pisico

Two days ago when it was first reported on Thai Visa, there were some "bright minds" praising the 5 bullets to the head of the carjacker criminal as "pretty good shooting by the police".

This was my posting that day:

"I hope I am never a hostage to a criminal. I would hate to be shot in the stomach by the police.

Does this say anything about the training (if any) and/or procedures of the Police in such cases?

Anyone with a sane answer, please, post it for the benefit of all.

Thanks! :jap:"

After watching the video of the policeman being rammed by the commandeered car it was obvious that good intentions need good judgement. Good judgement to a large degree, is the result of adequate and consistent training.

But, if most of the police are in the forse as a result of purchasing the position or political favors, this is sadly the result of such situations.

Expect more of the same, or worse, until there is a 180 degree change in direction of the country that calls itself the Land of Smiles.

"Police started shooting at the car as it headed toward the Victory Monument roundabout until it came to a stop. Police then dashed over and pulled the hostage out of the back seat. The suspect was reportedly shot dead at 11.30am. The doctor sustained a bullet wound in her stomach, but was declared stable after surgery at Rajvithee Hospital nearby."

I hope I am never a hostage to a criminal. I would hate to be shot in the stomach by the police.

Does this say anything about the training (if any) and/or procedures of the Police in such cases?

Anyone with a sane answer, please, post it for the benefit of all.

Thanks! :jap:

Xenophobia. That is the key to this issue; not economics or humanitarian principles.

"Military should not be allowed to interfere in foreign policy"

This headline rings true in a democratic country.

I would add one more item to it: "or determine".

Dear Supalak, I hope this headline does not result in a knock on your door at 3 AM.

Who the ***k wants to drink foreign pish??..

Draught LEO is the answer, 35 Baht a glass at our local.

Beer is a falang invention.

Start drink Lao Khaoo instead.

No it is not. It was first made in Egypt around the year 1,500 BC. It was a sour beer that they liked very much.

Pilsner, it is a type of beer created in the former Czechoslovakia.

Good, if the police don't do their job properly lets hope the civil court does.

We surely should all understand, that if this case involved the everyday Somchai.....he would have been imprisoned for some time. That's where she belongs. I say, proceed with the civil suit and criminal charges.

Remember: this country has the best law that money can buy.

If the military's function is to protect and defend the country why the announcement was not made by the PM?

In such case, that would clearly indicate that in fact, as sluggish and imperfect that it is, there is an attempt to Democracy in Thailand.

The military, telling Thais (the people they are supposed to defend, not control) that "There will not be a coup" says it all.

So, who is the boss when the minister said he will consult with the military (not the cabinet, and not the parliament).

If the military have their choice, it would be downtown Bangkok for the Indonesian observer team.

"Now, let me see 99... who or what made possible for this administration to be in power?"

"Hum, the Indonesian government?"

"Looks like Chaos' work Max, doesn't it?"

I am shocked, I am shocked that there is graft in Thai hospitals! (Only in hospitals?)

Round up the usual suspects!

"massive casualties on both sides"?

Really?

In an educational environment where schools will cancel at least 25% of their classes per semester in favour of Nationalistic and ceremonial activities, where assessment and attribution are an absolute farce, where class sizes can easily reach up to 50 and where how you look is more important than what you teach, the 83.000 baht 'white elephants' will have no impact. Reform does not commence with teachers, its starts with the Ministry and school directors!

The Ministry of Education follows what a culture of centuries determines.

Thailand is a hub of hubs.

Thais in general have no notion of the planet on which they live. European culture, geography and literature are dark areas they do not dare explore. South America is a part of the world they are not interested in knowing because they speak a non-Farang language they cannot relate to.

It is not polite to complain.

It is not polite to question anything, much less authority.

Foreigners are not to be trusted (Mr. Suthep recently publicly confirmed it).

Anything non Thai cannot be as good. Etc, etc.

The Singaporean model has been there just around the corner and yet, Thailand is still in the throws of the Third world in terms of mental attitudes.

I studied Russian in Kiev, capital of Ukraine. My teacher was from Moscow and she spoke not a word of English. We were prodded by her on a daily basis to speak the few words and/grammar we absorbed every day we were in class. We were taken to environments where we had to interact with Russian students.

Fast forward to Thailand. Thai teachers just talk and talk and allow little room for interaction on any subject they teach. Thai teachers are not interested in making their work more challenging by having to manage an interactive classroom. They are ceremonial and perfunctory as a whole. They just do the bare minimum acceptable within the system. There may be exceptions but exceptions do not make a rule.

Unfortunately, schools, private businesses and government establishments take a cue from the policies advocated in Thailand.

Double pricing system, fueling nationalism that only serves to isolate the mind, to mention only two of the most egregious examples.

I want Thailand to prosper. I can understand the reasons for the proposed high salary to native English speaking teachers. These are the same reasons that compel Indian software developers and engineers to migrate to Germany and the USA. A better salary and higher living standards.

