Donga

Keep the reading The Guardian, BBC, The Economist, ABC, Sydney Morning Herald, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, The New York Times and all the other mainstream left media and you'll wallow in doom and gloom until to you shuffle off this mortal coil - likely believing Western civilisation brought this calamity along with slavery, and all the other miseries of the world. And please don't assume any moral high ground or intellect - totally unwarranted hubris. Or others might say... useful idiots.

Moderate Moslems must disassociate from the extremists, not just in Gaza but everywhere these cretins are allowed to wield jihadist power - Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, Iraq and in the West where extremist moslems are emboldened. Moslem extremism, i.e. doesn't recognise any other religion and sometimes against either Sunni or Shia, must be eliminated. People not seeing this are naive. If they're backing Hamas, or Hezbollah, or even some notion of From the river to the Sea, they are truly useful idiots for the extremists.

Pardon? Israel withdrew from Gaza nearly twenty years ago, as agreed. Hamas brutally beat Fatah in the 2006 elections, on the platform of eradicating Israel - so tunnels, weaponry, command centres in schools, hospitals, one command tunnel was just below UNRWA Gaza HO. The UN is appalling useless at best, complicit at worst. Do you remember when Egypt occupied Gaza? You ought to read up a little more.

Not terribly smart, cunning not savvy, hoping the TikTok younger folk will outweigh the experienced older folk and she's losing ground - including Black, Hispanic and male voters generally. The creative talent is wasted, and can be seen as patronising - the vast majority of peeps don't give a toss who Bruce or Beyonce vote for. Dems are done this time. Been too weak on many fronts. Trump will win but relax, only be for one term.

Murdoch empire influence is exaggerated continually by the left. In Australia, Sky News on TV is subscription, same for their website news, and have no radio. The left/Green/Free Palestine/Woke ABC have free to air TV, free web access and radio throughout the country. Fortunately their regional radio is not as biased as the capital cities. Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in Melbourne are not as biased as the ABC, but certainly not given to conservative views. The Guardian in Australia is not far removed from Al Jazeera in their view of the world. In US and UK there is a range of left wing media - BBC, The Guardian, Washington Post, CNN, New York Times. Murdoch knows his market and reaches out to them just as the others reach out to theirs. So why do left wing folk blame Murdoch when they lose an election, but unwilling to credit the support of the many friendly media when they win?

So Ukraine has been invading Russia in the battle for their existence and Israel did the same after being attacked. Ditto Australia "invaded" Papua New Guinea in WWII. Not sure you understand the nuances of invasion in terms of resisting attack, or simply choose to ignore the context.

Walz is a dragging anchor in a sinking ship

"Invaded" is incorrect and unsure if you're smart enough to know it, and like many of the Left, don't have much respect for the truth when your cause is at stake, or whether you really have no clue. Akin to wrong use of the word "genocide" - when one side is accused, after advising residents to get out of harms way - while the perpetrator deliberately places military command centres and weapons amongst civilians, schools, mosques, hospitals. Then fires guns and missiles from same civilian centres. Elements of mainstream media have no shame. If not well read, read history of these "invasions" since 1948 and also consider what victors have done for eons - and especially relevant when Islamists continue to threaten and regularly terrorise - they create buffer zones. Pity UN couldn't fulfill their role over 18 years with 10,000 soldiers to maintain the South Lebanese buffer zone. Btw I'm certainly not Jewsih - more Buddhist than anything else ☺️

One way or the other the world has to condemn and crush extremism on any level, not an easy task. Best to start with by far with the most destructive for so many people, worldwide over decades, extreme Islam or Jihad. The shocking Iranian regime will be toppled, hopefully from the inside, sooner than later. Israel is taking the lead, Western societies hopefully cotton-on before they are further consumed by anti-Western movements, which embrace the "oppressed". And the United Nations... as useful as tits on a bull, and complicit in sowing hatred with UNRWA. They require a major overhaul, with once Socialism International President, Guterres replaced by someone more centrist than a left wing shrill. My wish is a two state solution supported by modern Arab states, the US and Israel with Netanyahu gone and a more sensitive Israeli government for the negotiations and integration into a vibrant Middle East economic zone. Is it a dream?

