, and/or refuses to hold the Nov 14 elections for any reason, valid or not. If the government uses their position to suppress the opposition, and/or refuses to conduct the elections, any future credibility is lost and sympathy will swing back to the redshirts.

I agree that whatever happens in November, there will undoubtedly be groups that don't like the outcome and want to take to the streets again. However, it seems to me that the first priority right now is to get both sides to stand down and remove the guns from each others heads (figuratively, not literally) so the rest of the Thai people can get life back to something that passes for normal and quit being victimized by the conflict.

The government's tendency to censor and suppress any perceived opposition makes me doubt their sincerity, but if they are never given a chance to prove themselves, then the opposition are the bad guys.

It seems like these boards are an accurate microcosm for what is happening in Thailand right now. Everyone assumes that they know what the real issues and motivations are, and of course their interpretation is the only valid one. Making decisions that effect an entire nation based on personal preconceptions may not be the best way to find the way back to the land of smiles. Both sides should try to understand the opposing viewpoint with an open mind. While I believe that the redshirts have some legitimate grievances, they have put the government in the impossible position of having to give in to what seems like extortion to make any concessions. Similarly, the government be labeling the redshirts terrorists and anti-monarchy, put them in a do or die, last stand kind of mentality.

The government has followed a somewhat sucessful policy of giving the redshirts enough rope to hang themselves. Now is the time for the redshirts to switch roles. Call the government's bluff and accept the compromise. If they are insincere and start backpedaling, they will be the ones hanging themselves.

Hopefully both sides will let their true love of Thailand and the monarchy win out, and give reconciliation a chance.

Well written, articulate post.

Examples of compromises, among others:

1) Grant anticipated elections in 9 months instead of end of term

2) Cutting the 1st compromise by additional 3 months

3) Listening to the others' points and opening the discussion on possible improvements on the situation

I thought this whole thing with the timing of the elections was related to the annual military re-shuffle.

The current administration wants to hold elections after the re-shuffle, and the Red Shirts want to hold elections before the annual re-shuffle.

(BTW, would any of the Thai linguists care to reply what the Thai phrase for the annual re-shuffle is called - in Thai script?)

1) Thinking a farong is someone with this type of background

2) Playing a silly 'lets get back at the westerners' game

3) Bored at work!

Dave, Dude...

I'm the OP

1. See post #3

2. Don't understand what you're trying to say

3. Bored all the time, man...all the time...

At least you're not one of these <deleted> that insists upon calling everybody a 'dude'.

Well...Dave the Dude (poster) is the Dude. I guess something like the Big Lebowski. ->

1) Thinking a farong is someone with this type of background

2) Playing a silly 'lets get back at the westerners' game

3) Bored at work!

Dave, Dude...

I'm the OP

1. See post #3

2. Don't understand what you're trying to say

3. Bored all the time, man...all the time...

So he bought a fake rolex, and a fake passport so he could make 4000 baht, sounds like the score is thai scams 2 farang scams 1

I didn't look at it that way. I guess you're right.

Westybrook: Relax. It's just I story I heard on a radio luk tung station this morning (Kampuu and Rachanee). But thanks for offering to save me...

Anyway, the Thai police and I are great friends. I've met many of them. I'm always offering donations to them during road stops. Something about the speed limit being 90 and I'm going 105.

Wonderful guys. I respect the local police.

What's a farong?

It's a farang with a boston accent. Com'on man, you've got to play the game...

I was just listening to L__K T_ng 95.

A farong goes into the gas station and says his Thai girlfriend stole all his money

He shows the owner his Rollex watch, worth thousands, and asks for 4000 bht.

He shows his passport, and gives them his cell number.

He says he will return in a couple of days to get the watch back.

One day, two days, three days, etc - the farong does not come back for his watch.

The gas station owner calls the cell number - no answer.

He takes the watch to a watch shop to sell...it's a fake.

No such phone number, fake passport, fake watch... farong walks away with 4000 baht.

But we recently divorced.

So left me for another guy.

She took everything I had away from me.

they never returned it.

My knew someone from Italy who got killed

One time a guy tried to frame me

Eventually I had to pay the police and the guy.

I lost a buddy in a car accident.

I can not get thai citizenship,

i pay taxes,

i have to pay special foreigners prices,

I got scammed a tons of times.

I see a trend here

Which of the above was the turning point?

This is just life..."the unexamined life is not worth living..."

Perhaps the kitchen staff was busy elsewhere....down the street with the Reds.

Tough to cook without he cook...

Next time try the karaoke

Quite frankly I am amazed that many of you are making jokes out of a very serious and dangerous situation. There is a time for humor, bombings, terrorism etc is hardly the time! I suppose it makes a change from silly bickering that you usually all result to. Please see the seriousness of the welfare of innocent Thai and Foreign citizens, and of the damage this is causing Thailands economy. I use this site to gain valid information relevant to living in Thailand, and to try to keep up to date with the news. Not to see childlike comments.

I am shocked, SHOCKED, to find that people are joking on the Thai Forum...

You don't think they'll go after any or the Pizza places do you?

"People, cant we all just get along?" - Ronald McDonald - Bangkok Riots.... or was that Rodney King - LA Riots?

Dead...