Thais are certainly not inferior to other humans in the world. If guided and schooled properly they can be innovators and make this country prosper in dramatic ways.

But if Thailand does not try to at least to copy the Singaporean model, this country will continue being a LOS (a blithering marketing label-ploy of the TAT) on paper and have their citizens carry cell phones and ideas from the time of King Narai.:jap:

Global Warming?

The new mantra is Climate Change.

Thailand must prove with scientific data without the shadow of a doubt that developed nations affected Thailand.

Thailand must clearly show the extent and nature of those damages and a clear provenance of the detriment.

Said damages, if they are proven and verified, must also be appraised and apportioned.

Other than that, it is the same old song of throwing guilt at the developed countries.

Up until recently, Brazil begged for money and privileges from the USA. Finally, it became apparent that Brazil is energy self sufficient, that is the biggest exporter or beef, coffee, sugar, oranges and it even builds most of the private jets flown all over the world. Nevertheless, President Lula tried guilt on Bush to shake him down for all the damages that we had done to the Brazil.

FYI Thailand is also known internationally as the Asian Detroit.

The Thai military position is that, if they allow a 3rd party to "observe" (whatever that means) negotiations, then they are legitimising further involvement by this 3rd party.

Remember, Thailand feels they have been stung by foreigners drawing up Thai borders and Cambodian squatters, regardless of whether the Thai history books are based on truth or fiction.

Foreigners stung Thailand? Are you talking about the Japanese who walked all over Thailand, set up barracks, training and concentration camps for a long, long time?

Cambodians never did that to Thailand.

It is obvious in the immortal words of Oberkommando, "the tail wags the dog."

My apologies to the dogs of the world.

What you need to do is to give all Thais, regardless of their rank or status, a decent education. It might mean that the rich will only be as rich next year as they are this year but it will delay or even prevent the eventual bloodbath.

How might one define a "decent education"?

Start by erasing Xenophobia first.

Its a shame Thailand couldnt make proper 3G because they fighting over money...

Fighting over bribes.

I do find it strange that I know so many intelligent Thais, yet so few of the intelligent Thais seem to make a career of politics. They leave politics to the mentally challenged and laws such as this come about as a result.

It is a fact that there are at any given time 40,000 to 60,000 young Thai women advertizing their availability for marriage to Western men on the various Internet websites for couples to meeting on. Most of the profiles of these women read that they are seeking an older man, some even type in Western man over the age of 50 or even 60. So I do not think it is proper to call these ladies innocent victims, they know what they want and they actively seek the older man.

Now speaking of victims, almost all of the women who meet an older man on-line through these sites convince the man to come to Thailand to meet them. Once the new law is in place this could reverse because the women who do seek to be married will know they can't do it in Thailand. The result will be thousands of men who would have come to Thailand, spending an average of 100,000 baht each will not be coming here to bless Thailand with their money. Loss to the Thai economy would be in the billions of baht each year. Another loss will be to the Thai banking system where tens of thousands of Western men currently keep their 400,00 baht.

Next; young Thai women would be compelled to make an overseas trip to meet their beloved man because they can't be married here. Keep in mind that currently the man comes to Thailand and if that man turns out to be less than advertised or some sort of an abuser, the woman can walk away. But if she has been forced by her governments silly laws to take the risk of meeting a stranger overseas, the opportunity for walking away if very limited and the opportunity for unscrupulous men in foreign countries to force these ladies into something bad such as sex slavery or worse will be greatly increased.

Yes, it is sad that Thai women seem to want the older Western men for husbands but sadder still that the government wants to blunder in to legislation a law that will put these women at an even greater risk.

An unscientific opinion poll.

All the Thai women of different ages that I have met in this country in a 4 year span have a chief complaint about Thai men: they treat them as chattels.

The young Thais are the ones that are the most aggressive and uncaring.

Very amusing, for the Thai government (yes, he is a minster, so a representitive of the government) referring to foreigners with less than 400,000 baht as a "burden" on Thai society. Tell me the ratio of Thais vs. Farang over the age of 50 with less than 400,000 in the bank?

This, if passed will be a huge economic blow for Thailand - a large percentage of Farang business owners in Thailand are 45+, and many buy those businesses and run it with their partner. Many own land with their partners. Most of these girls are not rich when they meet the "old burden" Farang. Infact, sadly most of these girls meet their Farang in the go go bars. Who was it that was the burden again?

I have never said this before, but this move really does look discriminatory against non-Thai nationals, and will be a huge blow both to the future development, educational and economic growth to Thailand if passed. Maybe Thailands politicians needs to learn when passing law, that you have the power to make the decisions but with that power you must execute vision, or your power is worthless and often destructive rather than constructive.

Spot on!

I would add to that Xenophobia and Hypocrisy.

As if... Oh, never mind! These folks are eager to show that they "care" instead of setting their priorities right and do actual and productive work.

Is he making merit?

There is nothing like having priorities right!

Roads in Thailand need serious improving.

