HannahD

Although this case had a tragic result for the auditor and his family it is breathtakingly hypocritical for US and UK citizens to criticize the Thai justice system. Recall that an unprovoked attack on Iraq was initiated by both the US and UK-a war crime-and there was wanton destruction of the Iraqi civilian infrastructure-another war crime. There was industrial scale torture and murder facilitated by a worldwide network of black sites and equally black worldwide aerial delivery system of victims. The death toll probably exceeds a million people both from direct results of bombing and the indirect result of disease and untreated injuries.

Have the authors of THIS barbarism been hanged? While it is perfectly proper to be outraged at a blatant miscarriage of justice it would be better to look homeward at the grotesque and massive miscarriages of justice perpetrated by the leaders of Western society. Recall "the mote in thy neighbor's eye while ignoring the beam in thine own?"

The sinh is a marvelous garment. It is flattering to the youthful figure and forgiving for the mature figure.

Why are the US and Canada so much more prosperous than all of Latin America combined? Spanish (and Portuguese) societies went straight from feudalism to the modern capitalist world with no Renaissance. They never adopted the concept of economic egalitarianism but retained the feudal ideal of a handful of extremely wealthy families with all others having nearly nothing. Because there is almost no discretionary capital among the great mass of people the economy is stunted. There is no local market so very little is produced other than absolute necessities. Historically Latin America exported agricultural and mineral commodities and imported manufactured goods. The Philippines followed this Spanish model with the same result. Thailand, by great good fortune, had leadership that adopted the philosophy that everyone does well when everyone does well. Not perfectly of course but far, far better than the Philippines.

This is one of those times when the truth (if any) of the story matters not one bit. The threat of execution discourages casual desertion but the harsh treatment accorded would be deserters discourages enlistments. In the future would be deserters know they must carry out their plans very carefully perhaps even to the point of shooting their way out. A pox on the lot of you!

Perhaps these unfortunate incidents of bad Chinese behavior is a result of the one child policy-a nation of spoiled brats!

Where is the overhaul facility and who are the maintenance technicians?

How odd that the returned items, reportedly originally from Ban Chiang archaeological site in Udon Thani, are now being kept in Pathum Thani rather than being returned to Ban Chiang. Let us hope this is only a temporary arrangement.

Now Dr. Frankenstein is trying to exert control over the monster he created.

All those surplus males in China, who outnumber Thai women at least 2 to 1, will come to Thailand and marry all the marriageable Thai women. If you think sin sod is steep now, just wait a few years.

It is nearly certain that the people on Taiwan are closely watching the imposition of Beijing rule on Hong Kong in spite of promises of One country-Two Systems. Even more interesting is the fact that apparently Beijing doesn't care what people in Taiwan think because Beijing believes that nothing can stop their eventual takeover of Taiwan.

The recognition of degrees from Thai universities is really a matter of accreditation. The educational standards may or may not be up to international standards but without accreditation by an internationally respected agency the degrees are not going to be recognized as a valid measure of education. There are very few universities in Thailand (perhaps only one) that have international accreditation. Thai hospitals also can obtain international accreditation and some have.

There is cash income and there is imputed income. If you are an employee (or even a retiree) and your employer/former employer is paying you a cash salary (or pension) and also paying a large portion of your health insurance, that employer portion of the health insurance costs really is income to you. For a typical US Gov't civil retiree the employer share of the health policy is in the neighborhood of 30,000 baht per month. For private employers or labor unions who provide health insurance the amount would probably be similar. Although in making an affirmation of income at the Consulate it would be totally honest to count these payments as income there is the possibility that should Thai authorities wish to see documentation this might not fly. A similar case could be made if an employer is paying for your apartment. That is income.

I don't know if this is an Isaan thing or Thaiwide but I find it strange when they put a few scoops of ice cream into a hot dog roll to eat.

Saw it in Bangkok in 1966.

10,000000 known guns! In a so called Buddhist country.

What? Only 1 for every 6 people? In the good ol' US of A there are more privately owned firearms than there are people according to some sources while others claim it is only 89 private firearms per 100 people far more than any other country in the world. Yemen reputedly comes in second with 55 firearms per 100 people.

The depth of the clay layer over the Bangkok area is estimated to range from 550 meters to 2000 meters according to Engineering Properties of Bangkok Clay by S. Shibuya and S.B. Tamrakar. As the area subsides and the sea rises will this clay turn to soup and swallow Bangkok?

Several years ago when I was teaching English to pharmacy students I suggested that perhaps one of them could compound a powder that would act as birth control and mild tranquilizer for soi dogs. Just a bit sprinkled on food put out for the dogs would work wonders. Regrettably no pharmacist has yet come up with such a magic potion. It is still probably a great idea and anyone who can compound such a medication could make a fortune just by advertising on TV.

Several decades ago nearly all items in Thailand were sold in biodegradable packaging. Typically a leaf tied with a vine or for dry items scrap paper. Thai people were in the habit of just tossing these wappings wherever they pleased and the tropical heat and damp air soon digested the discarded wrappers. Visitors to Thailand even then complained about the refuse carelessly tossed about but at least the refuse was mainly biodegradable. Then came wax impregnated paper and cardboard followed by the now ubiquitous plastics. Nearly immortal trash just as carelessly tossed. The solution is probably to ban all packaging that is not biodegradable or recyclable and to compost everything else. Thailand could become the hub if clean and no need to compare cities.

Does it really matter if they go or not, before the US went to a all volunteer force there was an education draft the sons of the rich seemed to all be in university. Dick Cheney, comes to mind O and George Bush joined the national Guard to protect Texas from all of the wet backs. Give it up boys some go and some do not. I went for 26 years no big deal

And then George Bush failed to honor his commitment to serve a full 6 years. Never mind. Can still become President if you have the right name and connections. The .001% behave the same the world over. Not unique to Thailand.

From what I have read on TV and the press, dogs that are 'saved" from the slaughterhouse are put into shelters where the great majority succumb to disease, starvation or just plain neglect. If I had a dog that was stolen from me I would prefer to think the poor animal died quickly and relatively painlessly at the slaughterhouse rather than died slowly and cruelly in a "shelter." Now I read that some are skinned alive rather than killed first. I can not decide which fate would be worse for the dog.

It would appear that there can never be another election in Thailand. All an obstructive party need do is prevent a few candidates from registering or prevent voting at a few polling stations and by this precedent the election is automatically void.

Has anyone on the forum ever been to Saudi Arabia? The ultimate hub of illogic.

Simply part of the ASEAN policy of non-interference. What happens in another member state area is neither officially observed nor commented on.

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Not sure how to post links but if you search widow ghost in the Isaan forum you can read all about it. Originated in Surin.

All over the wife's village in Surin. Buriram is a Johnny come lately. Have been for almost two years.

Nice try Kwaibah - but nothing will convince me that your village is anything more than backward.

Being 'first' at putting out a red shirt, to ward off the widow ghost, does not qualify you for a MENSA award !

Doubt seriously You'll find any MENSA award material laying about. alt=whistling.gif width=19 height=18>

Who knows that there is no MENSA material laying about? For all we know there may be another Einstein, Borlaug, or Marie Curie in the villages but we will never know because for far too many even secondary education is out of reach. When I was teaching at a large Thai university I soon realized that if I knew what province a student came from I knew what secondary had been attended because there were only two secondary schools in each province that could prepare students adequately to pass the entrance exams. Woefully uneducated and ignorant perhaps but not stupid.