spidermike007

The extreme apathy, indifference, and lack of concern on the part of the government continues unabated. Will anything ever change? Will the grown children in charge ever take traffic safety seriously, and actually stop talking and take some form of action? One can only hope. It is horrific to see people killed in this manner. The families no doubt are devastated, and mourning their losses at this moment. Their families will never be the same after this tragedy.

Until traffic safety is taught, and traffic law enforcement is taken seriously, enforced, and maintained, nothing will ever change. Thailand appears headed toward the number one spot. Not a distinction one would pursue willingly. And yet? Eventually the police will have to be trained, and properly equipped to enforce the law, and take public safety seriously. Will it happen in our lifetimes? One can only guess. I hope it does.

On the many road trips I have taken around Thailand, the only time I have EVER seen a highway patrol car was AFTER a serious accident. The rest of the time they are no where to be seen. Where are they? Why are they not citing people for reckless driving, drunk driving, driving without seat belts, illegal lane changes, and other dangerous moves one sees every day on the roads here? Wy is the government not investing in traffic safety, and beefing up the highway patrol?

I have never carried a gun, nor have I ever owned a gun in my life. I ask myself, if I was a in situation, would I be prepared to shoot to kill? There is no point is shooting to injure, unless you are law enforcement. The guy is just going to hunt you down later. So, you pretty much have to shoot to kill. What are the ramifications of that, here in Thailand? Do I really want to kill a local guy? And deal with the aftermath?

A Wise decision if you are not prepared to follow thru after you have drawn your weapon. Many times people have had theirs taken away from them when the perpetrator realised that they are unwilling or incapable of going that final inch. Here in LOS - as a foreigner - you will be in a lot of trouble if you shoot someone - provided you get caught. Remember - it is not a secret if 2 people know.

Well, that goes to the very heart of the issue. Drawing your weapon. Obviously, if you do not have a gun, there is no possibility of drawing it, and executing another man. Maybe the other guy was going to back down? Maybe it was a situation that could have been defused? Maybe he did not have a weapon and you over reacted and shot him. A lot of maybes. A lot that I have decided I am not prepared to deal with. What if you do shoot him, and it was his fault, as he provoked or threatened you, and he was killed, and there were Thai witnesses? What do you think the odds are that they will testify on your behalf? And even if they do, what are the odds of you sitting before a fair and impartial judge? A lot of ifs. A lot of variables. For me, it is a situation I am working hard to avoid.

I realize there may come a day when I wish I had a gun to protect myself or my people. But, until that day comes, I am fine living without a gun, and remaining a non gun advocate.

Doubt the average Thai has much to look forward to. Don't know many happy Thais personally. Most are struggling. Those who lean towards violence would be more easily provoked in bad times.

The only Thais I know well, other than the beloved, are the inlaws, and they rarely smile, other than the socially required one.

I live in a small city that rarely sees a farang and has never been a farang tourist destination, and they don't smile much, so nothing to do with the evil farang tourist.

Even if the smiles are fake in tourist areas I'd rather that than no smiles at all.

It is true though, that over 20 years ago The Thai smile was real- it just got lost along the way.

It sounds to me like you found an unpleasant village. There are still alot here that have pleasant people, who are enjoying their lives and smile alot. I see it all the time. I would leave a village as somber as the one you live in, and find another. Wife's family or not. Life is too short to live in a place you are not loving. And it sounds like you will not be missing much, by being farther away from her somber family.

Another of many stories in Thailand of not caring about anything but the money. When the coral reef is gone and the ocean stinks just party and get raped and murdered.

Its always about the money honey here. Once it affects tourism they begrudgingly reach for their wallet. The stink is in on this one but it takes time to build new sewage facilities. They the government seems more focused on subs, tanks, troops, missiles than sanitary conditions. Again they saw and smelled this coming and turned their back on it till the stench could no longer be ignored. Makes one wonder how a situation like this can rise up when there are mayors, governors and other politico's close at hand.

