TheGhostWithin

Hi Simon, this thread has been really interesting for someone just myself getting into the Khaen. I am very fortunate to be being helped to learn by someone who has learnt "by ear" but is taking the time to convert the notations into the chords for me and I thread the notes into the music. I am not someone that is musically inclined.. I grew up listening to rap music and instruments were for the "rich kids" (of which I was not one of them).

I am learning the khaen and finding that time spent by myself listening to the sounds the Khaen makes, and linking it with sounds I have heard on various videos and tutorials is making a difference.

Out of curiosity do you know the story of your new Khaen (which is not I would guess more than 1 year old?).

I bought a new Khaen recently as my original Khaen was not playing the high B note, which whilst my new Khaen was in transit began playing. Now that my new Khaen has arrived, I have noticed that the low C is not working and have read the only way to resolve this is to take the Khaen apart and adjust the reed this way which I am very nervous about doing.. the cost of postage here exceeded the cost of even the instrument.

^ Yeah, I buy a case and hangout with the local Motosai Taxi riders every Friday night.

Real Thailand.

Real respect.

Last time the GF and I had an argument in TH together we were staying in Sukhumvit for ease of access.. I walked out and got drunk with a motosai taxi driver on the corner of Soi 10 whilst we both had a moan in Thai about the red shirts taking business and disrupting the "sabai sabai" attitude of Bangkok! Ha ha, the best ever!

I can recommend "Farang Connection" as previously mentioned here also, near to the bus station and Majestic Grande hotel. Speak good English and made me the best Larb I had that far south in Isaan.. really great. Not expensive either.. They have quite a big menu if you do not like Larb (it is pretty much all I eat in Thailand because I love it so much). When I was there the staff were all Thai, which is really nice in that part of town.

You can also ask the locals in Surin, the Farang in Surin seemed a lot friendlier than other locals around Isaan, open to pointing me in the right direction and asked for nothing in return.

Hope that you love Surin as much as I did Colin (assuming you are visiting rather than living there already), it reminded me of aspects of Thailand I love which are so hard to find now. The only thing missing is a major mall, so you will need to travel between places to get the things you need, be prepared for that

Yes, and this is probably the sole reason she has remained the PM after countless dramas and snubs of her own cabinet, responsibilities as PM and to her own people. This is where Thai people need to choose for themselves if they want a leader that looks good in Fendi or actually knows how to ensure their financial future as a country will be bright and ensure that everyone will have the opportunity to share in the generated wealth. This is not Thailand as it currently stands, and it appears Thais do for the most part find more joy in watching a woman (supposedly) good looking in Fendi than being allowed to hope to come from the bottom of the barrels of society to the top.

This was the dream of which many a country was founded on (most famously the US), and until recently was a very real opportunity for those willing to take smart, calculated risks.

You are probably correct about "a bigger badder bulldog" but what I asked was what would the protestors gain from YL's resignation?

Apologies, I should have outlined things a little clearer. YLs resignation would give PTP a stronger leader with the respect of the public. This is something that neither PTP nor YL have. She has no credibility in terms of respectability nor honesty with 99% of those who she matters to. She has provided poor leadership and inspiration to those she could really have made a difference to, including many red shirt supporters who desire a stronger leader and understand this is the key to maintaining the PTP stranglehold on the Thai political environment.

Talking about impeachment and other methods of removing heads of government is interesting but how relevant is it to effecting change of government?

It is not unusual for a Prime Minister to resign eg Thatcher (unwillingly) and Blair in the UK. Both governments continued despite protests from the opposition.

So if Yingluck decided to bite the bullet and devote her time to more feminine pursuits, what would these protestors gain?

Probably a bigger, badder bulldog in the form of the "Yaopawa".. tougher than a ghetto soldier on the streets of Kabul.

Sometimes it is better to ignore the enemy understanding what it will become if it survives the attack wounded and returns with purpose and understanding. Let the confused beast wander endlessly.

