tonbridgebrit

On 6/16/2025 at 4:35 AM, Watawattana said:

For one reason or another I've met quite a few Iranians in my time, from college in the 80's through to this year.  Each and every one of them have been thoroughly decent human beings, completely normal.  The guy I most recently met told me he hated Israel, but he hated the Iranian leadership even more for what it's done to his country.

Those Iranians you've met are outside of Iran.  These are Iranians who left Iran after the Shah left, these Iranians obviously hate the present regime in Iran. But what about the Iranians in Iran ?  I don't say they're wrong or right, but most of them do support the present regime. If there was to be a proper democratic vote (like what happens when Trump and Starmer get elected) well, I think Iran will have a regime similar to the present one.

One thing you certainly  got right. Iranians outside of Iran hate Israel just as much as Iranians inside Iran.

7 hours ago, hotsun said:

When europe has a muslim problem they will come to israel for help. Europe doesnt deserve it but its up to the US

So new Muslims entering into Europe is a problem ?  Look, Israel might convert Tehran into Gaza, but no way can Israel stop the new Muslims entering into Europe.
Actually, Israel converting Gaza and Tehran into rubble might increase the number of Muslims entering into Europe. Is Israel concerned about two million people in Gaza moving into Europe and Britain ?  I don't think Israel is really that concerned.

4 hours ago, John Drake said:

I don't know what it is about the Shinawatras. But they seem to attract both natural and fiscal calamities. Floods and earthquakes. Economic mismanagement and budgetary emergencies. Currency crises. I don't see how the baht isn't at 40 to the US dollar. 

Surely, you don't reckon that the military did a better job running Thailand ?  If the Thais reckon so, well, let them vote for the military at the next election. Or, the Thais can vote for the Yellow-shirt party.  😄

I reckon it's a good idea to not retaliate massively against the Americans.  There's no way Britain will be better off doing a trade war against America. Britain's actually lucky to have just 10% tariffs placed on goods entering America. Harsher tariffs are being put onto other countries.

By the way, look at the attacks from posters against Blair, on the grounds that Blair attacked Iraq. These attackers are usually the people who hate Muslims and Islam the most.  What's your real reason for throwing a stone at Tony Blair ? I think I know. It's because you reckon that it was during Blair's time, that Britain allowed in a load of coloureds and other foreigners into Britain. The truth ? Foreigners were entering into Britain before Blair's time, and they was entering after Blair's time.   🙂

Can the people above stop talking about a war between China and America over Taiwan or Okinawa. There will not be a war between America and China over Taiwan. And why's that ?

Simple, America won't want to fight a World War Three with China, bearing in mind that China has nukes. America will only fight China if, if China attacks a NATO country. How absurd will it look if America attacked China, because China invades Taiwan ?  The Russians have got their soldiers in Ukraine, notice that how America has not declared war on Russia. And why on earth would America carry out nuclear destruction over Ukraine ? There's no reason for it.

And so, why fight a war against nuclear-armed China, a war over Republic of China, Taiwan, when, when it's absurd to fight against Russia over Ukraine ?

So, everybody relax, no need to worry about World War Three. If China attacks Taiwan, let them do it, it won't harm any of us in Britain,Europe, America or Thailand. We're almost nothing to do with it.  Let Peoples' Republic of China fight against Republic of China. A load of Chinese want to fight another load of Chinese, let them, no need for Americans or anybody else to get killed.

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Oh please not more pork to China from here.

They suck empty the market.

Their demand is insatiable.

 

What, you reckon it will be a good idea if the Thai government steps in, and reduces whatever mass flood of pork from Thailand to China ?  🙂

Them Japanese in Okinawa, they fought like crazy when American soldiers were there back in 1945. Lots of Japanese fought and died, these people will simply not surrender. And today, who is crazy enough to invade Okinawa ?  I don't think China will, China won't want to see lots of it's own soldiers being killed.

It's probably best to let the people in Okinawa stay in Okinawa, that way, nobody will want to attack the place.

"The country has become a magnet for digital nomads and affluent expatriates, leading to surging living costs and growing support for the far-right."

Thailand has to understand this, and not repeat the same mistake. Digital nomads and other expatriates do actually harm whatever country they go to. Actually, not just digital nomads, the other nomads might also harm a place.  🙂

Hello there

I entered into Thailand at the main airport on Feb 17, and left at the same airport after six days in Thailand. I've just noticed on my passport (passport is UK) that there is NO exit stamp. The stamp I see says that I entered on the 17 Feb, and I could have stayed until 17 April. But like I said, there is no exit stamp. I've only just noticed it. Is this wrong?