This is what is referred to as polar opposite of visionary leadership. The inability to perceive the future before it happens. And the lack of caring deeply about the state of the country, the environment, the seas, the land and the people and animals that live on, and depend on that land and the sea. I always say positive change, and progress will only come about here as a result of tremendous amounts of egg on the face, the deep embarrassment the lack of action has caused, and the outing of "leaders" possessed with great ignorance, incompetence, greed, and no leadership ability.

And let us hope at some point in the future, the government shows the wisdom to remove the monopoly stranglehold that Bangkok Air holds over Samui. I realize that the company has spent money on the airport. But, a 30 year run is plenty. They had no business renewing the lease a few years ago. The land is not owned by Bangkok Air. The government can take back this concession anytime if it sees fit. It is amazing what a well placed lobbyist can achieve. Just ask Obama, or any politician in Thailand or the US about that.

Even the fact that they charge a $300 landing fee, for a private aircraft creates a deterrent. They operate this airport in a completely irresponsible manner. The government should take notice.

THe govt did intervene many years back and insisted they allow other airlines access and the Bangkok Airways offer some discount flights...........

And Bangkok Air insisted that no other airline offer any flight that is priced lower than theirs. A real service to the public the government offered. A real service.

And as far as discount flights to and from Samui, they are few and far between. Did any government official ever follow that up? Of course not.

Good on Leo for the oscar. He deserves it. He is an amazing actor. The degree to which he commits to his performances it astonishing. The Revenant was a masterpiece. A stunning film. His performance was fabulous.

I like the fact that he speaks out on climate change. I admire an actor who takes a position on an issue. They have alot of influence, and why not use it? A lot of actors are too timid, or afraid to do so.

And people ask me why I carry a gun here. Balance

I have never carried a gun, nor have I ever owned a gun in my life. I ask myself, if I was a in situation, would I be prepared to shoot to kill? There is no point is shooting to injure, unless you are law enforcement. The guy is just going to hunt you down later. So, you pretty much have to shoot to kill. What are the ramifications of that, here in Thailand? Do I really want to kill a local guy? And deal with the aftermath?

Always liked McCain but another,"lifer"politician, time to retire!!

Romney, status quo Republican probably being promised to

Be Vice President by scared Rep Congressman: that Trump

Might get I an give them all HELL and expose all their self-

Serving crooked dealings, cushy pensions and travel, not to

Mention all their relatives on the payrolls. Trump might do some

Good, won't be any worse, and at least he can be voted out in

Four years if he is a disaster.....I say give Him a shot!.,

I disagree, with the "cannot be any worse" argument. How does WWIII sound to you? He is very capable of starting it. He is the kind of man who does not like to be disagreed with. Have you seen how he has treated mere journalists, who have questioned him at his rallies? What do you think he would do to his opponents once he seized power? He is ruthless. I do not think there any bounds to his thirst for power and glory. I think he is capable of all kinds of nastiness, and foul play. World wars have been started over far less. His arrogance and smugness would only grow, once president. The havoc this man would be capable of wreaking would leave alot of his supporters wondering "what the hell was I thinking when I voted for this monster? I was really drinking the kool aid. I bought his nonsense, hook, line and sinker. He has not done anything he has promised. But he has done far worse than I could have imagined".

Be very afraid of this man. He is not the man you think he is. He is doing a masterful job of covering that up. He is manipulating you to no end. He is a master at manipulating the public. He is P.T. Barnum incarnate.

I am no fan of Hillary, as she is as bought and paid for as any candidate could possibly be. Even more so than Obama, if that is possible. And I am no fan of Cruz either. Any man that has the radical beliefs Cruz has scares me too:

U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms ardently opposed civil rights measures and even tried to block the Senate from approving a federal holiday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

“It’s every bit as true now as it was then,” Cruz said. “We need 100 more like Jesse Helms in the U.S. Senate.”

“We will carpet-bomb them into oblivion. I don’t know if sand can glow in the dark, but we’re going to find out!”

