jts-khorat

Does nobody see that the sales woman at the counter is completely ignoring the man, first as he tries to order a water (in Thai), then as he tries to pay for it? She even walks away and shows him her back as he pulls out the money. It is then that he empties the bottle into the pot, obviously quite triggered by this.

If you re-read my post, I am not beating up on the Americans for the deaths in WW2 -- but for all the deaths that followed in their many, many undeclared wars all over the planet. It seems, that specifically the USA has not learned the lesson of WW2, literally killing millions since then (the majority civilians). Now they are preaching to the world as if they are morality and wisdom incarnated, while they have a president implementing the Nazi playbook action for action just as I write this. Just today the news that Trump wants to suspend the habeas corpus; we just need to wait what will be their version of the "invasion of Poland": Greenland, Panama, Canada, Gaza... and finally, at the moment, the USA is "just" trying to deport people -- as did Nazi Germany in the beginning, even though neither the UK nor the USA wanted the Jews -- but this is already a slippery slope: will their version of concentration camps be in Guantanamo Cuba, Cecot El Salvador or a more exotic place like Lybia? I believe the world has learned their lessons, but no American has the right to say a single word: right now, they are literally the bad guys.

I am being an ass? Maybe. But you, a citizen of the most bloodthirsty country on the planet within the last 80 years, with dozens of conflicts and wars in this time, should at least be precise -- so what are you? I think we should also reflect on this day, how far the actions of the USA are from the spirit of this special occasion. Im am literally sick hearing holier-than-you Americans preach to us about the horros of war and collateral civilian deaths, while at the same time bombing and incarcerating people as their daily mood dictates. I believe, if Germans should hang their head in shame about historical things, you Americans are standing right beside us on this pillory of shame -- but you seem to not even be aware of it.

The USA is not known to follow international law and declare their wars, not since 1945. They are standing above all laws and rules, has nobody told you? This is why the USA can simultaneously have a president invoking war time emergency powers to deport invaders and strike other nations pre-emptively with economic sanctions (tariffs), while at the same time not being in a state of war. It is grotesque, to use a nice word. Maybe Americans should reflect on that, instead of being moral apostles on a high horse.

Quite the confusing table you posted there, following your comment. Really, Germany caused millions of civilian deaths in China ??! Also quite missing, where are the millions of people the USA killed; are they not worth even a mention??

A decision to be made before end of the year, production locations to be announced 2026. Then re-tooling of production lines, might take another 1-2 years. Trump will not be in office any more when this truly comes to pass... such are the time lines in industrial production. This is purely a political signal.

It is an anti-snoring device, supposed to open the nasal airways. They are commonly sold in the West as well, and for many years. I am not sure what the outrage is.

I also notice that body weight and fitness have changed a lot in the last 25 years. I actually blame milk at primary school with its growth factors creating a larger body plan and processed fast food in later age to fill this plan to the max (as in the West). Also, most people simply do not have an agrarian background with back-braking work from a child's age on in their biography any more. In the early 2000s there were a few years were you literally could see which of the girls was growing up on a farm simply due to their body features, coming literally from a lack of nutritious food and being physically over-worked in their childhood (growing up with nutrient deficiencies makes a woman super-slim with nearly boyish features in early adult life). All in all I believe that many Thais have swapped one extremely unhealthy lifestyle (deficiency and over-exertion) with another (over-abundant western fast food and a sessile and lazy lifestyle). We in the West were just a little bit ahead in that curve.

The price has increased similarly here in Germany, if not even more (sometimes it is double what I am used to), due to the very bad Cacao harvests. Like the Coffee somebody quoted before, this has nothing to do with Thai greed.

I have been to many slaughters of cows and buffaloes here in Isaan. If done in the village, a group of families will share the meat, and those doing the actual slaughtering will get some of the best parts. Best parts are, besides others, from the heart, part of the liver and the backside right before the tail, which will be eaten raw. Looking at the list of usual symptoms happening, I could guess, a lot of the often unexplained and rapidly deadly sick cases one hears about in the villages could be easily coming from this or one of the many other zoonotic diseases people pick up when they are in direct contact with sick animals and uncooked meat. Actually, the biggest risk in Isaan is not beef, but raw fish (liver cancer resulting from fish flukes is the most common reason for death in the over 60s age group in Isaan), not properly cooked crabs and of course improperly cooked pig. I basically know nobody who has not fairly often a prophylactic intake of medicine against tape worms (as do I -- Fugacar = Mebendazole). I guess, just part of living an agrarian lifestyle.

From the article it is not entirely clear, how inebriated this person was. I have, withoiut all that much problem, created bills quite a bit larger than this without being drunk afterwards. In the end, this tourist was an adult. What happened to being responsible for your decisions and actions?

Maybe true in a general sense. In regard to the price of eggs, resulting from persistent and catastrophic levels of bird flu decimating flocks in the US, he did everything to keep them high: - reduce testing for bird flu - reduce research in preventing bird flu - reduce regulations on how to establish animal health - antagonize neighboring markets with tariffs, from which cheap(er) eggs could be imported So, while he might not be able to realistically reduce egg prices immediately, he has virtually guaranteed that they will stay high for a very, very long time.