The "red" demo was peaceful and short lived, the yellow mafia are planning to disrupt matters until an elected government (unlike the democrats who stole power with an UNLAWFUL coop) steps down - that could be an awful lot of disruption! As for playing fair don't you think that the democrats will steal power again if they get the chance? Let's face it, it's the only way that they could get to power as they (and their yellow shirt mafia friends) don't have a hope in hell's chance of actually legally winning an election. As a matter of fact I doubt if the word legal is even in their dictionaries!

Thanks Brian, but there seems to be some confusion over the recent "protests" by the Red Shirts and as to if it was disruptive or not. I have to ask, when you were a working man (assuming you are far too wealthy to work now), would you have found frustration and anger if you could not go to work, or possibly run your business, because a group of people had unlawfully blocked the streets with their own barricades they had their own security services enforcing that protest-related only vehicles enter? Would you also find frustration in the fact that you lived in a country which was less kinder to its' citizens than we may be used to, and that even if your business was burnt down that the government which you pay taxes to would not protect you from damage to property nor loss of income as a result of the above?

Brian, you also seem to have experienced a little confusion over who holds the power in Thailand. Thailand has been overseen by the Police and the Military as the rightful protectors of the King, and only in recent times have politicians been considered in any way to hold "sway" over control of the Kingdom. I remind you that no matter how much money politicians in Thailand have, and no matter how many Police are in the pockets of the corrupt politicians, the army as more than enough bullets and shells to quell any rebellion.

But they also understand it would be a Pyrrhic victory as it is ultimately the people who must decide if they wish to be slaves of shadow kings with self serving ideals or if they wish to exist in the modern world ready to take their piece of the huge gains the Kingdom has made financially in the past 30 years. One path guarantees poverty through historical performance under the same leadership, the other gives (but not guarantees) hope of a better life for ALL Thais.

I looked into this and am catching the bus up instead. I really like meeting the locals on the bus, I love the Thai countryside. I dislike waiting in airports and the Air Con on-board the plane does funny things to my skin which takes a week to recover from (no, I am not gay, just particular).

The bus ride is very easy to navigate, as us Farang are always there on the buses so don't think you might get stranded somewhere with nobody to help you. Just make sure you book a first class bus unless you really love the "normal" Thai experience. I try to avoid it if I can as those non-First Class buses tend to take a lot longer to get to Vientiane (the holdup being the Bangkok-Udon Thani leg).

You will need to get a single bus from Bangkok to Udon Thani, changing buses at Udon Thani to take you to Vientiane. I have contacts in Udon if you need help they can get times etc for you. A friend also owns a backpackers there if you need somewhere clean to rest your head for 150 baht or so a night (I may be slightly off on pricing but not far off).

Where are those police who worked on the war on drugs? They knew how to get results.

so shooting people in the back is a result, thought that's why the police and Army are there to stop.

They were shot from all directions in the jungles of the south, and they were not innocent drug users that lost their lives in the South. The war against drugs was successful in the south because it targeted the importers and distributors, not the end user. If there was less product, there were less people becoming addicted due to lack of supply and higher price.

The problem in the South now really is about drugs, as the activities of the army have been restricted so much by the government and their political jockeying that active operations are now far less frequent on the border. This means that Malaysian militant organisations operate with impunity from Malaysia in dealing with local Thai militant movements such as those being negotiated with at the moment by the government to smuggle people, drugs and weapons over both borders.

Why are the Malaysians not arresting militants which the Thais know for a fact reside in hiding in Malaysia, fleeing after committing their acts, only to return later to do the same thing again? Why do the Malaysians not have their army working on the border as the Thais have? Why are there virtually no drugs seizures on the Malaysian side of the border? The answer is that they realise that while they sit there and do nothing, non-Muslims will fight the war against their "miscreants" and die for them, and fund the resistance. There are also elements within the Malaysian government which questionably support the militant movement along the border, as it would be easier for Malaysia to have an openly Muslim state along their borders than a well armed, well trained and combat exposed, politically unstable non-Muslim neighbor with touchy past relations.