~Ted Cruz stating his willingness to kill everyone and everything in the Middle East to beat ISIS even though carpet bombing is a war crime, December 2015

“The simple and undeniable fact is the overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats.”

~Ted Cruz says 43 percent of the American people are violent criminals, November 2015

“Following the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, President Obama and Harry Reid lead an assault, not on going after violent criminals, which is what they should have done, but instead going after the Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. And I led the fight to protect the Second Amendment in the U.S. Senate and we defeated President Obama efforts to undermine our rights.”

~Ted Cruz bragging about ignoring the mass killing of 20 little kids to oppose gun control measures, August 2015

I was there in 1977, have never been back- so have memories and some pics of stunning beaches , crystal seas and I can't remember much development- bamboo huts.

I do not like to bash Thailand, it's my home now.

The environmental issues here are becoming worse and worse. The area next to my village in Jomtien ( which is quite up market and beautifully kept ) has now turned into a vast rubbish dump, filling in the lakes where the locals used to fish everyday) .

I feel sorry for the owners of a vast condo nearby( if it is ever finished!) who would have had quite a pleasant aspect - now they look over several rai of smouldering rubbish.

It's all depressing, I have not been in the sea for years , and unlikely to go swimming again.

I lived in Samui for years, and hardly ever went swimming. The studies I read on the microbe levels in the water surrounding the island was positively frightening. And this is a decent sized tourist island that attracts millions of tourists. Shame on the authorities for not being man enough to control this problem. There is plenty of cash to address this problem. But, there is also a very greedy mayor, named Ramnate, who is interested in massive development, and making sure the island moves in the direction of SW Bali but has no plan, nor vision toward a bright future for the island's residents nor tourists, nor traffic mitigation or other environmental concerns.

A report showed that for the four years the septic systems in Koh Samui have been malfunctioning and rather than being contained in a system of sewerage wells, it has been seeping into bodies of water and the Tasman Lake along with waste water from local households. During the severe flooding three years ago, all of the untreated waste was washed into the sea causing considerable damage to the aquatic environment. The main concern is that if the sewerage issue is not resolved it will start to affect tourism costing the country billions in tourist revenue every year.

http://www.samuitimes.com/does-samuis-waste-water-all-end-up-in-the-sea/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/37024-raw-sewage-on-lamai-beach/page-2

Glaring problems exist with Koh Samui's waste treatment, water supply and transportation systems.Satirapong says the island's waste-treatment system has the capacity to clear only 70 tonnes of waste a day, but the local and visiting populations create more than double that amount. The question is how to solve the infrastructure problems and develop Koh Samui as a permanent tourist destination.The island's tourist association has proposed to the Surat Thani Provincial Administration Organisation that it set aside a budget to develop the district's infrastructure.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Big-money-pouring-into-Koh-Samui-30066093.html

I do not think this bar is about drinking at bars. It is about whether of not the state should make it difficult for a poor man to get crazy drunk, with 40 baht. That is probably not a good idea for society as a whole, though I am not a big supporter of heavy taxation.

What is the real moral to this story? If you are carrying cash, always leave it locked up, on a flight, or in a hotel room. Just a small 200 baht luggage lock would have saved this guy from getting robbed. Would I carry 60,000 baht in my carry on, without it being locked up during flight? Absolutely not. I use a luggage lock on a suitcase, whenever I am in a hotel room too. I hear all kinds of stories about hotel safes being "broken" into. I have never had my luggage broken into, while holding my passport, laptop, cash, credit cards, etc. I always keep it locked up, while out of the room. The same rule applies for a guy who takes a stranger back to his room. Lock everything in the suitcase or the safe, prior to getting busy. Why take a chance?

I think if it is not a huge amount of money and you are with someone you have taken the time to get to know, and feel you can really trust them, it may be worth it. Do not expect a return. In my opinion it is always best done as a gift. In my case, my girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife, came from a relatively modest, but very hard working family in Issan. They are modest, but not poor, as there is decent amount of land in the family, from the grandmother, who has since given the land to the grandkids. I got to know her parents, siblings, and grandparents, and really liked them all. I could see how earnest and hard working every last one of them were. Her father had tried many, many different types of work, and was serious about providing a decent living for the family. I could see he was intelligent, and not afraid of hard work. He just never had a good break in life. He was earning very little, at the time, doing some farming.

