SIAMBULL

Best thread of the year! Bondage indeed.

outside Fresno California

Thai gentleman is the nephew of our California Buddhist monk friend who is not a US citizen. I am and the Uncle asked for a letter of support from me. The guy has worked in Qatar 10 years. My Thai wife (US citizen) knows him. Should I write something and send it to Qatar for the Qatar US embassy to see? Will this help him? He just wants to visit for a few months. Seems to be a good upstanding fellow.

Is this letter of support thing important? Will it help him at the Qatar US embassy? His uncle the monk (and abbot of a great Wat outside ) is a great guy. The real deal for a pious hard working Thai monk in America.

What should I write?

Bull

Basically the PTP including many well known red shirt leaders have been voted into office by the people. While this may mean many heads explodinbg and a bunch of truly vile facebook comments about rural people, it is democracy at work. There is also a half selected senate which is looks to be loaded with people not friendly to the incoming government and a whole load of checks and balances that have a track record of finding against the incoming party. This is not some revolution that has happened but Thai demcoracy at work even if it is in a manner different to what know.

The PTP policy patform, was clear and well known.

The PTP ideas on reconcilliation are pretty well known

That PTP is Thaksin's party is well knownpeople

That PTP is at odds with the army leadership and some powerful people is very well known

That PTP is linked to the reds is very well known

That PTP was linked to the April/May demos is very known

And still the people elected them knowing all of this as is their democratic right. That their enemies know that the people are aware of all these things and yet still give them a huge mandate is probably the most worrying thing for the PTP enemies, but short of dismantling democracy there is little they can do except accept the terms of PTP reoncilliation. That is reality. That is why things are and will be tense

Hear hear! Democracy at work. Flawed and quite irrational, the will of the people is made known. Exciting time for Thailand. A time for transition and perhaps positive change. Good luck Yingluck. May you succeed and achieve.

Buying votes has nothing to dowith democracy. the Red Shirted terrorists don't know the meaning of the word, nor are they interested. You may very possibly have bitten off more than you can chew. Thailand may face something more serious in coming years than ever before. And not for the better. You wish Yingluck success. In what? Do you have any idea what she and her brother intend to do? No, you do not. We may still be able to express our negative opinions and doubts about the new government here on TV. Do you think that will still be the case by this time next year?

More than I can chew: yes possibly. Here in the states they chip away at our rights and the police state grows. I believe this trend is worldwide and abhor this. Why expect more of Thailand, already a place where no one can even discuss some of the most important and powerful political players. So Chincorp takes power again. Why is this so much terribly worse then the Abhisat regime? Was life under Thaksin so much worse than the military junta or Democrats that followed? If it's Oligarchy that is unchewable... well welcome to the brave new international power structure. It's worldwide folks. Thaksin is small time compared to his CFR handlers. They cannot be trusted with power but they have it.

Thus my hopes lie with the elected sister. Hoping she will take the opportunity to be a great woman in Thai history and do some good. Will she follow the will of her brother.... of course. Will she find progressive causes to focus upon and do some good? Hope springs eternal. I follow the Buddahs' teaching and will take what's offered and hope for the best. Good luck Yingluck and welcome to power red shirts. Tam Boon.

Basically the PTP including many well known red shirt leaders have been voted into office by the people. While this may mean many heads explodinbg and a bunch of truly vile facebook comments about rural people, it is democracy at work. There is also a half selected senate which is looks to be loaded with people not friendly to the incoming government and a whole load of checks and balances that have a track record of finding against the incoming party. This is not some revolution that has happened but Thai demcoracy at work even if it is in a manner different to what know.

The PTP policy patform, was clear and well known.

The PTP ideas on reconcilliation are pretty well known

That PTP is Thaksin's party is well knownpeople

That PTP is at odds with the army leadership and some powerful people is very well known

That PTP is linked to the reds is very well known

That PTP was linked to the April/May demos is very known

And still the people elected them knowing all of this as is their democratic right. That their enemies know that the people are aware of all these things and yet still give them a huge mandate is probably the most worrying thing for the PTP enemies, but short of dismantling democracy there is little they can do except accept the terms of PTP reoncilliation. That is reality. That is why things are and will be tense

Hear hear! Democracy at work. Flawed and quite irrational, the will of the people is made known. Exciting time for Thailand. A time for transition and perhaps positive change. Good luck Yingluck. May you succeed and achieve.

Democracy is about accepting the will of the people despite objections to process. The new government may surprise the naysayers and achieve progress. Exactly which democracy on Earth is referred to in terms of absence of corruption and self interested politicians? Red, Yellow, Black or Purple Thailand is a great land and remains amazing. Support the democratic process, accept the will of the people and hope for peace and progress. Good luck to Yingluck. May you succeed and achieve.

I want a Yingluck tee shirt to wear in California!

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Nonetheless we are celebrating this decision both in the avoidance of chaos which may have broken out otherwise and in our sincere hopes that Yingluck will try to do good for her country and people. This is called democracy and while flawed it is where we place our hopes for peace and progress in Thailand.

Good luck Yingluck. Siam needs you to rise to this occasion!

All politicians are puppets of their financial backers.

Who pulls the strings is the question.