Some more moralising and in my mind, naivety - "power imbalance", "exploitation", "socially disadvantaged" but especially loved "Sexpat: May involve both transactional and semi-permanent relationships, including “girlfriend” or “wife” arrangements that still carry an economic component." People would understand Thai society and demographics more, if they travelled around, talked to the women, including the bar girls to understand the realities of "socially disadvantaged" (hardly a Thai concept, other than hi-so Thai), especially after a Thai woman divorces. From my observation and discussions, Thai women are generally content, what ever their circumstance, and above all very pragmatic and also loyal, trustworthy. For those that sell their wares, Thai society is less judgemental than Western societies, and expect Buddhism plays a big part in this. Other ladies might look for a farang on a dating site - what is so "exploitive" about that? I've witnessed many older farang, younger Thai relationships and the vast majority are successful in that they enjoy each others company, share common interests and above all, seem to have less angst than many Western unions - is this "power imbalance" or Thai tolerance mixed with farang gratitude? Bit of both I expect. Had a wry smile with: "still carry an economic component" - most relationships carry an economic component whether in Thailand or the West. Could argue that in Thailand it is clearer what that component is 😅 We're fortunate to live in Thailand for many reasons - their culture, smiles, food, varied landscape, magnificent temples, ruins and right up there - freedom and tolerance. See very little exploitation and yet to see any underage stuff. I live near an entertainment area, but I'm not a bar guy, so maybe I'm naive in this case.

He ought to stick to laying on peaceful Thai beaches until he researches much more, or gets over his anti-Semitism. He might also pause to reflect on the 39 Thais were killed on Oct 7 and 31 taken hostage. Barbarians.

You haven't explained why you think it is acceptable for Hamas to use civilians as human shields - they are responsible for most of the civilian casualties, but they don't care. "Indiscriminate killing" that's rubbish - that's what terrorists do and they are still trying to do it. Israel sent Gazan civilians messages throughout on how to avoid harm and now do the same in Lebanon. They warned Hezbollah to stop firing missiles across the border, which the UN is meant to police. That Jewish kid must have got under your skin real bad chum.

Guess you must have beaten by a Jew at something when you were a kid and never got over it. Pls clarify how you see Hamas and Hezbollah as the victims. How do you reconcile Hezbollah's presence in Lebanon and the harm they has caused that society over decades. Same for Hamas in Gaza. Much like Taliban in Afghanistan and ISIS in Africa etc etc. How can't you see what militant Islamists believe in and terrorise for? Btw I lived in Nigeria and Indonesia for a number of years. I have no problem with moderate Islam but the extremists are ruining lives for moderates and causing angst for non-Moslems around the world.

Thaibeachlovers - How would you wage war with barbaric militants who place weapons and infrastructure in civilian areas and surround themselves with family? Who does that sort of thing - is it acceptable for "resistance fighters"? They are brainwashed Jihadists who create chaos across the Moslem world - wake up! Iran and it's proxies, including complicit UNRWA these days, need to be brought to heal. Check out how many people are killed each year by these mongrels, mostly other Moslems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major_terrorist_incidents Scourge of the Earth and Israel is right to ban that moron from the UN, who as a world socialist has been of the same mind as Jeremy Corbyn with his clear anti-Semitism.

I recall that incident where the protest boat clearly caused the collision and Watson lied through his teeth as he instructed the protest vessel to be sunk to garner sympathy... https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/oct/07/sea-shepherd-accused-protest-boat Moreover the claims of whales becoming extinct are even less evident than the demise of the Great Barrier Reef. I also suspect the Japanese are not as irresponsible with their whaling quotas as the activists squawk.

Yep, I second that, pls clarify RayC as smells like denial of Hamas and Islamic world generally on the horrors of building military infrastructure as well as firing missiles from civilian buildings. What kind of sick society does that and why are so many useful idiots silent about it. I may be wrong so excuse me if there is some other meaning to "genocide of children" but see it all the time in connection to "Free Palestine" which is only missing two words "from Hamas".