They own some land, in the village on the main road, and wanted to open a mini mart. I asked her to have her father draft a business plan, with details, funds needed for investment, inventory, etc. He came back to us with drawings for the plans of the shop, inventory lists, projected income, etc. Rather than lend him the money, I gave him 700,000 baht. I had known my woman for over 2 years at that time, and adored her, and knew how earnest and honest she was. I had faith in her family. The built the store for about 500,000 baht. The rest was used for inventory. That was about 8 years ago. The store has been a great success. It is kind of a gathering spot in the town, and a popular shop. And it has allowed him to parlay that success into a position as a county (tambon?) supervisor, where he earns a nice salary, and is on the local planning commission. His entire life changed, as did that of his family. They made a success out of this relatively modest amount of money I gave them, and they have never had to ask my wife for money since. She has actually gotten money from them, as I made her insist that she be a 50% partner. She rarely takes a portion of the profits, but if something happened to me, I know she would have that security.

I have derived great satisfaction from witnessing this success, and her family have always treated me with a great deal of kindness, love and generosity. No doubt all of this has made my wife happy, and secure, and the entire process seems to have brought alot of pride to her family.

So, use your judgment. But, take your time, and really get to know her first, before investing anything. Many try to push the agenda. Don't work on their timeframe, but rather yours. Don't allow yourself to get pushed around. It is your hard earned money at stake here. There is no room for foolishness with an endeavor like this.

Don't do the investing in rice farms where you lend them money and they pay you 20% back for 3 years,then you can supposedely claim your capitol back,! they never have the capitol they are Thai,they spend the lot,2 the papers are in your wife's name,so you loose the lot when you split up[like i did],sounds to good to be true ,usually is,though i had to laugh when i found out my ex had only clawed back about 10,000 baht from the lot this year,low price and no rain,she will have to cut down on condoms for her waste of space Thai boyfriend.

Rice is single handedly the world's worst crop to grow. Just the very act of growing rice demonstrates a tremendous lack of creativity, and forward thinking. It is the crop that keeps the masses enslaved. It is a nice crop to eat. But a horrendous crop to grow. The profit margins are so minimal, that it ensures that one will remain poor for the rest of their lives.

Try more creative crops. Hydroponic herbs, exotic fruits, etc. But, not rice. Definitely not rice. All of the powers that be, want you to grow rice. It ensures that the masses remain poor, and enslaved.

And let us hope at some point in the future, the government shows the wisdom to remove the monopoly stranglehold that Bangkok Air holds over Samui. I realize that the company has spent money on the airport. But, a 30 year run is plenty. They had no business renewing the lease a few years ago. The land is not owned by Bangkok Air. The government can take back this concession anytime if it sees fit. It is amazing what a well placed lobbyist can achieve. Just ask Obama, or any politician in Thailand or the US about that.

Even the fact that they charge a $300 landing fee, for a private aircraft creates a deterrent. They operate this airport in a completely irresponsible manner. The government should take notice.

Ao Nang OrBorTor President Pankum Kittithonkun, who is also in charge of the island, explained to the Phuket Gazette that there was nothing that could be done."

​I have a suggestion. Remove this charlatan immediately. Replace him with someone who is competent, and a real leader. There are dozens of potential solutions. First, I propose using some of the hundreds of millions of baht in revenue to build a small waste treatment plant. If there is not a reasonable budget for that try a company like:

I don't like Trump. He's too arrogant and his style sucks IMO.

But seeing as these 2 (typical Republican politicians?) are bad-mouthing him, I'm taking a new look.

Maybe Trump IS the answer we are looking for, for change in Washington.

And yes, I do vote.

In response to these..

Sadly I think we're on the verge of a second civil war and the GOP realizes it.

