spidermike007

This guy is good for news for Thailand. Another young one, who is really trying to make a difference. Thaopipob Linjittkorn, or Thao as he is more popularly known, a lawyer and homebrewer, was very publicly arrested in 2017 for making beer. He used that publicity to win an election to Parliament in 2019, along with 80 other members of the Future Forward Party. This progressive, pro-democracy party included in its platform a detailed plan to deregulate the beer industry, as well as a proposal for the legalization of marijuana, citing both as ways of putting money into the pockets of small businesses and local farmers. The opposition that Future Forward was up against is a military-backed, hardline government that supports the duopoly with strict regulations that allow it to control over 99% of Thailand’s estimated 180 billion baht ($5.8 billion) beer industry. The duopoly was originally made untouchable with the first Thai Liquor Control Act in 1950, a law which has been amended several times since to push legality even further out of reach of any small brewer. Prayuth's administration has done much to reinforce the isolationist and nationalistic policies that Phibul established in the 1940s and ’50s, and has called again and again for citizens to display a certain level of “Thainess,” which the PM defines in part as unquestioning loyalty to the government. Do not be disobedient! For small breweries, it requires production of at least 100,000 liters (852 barrels) but no greater than 1,000,000 liters (8,520 BBLs), and stipulates that all beer must be sold on the premises. At the same time, the minimum amount for an industrial license was increased from one million liters to 10 million liters (85,200 BBLs) per year, as well as requiring that the brewer demonstrate available capital of at least 10 million baht ($320,000). Just to make sure small brewers were thoroughly intimidated, the rewrite also increased inflated penalties. Fines were increased from their original, almost quaint 200 baht ($6) for possession of bootleg alcohol to 10,000 ($300). For actually brewing without a license, fines were increased from 5,000 baht ($150) to a range of 50,000–100,000 baht ($1,600–$3,200), plus jail time. Reporting in 2017, It is estimated that in order to meet the new regulations, a brewer would need to have a billion baht—around $30 million—in start-up capital. For some, craft beer is associated with anti-establishment politics. “It’s very similar to the French Revolution, which started from a cafe in Paris, where people drank coffee,” says Taopiphop. “The fuel of the revolution is not coffee any more, it’s craft beer.” Taopiphop adds that, after the 2014 coup in Thailand, many pro-democracy activists chose to meet in Bangkok’s craft beer bars. If only the younger Thais were allowed to express themselves, be inventive, be creative, be industrious, and use their smarts and ambition, Thailand could have a future. Craft beer is needed here, and so are the young entrepreneurs. But, that future appears to have been suppressed at every turn by dinosaurs, who only answer to money, money, and even more money. Money is the God of lesser men. The money first attitude is holding back Thailand on so many levels. Now, perhaps guys like this one, and heroes like Pita can begin to reverse the retrograde politics and corruption. Just maybe.

Yes. And it is precisely why I did not suggest locking him up. Some insects cannot be reformed. They are what they are. Some men are broken to the point of not being able to fix. Some are simply irreparable.

That study may be quite skewed and inaccurate, as they more or less admit. They also admit the vaccines were not very beneficial against Omicron. Tallguyinbangkok is going to have a heart attack when he reads this. The combination of high vaccination rates and mitigation measures in Massachusetts meant that not many people got infected with delta and therefore fewer people died, he said. But those same preventive tactics may not have been sufficient against the extremely contagious omicron variant, Hanage said. (Studies have shown that two doses of a Covid vaccine provide minimal protection against omicron infection, though a booster shot is able to restore some of that protection.)

Party time. Once you get divorced, it is time to celebrate. My divorce was one of the smartest things I ever did, and I celebrated for 2 years afterwards! If it is not working, it is time to move on!

True. HOA fees are skyrocketing like most things in the US. Buy a home. Far better.

I urge this simple minded man to consider asking all breweries to shut down too. They are responsible for far more deaths, injuries and catastrophic incidents, than ganga. Perhaps he should try get high. At least he would then have some knowledge of the crusade he is foolishly leading.

Would you care to break down the number of deaths from Delta vs Omi? Big difference. I am not a reckless man. But, I had Omi, and it was a nothing burger.

