SeniorNice

When this kind of thing happens in our Western homelands, (as it does sometimes) do we condemn the whole population/country because of it?

Many millions of people holiday in Thailand every year and have nothing but good times/memories.

In my country that gang would have been set up in by a crowd. They attacked pensioners.

In my country they don't have 3 year old children begging at 4am walking in & out of traffic. If people in my country witnessed that behaviour the child would be protected & the adult directing the child would likely be taken care of.

But this is thailand, a country where the only concern is saving face & taking foreign money. They're welcome to it.

I telll all my friends and family not come here because the place is full of savages that should be put down

I had friends thinking of visiting. I've told them the country's gone to the dogs. I filled them in on what happens in Thailand. Needless to say they won't visit & will likely pass on what they've heard. Well done thailand & a huge round of applause to the royal thai police

You are entitled to your opinion as am I.

In my opinion there has been an effort in this thread to bait me into a reaction. An attempt has been made by a.mod to clean up the thread.

It wasn't "this is me blah blah" It was actual footage of what I was greeted with when walking into the police station.

They were asleep on duty or too busy watching TV.

If you choose to ignore the behaviour of these people in the clip then that is your perogative.

Perhaps if I'd put on a smiley face the initial sos call would have been answered & all this could have been avoided? Really?

If I had ignored the neglect of the child & the dangerous situation the child was in, then who would take action?

The fact is, all 3 video's stem from the lack of police action, as the video highlights.

I'd like to think that someone higher up the police chain does care & doesn't condone the lack of policing.

This is children we are talking about here and the lack of protection they receive in a popular tourist destination.

This wasn't down some dark alley nor was it out in some remote area out of the way. This was on the main strip.

Did you see the woman look after her child once? She was still in walking street this morning sleeping on the floor with the small child.

As for cultural traits, if you actually care about thailand or anyone else other than yourself then you'd see it has far less to do with my western sense of entitlement & far more to with the entitlement of an innocent child.

That was neglect & it started when I'd witnessed the beggar sit down while the child was sent off onto a busy strip with oncoming vehicles.

The child was inches from being hit on 2 occasions.

I asked the woman what she was doing & her reaction prompted me to call the police.

When they didn't answer I went back for footage to show. I would have loved for nothing more than for the police to have done their job & carried out their duty.

Unless their duty is lack of action, watching TV, sleeping & doing very little to protect these innocent kids then something is amiss.

If this is legal then there wouldn't be the public crackdowns. It's the inconsistencies & lack of action when there isn't media coverage that is the problem. It doesn't help when foreigners & thais choose to ignore it & while that mentality remains nothing will change...

& If you're a foreign guy with a kid you won't get the benefit of the doubt. You turn a blind eye to this? Why?

Pattaya? You're welcome to it!

Wow... a bit early for a Pattaya bash isn't it?

Mind how you go.

That's the real pattaya. The parts people turn a blind eye to just to stay here. Leave your morals at your border? You mind how you go, I'll be fine

You expect that tiny little girl to fix it? Where do you draw the line?

That little girl was nearly hit by a baht bus & motorbike taxi. Nice one Don Mega, you must be one of the good guys in they're talking about

& If you're a foreign guy with a kid you won't get the benefit of the doubt. You turn a blind eye to this? Why?

Pattaya? You're welcome to it!

At police station. Is this why they don't answer sos? Good guys in bad guys out?

Before attack asking for police assistance or help/intervention by thai people

Where are the police? Is begging with children illegal?

Is it safe to go out tonight or is if still going on

Jomtien has been crazy all day

I think I bar are having a songkran party 18-19 & apparently it's water inside

Doesn't look good if the tunnel will flood from a water fight before they've finished it. That might force them to rethink their plans. It's better to finish the project then charge again for renovations converting it into a waterway

I'd be cautious of that mattress. It's obviously in thailand but there could be something sinister going on. What crime did the mattress commit? It's being pointed at like it's at Soi 9

My source (my wife)

The only long neck left(according to my source)

I heard a rumour tonight.