The trump fans/ racist/ xenophobes will never accept defeat come November but if they win.. we can look forward to ethnic cleansing (the kind that was carried out by Hitler) and I'm not kidding about that.

Look at what he says in different pieces..

1. eminent domain to take lands,

2. blacks (BLM) are the enemy,

3. waterboarding,

4. mexicans,

5. asians,

6. walls,

7. deportation squads,

8. not being nice,

9. anchor babies not being citizens,

10. take take take for america.

11. killing families of enemies of America.

Connect the dots.

losing homes to eminent domain, deportations and waterboarding, etc. We've already had plenty of islamophobic assaults on people that weren't muslim or terrorists.

Do you really think they'll spare innocents or the constitution will matter to a guy like him running on cleansing America from undesirables such as _________ (fill in the blank.. pretty much).

A vote for Trump might haunt us more than a vote for the establishment. And they'll never have enough votes to impeach him once he becomes President. Romney realizes this and knows civil war is something no one wants except the nutjobs who want ethnic cleansing like the KKK and Trump is their champion.

Your assessment may not be far from reality. I like that he is shaking things up. I like that he is upsetting the GOP status quo. They sure needed that. But, I don't like him. I don't like anything about him, other than the fact that he is ruffling alot of feathers. I think alot of people are confusing the outsider status for a real, quality man. That he is not. Not on any level. He is a pig. He is a charlatan, a racist, a hater, a very disillusioned, sour, bitter man, and he is a hooligan. He will shake things up all right. But, the kind of shaking up that a country that is on the verge of becoming a vastly diminished shadow of it's former self does not need. He really could be the beginning of the end for the US, as a dominant power, in complete contrast to his BS about making the country great again. He could be the American version of the Western Roman emperor Romulus, who oversaw the fall of Rome, to Odaocer, the Barbarian. He could not make America great again if his life depended upon it. He does not have the leadership ability, the talent, the motivation, the tools, nor the skills. He has failed at many enterprises. He will fail at leading America. But, in the process of failing, he may wreck the nation. He is a very, very dangerous man. People do not know who he is. He has spent a small fortune rehabilitating his reputation with PR firms, who are filling the media with these glowing stories about him. They are all fake. Every last one of them. Nobody has ever called him fair, decent, honorable, reasonable, or kind, and meant it.

I do not like the alternatives. Cruz is scary too. But, Hillary is a $35 Little Rock street gal, and she is bought and paid for. However, considering the alternatives, I might have to hold my nose, and vote for her. Unless, of course Bloomberg decides to run at the last minute. I think he would win in a landslide, and I would certainly vote for him. Smart, less compromised, very capable, very well respected, and level headed. He would have respect from leaders worldwide. Trump would be the laughing stock of American. He would be scorned at every level. And deservedly so.

No matter if you like it or not, sadly, Thailand is not a safe place in general, if you can walk down a street in a popular tourist area with out getting robbed or killed, as in the case of the Australian lady who was stabbed in the heart for her handbag, just to mention one of hundreds of similar cases, then its not a safe place, for tourists.

When I lived in Thailand, I witnessed a young girl and her friends get gunned down, because the girl refused to have per-arranged marriage, my neighbor was stabbed in the neck by a bar girl because he wouldn't buy her a drink.

The only people smiling, where the perps.

In my experience most Thais a racist, religious zealots who are only interested in your money, not all but most.

Its not a safe place to visit and no one will ever guarantee your safety when in Thailand, the only thing that is nice in Thailand is the weather and the natural scenery

Are you actually living in Thailand while writing this? Or are you an armchair observer, writing from overseas, after visiting a couple of times? People are getting gunned down in the streets in the US. Black men are getting gunned down by cops on their way to see a movie in the states. Thailand is plenty safe, if you keep your nose clean, show some kindness and respect toward the Thai people, keep out of other people's business, drive with extreme caution, stay off the bungees and zip lines, stay away from the jet ski scumbags, and watch where you are walking! I feel infinitely safer here on a daily basis than I do in the US. The only thing that is nice here is the weather and the scenery? How does a reasonable and level headed person even respond to such nonsense?