Streets nationwide are in shameful state. Sidewalks (other than those in the Ratchaprasong area and other cities' downtown) are in acute disrepair, if they exist at all.

Police nationwide are untrained and unresponsive to the citizens' needs.

Laws, traffic or otherwise are either not enforced or hardly adhered to by the police!

Absence of public libraries nationwide.

Absence of animal control nationwide.

Universal health care sluggish and inefficient.

But, Thailand needs more submarines, jet fighters and tanks.

Where is that money coming from? Untrustworthy Farangs will provide a great deal of the price tag.

Yeah!

In nine years' time, I've heard that Thailand was to become the "Hub of _______" (insert just about any word: "fashion," "IT," "health tourism," "TEFL," "skywalks," most recently "wisdom," etc.)

IS anyone else getting weary of the megalomaniac "hub" talk?

My suggested insertion: "dreamers."

May I add to the blank space "Megalomania", perhaps also hubris?

"I don't respect 'farangs'. We do not have to surrender to them," he said, using the Thai word for "Westerners".

A gentleman and a diplomat. Excuse me while I vomit.

That's right! Thais only drop their pants at the sight of a Japanese soldier as it happened during WW2.

Why do you think there is a tourist trap set up in Kanchanaburi to show the world the atrocities that Japanese soldiers perpetrated?

During a tour in that place (that a friend of mine insisted in regaling me) I had to correct the tour guide who was blabbering all sort of inaccurate statements and omitting the truth. When I asked why Thais did not fight for their country even after they were ordered not to do so by the dictator in charge of the country at the time, his answer was a vapid smile. Maybe, to be fair, he did not know or was never told the truth. Maybe the history books he studied to become a guide never addressed that shameful chapter of Thailand's history of the 20th. century. Fast forward and meet Suthep valiantly proclaiming Thailand's sovereignty to the world. Anybody who accounts for nearly 10% of a country;s GDP should be addressed respectfully. What makes his statement disturbing is that it comes from an official at the summit of the pyramid of power using the word Farang in connection with the topic he was reacting to.

Of course Suthep has to feel ignited having Farangs supervise elections in Thailand. Thailand's sterling record of Democracy and respect for the rule of law warrants his contempt for Farangs.

Remember that song? "I don't want your love, all I want is your money."

All along, since this thing erupted big time a couple months ago,,,,, Thailand has been draggin their feet about having observers. WHY??? to me it makes Thailand look to the world like they have something to hide.

Ditto!

Same as Obama blocking all efforts to reveal the long form birth certificate along with his scholastic records that have been sealed.

We all know he was born Barry Soetoro. What is the big deal if he has nothing to hide?

This, albeit a different situation, provokes the same doubts about the true reasons not to have an independent observer with access to the disputed are.

'Birthers'- unrivaled in their ability to make even General Prayut Chan-O-Cha's statements seem intelligent by comparison.

When someone blocks access to facts or the truth, it means only one thing: that someone is hiding something; no matter who that person is.

She and her husband are obviously way out of their depth... Sounds like a farang real estate shark got the first bite. I have a 4 storey dwelling near the river with a/c rent per month 7,500 b or 250 US dollars.

Hello Charansanitwong!

Is that soi mainly commercial and industrial or residential too?

I am looking for something like that to use one floor for living quarters and the rest as an art studio. I paint, sculpt and refinish antique furniture. We are a couple of adults, male and female and we both have our own art styles.

I will appreciate more info about the soi number and such. Thanks!

All along, since this thing erupted big time a couple months ago,,,,, Thailand has been draggin their feet about having observers. WHY??? to me it makes Thailand look to the world like they have something to hide.

Ditto!

Same as Obama blocking all efforts to reveal the long form birth certificate along with his scholastic records that have been sealed.

We all know he was born Barry Soetoro. What is the big deal if he has nothing to hide?

This, albeit a different situation, provokes the same doubts about the true reasons not to have an independent observer with access to the disputed are.

It's all about looking the part: they worry about the little people not reading; really? They want to promote books and reading habits, etc. The burrocrats that come up with those ideas want to look good and make others believe that they care.

Of course, all that dribble is easier than building a network of public libraries so that every neighborhood will have at least one decent library with a wide array of topics, including science, literature and art magazines. But that would be having to actually work, that would mean to actually use funds for a worthy cause that will enrich the people of this country instead of using them to build super walk ways and the like.

I had a girlfriend who studied for her master's degree. Sometimes I would go to meet her at the Mahidol university in Salaya. I asked about the library and she told that there was one but it was only for the students but... If I paid (can't remember the amount) then I could use it a limited number of times. Why I asked? I have lived in Banglampu, Pinklao and Dusit and I never saw or knew of a public library. Public library? What is that? "We have book stores", was the proud Thai answer to my inquiry.

This reminded me of the years (during the 90's) when I lived in a Third World country: Brazil. In Rio, a city of 11 millions souls like here in BKK, there are no public libraries to speak of. There is a central one in downtown Rio and with umpteen restrictions.

How do I long for the public library network of California!