StreetCowboy

There must be a golden rule with the expats that I'm now learning, be a happy go guy when you first arrive then turn into a miserable old fart.

Like the OP has mentioned, he don't want tea and biscuits with you.

90% of the worlds population are morons, I love hearing this.

I feel sorry for the ones who are left out.

SC

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Funny, I always thought going to the UK was like going back in time. Exposed electrical wiring commonplace, too small radiators, streets and sidewalks with more potholes than a lunar crater, ill fiting doors and windows in hotels, bumpy (and slow) trains. It was like somebody stopped the clock somewhere in 1938.

My grandmother was like that, too, before she passed on...

SC

Ah self imposed censorship, the perfect solution to Thailands woes.

You should've kept that thought to yourself. No one on this forum would countenance self-censorship, so there's no need to discuss it. You need to distinguish between self-censorship and the common politeness to refrain from posting opinions that are likely to stir up ill-feeling and discontent, or that are likely to attract the wrath of the moderators or external authorities.

Courtesy and common sense is not a euphemism for self-censorship

SC

I'll breathe anyway I want to, and stuff your serenity and calmness.

i suppose i should have used block capitals, for that, but I'm shy...

SC

I get homesick, hearing about the rain in Bangna.

Its turned out nice and sunny and warm here again today, although less so overnight

do u just sit by the computer all day or what.

Yes....I get paid to sit by the computer all day...

Get back to work, you shiftless time-waster... Nose down, knuckles to the grindstone,

SC

EDIT: Illustration added for irony

the look of shock and utter amazement when a group of thais have been talking about you for the last half an hour, for you to then turn around and say "farang phud thai dai"

But they usually know that is the limit of your Thai language.

on the contrary dear "kwai"

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o.k. just for you SC.

firstly though, your telling me after how many months, years of staying in the los, youve never heard the word "kwai or khwai".

it means buffalo and is used by most thais as either an insult or in a joking sence when people are having a difference of opinion. not easy to explain over the internet.

but, usually when it is used though the person on the recieving end may reply with the word "bahh" the same way we as farangs would in a friendly bit of banter.(you know, that thing called having a laugh)

i used it to make the point of not only having a slightly more extented vocabulary than what andy capps was stating, but also in a joking sence to see if he knew what the word meant.

im sorry and apologise to andy if any offence was taken from my reply.

happy now SC?

jeez!

and before any of you start giving me the third degree on the use of the word, whether its rude or not. its used quite a lot in my thai family here in bangkok. not one member of the family gets offended by the use of the word and we all have a good old laugh. when certain members start a bit of light banter between one and other.

I was familiar with the 'buffalo' meaning of 'kwai', but I am sure that there are other 'kwai' words, possibly with very minor transliteration differences, and differences in tone, which could give rise to humour. Perhaps one of them could have been interpreted as a stinging barb by those in the know. Perhaps it still can... I don't know - do you?

I think that calling Andy a buffalo was not appropriate; his comment was quite clever, I thought, and definitely not the mark of someone who can placidly proceed through a full day of tedium, abuse, toil and - a word for a prolonged period of standing in the unbearable heat of the mid-day sun (maybe I forget a word of English for every word of Thai I learn) - anyway, go through all that without any complaint other than the occasional fertilising dump. But I am sorry - I should have metioned that my Thai was not good enough to find it humorous, or offensive. In English, we rarely see people use such pleasant and complimentary abuse; I assume Thais see buffalo in a fairly generous light.

Anyway, like a good buffalo, I see Andy let's the birds peck his fleas, instead of trying to scratch them himself

It's turned out nice and sunny again here,

SC

Has apparently all topics regarding Thailand have been repetitively repeated,I suggest all posting on TV be closed and thus only used has a place of reference.Although I,m

not sure what some posters would do to pass the time of day.But before that happens and referring back to the OP,after some attempts to be civil to other farangs and

only being rebuked by them putting their face to the ground I have come to the conclusion of "when in Rome".

I normally find kow-towing quite out of place, and a simple nod or smile suffices. Even when in Rome, I have been taught to accord our hosts no more than we would accord our own sovereign (now there's fighting talk if ever I heard it...).

How do you acknowledge other farang in other countries - for example China, or France, or the United Kingdom?

SC

the look of shock and utter amazement when a group of thais have been talking about you for the last half an hour, for you to then turn around and say "farang phud thai dai"

But they usually know that is the limit of your Thai language.

on the contrary dear "kwai"

Well, I thought Andy's point was gently entertaining, and I think that his "you" was meant "one" - first person inclusive, rather than second person singular - same as Tigerfish' "you".

Being a man of modesty fitting the bounds of my talents, I prefer to tell them I don't speak Thai, and let them guess the limits of my ability and arrogance. I'd like to be able to ask them to speak slower... maybe that can be next week's phrase.

