Patong2021

I am not a fan of armchair diagnostics. What uneducated people call dementia is often wrong. It was annoying when the Trump collective did this to Biden and it is annoying when the Trump opponents do it now. Trump has always been self important and given to exaggerated statements. In previous years, he had checks and balances that kept him from going overboard. Once he became President, the checks and balances were wiped away and he was surrounded by enablers and minions who encouraged the poor behavior. No one says no to him now. Ivanka used to, but Donald Jr. pushed her aside. The smart one has been replaced by the dumb one. Trump is obese and so his gait reflects that. The oversized clothes with 1980 styling now make him look like a waddling Humpty Dumpty. What worked when he was 58 won't work now that he is 78. He is wearing his pants up around his belly and that just gives off the seniors home resident vibe.

It is not unusual in western democracies. It is sometimes temporary or when there are political constraints. In Australia 2021, PM Morrison took on additional portfolios including Finance, Health and Resources. This is done when the needs of the state as a whole require a combined and focused strategy, In Thailand Defence is a critical cabinet position and often implicated in the overthrow of an elected government. By retaining the Defence portfolio it is hoped that the military can be better overseen and perhaps thwarted or delayed when there are efforts to influence government policy. If the Thai military respected the concept of a separation of state and military and that the military was subject to civilian oversight there would be no need for the joint position. Some countries are able to do it: The militaries of Canada and the UK have King Charles (or his representative the Governor General in Canada ) as commander in chief. However, the military answers to the elected government.

Pita Limjaroenrat represents everything good about Thailand and what Thailand can become. Intelligent, educated and transparent. He is a positive role model for young people. Unlike so many others who were elected to political office, he had experience in running a business, and more importantly in taking a failing business and turning it profitable again through good management practices. best of all he was an honest politician, in it for love of his country and of genuinely to effect positive change. The ruling cabal banned him for a decade in a selfish attempt to protect themselves, but there will be more like Pita in the future. They are trying to hold back progress. The longer they hold it back, the greater the force for change. Pita is the future and a man of great courage and resolve.

And yet the same data shows that the Biden administration has delivered excellent results since January 2024. The number of people crossing the border has been significantly reduced and if the trend continues, should be better than when Trump was in office , excluding the period when the borders were closed because of Covid. The numbers could have been reduced even further if Trump had not blocked the bipartisan funding Bill from passing. Trump wanted the border crisis so that he could have an issue for the election campaign.

Israel's acts are not "terrorist" in nature. You have relied on information, particularly a narrative that has been crafted by Hamas and its supporters. For example, Israel targets a former school and civilians are killed or injured. What is not mentioned, is that the location is used as a missile firing site and that prior to the attack had fired multiple missiles into Israel. What is not mentioned is that the jihadis firing the missile intentionally located in the former school which had also served as a munitions storage site and that no longer had any educational function months ago. The civilian population were either invited to stay there by the jihadis or knowingly located to present as martyrs to their cause knowing that the IDF would act to neutralize the location. President Biden understands this. Other responsible members of both political parties understand this. This same strategy was used in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Ambushes were often carried out by the Taliban from civilian villages. They wanted civilans to die because it allowed public opinion in the west to be manipulated. ISIL intentionally used human shields in Iraq and most every time the US defended itself from attack, civilians were inevitably harmed.

There was no mention of Nazis in my comment, nor did I even reference them. The question was "Will Kamala Denounce the Pro Terrorist Demonstrators" I provided both the WH statement and a recorded incident where VP Harris told them off. What exactly was factually incorrect with my response and what do you not comprehend with the words? I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews. Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation. I condemn the burning of the American flag. What's funny is that the jew hater collective will trot out the Trump supposed support for Israel when they need to attack political opponents. I find it admirable that the US jewish community is mostly secular and puts a priority on national issues. They are like many other socially assimilated US voters who put their country first. Examples are the US Catholics who do that, and North Asian heritage people who do that. There is one religious block currently holding their rallies, some foreign initiated and surreptitiously fund, who support an Iran/Russian allied terrorist group. Currently, they are targeting the Democrat Party Convention. These are the same people who come out to riot and protest when an opportunity arises for political disruption. In the past, they also had support from the people who had participated in the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA. The far right's previous ties to extremist foreign groups has been well documented. Chaos and instability serve both their political interests.