Please alert us to this haven of safety you have found elsewhere.

The "Land of Smiles" thing is just a quaint holdover from earlier, happier, better times, now gone, most likely forever as once lost, these things can't be rebuilt. It's poetic, but entirely antiquated, much as some all-in expats would like to try & insist otherwise.

I sense that these kinds of statements are written primarily by ex-pats who have been here for a long time, and live in either Phuket, Samui, Pattaya, or Bangkok. The bigger cities and resort islands have a somewhat different lifestyle. Also, on the southern islands nearly all the local people (if that is what you want to call them, since most of the locals left long ago with the fortunes they made from selling their land) are terribly jaded, and have bad attitudes. And alot of people in the tourist industries are also jaded.

In the smaller towns, and in the provinces, most Thais I run into are very pleasant. Compared to the average person in the US, Europe, OZ, or NZ, they are positively delightful. I find most cheery, friendly, in good humor, and approachable. More than I can say for the West. I also find it has alot to do with what you put out there. If I am friendly, outgoing, smiling, and warm, people tend to treat me in much the same way here in Thailand. Not so in the west.

"I sense that these kinds of statements are written primarily by ex-pats who have been here for a long time, and live in either Phuket, Samui, Pattaya, or Bangkok."

... and you'd be wrong. But thanks for playing.

You miss the whole point. There was a time when you didn't have to go on safari into the hinterlands to find the "friendly Thais", as I doubt the majority of tourists would want to have to do now. Like the frog in the boiling water, some have been here continuously for so long, that they're actually oblivious to the downward spiral.

Some people are so open-minded they think they should give frog soup a try... Oh well, into the soup and out of the gene pool I guess.

A percentage of the population wakes up in the morning so constipated, or so determined to see ugliness, that it is difficult to see anything wonderful, lovely, positive, or worthy, about the average day, the place they have chosen to live, the people they are surrounded with, and the life they have chosen for themselves. The downward spiral? Of course things have changed. Things have changed all over the world. One could argue that the quality of life was better 20 or 30 years ago, nearly anywhere. But, what is the point of that argument? Where does it lead? What does it prove? In my opinion that argument is for the sentimentalists. The rest of us just get on with our lives, and extract all of the enjoyment, satisfaction, fulfillment, and humor out of each day.

The real argument that is worthy of engaging in, is the question of whether or not your life is better here, than there. We all have that choice. Most of us came from there, wherever that may have been. Some of us choose to live our lives here, because we know in our hearts how much better our lives are here. And some of us are fortunate to be been blessed with really good lives, and to love living here, and to love the people we interact with, and to love the people we are surrounded with. Some of us have created that reality. It is not a fiction we live. We have not chosen to bury our heads in the sand, and completely ignore the bizarre stuff that is going on. We see the murders, and the mayhem. But, I see that everywhere. Especially in my homeland, the US, which is falling apart from my point of view. But, some of us are not affected by the craziness here, on a daily basis. And some of us would argue that with the exception of alot of the stories that make it into the news, there is far less craziness here.

And I am not talking about a safari. I am talking about people I run into daily, whether it be Bangkok, Hua Hin, or elsewhere. A lot of delightful souls occupy this country. If you do not see that, I suggest you travel overseas, more often, and then make a comparison. I certainly have. What I found was very encouraging.

I am so sorry you are not enjoying your encounters here. My heart genuinely goes out to you.

Diaspora Jews are of course entitled to their opinions, whereas Jews in Israel can actually vote on Israeli government policy. Should any diaspora Jews feel strongly enough about Israeli politics they can always use their right of return and make Aliyah.

My own view is that Israeli Jews know what's best for their own security and should not jeopardize that by making decisions based on the desire of some diaspora Jews to avoid any heat due to their identity, especially as the right of return may be needed one day if Western politics shifts even further to the left.