Unfortunately, I missed the double meanings in the final insulting "kwai", so I didn't find that funny at all, and you'll need to explain that, to make it humourous to most of us. Otherwise, it just looks rude.

SC

One of the things I love is the quizzical looks all around when a surly farang makes a completely inappropriate comment just to antagonize another who is speaking politely.

Thais never do this, hence their inability to understand just plain old mean-spirited snipes.

For example, consider Ai Soutpeel's remark in post #2.

Feeling embarrassed for the twit, I always tell the surprised Thais that the guy's colostomy bag must be leaking. So "face is saved" and everyone is happy.

I love the helpful tips that you get here.

I'm sure I'll use that regularly, particularly to explain my own ill-humour at meetings that are dragging on too long...

I love the way that polite conversation, sarcasm and stupidity just seem to blend seamlessly together, but I find that the same where ever I go.

SC

Japan posted a 94 points against Hong Kong to cement their World Cup place, while Khazakstan defeated Korea to keep their world cup hopes alive with play-offs for the final spot in New Zealand 2011.

Thailand's Division Two campaign kicks off on 2nd June in Delhi against the Philippines, with the Division Two final on Saturday 5th

SC

and your point is...???

+/- 800 years ago one of the worlds biggest cities Ankor and "Thailand" and part of the Khmer kingdom, so hardly neolithic...

Go to the UK and see the rigid class structure they have there....not go to Eton or Cambridge...oh dear, sorry old chap...

We could also suggest, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong etc come from the same pedigree as Thailand. ie "had moved fast forward right into the modern age".....they have appeared to cope...so thats your theroy shot to sh*t...lets move on...

Thai Apologist BS

Current issues IMHO are because of a singles man's ego, who would be prepared to destroy a country because of a "loss of face"...

But remember that HK, Singapore and Malaysia were fortunate to grow up British, like the rest of us.

I think you overplay the importance of class and public school education in the UK, though of course it does help; otherwise Abhisit would have been sent to a secondary modern, wouldn't he?

SC

The OP really dwelt on the negative, didn't he?

And after 15 years, that's the worst that he's had to put up with? It didn't seem so bad. His wife and family are well provided for, which is as much as anyone can hope for. I imagine he's enjoyed the weather, the food, a number of relationships with ladies, quite possibly sexual in nature, as well as getting married.

I would suggest he's had as much fun as he's likely to get without repeating himself here, and if its not exactly the lifestyle he wants, maybe its time to move on. I'm sure he has plenty of fond memories to draw on from his time in Thailand, if he can only let the resentments fade. My advice is try to avoid raking over the resentments, and let them go cold, but share the joys with your friends.

SC

RIGHT!

As in LEFT. As in CORRECT. As in UP. As in F_ or B_

Not as in Ship or Play or Wheel or Cart or Ark.

Haggis supper with lashings of brown sauce diluted w vinegar.

A decent greasy samosa with a tin of Irn Bru.

Mutton pie with a rock-hard crust

Vanilla slices.

Tunnock's Caramel Wafers...

Right, that's it, I'm off to the Murrayfield Sevens to drown in 80'

SC

I think that there are also barriers to mobility around the country that hinder the free movement of labour, and therefore hold people back; for example, only being able to vote in your home province.

Someone that knows something about such barriers may wish to expand on this... but I put it to you that the Isaanites with the greatest breadth of vision, through having travelled beyond their parishonal boundaries, are hindered from voting by the distance, time, and effort required to return home; effectively gerry-mandering in favour of those that prey on ignorance and prejudice

SC

simply put into black and white

Toon Army! Newcastle United for ever!

We're all with the prime minister on football, at least!

SC

Actually, although I agreed with it entirely, I thought the piece was pretty one-sided, and completely failed to present the ill-thought-out, misleading and dishonest arguments of the red leaders...

Edit: redundant duplicate photo deleted

just the start these people dont give up, re-election then yellows will start, no election then continous campaign by reds. they like the IRA learnt you only get attention in the capital city. as soon as IRA started bombing the fianacial areas of London they got some where. that coupled with the fact they ran out of money as there main sponsers suddenly realised terrorism was not a good thing to contribute to. how ever the Reds can still buy petrol.they will learn as the IRA did to make more sofisticated devices. dont forget the guys down south who are still bombing and killing, getting closer to tourist areas as in Surat.

i would not bring a kid of mine anywhere near here, many of my friends are trying to get their kids out of here. Bangkok is always going to be a target for reds,yellows and who knows the muslim seperatist.

I think that Nalak overplays the impact of the IRA on Great Britain. The IRA intermittently carried out bomb attacks on Great Britain for as long as I can remember - as I am sure you recall. THe only thing that I can remember changing significantly was the amount of coverage and the response in terms of disruption to life.