You are right. If you don't own a home in the US, you are up the creek. If you own a home that is paid for, it is easier to live anywhere, including a country that over charges for simple stuff like having a toilet fixed for $200, or a wine cooler repair for $500.

I would expect nothing less than an alarmist reply from you. I think most of us are finding your fear and panic rather boring.

I think even if you have not been vaccinated, if you are healthy, you are not likely to suffer much from these newer, weaker, more feeble variants.

I sometimes think a public execution for the disrespectful, worthless thug like this would be appropriate. After all, it is likely not even his mother would miss him.

"Talk low, talk slow, and don't talk too much." “I’m responsible only for what I say, not what you understand." "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." “Always walk with your head held high. Look everybody straight in the eye. Never double-cross a pal.”

If it were myself, or any member of my family, I would not have difficulty tracking down this creep. And he would spend the rest of his life paying for this, in an unbelievably painful, and humiliating fashion. No holds barred. You commit a crime like this, you flee the scene, and all bets are off.

We knew this would happen. Why on earth would the US risk letting the Thai armed forces assist China and the super heinous CCP gain new technology? Neither the Thai military nor their Master Xi, can be trusted, on any level.

After reading this again, I cannot but help come to the conclusion we are all being baited. I know some men will allow themselves to be abused to no end. Will Smith is a great example of a man who is so lost, so devoid of self esteem, so emasculated, that he has allowed his life to degenerate into a pale shadow of what it should be, partially by staying with a dragon queen, that abuses him to no end. If this is real, he deserves neither sympathy, nor a reply with any sort of advice, other than get a life, and leave her behind.

Abhisit was not even a decent PM last time. Why is he a candidate for anything of significance?

You are unlikely to get much sympathy here. Most of us would have said <deleted> off the first time he asked. You cannot feel put upon or disrespected, if you are treating yourself with high regard. You are not, by helping this sluggard. So all this is on you.

Nope. No protection here. I would wear a mask to protect against Bubonic plague. Not covid. Certainly not the recent, weak, pathetic variants. Not afraid of the flu. Fear does not rule my life.

I go back to the US often. I am astonished at how high the prices are, on so many things. Anything labor related is stupid expensive. A simple lunch for two is $30 to $70 at a casual spot. Inflation is out of control there. I don't care if I am doing a disservice by speaking truth.

Whatever you do, don't ever question the narrative.

Correct. Except Mexico. They seem to have totally defied the world order, the IMF, or whoever was behind this shutdown stupidity. Their economy thrived and is still doing well. Growth was 3.9% this past quarter. Few jobs were lost. Why the rest of the world marched willingly, lock step into economic chaos is anyone's guess.

Correct. What we witnessed was an abomination. There was an agenda, no doubt, and it was heinous. And now, rather than mankind showing it's better nature, we are seeing generational gouging, with silly stuff like supply chains and supply and demand, being used as an excuse. It is simple gouging. It is an opportunity for historic profiteering. It is grotesque. And we call ourselves an advanced species?

After 9 years of turning Thailand from the once great tiger of SE Asia, into a whiny, sickly, anemic alley cat, and nearly destroying the entire tourism industry, with highly selective, draconian shutdowns, favoring his cronies, and crushing the common man, and other extremely foolish policies, he is now giving advice to investors. It would be like asking Nicolas Cage for financial advice. Or asking Chuwit how to deal with the failed war on drugs. Or asking Justin Bieber for advice on nuclear fusion technology. Or asking Xi for advice on human rights. Or asking Trump how to demonstrate integrity while getting rich. Prayuth is a failure. He fails at everything he touches. Thankfully, this charlatan is on his way out, heading toward utter oblivion, and the waste basket of tragic history.

When you start promoting clothing as a cultural heritage thing, you are essentially admitting your nation and culture are not having much impact on the world. Which is OK. Just be comfortable with that, and stop forcing the issue. "In shallow men the fish of little thoughts cause much commotion. In oceanic minds the whales of inspiration make hardly a ruffle".

If a man asks that question, there is likely nothing I can say that will have much impact on your mind. It is like asking what is the difference between farmed Thai prawns, and wild Deep sea Cardinal prawns? Or what is the difference between pollock and blue fin tuna? Prime meat, or seafood is hard to describe, but you know it when you see it!