kwilco

there seems to be a lot of confusion between bacteria and parasites - and how they are transmitted - eating certain species like rats or frogs is not the pt=roblem - if they are not correctly killed and stored there may be bacterial problems but that applies for any animals - this article ia about the transmission of liver fluke parasites through eating raw fish - it can also be transmitted in other ways. THis problem in thailand was identified decades ago. So are not going to eat a dish of this and just drop dead of cancer - or even feel ill the next day - it takes time and probably repeated doses even to get the parasite.

Minced meat is a bacteria problem - bacteria settle on thr outside of meat - if it is then minced into a burger the bactris are mixed to the inside of the burger where they can multiple if not cooked through..... unlike a rare steak.

You need to learn to read medical papers - th eparasite in question is the liver fluke - the clue is in the name

Don't think it's a matter of broken promises, it's whether the military will allow it. They will be signing away their pwoer - but what can they do in the face of "landslide" opposition? - A coup? Not a opular option yet

AAFAIK they don't carry this parasite and would have to be eaten raw.

No - this is a parasite already in the animal - storage is usually a risk of bacteria, Freezing for a long period in low temps will kill thr parasites - but they don't breed like bacteria - their life cycle is like something from alien.

Well no - the parasite causes inflmation of the bile dus=ct - if this isn't dealt with, then it repeated inflamation can lead to cancers in the liver - which in turn has to be left untreated. Another way is through eating raw watercress or other water plants ....I'm sure many people on this thread think that salads are healthy too.

Yeah, that's not what happens.

If the constitution is changed then democracy will win. The groundswell for Move Forward is that big now one wonders how the military will react to contain it. Thailands democracy is blighted by both corruption and the laws that are meant to contain it. There are so many laws that it is easy to use them to exclude politicians either from being elected or taking up their seat. This doesn't happen in democracies..it is a tool used by autocratic governments and puppet judiciary.

Not a bacteria...its a parasite...liver fluke. This has been known about fit decades and linked to liver cancer. The problem is its a bit like smoking.... people know its harmful but the damage is over a long period and incremental..so there is a temptation to continue.

Actually that is a practice gleaned from American and French restaurants back in the day. THis is typical of a myth of service that comes from paying staff very little money - it really isn't genuine CS.

Hardly "A stark reminder of Thai "hospitality"- it is however a familiar example of someone's first experience of customer service in Thailand. Although it has undoubtedly improved over the last 3 decades, there is still a big gap between Thai CS and what we have come to expect in the West - especially in EU where there is comprehensive legislation that covers consumer rights. Thailand still clings to "caveat emptor". People, when they come to Thailand are at first beguiled by the cheap prices and apparent service that is the result of high numbers o staff, who are paid a pittance. But when it comes to fixing real problems or refunding money they are still in the dark ages. However this doesn't mean you can't get. result - whether we are talking big or small, if you have the right attitude, you can normally get a satisfactory result. The OP is a classic example of a foreigner who doesn't understand Thai culture and has tried to apply his own western preconceptions on a bemused Thai vendor who in the end became grossly offended by is gauche behaviour.

If there is a storm forecast, people will rush to get off the island in case the ferry service gets suspended.

Spend 2 days there - rent a caddy to drive round if the leg work gets too much. You can of course buy individual items. Prices are no longer "dirt cheap" - I'd say its good if you are a specialist buy (e,g, vintage Levis"/ jean copies etc.). It is a massive place - not sure how you get a pitch to sell stuff, but I"ve taken people who've shipped boxes back to the UK and EU to their shops and very happy with the results.

What I'd like to ee is a a serious investigation into of all the British ex-army people who live on Samui, allegedly with illegal work permits which they think gives them a licence to sell weed and other pills to their mates and other customers

not like you, eh?

I've always renewed at th Chonburi office except the last time on Samui. What docs will I need? Do I need some address / proof of address?

Most of the country is verging on water shortages now - thanks in part to El Nino effect. THere may be rain but it is quantity and storage that is important. If levels on the mainland are low then the amount available for the Samui pipelines will be low too.

every single premise you make is fallacious - and as for IQ - only someone whois seriously uniformed would use that as criteria for a whole electorate or measuring anything for that matter. ...and then throw in an appeal to authority fallacy for good measure. You need to understand a reference to be able to use it in an argument - you don't

Many of the uneducated rice farmers in Isan might support Thaksin, the educated middle class in Bangkok despises him. In this regard, the 2 Ts (the orange one in the US and the square-faced one in LOS) are the same:the higher your IQ and your education the less likely you are to support them. This is not to say that the working class in both countries do not have legit grievances, they certainly do, but they are betting on the wrong horse to genuinely and long-term address them .Hitler initially got the masses out of the misery of the Great Depression.Fascists everywhere do not really care about the people, but they know how to manipulate them. They are master manipulators. Listen to you – just a load of prejudices and clichés! You clearly no nothing about Chiang Mai and the North - completely overlook the fact that almost all universities DON’T support the yellow shirts. Anyone with an education dislikes the yellow-shirts and what they stand for – books about them have been banned – it’s pretty clear you haven’t read a thing on Thai history. The only people who support the yellow-shirts re the Thai establishment who want to keep hold of both power and wealth – of course suckers who think like to you just make it so much easier for them. BTW I used to work for a yellow-shirt leader and a less “educated” more ruthless person you’d be hard put to find. Sure Thaksin is a populist but so are most other politicians – he didn’t seize power with the brrel of a gun, he didn’t massacre students and he didn’t disenfranchise half the population

The "squabbles" have ended up with dozens of deaths and a non-democratic system im[posed by a military government. "move forward" is a cliche used by politicians who don't know what they are doing. The newly appointed PM and his goernment are going to have to "move forward" quickly to change th constitution and estableish a truly re[presentative form og government followed by elections.

which government are you thinking of?

doubt it - as most people supported thaksin and regarded the charges as largely politically motivated, it will be seen as a sign of reconciliation. those who fear Thaksin may be worried.

When I point out the pucity of your thinking you take it personally, I'm commenting on the evidence you present. It is unfortunate that climate deniers are unaware of how stupid they are, I hope you don't fit into that category.

Whichever way you look at it the vast majority of the country is anti-junta. However the military have put in place a constitution that makes democracy unworkable - the only way forward pragmatically speaking is to change the constitution and get rid of to noe degree or another the upper house. To do this any opposition is at first going to have to form some uncomfortable alliances - the reall change will take a few years and could end with a more democratic govenment or yet another coup.