From here, things could get worse - and then that would be bad, and many of us may wish to leave; or they may get better, now that a lot of steam has been let off, and people can see better where they stand.

You're probably still at far greater risk of a traffic accident over the course of a year - just as was the case throughout the troubles in Northern Ireland, yet nobody declined to go there for fear of traffic accidents...

On that topic, if you do come, then please, wear a helmet on your motorcycle, and don't drink and drive. That will have a real benefit to your safety; fretting about bombs and riots is unlikely to...

SC

I really think that there is no comparison between the troubles of th last few weeks and the IRA bombing campaigns in London. The troubles of the last few weeks may have been a potential tipping point for serious anarchy, which seems, this time round, to be averted, but it is not clear to what extent there will be ongoing trouble.

A more relevant comparison would be the Southern unrest, which has been going on for many years, but does not seem to have spilled over to a campaign of bombing and terrorism in the rest of Thailand - I don't know why not. The violence in the South is far more prolonged and with far greater casualty levels than anything in Ireland since partition. But is far away from Bangkok, - much further than say Ulster is from London.

One of the reasons that the IRA campaign was different was that campaign was intended to make the British say "fuc_k Ireland, then. Let them go and blow themselves up and fight amongst themselves, its nothing to do with us" whereas the struggle here appeared to be an effort to engender anarchy so that one faction or another could assume control of the government.

SC

What was burned undoubtedly proves the notion that this was pre-planned. Of all the banks that were burned, the overwhelming majority were Bangkok Banks. <snip>

A couple of brief histories:

Chin Sophonpanich was the founder of Bangkok Bank.

Born to a Chinese immigrant father and a Thai mother in Thonburi (Chinatown), Chin's daughter-in-law, the Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, wife of Chote Sophonpanich, is currently serving as the Thai Democrat Party's Minister of Science and Technology.

Tiang Chirathivat was the founder of Central Group.

In 1927 22-year-old Tiang traversed the sea from Hainan in Mainland China to settle down in Siam. He married Khun Whan and had the first child. The family business began as a tiny retail outlet in Thonburi (Chinatown). The store moved to Charoen Krung Road, at the corner of Captain Bush Lane in Bangkok's Si Phraya district. The single unit shophouse sold a large variety of local and international newspapers and magazines and carried the name "Central Trading Store, the first chapter of Central Department Stores history.

Immigrant bashing - congrats you are now a US Republican!

It's very interesting now that it is becoming harder and harder to justify the red actions (although a shocking number of their cheerleaders are excusing the arson), they are now turning back to bashing the "elites" and attaching an ethnic side to it. So a few questions to those who want to get rid of the elites, seemingly by any means. Are we defining the elites by ethnicity? If so, how many generations are we going back? And should we be measuring facial features and skin color in our determination? Or do we use economic determiners - money in the bank, size of home, car, brand of clothing? What about education - educated people are elite. And who are the judges of who is elite? And what do we do with those we brand "elite"? Beginning to sound a lot like the folks in Cambodia in '75?

I think that the original post was intended to show that the arson and vandalism was targetted, and therefore, in the poster's view, co-ordinated or planned. I do not feel that is necessarily the case - ignorant and unguided people may also know the ownership of various businesses.

I think the quotes from wikipedia or wherever could have been more precise, to highlight that the affected businesses were owned by people with links to the government, whereas the less specific quotes could be used to fan racism, which in turn could adversely affect many innocent people. Perhaps I am being too generous, and in fact the biographies were specifically prepared to fan up racial hatred, but I doubt it.

In these troubled times, it would behove us all to think calmly and quietly, and try to treat our fellows with dignity and respect regardless of what we perceive as their flaws or folly. Where is Ian Forbes when we are so desperate (disparate?) for a little common sense and dignity?

SC

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I don't think that the services - food, PA equipment etc. - provided at protest sites were provided by poor farmers, nor by the BMA. Do we really believe that there are wealthy altruists who would pay so much for the benefit of their peasant brethren? They should be easy to identify, from the enlightened labour practices in their businesses, and the joy, harmony and solidarity that they share with their workers. Or perhaps, the people that funded these demonstrations (regardless of any question of recompense for lost wages etc.) exploit the poor just as their less-enlightened peers do, in which case why are they funding this struggle?

My apologies for offering more questions than answers, but the gentle reader will ignore anything I tell him, and will only believe the opinions that he forms for himself

SC

Did I miss something here?

I don't know. What did you glean from the previous post?

My intention was to show that if the protests, which required substantial financial backing, were supported by people who were committed to furthering the lot of the poor farmer, that would be apparent not only by their support for the protests, but also for the great work that they were doing in improving conditions in the rural North East.

