Emster23

Quite evident some are not ready to be monks. Majority of monks are sincere, but Thai culture is such that young men become short term monks for 3 months because of family pressure and status, I know sometimes becoming a monk is alternative to going to jail for crimes. I am sure there are more reasons for joining that have nothing to do with actual intention of leading monastic life. Pity.

Of course he goes out. Anyone thinking he will be gone for 20 years in jail is naive.

As they say in Thailand Money talks Bullshits walks.

BTW: What happened to the Ferrari guy that killed a cop? Still in Singapore or why is Thaksin passport not cancelled? People that have money in Thailand will always go free.

Sorry grasshopper, you have it backwards. Here in Thailand you get bullshit talks, then money walks (out of jail). I had vision of bank robber being caught, then reaching into his bag and paying bail with money he stole. Similar to what this guy is doing... son of red bull has a really really sore throat, and must remain there for treatment.

Dumb as a bag of hammers. Should have known you only have sex with your students in exchange for grades. Cheaper too. And very common.

Too bad already gave raise hoping that would motivate. Problem is time span between performance you want and pay he wants. Many Thais live in the "now"... payday just too far away to couple with work. Use some small reinforcement for behaviors you want. M&M's work, gold stars, etc. This also works for farangs in work too. An extra 50 or 100 baht for job well done will motivate, or some other recognition. Do that for a few weeks and see what happens. I am against using "stick" some suggest, because all that does is build resentment, minimal performance and anger. I taught special ed emotionally disturbed teens in USA. They liked foosball table time, weekly drawings for inexpensive prizes, etc. Get creative, accept where they are developmentally and think it through.

"Low rain spurs fear of drought" this should shut up those who say Thais are not good at science and reasoning.

Just took a gander at Pattaya beach in Google earth. You can see a little sand between all buildings. Too bad don't seem to have direct overhead shot. Also trails from jet ski scams in progress. Don't really need Google earth. Just take a plane or helicopter up and snap some photos. "From the lookin' comes the seein' " -George Clinton Parliament/Funkadelic

the politicians write the rules businesses are supposed to follow. It is a good investment for businesses to own politicians. This is probably true everywhere. The foxes guard the hen house. Until the cost of following proper laws is less than the cost of paying off bureaucrats and politicians, this will continue. By "cost" I mean serious law enforcement, jail time and confiscation of assets. I am not holding my breath on this one, nor idea that if we are just a little more religious, everything will be fine.

Maybe they could make some rubber rooms for economists who advise repeat of rice scheme, and those who believe if you can shout load enough, the oceans will retreat, and price of rubber will rise.

If this is still going on in April, could staff go out for a bit of Songkran fun and consider that as accepting challenge by default?

Thinking back to uni days, the only professors who had teaching degrees were is school of Education. Some how most of them did fairly well..... (I have masters i Ed btw). Degree in psychology perhaps one of better degrees to have for someone in teaching profession..... carry on.

Sold my house that was fully paid for, lived off of that until pension kicked in. Some of my stuff is kicking around in family homes, but nothing else. Why own a car I won't drive? Why have stereos and furniture with no place to put? If it didn't work out in Thailand I'd move elsewhere. Oops! Just recalled I moved here from Bali....

Middle aged is what you are when you decide to make honest woman out of that 22 year old you met at the Go go bar. Old man is what you are the day after all the dowries, wedding costs, house purchases, etc are finalized.

Hey let's cool down and look at the bright side of life. I guess rubber won't rot as fast as rice does in the warehouses. And think of employment and investment in all those new warehouses! Existing ones at full capacity due to last evil action by those nasty redshirts, not this wonderful humanist group now bringing happiness and free ice cream. Thailand: The Hub of Warehouses!

Bright is bright. This whole discussion is based on assumption that eyes transmitting data are connected to an engaged mind of driver that is paying attention to external environment. Therein lies the rub.

Since they can't get to paradise that doesn't exist, Thailand will have to do. Sad state of affairs.

I do hope they remember to sell demolition and clean up bills to the squatters. No reason tax payers should have to pick it up.

"Boredom is the legacy of fear" as prof of mine once said, and that stuck with me. must spend 2-300 a day on beer (I don't know. I live here in Jomtien and don't drink). Get a hobby? Start going to some AA meetings? Read a book? Take long walks? He seems lazy, a drunk, and lacks imagination. First stop drinking. Does someone change his nappies too?

Wow. Didn't see this one coming. Maybe I need to check my medication levels.

Pay just as much sinsod as you would if you married a western woman. Not a penny more nor less. Help them get used to our culture.

Or just simply write a personal check to her parents only. Then with great ceremony, a bit of chanting, burn it.

I always wear rubber soled footwear in Thailand, including in my condo. I do my best not to touch to different metal surfaces at same time. I figure that might cut down the odds. I would prefer to be run down by idiot on motorbike driving wrong direction on sidewalk.....

"Atheist is someone who doesn't believe in a God.

Agnostic is someone who "doesn't know" therefore isn't sure."

Ok, I got some stick for saying I am an agnostic atheist, so let me try to explain a bit. This is my view, and I'm sticking to it!

Atheist comes from A+theist, meaning "not" a "believer in god". Am I right so far? In my mind there is an implication there of belief and certainty that there is no god, which puts on same level as there is a god.

Agnostic means "not knowing". Seems a confirmed atheist is certain there is no god, but I am open to looking at evidence, which may make then go from "not knowing" to "knowing". So to semi sum up, I do not believe in god as I have seen no evidence, but I am willing to change IF there is. I do not see a conflict in using the words together. Or could coin a new word "agnostatheist" there you go!

Better punishment might be cleaning up intensive care wards at hospitals. Friend's wife (who died, thanks to bad driving by government official) was in ward for a week before she died in Chonburi Hospital. It  was (and no doubt still is) full of horribly damaged people due to bad/reckless driving. Let them see the results of stupidity they embrace.

I am an American agnostic atheist. IF there was evidence provided meeting scientific criteria for proof of God, I would accept that. Highly unlikely, but I would not cling to disbelief in face of evidence. Given none has been presented to date, you could say I am 99.9% atheist.

" What has science ever created?" was asked. Was he serious? I don't know of any religious book with instructions on how to make computers, internet and all that technology that allows poster to ask such a question. Mind boggling. The universe as being discovered and figured out by science is far more awe inspiring than any simple myth story. I wish the religious would only use technology from the time their holy books were written. Riding camels into Twin Towers would have caused no problem. Technology plus fanatics is just too dangerous a combination given they have no limits as to what they will do because their god supposedly tells them to do it.

"Only a typically brainwashed American could attribute an epithet such as "Give me a child until he's seven years old, and I'll have him for life." to a ridiculous right-wing fellow countryman who made a fortune out of religious televangelism whilst deriding Labor Unions, the Anti Apartheid Movement, Gays, and almost every other cause. The phrase most likely originated with St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. " Ah, had to work that American bashing in somewhere.... I wish it were true only Americans could be this brainwashed, but seems to be all too common around world.

Look at hot spots, places people getting killed in numbers in current world. All except Ukraine seem to have major religious component to them.

I strongly suggest book by Chris Hitchens "God is not Great: How religion poisons everything". Also lots of him and Richard Dawkins on youtube.

I wonder what percentage of population are adult males... 30%? Perhaps survey would be a bit more realistic would be to survey those who normally drink.... are they giving it up? Answer of course would be what they thought surveyor wants to hear. Part of the culture. Maybe get those girls in beer brand dresses to go out and ask the questions....

Maybe get a job with Rupert Murdoch?