Drunk people doing stupid stuff in Thailand is as old as tourism here. I have seen people doing lots of outrageous stuff in the 90s, only nobody had a phone to film it. As everybody was having their fun and fill, nobody batted an eyelid. People were minding their own business. I think, times were better for it.

What better way to destroy the reputation of a country by threatening friend and foe alike, and when the supposed enemies just shrug their shoulders, fold completely. Before, the USA and its reserve currency dollar was simply a parasite on the world; by now, they are a hated one. Finally, the bill comes back to the US, and I at least will enjoy to see it burn.

This, ten times over!! I hardly need three different emojis denoting that I like a post, but between disliking a post and simply finding something unfathomably stupid is a big difference.

Or, simply accept that there is a large number of long-time tourists simply spending money, and a very small percentage of "tour guides" and "bar owners" (who nonetheless bring financial turnaround). I remember, as I came to Thailand in the late 90s, that I was working for months, as I heard for the first time that something like a work permit even exists. And I would never have gotten one for the job I did then (nobody on Phuket had even heard of the internet or web design, there were only 2000 fixed phone lines on the whole island). What I am trying to say is: the jobs a longstay tourist is likely to engage in is the grey economy, where people don't pay taxes and proper business setups most likely will be prohibitive for the tiny returns. There is a good chance that just checking up on everything costs more than simply ignoring this small percentage. Better spend the money on improving tourist infrastructure. But who am I to advise the Thai government?

From driving (slightly) inebriated to wholly unhinged talk. You sound completely crazy, are you high? My advice: also do not drive.

Frankly, if I hear his whining about a little discomfort, I start to develop my own theory, why he was not let off with a smallish fee, but rather invited to do a few zzz on government property. I do know -- unluckily from my own experience (one of those lessons that are not alawys cheap) -- that higher police can react quite unfriendly when questioned or put on the spot. Well, at least he has us all now properly warned, that we will not fall into the clutches of Thai police unawares, so at least he did his good deed for the day. 😉

I am not in disagreement, that he was not much over the limit; and that the likely reason he was put in a cell was some kind of fee to be negotiated (which his wife seemingly boggled up badly). However, he indeed did the crime, and that right after Songkran, where everybody knows the police are on the lookout for DUIs. His treatment was not harsh, he had 15 friends "enduring" the same... And I see the issue more from the viewpoint, that it is unlikely he will be a repeat offender (with wife, he likely will be a long-term resident, so carelessness with alcohol could endanger poeple later). I think he got off lightly, learned a lesson and has a nice story to tell. All that for not sleeping well for a night is a steal.

I would say: there was no reason for him to drink and then drive -- especially if he had his wife with him. If she also drank, a Bolt taxi is so cheap to basically cost nothing to a westerner. Don't do the crime, if you cannot do the time. Edit: and he would have been in real danger of severe repercussions if that would have been an accident and not a police checkpoint, so I stand by my point that a night in a cell is really nothing harsh at all.

Yes, you did: you drove under the influece, while thankfully not hitting anybody with your car. And yes, as everybody had the same floor, you were treated fairly. I really do not know about what you are complaining. "Deprived of the ability to sleep"... what are you, a child? Would you have preferred being deported at your own cost? Boy oh boy, do I have to tell you a story about how IDC in Bangkok looks on the inside.

I more wonder about the rapid demographic shift before 1860, when there were still 5% natives there. Scalping and head bounties had not decimated all of them, yet. Call about a change in culture...

The one who was treated unfairly was your wife, I give you that point. But you were treated by the letter of the law, there was no corruption, no deviation from normal procedure, you got a fair hearing and also a fair penalty reflecting your offense. You had a place to sleep like all the others, and even breakfast -- not quite half board, but what did you expect? Where is this unfairness you speak of?

While I understand that the OP might have been far out of his comfort zone, indeed he has been treated quite well. I know in Phuket, the police used the method of the holding cell quite effectively in deterring tourists likely to be caught with a DUI again (eg longer term visa holders), just to make sure that they got the message. Those cells were small, so 15 people in it would not have given all of them the room to sleep; and as far as I know, no breakfast for those who would be released anyway... The law has changed by now, DUI is a criminal offense, so no laughing matter any more. Indeed the OP could have just as easily been deported, and would have for sure if there would have been an accident. In cases that the police would take a backhander, I have heard quotes of a large multiple of what the OP had to pay in the end. I think the OP paid just a little bit of learning money, has a story to tell, and can be happy that he got off really lightly (I am assuming THb 10,000 barely hurts him). He should be thankful for that and think twice, if he want to subject his wife one more time to the same routine in case he re-offends.

While Berkshire Hathaway is not uninteresting from the outside, it is a poison stock -- all US stocks are under boycott, I am concentrating solely on European stocks (and Airbus as a worldwide conglomerate is right at the outer fringe for that). My depot is currently up more than 20% due to that strategy, which is crazy growth for such a very short timeframe. If Trump does not get deposed within the next few weeks, I guess the US stock markets will crash so hard, it would be crazy to invest currently, even if not boycotted. They are simply not a value proposition.