You are not paying them. They are employees of the Condominium and responsible only to the designated juristic entity designated to oversee them. You pay a condominium fee. A small portion of the fee is used to cover the cost of having the security guards. In effect, you contribute.

They were ladies. Looked to me in their 30's with some in their 40's. One was the assistant branch manager of my bank branch. She was single and a university graduate. A fit, late 30 ish. She was always well turned out. She was looking for stability and a bit of fun. Another was a mid 40's widow with her own inherited money, and the last one I believe was early 40's and had never married because she had cared for her parents. She was a municipal bureaucrat. The man was in his 70's. That's an age difference of 30- 35 years, and impressive, at least it was to me. He wanted to be able to have a conversation with them beyond "You want to make boom boom, and then we go eating"? I hope I can be as cool as that when I get to that stage of my life. The guy wore proper shoes and long pants when he went to immigration or the bank branch. No flip flops for him that exposed long yellow toenails. Women notice details like that. I remember his lessons well. Regular Thais turn themselves neatly. Their clothes are clean and usually ironed. They take pride in their appearance and it is a form of respect to others to dress neatly. It's subtle cues like this that make a difference.

Not exactly. And no I am not nitpicking, but there is a difference between the Pardon (the action) and the Certificate (the result). They are two separate things. Yes, the Pardon in itself is considered an act of forgiveness that "eliminates" the sentence attached to it. Thaksin WAS a convicted criminal, The Certificate of Innocence is the result of receiving a Pardon; a discharge of the penalty. The Certificate is issued because of the Pardon. In effect. The criminal charge is wiped out, such that the conviction does not matter going forward. This is why the Certificate allows him to travel. The charge goes away as does the penalty, even though he was in custody and then on probation. He can carry on as if there was never a criminal charge and a conviction of that charge.

Oh something with the name of Galt, I think. Wasn't there a lawsuit? Was it really that long ago? I feel so old now. Then again, I remember when Patong had 2 way traffic, and the Ocean Plaza on Bangla.

A false scenario promoted by people who are envious of the older gentlemen who have the ability to elicit the interest of attractive women. If someone has a solid personality, and social skills, the only obstacle is self doubt. It's the losers who dress shabbily with their soiled clothes and poor grooming and an inability to converse effectively with women, who trot out the money excuse for their inability to attract anything other than flies. They need to stop offering excuses and to look in the mirror and at their comportment. I had a elderly neighbor in my condo. Always turned out sharply, a man's man, but blessed with a genuine warm smile and good sense of humor. Even at the age of 75, he was never bereft of companionship. He didn't have to pay for sex, but he was generous, inviting a lady out for a meal or sunset cocktail. They would reciprocate by cooking for him, taking him to appointments and even sewing buttons on his shirts.

No he's not. That's a beach outfit consisting of shirt and short pants. According to the prostitution excuse thread, this sort of outfit is considered to be well dressed.

And wounding 2 others. Reckless weapons use in shooting up the bar.

No he's not. That's a beach outfit consisting of shirt and short pants. According to the prostitution excuse thread, this sort of outfit is considered to be well dressed.

There are a lot of false and reprehensible items posted to youtube. Some of the items promoting violence and hate are sometimes removed. Is that a bad thing? I used to watch Russian vehicle collision videos. They were abundant because the Russians have a fondness for dashcams. The Russians aren't uploading the entertainment anymore because they cannot collect the revenue from their monetization of the videos.

Russia is isolated. Where did Russians go for affordable and interesting holidays, do business and launder their money prior to the Ukraine invasion? They romped about the UK, Europe and the USA especially California and Florida. They vacationed in the Caribbean too. Now they only visit a small number of countries. Sure they could always visit North Korea, or Congo, but the Russians want holidays, not hassles or an exotic disease. The numbers don't lie. Day trips to Finland were 1.2 million. Trips to southern Spain 1.3 million. The Baltic countries also exceeded 1 million and so on. Yes, the Russians still go on holiday, but they are going to 2nd choice destinations, with Turkey their number 1 destination, followed by Thailand, the Maldives, Egypt and UAE. 6 million Russians in total visited Turkey in the past year. That and Thailand is their affordable tourist destination. It is sort of slim pickings. A Dutch kid can travel the world. Japanese travelers can go anywhere they want, but Russians are somewhat limited because of cost constraints too. And as for Brics, give it a rest. China and India can't stand each other. The reality is that the USD will be around for many more years. The trend will not be to a Brics currency, but a basket of currencies that all share a common characteristic: Financial systems integrity, stability and transparency. That means USD, UK Pound, Euro, CAD, AUD, NZD, SIND with Japanese Yen and Korean Won and some Gulf state currencies eventually being included. No one really trusts the Chinese or Indians when it comes to financial integrity and Brazil and South Africa are corrupt.

