gejohesch

I also question the veracity (as you say). This is much like comparing apples with pears. For example, there is a big difference between infidelity in western countries, where one does not (normally) have to pay for doing it like cash on the table, and infidelity in Thailand where, in many instances, money is put on the table. I've known a few Thai men boasting about their geeks and I'm 99% certain that they had to pay sthg. Would western men say they are not true to their wives if once in a while they screw a prostitute? Also, about Thais having possibly a tendency to answer honestly, I wonder if Thai men do not have a tendency to build themselves a macho ego by making inflated claims (again, counting the girls they meet in the karaoke bars, special massage places and so on)? For sure, one should also make a difference between social classes, rural versus city and so on.

I was employed a few years in a large Thai business, where many of my Thai colleagues were issued from affluent middle or even upper classes and had supposedly the best education, including often years abroad (UK, USA and so on). I noticed that most could not "think out of the box". Also, struggled when having to consider uncertainties and multiple scenarios, mapping out decision trees. I have lived close to 20 years in a village up country. What I noticed is that most people around tend to take things at face value and have very little sense of abstraction. My wife's elder son, from a previous marriage, was said to be an excellent student. When he prepared for exams to access higher education, he asked me to help. He had a long list of logics and general knowledge questions. With a question such as "We have an elephant, a gas cooker, a tomato and a river : which one is a fruit?", he hesitated. I showed him how to proceed by elimination, which in this case leaves the tomato as the only possible choice, even if one always thought it was a vegetable. (I just made up the question, I cannot remember the actual ones). He had never heard of that approach! Basically, Thai education lacks badly in one aspect : students do not learn how to learn.

Very true. There are multiple layers of hinduism and buddhism (in various strands) making up what one could call "Thai buddhism". Not to mention the older layers of animism and ancestor worship. That being said, I find that what is practised in Thailand is rather a bastardised form of buddhism. Such obsession with "tambun", such obsession with money (a bit reminiscent of some forms of catholicism whereby one can buy merit or credit). And so much superstition!

That border dispute was also the subject of an International Court ruling at the time of Yingluck, some 12 years ago (+/- 1). The ruling was unequivocally on favour of Cambodia. Here are the details, as far as I can remember: - over 100 years ago now, when France was the colonial power in Indochina, the borders between Siam and the French-held territories were settled in a few agreements. In particular, France and Siam agreed that the border with Cambodia would be the watershed line - a rather common and logical enough principle around the world. - Siam agreed to let the French do the field work to mark that watershed line, arguing that it did not have the technical capabilities to do so. That, btw, I find rather weak on part of Siam because it does not take genius minds to see where the waters run towards Siam and where they run off towards Cambodia. The reason Siam let the French do the work might very well have been laziness. Siam did not even bother sending representatives to check on what France was doing! - France as a colonial power was not terribly interested in Cambodia, nor in Laos for that matter - territories that had been under Siamese sovereignty until France showed up in the region. The main reasons France was interested around there were : the unique cultural heritage in Cambodia, ie the Khmer ruins of Siam Reap and so on (yes France was sometimes rather bizarre), and the control of the Mekhong river which it hoped could be navigated all the way to China, hence giving France an advantage on competitors to access the Chinese market (the Mekhong was found not to be navigable). Be it said in passing that a number of politicians in France objected against encroaching on the eastern territories of Siam - not so much for ethical reasons or for sympathy towards Siam, but because there were serious doubts on what was to gain in controling those regions. - Be it as it was, the French marked the watershed line but when they came to the Preah Vihear Temple, they decided to keep it on the Cambodian side, ie under France's control (remember that bizarre interest in Khmer ruins driving France's colonialism in Cambodia?) - although it was mainly (or entirely?) on the western side of the watershed and should have been allocated to Siam. But there were no Siamese representative around so the French could do what they wanted. - Several years later, a Siamese prince happened to visit the site and did not object to where the French had set the border. - Only towards the end of the 20th century did Thailand (the successor of Siam) start making an issue of the Preah Vihear Temple being in Cambodia. - Recently (12 years ago?), the International Court ruled that it was too late for Thailand to make an issue of it, that it had tacitly accepted the temple being on Cambodia's side for just about a century. Yingluck, in a typical Thai way of putting a good face on a loss, went public about how "great that ruling was, clearing once and for all that lingering issue". So, in a nutshell, yes, France cheated on Siam (Thailand) and yes, the temple should have been left on the Thailand side of the border. But no, Thailand do not have a case to make a heated dispute about it, having left the situation undisputed for nearly a century.

