khaowong1

So this means that 17 samples were found not to be safe, correct? Do you think they should try and figure out where those 17 sample originated from? Or is this asking too much of the Thai FDA officials?

It's my theory, that any time you can take some power away from the BIB, it's a good thing. As corrupt as the police are, why should they be trusted with the gun laws?

I wonder how some Thais might feel about this law?

Most, if not all, of the ones I have asked about it, thinks it's a joke. Typical Govt. grandstanding. The Thai's I talk to say, doesn't the govt. understand, that's it's farangs over 50, who have the nice retirement income which supports the Thai wife and most of her family. Most, not all, farangs under 50 haven't retired yet and even if you are, most govt. pensions don't kick in until your over 60, most times, over 65.

I don't care about the law itself BUT I do care that it is completely RACIST against foreigners. If the law was applied to everyone (Thai's too) then its just a law which we must accept although may not agree with. A very controversial law, but not without some merit. I do beleive there is something uncomfortable with a 65 year old man marrying an 18 year old, but that is just personal opinion, everyone is different.

But the MAIN point here is this law should apply to ALL nationalities otherwise it is purely RACIST!

On another note, I know of a 40 year old Thai man who married a 14 year old girl in Rayong! She used to live next to my sisters house. One day I asked where she was and my sister said shyly she had been married off to a 40+ year old Thai man! Apparently this kind of thing is not uncommon. This, of course would never happen with a foreigner. Therefore, the proposed law can be deemed to be racist. The politicians proposing it should be severely reprimanded and labeled as RACISTS.

Right on bro, the best thought out statement yet.

Yes. Thailand should bring in this law to prohibit older Farangs and other foreigners from marrying very young women .

I have seen some farangs with young wives who could be their grand daughters!.

Laos and Cambodia have enacted these law: why not Thailand.

Whoa, did some old geezer steal your girlfriend or what?

It is the FIRST of APRIL today guys !!!

Actually, where I'm at it's tomorrow.

"In many cases they are old enough to be their father" ( or grandfather) but hey, I'm not casting stones.

"If these people don't have enough money to retire then they shouldn't be here and become a burden to Thailand," I'm not sure how farangs who don't have 800,000 baht in the bank can be a burden. It's not like in the U.S., where a quite a few Thai's draw welfare checks and food stamps, which they don't have in Thailand. I would need an explanation on that statement please.

How about they put that proposal on a nation wide ballot. Think it would fly?

Oh well ...by letting the horse of Troy into the country you have to face consequences. Cheap Chinese product will be EVERYWHERE not to mention that as many countries specially in Europe impose severe import duties for Chinese product , Thailand will become the new transit door of Chinese product as when it comes from Thailand duties are limited ... China made a another goods move in this trick . Too bad .... for Thai products. I cannot understand why the government allow this . Its kicking his own butt .

Yes, Thailand can become the "Chinese products transit Hub"

I really can't understand what they are complaining about. 95% of everything you buy in Thailand comes from China anyway. Except somtam and nampla.

"No Death Zone" sign warns commuters during Songkran Festival

Yup, that'll work. We will have zero road kills this year, guaranteed.

Or maybe, how about doing something radical... ( wait for it... ) like the police getting off their backsides and actually doing their job.

What? What? Are You Serious? I know... maybe they can have a "No Death Zone" crackdown. Crackdowns always works..

Thai's Just love this HUB word. Book hub, medical hub, education hub, law and order hub, food hub, transport hub, jetski hub, anti corruption hub and now HUB 1,001 AVIATION HUB.

If their not using the word "Hub" it's "Crackdown"

... in the good old times "devices", like this, were here called "Mor Doo", right?

That's correct.. maybe the Mor Doo's are going high tech now. Can't you just see them on Thai National tv in their tiger skin robes shaking bone rattles. Predicting the weather.

The Thai's just don't like it when farangs tell them it's raining, it's sunny, it's whatever. Strange people.

Great post Sabaijai, thank you.

What a bunch of pathetic, pretentious cry babies.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. I learned that when I was five. Apparently the education of farang is not all it's cracked up to be.

It is their country.

Yes, but some of us have been here 20 years and made it our home,speak fluent Thai, own a lot of land. My wife and I have over 5,000 rai of land. Although in her name, it is shared between us.

We have children who are Thai citizens with traces of royal blood. We employ many Thai people.

Sticks and stones etc may be something that we can strive toward but at the moment, i'm a mere mortal and get hurt when people call me names.

It's your ego that gets hurt not you. actually, that's not true either. your ego has no pain sensors, so can't really get hurt. It's just something you say when you don't like to hear certain things. It means nothing. it's just words. This is the kind of attitude that causes conflict and wars. If I told you that farang meant, handsome, sexy, genius man. would it make you feel better?

Reading some of my young Thai niece's schoolbooks it's no wonder they end up which such a twisted xenophobic view of reality. Taught (indoctrinated) from a very young age how special the Thai people are compared to everyone else.