The person that told me swore it was the truth, I thought I'd ask if anyone had heard similar.

A friend of a friend visited the long neck tribe recently. Apparently there was only 1 long neck left.

At first I thought those numbers can't be correct. I did expect the tribes to be on the decline due to new money & wanting a different future for their kids.

The reason given wasn't what I expected.

The tribes are giving up their long neck ways (according to my source) & are removing their neck rings.

I was told that a lot of the ex long necks die from a broken neck.

Once they remove the neck rings their unsupported necks flop to 1 side resulting in a broken neck.

Is this true? Are they more prone to whiplash injuries or is this another story from amazing thailand?

Anyone have directions for his shop...just in case we wish to buy something or pay him a visit

In my neck of the woods (khet Dusit, Bangkok) I only saw the same as every year. Flowery shirts, women skirts, men shorts and all wet and somewhat 'white' at times.

May it be that the 'skimpy' dresses are mostly in full view where tourists are ?

I've seen it up in nakhon sawan & the surrounding areas. Hardly any tourists up there & a big army influence & that was pre coup

The Guardian,your bottoms friend ,when you run out of the soft stuff

Good value for the cheap charlies. You could easily use both sides to wipe & keep costs down. Win win

To all the left wing ,hug a hoody , brigade on here ,i wonder how many of them actually do anything ,like giving their money ,taking them into their homes , looking after them , very very few i bet , but it makes them feel rightious to have a go at us who live in the real world and dont read the Guardian .

To all those rabid, right wing, war mongering, country invading, kill em all let god sort them out psychos out there, your wars caused the mess we find our world in.

Read the Guardian if you want a better way to live your lives.

I prefer the independent

To all the do-gooders and seekers of soft justice for lawless spoiled rotten kids.....put them up in your house, yes you! In your extra bedroom, feed them. Buy them a ticket from wherever they live and rehabilitate them. Gently care for them and they will be fine.

If this is the way the father act's it's not a giant leap to think his kids will be of a similar mindset. It happens all the time here with influential thais, their kids grow up thinking they're above the law. It obviously doesn't help when they've learned from their parents actions

I do know one guy here who was such an embarrassment to his wealthy family that they set up a generous trust fund for him as long as he stays here in Thailand. Then there are others who inherited a large amount of money. They enjoy lording it over those of us who have had to make our own way through life. Those people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths have missed some of the more interesting parts of life. Most of us have worked hard and don't feel like life owes us a living. I pity those who run through their inherited money and find they are near destitute.

I knew a guy a good few years back that was in his late 30s. His success in the UK had been funded by his dad. He sold up & came to Thailand. Once his money dried up he forced his dad to hand over his inheritance whilst he was still alive. When that cash dried up he'd already had his eyes on more of his dad's money. I think the dad had to cash something else in & it left the dad with a lot less to live on. The guy had other brothers & sisters & is still in town. He must be struggling by now. If only he'd paid more attention to his own life & finances rather than constantly looking in his dad's wallet. You get some silly people here, but for me that was taking the biscuit.

Why would anyone come to Thailand any which way up ?

The Thai government doesnt give its own people tuppence hapenny. They aint going to start spending money on refugees.

I believe they give their retirees a state pension of 500b. That's enough to buy..

...a couple of copies of the Guardian?

If only they'd been educated with the ability to read the guardian.

It's better to die on your feet than to Live on your knees

That's a fine and noble statement.

However I rather suspect that its author never tried to find cover whilst soldiers on the adjacent elevated railway fired at him.

That experience, and the precedent which it established fresh (very fresh) in the memories of the Thai people. That is at present sufficient to temper their dislike ( or stronger) of this regime.

I think that the junta have got a fair amount further to go before a majority decide to risk getting up off their knees.

Black may of 92 could happen again. Sadly it might be what it takes to see change.