I think I have the definition of "not so wonderful people" is, and by the same token the definition of "wonderful (maybe?) people". 1) As I understand it, this "visa integrity" fee only applies - on top of other visa fees - to whoever wants to visit as being citizens from countries such as : - Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Egypt, Turkey, Mexico, or Argentina and so on. 2) Does not apply to citizens of countries which are part of the Visa Waiver Program such as: - EU (e.g. France, Germany, Italy), Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and so on. Tourists from these countries will apply via ESTA and will not be charged the integrity fee. Category 1) = "not so wonderful people" - or as some would say = the "riff-raff"! Category 2) = "wonderful (maybe?) people" The visa integrity fee still applies to category 2) if not coming as tourists and for short visits (typically up to 90 days).

It will pass : I surely hope so! I'm not American (USA) but I know how bad the situation is in the USA, and also, that affects the entire world. There is enough of a mess all around not to have to deal with the insanity of the current USA "regime" on top of it!

"cognative dissonance" Just wondering how it is possible all those MAGA's and other near-fanatic Trump supporters have not been suffering for years of acute cognative dissonance, just seeing the looks of Trump. Just look at him: does he have the face of a superman, of a genius, of a "God anointed saviour"??? No, he has all the looks of a vile and demented person!

I do not deny what you are saying. Not at all, in fact I think you are 100% correct. I was only saying, being totally honest, that the short-time "demon" does not always go away. I'm not saying it's good or it's bad, I'm just saying it as it is.

I agree in general with those advocating for the "wife route", for so many reasons given above which do not need to be repeated. I have been lucky to meet a lovely and very pretty Thai woman, 20 years younger than me. That was over 17 years ago now, and we are still going strong. On the sex side (a main theme and concern it seems), my experience is not at all less action in a year than a short-time guy gets in a week. So, I'm lucky enough, but I also have to admit that 1) I often get rather annoyed with some recurrent issues typical (I think) in a farang-Thai marriage. IMO, Thai people seem to demonstrate an incredible talent for never learning....; and 2) Even though I'm fulfilled at home, thank you, I often feel the urge for a little "sideshow". I had so many great experiences when I was on the short-time route, I miss it a bit. I will be very honest : the only reason I have stopped the short time adventures is my concern for health. All in all, there must be 3 categories of men, not 2 - do not ignore the "married life combined with a bit of short time fun". We are all different, is it not?

There could be some truth in this too!

... or have been promoted to fertiliser! 😆 Sorry, I should not laugh, they are human beings too... but WTF are they doing on the Russia-Ukraine front???

"Russia’s political figures are vocally criticising President Trump, accusing him of prolonging the conflict." Russia are concerned about the continuation of a conflict they started themselves???????? Russia has become the most despicable nation in the world, and their criminal aggression will never be forgiven nor forgotten.

The bottom line, just on from this probability pov is that : - it is extremely unlikely that a genuine bullet just happened to graze Trump's ear within a mm (no "hand of God" BS please!) - it is rather likely that the assassination attempt was staged (ear growing back? mistery around the would-be assassin? no clear and official medical report?)

Sure, but at the same time USA consumers will buy less goods coming from Thailand, since the price they have to pay has been jacked up, so Thailand sees its exports to the USA shrinking. Tariffs = pain on both sides At least in the near-medium term (ie several years) for the USA, if they manage to eventually replace the goods with home-manufactured / produced goods. Which leads to one caveat: imposing tariffs only make sense if there is concurrently a well-thought plan to build up one's manufacturing / producing base. Which I doubt very much is the case with Trump. And certainly, no plan can ever replace coffee or diamonds!

What is the probability that a bullet would come just that close to "pinge" on the ear, causing it to bleed, but not close enough to cause irreparable damage (and please, no BS about "ears frowing back"!). That must have been a matter of either 1 mm too far out, not touching and no blood, or 1 mm too far in and then irrepatable damage. That probability must be 1 out of millions!