Such a pity that such a beautiful country has such a high % of simpleminded fools populating it.

Ha Ha Ha ... You wouldn't believe how special they think they are, or maybe, were taught they are. I come into conflict with this mind set daily.. Even when I'm staying here at a Thai temple in the USA, I'm not considered to have more knowledge of whats happening and how to do something than they do. BUT, as soon as a problem shows it's ugly head, guess who they come running to. And I was born here, USA, and have worked and lived here for over 68 years. It's got so bad, that I quit helping them doing anything unless they come out and ask me point blank. Then, I make them do it the correct way, not the Thai way. Needless to say, they pretty much leave me alone. unless they have a problem.

Why don't they just promote the things they already have and are good at?

Um....... Can you give me a hint?

... I've had this discussion, seeking the informed views of those here locally and outside of Thailand ... the question was to cite examples of Thai exceptionalism.

... at the top of almost everyone's list, the overwhelming reply was Thai prostitution ... followed by Thai corruption ... distantly behind which followed a various mix including Thai rice, Thai silk, Thai Buddhism, Thai island resorts ... consider:

+ Thai prostitution -- the undisputed world champion, Thailand has arguably the world's most well-developed prostitution industry ... illegal, of course, and all courtesy of a proud Buddhist nation ... Thai prostitution #1

+ Thai corruption -- Assumption University Thailand (ABAC) polled in November 2010 that 76.1% of all Thais now accept official corruption ... corruption is now culturally and institutionally burned into the Thai DNA, and probably indelibly burned into the DNA of future generations of Thais ... these people vote, and they breed

+ Thai rice -- Thailand boasts an agrarian system rigged to benefit a minority of corrupt businessmen and government officials, at the expense of millions of poor and permanently illiterate Thai farmers and their families, living in near indentured servitude

+ Thai silk -- a marginal industry benefitting mere handfuls (incidentally, a craft saved decades ago from obsolescence by a farang named Jim Thompson)

+ Thai Buddhism -- a Korean Buddhist describes Thai Buddhism as a religion hijacked by the ruling elite, and long-used to pacify and subjugate the peasants

+ Thai island beach resorts -- going ... going ... gone ... increasingly characterized by trash-filled beaches, waters polluted with industrial and human waste, dead reefs, grossly over-developed resorts, decidedly agressive and unfriendly scam artists collaborating with corrupt police ... welcome to Thailand!

... Thailand is third-world dysfunctional, and I believe it's best chances to be a better nation, a better people, are now behind it ... excepting for the infrastructure, socially, politically, educationally, militarily, judicially, ethically, spiritually, you've got yourself Cambodia.

... the notion that Thailand is capable of excelling at anything as ambitious as intellectual pursuits is just laughable to anyone who has even a modest understanding of Thais, Thai culture and Thai cultural values.

Wow Swillowbee, tell us what you really think about Thai's and Thailand.

The only people I see reading books are students. They are forced to.

and not many of them. "studies have found a decline in average reading in the city". Have you ever walked into a book store in Thailand and seen more than 2 or 3 Thai's in them.. it's almost always farangs. People see me reading, they ask, what you doing? I'm reading, then they look at me like I'm crazy. Their thinking, he's a farang, he's rich, why he's reading and not watching tv.

what some thai think about natural happenings is beyond logic - they do prefer supernatural explanations

Logic? Thai Logic?

Has anyone mentioned the "abstention" method? Usually works fairly well.

Time to update your Thai general knowledge questions.

And a perfect excuse to make a profit on replacing every school book in the country that lists the provinces..

hmmmm. interesting, hadn't thought of that. even new maps..

The revenue will be lost due to the tens of thousands japanese men who come to monger on sukumvit and ratchada; not cumming for a while.

There's going to be a bunch of girls on Soi Cowboy in dire straights.

i know i'm setting myself up to get flamed now, but i kinda think this is a good thing. obviously the govt wants to prevent old men marrying young girls for the wrong reasons. while they may not be forced to marry them, what do you expect when you go from having nothing to everything in terms of relativity....

..so will this new law be 'grandfathered'..

good one..

$2,550 per month

I'm sure the Barang Brigade will be here soon to explain how this is just another step in Cambodia becoming the premier retirement destination

Maybe they want to beat Thailand and become "The Retirement Hub".

So come on then... who's gunna start the ball rolling on this one?

I'll have a try'

QUOTE:

Thaksin replied "nothing, I was only giving useful, moral information to those who are willing to listen." END QUOTE.

Thaksin "giving useful,MORAL information" is a bit like Al Capone giving advice on how to withdraw money from banks.

Al Capone didn't rob banks, he sold boot leg booze during the prohibition. Looking at the fate of Machine Gun Kelly, John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde and others, it was an easier way to make money.

Treading on dangerous ground.

Evil always exists when good men do nothing.