Pettiness. They thought they could smear the President during the election. This will come back to haunt the GOP. People are fed up of the grandstanding and want their Reps to work on solving the country's problems.

For historical relevance. this paper based on surveys from 1988-1989. Texting was first introduced to the world in 1999 and took off in 2000 in the western/Japanese influenced societies. SMS is what made texting easy, and this required a 2G network. Unfortunately, there was no option for group chat or emojis and messages had to be 160 characters or less. 3G was only fully rolled out in Bangkok 2010 and it took some time to get the national network established. In December 2011, ToT released 3G on HSPA+ technology which allowed the start of texting as we know it today. It took another year for the network to have broader service in Thailand. This means the culture truly changed in 2012 because 3G allowed the internet access needed for everything we see people socializing on today. Line Thailand only started in 2011 and didn't get a foothold in Thailand until 2012. Facebook started in Thailand in 2015, The two most popular popular social platforms in Thailand are Line and Facebook. This is when social culture truly changed. Thais did not rely on social media like they do today, prior to 2012-2014.

You asked to "unpack" your observations, so let's give it a go; 1. Whenever I see a post from somebody (here on AN) talking about going short-time, or taking part in the nightlife in Thailand there will inevitably be some other posters on here who will then comment something to the effect of "sad" or "shallow", but I never understood why. Why not just use the correct term of prostitute? As soon as the euphemisms are used, it indicates that the user is reluctant to admit to the use of a prostitute and is in a defacto state of denial. Shallow is used, because the people who must rely on the sex trade typically have unpleasant unattractive personalities And yes, the use of a sex worker is "sad". Some older men, and even rotund guys, are capable of pulling in sexual partners, doing so regularly. They do it because of their innate qualities. Charm, personality, manners, style, good looks and self comportment all are factors. The assumption that someone "old" can't attract partners is unfounded. The retired brigadier in my condo had a large number of women companions. He was a dashing, fit and impeccably turned out. A man's man with a big heart and outgoing personality and big smile. He was 75 years old and still charming the ladies. In Thailand farangs who do not smile, alienate Thais. It's a red flag. First off, why is it anyone's right or business to say something condescending about another person's lifestyle, especially someone else whom they personally know nothing about? Well, let's start with some basic facts about Thai sex trade workers. In most cases they are working the trade because of a financial need. Usually from dysfunctional families, of limited education, poor and often with a gambling or drug addiction, they need the money. Many have emotion or mental health problems. Others are trafficked in from other countries. A large number have cognitive limitations i.e. have low intelligence and are tricked into the trade with promises of easy money and the option of picking who they service. In effect, a large amount are exploited. How can one respect a person who exploits a person with a low IQ and in debt? University graduates and skilled tradespeople do not typically work in the Thai sex trade. Poor and dumb do. Next, what is actually sad or shallow about it? Some men simply may not want to share their life with a partner full-time, but they also don't want to be forced to be celibate. So short-time works really well for them. Nothing wrong with that. Already answered above. Then are there any real moral issues? No. Are they helping to put some much needed money into the lower end of the local economy? Yes. You do not see a moral issue because you do not want to see it. You are looking for validation for a personal choice. So somebody explain to me how it's sad or shallow. And furthermore, explain to me how it isn't the perfect thing for someone who still has biological needs and/or carnal desires, but feels happier being alone. If you are unable to understand how much of a loser a person is who must rely on a Thai prostitute no amount of explaining can help. You know the answer, but again what you are seeking is validation for the use of sex workers. I suspect many of the posters making these condescending comments are ones who are in longtime monogamous relationships, and who can't envision or understand how someone else could possibly live a happy life in any other way. Maybe you are correct. Or maybe, the people you condemn just have an inherent understanding of the concept of right and wrong and firmly believe in not intentionally harming those less fortunate than them. After all, who really wants to have sex with these johns. The poor hygiene, the overbearing ugliness, the lack of personality and the general unpleasantness of not being able to have an emotional connection with someone is not particularly alluring. But truth be told, the guy living the short-time lifestyle might be a lot happier than the guy judging him and who feels stuck in a married position. And perhaps it's the guy who is not living the short-time lifestyle who is actually the one who's feeling sad. Maybe. It doesn't matter. All you are doing now is trying to justify the use of a prostitute. Whenever, someone who uses a Thai sex hooker is exposed publicly, it can become a journey of public humiliation. Most everyone will laugh at the john because invariably they are the embodiment of a loser. Unlikeable and almost always unattractive. Good looking men with positive personalities do not need prostitutes.