Democracy allows an elected government (note elected) to complete the term for which it was elected!

Correct Brian, but it also in principal allows peaceful, non-disruptive protest without fear of violence or being silenced. The basis of democracy also assumes that post election, all parties will be treated in a fair and equal way. This has clearly not happened in Thailand since the election of PTP into government for the current term.

Within the past few days supposedly thousands of Red Shirt "protesters" (coined by the media and government, not by the people) blocked major roadways, setting up stages and roadblocks, imposing their own security forces and allegedly selling and distributing weapons within the protest. The described protest is exactly the kind of protest which would immediately be disbursed in other DEMOCRATIC countries first through legal means and if this failed then imposed eviction by the Police.

A few hundred protesters in a park is nothing new in Bangkok (there were protesters visible when I first visited Thailand in 1999, and there have been protesters on every trip since) but they have generally always been tolerated by the government. This is the first government which is actively attempting to rout the entire opposition political movement by using their time to actively harass them, rather than spending their time doing what they were DEMOCRATICALLY elected by the PEOPLE to do. Governing means leading by example, not annihilating your opposition so that they do not have the capacity to campaign against the opposition and their good/bad decisions.

I thought the red shirts were supposed to be violent. Why didn't it kick off?

The government has already abused their power sufficiently to weaken its' opponents (including the army and resisting groups within the Police, including DSI) sufficiently that they are no longer a threat against them achieving the single minded goal in which the entire red shirt (and consequent PTP party) movement is based upon: a very wealthy single mans' drive to ensure a return to power, ensuring his financial position is restored fully, and that friends who assist him gain positions of high power and influence in return. As a result of this all those who oppose will be punished severely as we have seen the PTP throw law suit after law suit after criminal accusation at the Democrats, the weakening of the army through financial restrictions, public humiliation and forced demotion and retirement of openly resistant voices.

If there is no-one to resist, then there is no reason for violence. It is the same as being at a feminists rights movement meeting and asking why the feminists are not beating down on the main in the room, when the only man in the room is locked in the closet and can't get out.

A bit of a revelation. I was in the process of initiating a relationship with Bloomberg. Though I am a small-time user, it makes me wonder if this could be used to provide advanced data to major banks (e.g. Goldman Sachs) to bet against us and profit as they have so many times in the past.

Although their services may benefit me greatly, how they use data which is created through my usage is not. Appears Bloomberg has something to answer for.

To me, LB's aren't that much different from other people. You have the good, the bad (oh, yeah,and the ugly), but the same can be said for "straights" as well. Through my Thai wife, I've met some who are very decent, good people. But have also met a few I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw them. I can also say the same thing about a lot of falang I know as well.

However, the owner of the club has the right to exclude them from entry if he wants. His club, his rules, whether you agree with them or not. Although I can see the possibility of someone filing a 'discrimination" law suit against him at some point.

I have a 16 yr old TomBoy who used to live across the street from me with his drop dead gorgeous sister, who is a mia noi for rich BKK business man. Very handsome, would make a beautiful girl, and absolutely one of the best, nicest people I know. He calls me "Daddy" or "Father", comes to have me help him with English, or just come to visit when he can. Funny, smart, polite, and genuinely nice person. He/she has gone out to dinner with my wife and I a few times, and when he introduces me to his friends, he tells them I am his father.

A few months back I was seriously sick from a back injury. He came every day to try and help me & my wife. A few times even turning down requests from his g/f to come be with her, telling her that if she wanted to see him/her, that she would have to come to my house, because he could not leave me alone without someone here to help me even get out of bed to go to the bathroom.

I learned a long time ago not to judge people by their gender, race, etc, but only judge them as to how they are with me.

I would tend to agree with you Just1Voice, but for a few points:

A much higher percentage (from my own observations) of crime is committed on the streets of Thailand by Ladyboys. Particularly young ladyboys. The older ladyboys seem to be less of a problem. I have seen a large number of attacks on mostly foreigners by ladyboys, all being ladyboys under 30 years old dealing with a drunk foreigner or one that does not know how to deal with aggressive behavior. You either walk away, and if you cant, you get just as aggressive back and hope you are not the one that comes off second best.