On the other hand, if the protests were supported by financial backers who wanted to add plunder from corruption of the national budget to their existing streams of income from corruption in local government and oppression of the poor, then that too would be apparent in the home provinces of the of the protesters.

I don't know - I have my beliefs, but I'm not an anthropologist or a historian or a policeman so I see no real reason to research this any further. Even if I did, you would still not believe what I told you, so I offer you the questions that you may form your own opinion.

Having explained my post again, maybe you can now answer your own question. I am sure it was shared by others too shy to post

SC

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I said most , not per se your kind.How about the sexpats and deviants who come in their hordes to satisfy their desires without a thought of how those who do it for them ended up in their plight. The jetsam and flotsam of second class Thai citizens who never had a choice , no education , no opportunities. Now that their frustrations overboil some farangs here whinge that the Thailand of their dreams or should I say playground is no more. Hey, it's an extreme hardship for some to be housebound by the curfew. Who feels sorry for them? Not me. Let them go home where it's safe and cosy and where they have some rights others in Thailand don't have. At least these farangs have a choice but not the Issaan poor.

Have you no consideration or compassion for us unthinking sexpats and deviants? I actually came on my own - a horde suggests some sort of group or community. You are comparing us to ants, when we are more like cockroaches, who may exist in large numbers, but all act as individuals without co-ordination.

Luckily, as you say, we have a choice, since we benefit from education and social structures that emphasise individuality, freedom of thought and of action, and, though sadly too little, individual responsibility, whereas the Issaan poor are a peasant class at the bottom of a feudal hierarchy that is enforced through economic and cultural repression at all levels of society in the North East. Through sociable intercourse with the daughters of this culture, I do my own little bit to try to bring a breadth of vision and understanding, in support of what the elected democrat government tries to do with its free education.

Unfortunately, I believe that a lot of the money I spend gets ploughed back into repression through the family system, just as the government's investment in education is pilfered or hijacked - there is a better word, but it eludes me - by corrupt administrators in the provinces, who have a vested interest in throttling the education of their neighbours and Issaan compatriots.

SC

Edit: amendments as shown, to remove logical inconsistencies and enhance oratorical demagoguery

With the final two legs of the IRB Sevens coming up in Twickenham and Murrayfield, I'm hopign Scotland can repeat last year's successes, now that the professional players are available. I'm guessing the squad selection was made before it was confirmed that Glasgow would make their players available by withdrawing from the Magners League play-offs when they did

We clash with the Auld Enemy in Pool D at Twickenham, while at Murrayfield we face the World Cup holders...England and Kenya (!) are the two seeded Northern Hemisphere sides at Twickenham, joined by the USA in the seeds at Murrayfield.

Meanwhile in Superleague, Wigan have opened up a 4-point gap at the top, thanks in part to a remarkable victory by Salford over St Helens. Leeds v Wigan and Bradford v Warrington must be the pick of the quarter-final fixtures in the Challenge Cup weekend after this..

Plenty to look forward to, if you know where to look. I guess the Sevens will be on Supersport from South Africa...

SC

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So you are saying that the red shirt leaders who are made up of provincial wealthy elite, are concerned that the national government will begin to clean house and put them out on the street. That is why they fabricated the "red shirt" movement and enlisted the backing of the rural poor; to try to stop the national government from cleaning up the provinces.

An interesting thesis probably not without merit.

I don't think that the services - food, PA equipment etc. - provided at protest sites were provided by poor farmers, nor by the BMA. Do we really believe that there are wealthy altruists who would pay so much for the benefit of their peasant brethren? They should be easy to identify, from the enlightened labour practices in their businesses, and the joy, harmony and solidarity that they share with their workers. Or perhaps, the people that funded these demonstrations (regardless of any question of recompense for lost wages etc.) exploit the poor just as their less-enlightened peers do, in which case why are they funding this struggle?

My apologies for offering more questions than answers, but the gentle reader will ignore anything I tell him, and will only believe the opinions that he forms for himself

SC

I hesitate to post on this thread lest anyone take it seriously.

In these troubled times a bum bomb threat thread could pose a peril to people with poor perspicacity through persistent punning... the perils of poor puns

SC

I agree, this editorial is very biased.

The Nation is part of the Yellow camp. Its Sino-Thai owners (the Yoons) have little if anything in common with the peasants of Issan. They are part of the BKK elite.

This is the first overtly racist post I've seen on the topic, which is quite remarkable given the depths of bigotry and prejudice that the debate has plumbed.

Sadly, my education is lacking on English history, but perhaps someone could compare the current troubles to the English War of the Roses - another battle between feudal barons, in which the peasants and the state bore the suffering of others' over-reaching ambition.

SC

That's a great rumour. I wish I'd started it

Thanks very much

SC