For all supermarket chains, I have had good luck when buying seasonal citrus from Australia (June to October). The Australian citrus around Christmas is ok too. US organic and Japanese apples are reliable. Thai Pomelos win hands down for year round quality and reliability. They are also my favourite. Mango is sometimes tasteless. Bananas and Grapes are another constant reliable fruit. Of all imports, Australia, Japanese and US produce is my go to produce. They have pesticide standards. The Chinese imports, especially the winter citrus look sus. Unfortunately, the local Lotus doesn't have the best quality produce. Villa is often a disappointment too. Tops is hit and miss, but offers consistent quality and a good selection. Hands down for quality is the market at Bluport, but the prices are out of this world. The cold and fresh food supply chain for retailers needs some investment. My wish list for Thailand is Bell peppers. The green and multicoloured peppers are expensive and in short supply. Mexico, Canada and USA are all able to grow affordable hot house as well as field peppers . Never underst0od why Thailand doesn't do similar.

The hypocrisy is spread thick on this thread. So many grubby stubby sanctimonious fingers pointing in disapproval at VP Harris. They belong to the same people who found excuses for Trump when white supremacists marched in support of Trump at the Unite the Right Rally & Protest in Charlottesville, VA and where he used the term "very fine people on both sides". The Chicago protestors are voicing their disagreement with VP Harris and the Democrat party. If they were in agreement, they would not be protesting the administration policy. They are trying to disrupt the political convention. And yet, the nabobs of negativity, blame VP Harris for the protests. They would be the first to complain if the protestors' right to protest was interfered with. Yes, VP Harris and the Democrats respect the US Constitution and yes, that means they have to tolerate the protests of some very evil and repugnant people. It is the price of freedom and liberty. The repeated false claims that VP Harris is soft on the protestors is not only incorrect, it is maliciously deceitful. VP Harris has denounced violence and Hamas. Kamala Harris condemns pro-Hamas protesters who burned American flag in D.C. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kamala-harris-american-flag-burning-union-station-dc-hamas-israel/ VP Harris has made clear her position months ago . Yesterday, at Union Station in Washington, D.C. we saw despicable acts by unpatriotic protestors and dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric. I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews. Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation. I condemn the burning of the American flag. That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America. It should never be desecrated in that way. I support the right to peacefully protest, but let’s be clear: Antisemitism, hate and violence of any kind have no place in our nation. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/25/statement-by-vice-president-kamala-harris-3/

They are Thailand's hope. These are people with integrity and honesty who want to make Thailand a better place for everyone.

I believe that he is a concern for anyone who believes in responsible government, integrity and democracy.

VP Harris has already made herself clear. She did it in a firm and responsible manner.

I don't believe that it is relevant today for anything other than an historical reference point. I am not dismissing the conclusions, but am putting them in perspective. Thailand has undergone significant social changes, The most visible has been the impact of social media. Back in 1990, Thais like other societies socialized very differently than they do today. There was no mobile phone culture, and no social media. Social mores and customs have changed significantly and social media has been a powerful driver. This article was first published in the International Journal of Psychology as CULTURE AND WORK-RELATED VALUES IN THAI ORGANIZATIONS (Suntaree Komin, June-December 1990). The data was collected via two nation-wide surveys prior to 1990 and participants were over the age of 21. The participants would now be in their late 50's to 80's, if they are still alive. Their culture and belief system is different than that of today's 15-35+ year olds . The paper makes reference to face and ego. Well, the old constructs might be in use by 75 year olds today, but a 25 year old behaves differently now. They text and there are social norms that apply to texts such as the time taken to respond and the types of emojis deemed acceptable or rude. No one texted back in 1990. There was no Tinder or Grindr. No one sexted. All of these activities have their own social norms and acceptable behaviors. For example, back in 1985, sexual harassment was more common and tolerated. Try that today and the subject will not accept the behavior. The concept of loss of face and ego has therefore adapted accordingly.