Citizenship is not a requirement for expressing an opinion, especially with regards to a country people hold cultural, religious and familial ties to.

Blanket statements regarding Israeli Jews knowing better ignores the plurality of political opinions within Israel.

All very true, but Israelis are there in that rough neighborhood and American Jews are not. So American Jews lecturing Israelis about morality decisions is not likely to be taken very seriously. On the other hand, it wouldn't hurt for the diaspora to be appreciated more. Israel doesn't have all that many friends so it's smart to be nice to your friends.

Precisely my argument. Especially when that friend is giving you in excess of 3 billion dollars per year. For what in exchange? It is about Bibi and his cohorts not being able to control the extremist freaks. The orthodoxy in Israel puts the orthodoxy elsewhere to shame. We are talking about strict. Just some examples of how bizarre and extreme this community is.

For various reasons, in Israel, around half of their members do not work, and most of those who do are not officially a part of the workforce. Haredi families are usually much larger than non-Orthodox Jewish families with four, six, or even twelve children.

Haredi Jews are typically opposed to the viewing of television and films, and the reading of secular newspapers and books. There has been a strong campaign against the Internet and internet-enabled mobile phones without filters have also been banned by many leading rabbis. In May 2012, 40,000 Haredim gathered at Citi Field, a baseball park in New York City, to discuss the dangers of unfiltered Internet. The event was organized by the Ichud HaKehillos LeTohar HaMachane. Internet has been allowed for business purposes so long as filters are installed.

This is part of what the Israeli government is up against. How do you reason with people of this ilk?

Part of this issue has to due the continued US government support to Israel, which is huge. Will it continue, if the support amongst the more reform minded Jewish population within the US continues to wane? Some of us hope it will not continue. I myself, would like to see US support for Israel cut dramatically. They are doing quite well on their own, and do not need our help.

Total American aid to Israel since 1949 exceeds $121 billion (in non-inflation-adjusted dollars).

In 2007, President George Bush and Israel entered into a 10-year Memoradum of Understanding that would give Israel $30 billion in Foreign Military Assitance.

At the completion of this 10-year-plan in 2018, the U.S. will have given Israel $30 billion in unconditional military aid. The United States awards this grant in one lump sum, unlike other foreign recipients, which receive their payments in installments. Israel uses the interest it earns on this amount to pay down its debt to the United States, valued at $455 million in January 2013. In his March 2013 visit to Israel, President Barack Obama pledged to continue multi-year aid packages to Israel through 2028.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israel will be able to spend 26 percent of these U.S. funds on Israeli-manufactured military equipment. (This is known as Off-Shore Procurement.) This agreement, which is unique only to Israel, has allowed Israel to grow to be the world’s 7th largest exporter of military weaponry and equipment.

One can argue that visa policy for ex-pats in general should be liberalized. As long as we can prove we have the cash, and are a benefit to Thai society, why not? A lot of us are pumping significant amount of cash into the local economy. It would be a proactive policy. But, since when is any government in Thailand proactive, visionary, forward thinking, or wise?

And this is why all foreigners should read the writing on the wall that in this country when it comes

to dealing with the loco locals, one is advised to tread lightly, very lightly, one never knows the

popper looking guy next to you carrying a gun, as it was already established that those hot headed

idiots act first, and never think or care of the consequences....

Good advice, apply this when driving also as a bit of rage might get you shot,

maybe thats why Thais black out their cars windows, which also makes the cars dangerous as you can,t see much at all in the rear view mirrors.

Shooting sounds very similar to one a friend saw in a karaoke bar, 2 tables of Thais slinging it at each other , became louder over a bit of time, then one idiot pulled a gun and shot one of the Thai mens dead from his table.

Maybe the brother supplied him the gun, maybe he will get off with a plea of self defence as he thought the other guy was going to pull a gun and shoot him.

This country needs to introduce gun laws and make guns illegal , Thais should not be allowed to carry guns.

Gun are illegal here. Very illegal. But, when you have an incompetent and compromised police force nationwide, that does not really matter. As always, it depends on who is carrying the gun.