Agree with much of your analysis, however believe you're being a tad harsh in some areas, e.g. "And let us not forget, Thailand is but a "coup" away from becoming exactly like Cambodia and Myanmar." Thailand has had military coups but not conducted themselves in the same way as Cambodia or Myanmar, and now less likely to go down that road again in my view. Thailand is quite different compared to its neighbours. I suspect you overestimate the power of Russia, China, Iran & North Korea (I don't see Pakistan going to war with India) vs US, Europe, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, even Australia who would have a role to play depending on the theatres of conflict. The economies of the evil lot are also in disarray, compared to US, Europe and Asian democracies. Frustrating that UN is so powerless where it is required, while posturing as ethical carers in Gaza. While things can look harrowing, I'm not as worried as to consider contingency plans. Thailand and Australia work for me and just hope we're in the right place if the tensions blow up in Asia Pacific.

The islands are not sinking, as I said, and everything else is hypothetical warnings and money grabbing. Adaptation is a wonderful thing.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/505365/coral-atolls-might-outgrow-rising-seas-study https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2020/11/30/low-lying-pacific-island-has-more-land-above-sea-level-than-in-1.html https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-08/why-are-hundreds-of-pacific-islands-getting-bigger/13038430 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213305421000059 https://phys.org/news/2018-02-pacific-nation-bigger.html So many other references if you search. Pity one eyed media incapable of deviating from the doomsday narrative. You can't blame people of being skeptical when the doomsday drums bang on and on ad nauseum, e.g. Great Barrier Reef and yet it continues to go through the bleaching and restoration cycles as it has for centuries. By all means, deal with climate change, but be honest about it.

There are studies showing the Pacific Islands are not sinking, which the media and the UN glibly ignore. Pacific Islands want money and will do anything, including leverage the Chinese interests in their fishing zones, to get it 😅

Is that your takeaway, the value of your insight? "Control the news" in this case or simply report honestly? Incredible, but not surprising as the Left media distorts news continually to suit their ideology. And their readers can't or won't recognise the deception, cos they have the same ideological fantasies.

Climate denying - what about doomsday denying. The constant harping over natural disasters and minor temperature events that are attributed to carbon emissions. So alarmist and often very selective. Great Barrier Reef has been in death throes for 50 years. It is in good shape. Kiddies are schooled that the world is ending. Climate deniers - what about nuke energy deniers, from those most worried about anthropogenic warming. So many "greens" are naive, gullible, uninformed, living in the past and refuse to believe the data and science around modern nuclear energy.

The lack of historical understanding over the centuries and decades as well as ignoring Hamas barbarism, strategies is both breathtaking and dangerous. I’m not Jewish.

UNRWA provided the school systems, and the teachers that presided over decades of Israeli hate teachings. They knew of the tunnels, turned a blind eye to Hamas thuggery. They would have known of the command centres under and around the schools. It's a disgrace, and high time the western world reigned in the left wing excesses of this failed organisation.

Firstly, would posters cease stating MFP "won the elections" or attracted "majority of votes" as both are false. Btw, my large Thai family and I were supporters and still hope the reforms will come. MFP gained around one third of the vote, and had the opportunity to lead an alliance. However they were the only party which made a big deal about lese majeste. Consequently they were unable to form government as were unwilling to modify their stance. That gave Pheu Thai the chance to snatch the reigns of power. Even my family, who were mostly pro MFP, were not so anti monarchy, as many have very fond memories of the last king. So please let's not hear any more about MFP majority vote and won elections etc, unless you can show data to support. That they've been banned is bloody annoying, but such things happen here and around the world. Expect MFP will reform under a new banner to continue where they left off in the next election. Secondly, how does the UN justify their righteous views about Thai democracy after decades of enabling Hamas to lead the Gazans into such destructive, vindictive, anti-democratic, anti-human rights misery. Shame on the UN and the UNRWA for their pathetic stewardship and outright hypocrisy.