Secondly, if we did not discriminate, our world would be a much more dangerous place. For the past several years our countries have been fighting a war against radical Islam, against those who would see us fall into the abyss simply because our belief system is different. By establishing which groups are responsible generally for wanting to attack us (MOSTLY Islamist groups who practice certain schools of Islam, particularly Wahabi and Salaafi Islam) our governments are able to concentrate their limited resources against this group to affect a greater result against the source of the problem.

I believe the issue is being poorly dealt with here, by simply "banning all lady boys". How about letting them in, but having security and under cover Police catching them in the act, photographing them, who they leave with etc.. and then when complaints arise nabbing them the next week? This would take a bit of work but would be the fastest approach do remove or slow down a very long standing problem in Bangkok.

How much did they pay to get unshackled?

Nice try. I see that you would love to jump on board the immensely popular "accuse all them Thais of corruption" wagon. How many of those poor frigging losers do you actually think have deep pockets!? 500 payoffs yet.

Great point, but it could be used for something more sinister. Turning from "unshackling" to "government pardons" of mutual convenience. Imagine this: Hi Somchai, we are looking at an early release for you under the government pardon scheme, but Sombat also is in the same situation as you, so we cannot decide who to release first. What can you offer to our red shirt movement, or directly to the Shinawatra dynasty being the ruling party, to get you out ahead of Sombat?

It sounds far fetched, but is not that much more out of this world than the things we read about happening to us as foreigners in district police stations every day. It sets a dangerous precedent, the government having the right to overrule the courts of justice and their intentions. No matter who is in power.

We are speaking about shackles and about death row, some of your comments are inappropriate.

May I ask whose posts you are referring to? This would make your comment easier to respond to by those you are addressing

/SNIP/ "However, Justice for Peace Foundation chairwoman Angk-hana Neelaphaijit said this scheme only favoured certain groups of inmates and for it really to work, it should be applied to inmates shackled in other prisons as well.

/SNIP/

One of the TRCT's proposals has already been put into practice, with political detainees or red-shirt protesters arrested in 2010 being moved to detention facilities.

/SNIP/

At least someone in the article says it how it is. Downgrading the punishments of politically motivated acts of arson and various other issues on the birthday of the man who funded the movement and openly encouraged the acts whilst hiding behind a webcam in Dubai at the time is an absolute outrage and open discrimination against the political opposition. This is an indirect act repressing equality between political parties and their respective activist groups.

There are those in the yellow shirt camps who perhaps should be being punished alongside the red shirt members who acted as terrorists, but nobody should be getting lighter punishments handed to them long after being judged. It is for the courts to decide the path of a criminal once they are in the hands of the justice system, not a politician, not even a Shinawatra with the latest shoes from Italy.

His name was Guenther...the guy was 70, for f sake. It was his time to go anyway. I wouldn't like Udon Thani filled with walking corpses of my fellow Austrian country men anyways, or would you?

It might sound a little harsh, I know. But 70? Come on?

He probably is reborn already as a Thai girl, who will become a notorious Bargirl, to take revenge on all western men, or that's at least what I pray for (secretly), when my wife drags me into the village temple.

I think that the tragedy is that Gunther went at the hands of someone that took the right to live away from him, yet the same courtesy will probably not be given to her. Say may even benefit financially as a direct result of his death through interference of his assets (inside, and maybe even outside Thailand). It is important that articles like this come out so we all understand that your little angel may have the devil inside, and tomorrow you might be having a brew with Gunther too. It is important to do our best to position ourselves away from harms way, greedy people, and the criminal elements of Thailand. Unlike most of our homes, any establishment of protection mechanisms (you call them mafias at home) to protect ethnic minorities are quickly stamped out here. We, as the white men, as the chocolate men, are the easy pickings.