Let's see if Yingluck meets with the CFR like her brother.

A quick trip to NY will be telling.

Thanks to the latest version of Acrobat I have been able to include the links to the external files within the PDF, so now you simply click within the PDF to open the audio files and exercises.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Thanks

Would help immensely.

Wouldn't "reconciliation" involved we Farangs accepting the election results and hoping Yingluck et al do good things for Thailand?

TV please reconcile yourselves to the democratic process. The Thai people have spoken.

Some Americans are following the Thai election. Like moi.

The CFR is concerned that if their favorite son's sister is elected PM the military will kick her out like they did big bro.

Thus I'd call the USA gov't red for all the wrong reasons.

Our hopes are on the reds and that Yingluck will not be a total puppet of her big bro but will rise to some leadership just for a place in history. Yes I know a Shinawatra is likely only for Shinawatra but perhaps they can learn from Thaksin's mistakes. Lost a lot of family money acting the fool.

Thaksin home by Xmas if Yingluck carries Bangkok!

Policemen don't survive prison.

Wealth and power can achieve any nefarious plot... been proven time and again.

If Yingluck is PM, TC will return for the wedding with Isaan's jubilation.

Corruption corrupts.

It would be wonderful if quality organic produce were available in Muang Thai.

Agree. The poor in any country run by rich elites deserve a chance to be heard.

Take my wife..... please. Just wondering about others' experiences. My wife is a wonderful woman, full of love and caring but after 6 years in the US she is still just plain stupid. ESL, college courses, ongoing tutoring by yours truly and she still can't write a complete English sentence nor figure out how make an appointment. Frustrating to say the least. I thought we would have children but I wouldn't trust her to care for a baby. Oh she'd love and care but would be too confused to call the doctor or get to an ER in an emergency. It's continuous endless head shaking stupidity. I imagine life with her illiterate Isaan Mom would be similar. This lovely woman I married has a Thai college degree and was a working accountant when I met her in Bangkok. Boy did I expect something different.

I often shake my head and say that no intelligent girl would have married me and come to America barely knowing me. Funny, but too true. We only know a few Thais here in the USA. A lot of Laotians in our area who speak a dialect similar to pasa Isaan. Most of them haven't managed to learn English and seem quite stupid too.

I stick with my wife because I made a committment and an agreement and she does take care of me athough her talk of working is useless as she can't succeeed at a job interview. I just wonder if other Farangs have lived through the frustration of discovering just how hugely stupid these cute girls can be. The inability to learn despite help and effort is a very limiting and frustrating thing for her and for me.

BULL

Yes. God bless Thailand. May these Buddhists find it in their hearts to make peace again in this amazing country.

BULL

Hear hear!

Patriots not terrorists. Red shirts, as they quit the worship of the souless Billionaire, are patriots fighting for democracy,,, a not altogether bad thing.

BULL

On TERRORISTS:

History has given us TERRORISTS who KILL demand $millions$ of dollars, TERRORISTS who KILL and demand the deaths of peoples/races of people, TERRORISTS who KILL and demand the release from prison of other TERRORISTS.

The Reds have killed nobody except in self-defense and they demand only one truly outrageous thing: that the people of Thailand be able to select their leader NOW via an election.

Hardly terrorists by anybody's definition.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it's natural manure.THOMAS JEFFERSON, letter to William Stephens Smith, November 13, 1787.

Agree completely. Farangs with zero compassion for the struggling poor of their adopted homeland. Self interest rules.

Agreed the Reds are fools to follow Taksin, but they have very valid complaints and Taksin did at least appear to help the poor of Isaan. Abhisat's government is not elected and efforts to improve: standard of living, education, healthcare etc. are absent. Thus they are elites and indeed military installed tyrants. And where is the family we may not speak of in all this? Silent. Pitiful.... which is my point.... I feel for the Reds and hope their voices are heard.

Khun Sulak for PM!

BULL

Branch visit everytime. Costs about $10 in gas for us to drive there (we live in the sticks) and of course we end up eating out on 'bank wire days', so the $30 we save from the Citibank utterly convenient online international wires gets spent nonetheless but we do get a meal out of the deal.

Not sure about the account. I am over 50 so maybe that's why international wires are free. I'll check and get back to ya.

Since my sister in law ripped us off, I send a lot less money every month. Happy about this in an odd mai pen rai sorta way.

BULL

I used to hit the beach in the mornings in Patong and get a massage under the palm trees from the older fat ladies after a swim. They'd often have their kids with them and I'd get worked on by 2 or 3 at a time. Fabulous. Outdoors and nothing sexy. I assume many of these gals got destroyed that morning in the Tsunami.

BULL

Siam, you're spending/paying close to a 1000 baht fee to Citibank every time you move funds in Thailand.... I'm not sure why anyone would consider that to be any kind of bargain....

Yes. The Citibank online wire is convenient but expensive. Golden 1 credit union is free, so we walk in there once a month paperwork in hand.

BULL

Yes. Citibank.

Online international wires. $30 a pop.

BULL

What is this 'House Registration book' please? We are apartment dwellors and I certainly ain't about to live in my wife's Mom's house.

Thanks,

BULL