The above advice is good advice. In general, never, every pick a fight with a Thai man. Do so at your own peril. You just never know. The value of a life here is relatively low. And you cannot win the fight. If you beat him up you lose. And if he beats you up, or kills you, you and your family lose, big time. And you do not want to get in the middle of something, nor draw a target onto your own back, or head. So, be smart. Stay out of arguments, and don't provoke the locals. It is not worth it. Keep a low profile, and Thailand remains a safe place, for most of us.

I used to be a bit of a hothead on the road, but I realized there is no point. And the potential for danger is high. So, why allow myself to be provoked? It does require a lot of patience, as many Thai men are constantly doing things on the road which are childish, foolish, reckless, and crazy. But, I just let them do their thing, shake my head, keep my cool, and move on.

Spoken to a few Thais about this and it doesn't seem to compute. They seem to like him as an anchor and aren't concerned that he's a thief.

it's as if they've been desensitised by this behaviour and it's just the norm.

Thailand needs more (genuine and modest) role models.

Fascinating point, and well taken. But, where will these modest role models come from? Will anyone listen? Does anyone care? Where are the Buddhist saints and seers when you need them? Where are the philosophers? Where are the geniuses?

In the US, at least you have the example of a few giant men, who contribute fortunes to make society a better place. Guys like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Ted Turner, Chuck Feeney, Paul Allen, George Lucas, David Geffen, Larry Ellison, Michael Bloomberg, Mark Zuckerberg among many others, contribute fortunes to charity, and benefitting mankind. People see this, and it does set quite an example. Sure, they have vast fortunes, but I could name dozens, and dozens of gazillionaires who give very, very little, both here and in the US. How about Kobe Bryant? It is astonishing how little of his fortune he has given away. How about Tom Cruise? With the exception of his forced donations to Scientology, does he give much back? What about Trump? He is considered one of the most miserly billionaires in the world.

From 1990 through 2009, Trump has personally donated a total of just $3.7 million to his foundation, which was incorporated in 1987. In fact, the billionaire is not even the largest contributor to his own charitable organization.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/trump-least-charitable-billionaire-109247

Does Toxic Thaksin ring a bell? How about the other billionaires within Thailand? How much do they give? Do they set an example for their countrymen? So, who is going to step up? Hope some start seeing the light, and start manning up soon.

I could not agree more. Politics in the US has descended to the level where only the mediocre are interested in the office of president, congress, and the senate. We no longer have the possibility of highly intelligent and noble people like Bill Richardson or Bill Bradley leading that nation. The media is in too much of a frenzy, the campaign season is far too long, the money involved is insane, and ridiculous, and it is hard to get any traction without either selling out (Hillary) or telling hundreds of lies (Trump), or appealing to the lowest traits within mankind (Trump). Sanders may be a decent man, but his fiscal policies scare a lot of people (me included) and he is probably too decent for the office. It takes a monster, and an ape like Trump to win.

The "Land of Smiles" thing is just a quaint holdover from earlier, happier, better times, now gone, most likely forever as once lost, these things can't be rebuilt. It's poetic, but entirely antiquated, much as some all-in expats would like to try & insist otherwise.

I sense that these kinds of statements are written primarily by ex-pats who have been here for a long time, and live in either Phuket, Samui, Pattaya, or Bangkok. The bigger cities and resort islands have a somewhat different lifestyle. Also, on the southern islands nearly all the local people (if that is what you want to call them, since most of the locals left long ago with the fortunes they made from selling their land) are terribly jaded, and have bad attitudes. And alot of people in the tourist industries are also jaded.

In the smaller towns, and in the provinces, most Thais I run into are very pleasant. Compared to the average person in the US, Europe, OZ, or NZ, they are positively delightful. I find most cheery, friendly, in good humor, and approachable. More than I can say for the West. I also find it has alot to do with what you put out there. If I am friendly, outgoing, smiling, and warm, people tend to treat me in much the same way here in Thailand. Not so in the west.