Maybe not created, but more like financed the the construction and provided the consumer base

At the risk of offending all the Vietnam veterans, there is a school of thought that holds that the use of Thailand as an R&R center, while meant to help, served only to create problems and eroded order and discipline within the military. If one looks at past experience of R&R centers in WWII, and the Korean War, although the discipline problems were there, the situation was managed and there was no breakdown of general discipline. The proof is in how foreign militaries treat the process now. One will never see the chronic wild excesses of the Vietnam era today. Always, always maintain discipline in the ranks and places like Pattaya only serve to corrupt and undermine the authority of the command structure.

I'm going to get bashaed for being a canary now.

Geriatrickid I don’t want to bash you. But I must point out Pattaya was not an R&R center. I’ll repeat that for those of you who didn’t see it the first time. Pattaya was not an R&R center.

America did not finance or construct anything in Pattaya. America did not finance anything in Pattaya. It had R&R centers and hotels and clubs in Bangkok but not in Pattaya. America was completely out of Thailand and Vietnam by 1975 and there wasn’t anything built in Pattaya in 1975 except a couple of hotels. Google some photos of Pattaya in 1975. Nothing but a dirt road and a few motorbikes.

Do you want to discuss how Sidney being an R&R center completely denigrated the morals of Australia and created a sex Disney world at Kings Cross?

Do you want to talk about Hawaii, the most popular R&R destination for American troops destroying the morals of Waikiki beach? No, of course not because it doesn’t fit into your urban folk legend that America created sex tourism in Thailand. It ain’t so. It ain’t true. It is a folk tale contradicted in writing, photos and by talking to anyone who was here at the time.

Places like Pattaya may or may not undermine the command structure. Historically that might be an interesting discussion but we will never know because Pattaya was never part of the American experience in Vietnam.

Respectfully - I disagree that Pattaya was not a R&R center. I was stationed at Samae San, Sattahip during 1974 and lived off-base in Kilo 11, not far from the U-Tapao front gate. Like most of you, I didn't party in Pattaya. But the two times I spent time in Pattaya was on-duty supporting the military R&R center for functions there. In fact, I was told the Pattaya R&R was one of two properties "owned" by the U.S. - the other was, if I remember the name correctly Ramasan - an Army base near one of the AF bases.

By 1974 Pattaya was buidling up pretty rapidly - more than just G.I.'s there. A Thai businessman told me during that period that most of the financing was coming from Europe (Germany) and Japan.

I remember east Pattaya ended in a cul-de-sac, and I think there were only two (ladyboy) bars down there. It was unofficially off limits for GI's.

The military buses from U-Tapao and Sattahaip always went to BKK via Pattaya - a 3-hour trip and stopped in front of the R&R center to drop off soldiers and airmen. It was about a month before I discovered the orange buses left Sattahip for BKK by-passing Pattaya and making the trip in half the time. In those days, a bus trip on an orange bus was a real adrenalin rush - almost as good as being on the first chopper in or the last one out of a hot LZ.

The units from Samae San worked at the deep-water port in Sattahip. During 1974 we hosted Australian Navay ships at least twice. The boys from OZ filled up our NCO clubs and paid 10X the going rate for companionship.

In 1974, I believe U-tapao had about 13,000-15,000 airmen; Samae San about 1,300 soldiers. US had a military cap of about 70K-100k personnel during 74, but the USAF were able to hide the figures by rotating personnel in and out from the Philipines on 90 day rotations, so TDY didn't count against the troop strength.

Samae San had a beach, scuba gear, outdoor movie theater, minature golf course, etc. I think by 74 the golf course that was build by the AF had closed. Airmen and soldiers went to Newland. Not many folks went to Pattaya. Bob Hope did a show at U-tapao in 74. A change in govt had all GI's out of thailand in 75 or early 76. At any rate, the military left before the student demonstrations.

BUT - there WAS a R&R center in Pattaya in 74.

Does anyone have a list or link of snake rescue people in Thailand? Sound like they were really on the ball.

Most of the people in this thread will not agree with my opinion, but I hate snakes. I must admit most have ran away before I could ensure they wouldn't return.

The 3 times the snakes that decided my home is their new home, I chopped up, unfortunately one was a python and I felt a little bit guilty later, but the first two were very venomous and very aggressive. Ended up chopping them in half with one of those tree branch pruning tools on a 15 foot pole with a rope for a trigger that you pull. I have no regrets, one was a red belly black snake in my home, I slept much better. I did recycle it though and helped global warming by composting it, so I am a little bit environmentally friendly.

In your home - as in "In your sleeping quarters?"

Snakes in my dreams - ruining my retirement sleep in LOS.

I'm going to invest in one of those tree pruners, though.

I'm never going to get close enough to a snake to throw a bucket over it.

What is the location of this establishment?

Where is the location of the Pizza Pizza?

Do you know any good Pizza places in Khon Kaen?

If this was LA , Bangkok would be burned to the ground by now.

LA knows how to throw a good riot.

"People, can't we all just get along?"

These guys used to be considered terrorists.

And this guy isn't considered a terrorist today. (The one on the right)

Just sayin'

how appropriate...a picture says a thousand words.

sad that the george bush gang is not included,though .

The woman in the red dress used to be a terrorist?