No prejudice against Thailand. Obviously I am here now, but I wish I had these rules before. Love is one thing. Marriage is another thing. Legal systems around the world are prejudiced against men (except Arabic cultures).

Love each other, live together, be happy. Do not put a noose around your or her neck by way of Legal marriage. Do not waste time, money etc. in case things go sour. If she insists - she has a reason.

The Thailand specifics is - you are a Farang, she is Thai. In terms of your rights here you are less than a soi dog (it is Thai). If you really love her you can always secure her future without marriage. Maybe even your happiness will last longer this way. Who knows? Once again, if she insists - be careful! And have a happy life!

Thanks for that, I though maybe you knew something which made getting married in Thailand worse if things end than getting married in the west. We have a law here in New Zealand, that if I am in a relationship with a woman for 2 years she has the right to half of my assets.. she does not need to marry me to take half of my assets, only stic with me for 2 years. If you dare leave a girl between this time, and do it too many times, you risk being labelled a "dirty" man.

Being an old man I have three rules to follow:

1) Never gamble with money you cannot lose.

2) Never give what you cannot afford or not prepared to walk away from.

3) Never get legally married in Thailand. You both can be happy without the noose around your neck.

And I always follow these rules now.

Wish I had them before

ABCer, can I ask what your issue with point number 3: getting married (specifically in Thailand) is?

I am looking at this situation at the moment, and feel it may be safer than in my home country. Laws here allow my girlfriend to take 50% of everything I own if we marry here, even if she contributed nothing and I paid an allowance (which I do not), in the case of things going sour. The law here is very skewed to assist those who are financially weaker. In our case currently, it is her. I care for her very much but am a dooms day planner.. this way whatever happens which is better than the worst case is always a bright patch for me.

You hit the nail on the head that is the point... older guy wants young wife.. wife wants money (and will try to cope with the old guy) . Sometimes it works.. sometimes it ends up like this.

Or is the problem that we as western men fail to account for the fact that we are entering a class based society, in which the only hope of class advancement is seen as through a western man for those at the bottom? Is it that we fail to account for this and therefore accept those that approach us, instead of making a serious search, dating women that work for banks, that own restaurants and hotels, that work in government departments? Most would consider these ladies as "boring", and not fun or crazy like ladies from the bar. It is this lack of understanding which can often be the first guarantee of future relationship failure. It is also a fact that those whom are educated are less likely to commit violent crime - this rule transcends global society.

My girlfriends parents are both civil servants (I was very lucky to find her) and she has a university education. I have pushed her to her limits under stress to see if she will attack me, and she did not. It was not a nice thing to do but it was important - it would be stupid to invest my future in someone who cannot control themselves.

As foreigners, are we a group that is trying to repair the boat at the bottom of the ocean so that we do not have to spend our time to get the nice new floating boat basking in the sun? I believe many are. I once was.

"subject of ridicule in the Thai internet community" ??

Can't see what the fuss is about - perhaps it is just being taken in the wrong context.

Maybe it should be used in a new "Visit Thailand" tourist campaign instead - show it on Chinese TV?

They thought the white man were a horny bunch.. wait until you get a busload of Chinese tourists rocking up to Soi Cowboy looking for the girl in the video.. lady drinks on tap!

He should seek treatment in a mental facility.

You wouldn't put the old parents through so much worry unless you're depressed or got something to hide from them.

Yes, he's either mental or extremely uncaring and inconsiderate.

I'd say it's you that's extremely uncaring and inconsiderate. Why else would you call someone mental when you don't even know them? Says a lot about you.

Agreed. I do not have the best relationship with my immediate family on my mothers side (I do not know my father), and often talk with my girlfriend about us returning to Thailand and breaking ties with them. My family have made it very clear that there will be no emotional nor financial reward to an ongoing relationship with them. So sometimes it feels better than breaking off the relationship than the day to day pain you get knowing that you are not really wanted as much as you would like to be. Maybe he has a similar issue. Maybe not.

But as another member stated it is best not to judge someone until you understand the situation they have been put in, or the situation they have put themselves in.