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

It's virtue signaling white women who are always the most fanatical about it. 

Oh, so it's white women who are allowing these foreign men in ?  Black men ?   Yes, in London, there seems to be lots of black men walking around the place，with white women 

On 2/25/2025 at 4:42 PM, Confuscious said:

 

Also, in the countries I am familiar with, the biggest error was to let the legal immigrants  create "Ghettos" by allowing them to group in one city.
They should have been forced to spread to avoid creating Ghettos.

Force them to spread to avoid creating Ghettos ?   The problem with doing this is, is that lots of the local people don't want coloureds living next door to them. 😆

Trump is doing okay in the polls, and yes, he might become President again.

Them Mexican women who work as servants or house-keepers for rich Americans in Texas.  Are they going to be deported back to Mexico ?  What about the ones working without a permit, picking fruit and vegetables ?  And then there's them Mexican or Latin women who are sex workers in Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth.

Are any illegals going to be removed ? I really doubt any moves to stop the new illegals entering. And I don't think Texas will deport that many undocumented immigrants or those who entered illegally.  These people are far too useful for America's economy.  I'd rather make all the illegals legitimate, but that's just my view, it will never happen.  🙂

On 11/11/2024 at 10:04 AM, Dcheech said:

The US has nuclear capable planes, & likely real nukes, at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. B52's based there  can deliver AGM - 101 LRSO, or AGM 86 ALCM cruise missiles from hundreds of miles offshore, which could strike targets anywhere in Iran.  This has been the case for decades, as Iran certainly knows.

Yes, but the US might end up removing all their combat jets from Diego Garcia. Britain owns Diego Garcia, and the Americans have got a lease there. But the lease might end early. China might pay money and take over the remainder of the lease.

But anyway, Diego Garcia might become irrelevant. The Americans surely can fire nukes from their navy vessels. These navy vessels can sail into the Persian Gulf, near Iran's coast.
As long as the Americans don't send soldiers ( ground forces ) into Iran, they will likely be okay. Sending ground forces to Iran will be even more dangerous and disastrous than America sending soldiers to Iraq, back in 2003.

It's been two decades, but the memory of the catastrophic invasion of Iraq is still there.

And Iraq was invaded, the bad dictator removed, and Iraq given democratic elections. They can have the government that they actually want. Freedom.
 

And now they're choosing a system that they actually want, we don't like this system. What now ?  Invade them again ?

So some people send their kids to private sector schools, and these schools charge a lot of money. and now we're seeing the charges or fees being bumped up because of VAT.

Do people really feel sorry for those who send their children to such fee-paying schools ?  The vast majority (over 90%) of all children in Britain go to government state schools. Why on earth feel sorry for the elite, who send their children to such schools ?

Oh, rich people want to send their children to such places, give their kids a better start in life ? And now they're having to pay more money because of VAT, we're suppose to feel sorry for them ?

On 11/9/2024 at 2:13 AM, JonnyF said:

The latest in a string of dumb moves by dumb and dumber. Starmer and Lammy are embarrassingly bad. 

Stop being absurd, Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives themselves would have, in the long term, given up ownership of these islands that are no way near Britain.

13 minutes ago, candide said:

What authority has the U.S. on this matter?

Well, Britain owns it, and America has a lease and has got it's combat jets there. Is there anybody else claiming ownership of the Indian Ocean ? China, Russia and India/Pakistan are not claiming ownership. And nor is South Africa.  🙂

2 hours ago, blazes said:

The main argument against giving Mauritius the big island of Diego Garcia is that they may turn around and sell it to the Chinese. 

 

It would be very useful to the Chinese to possess an island in the Indian Ocean so close to the African mainland.  On that ground alone, Trump might want to hold on to it.  

 

On the other hand, Trump has ruled out any future employment for his former hawkish Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, so maybe Trump doesn't attach any strategic (or indeed real estate) value to the island....

You're right about Mauritius selling whatever island to China, but it's best to not mention China at all.  Mentioning China and America having islands in the Indian Ocean undermines the point about China having islands in the South China Sea.

America doesn't want a deal where China owns the South China Sea and America will have the Indian Ocean.

16 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

my wife gives them  6 month before they get the boot(s) 

What are you trying to say ?  Army boots will remove Thaksin ?  Well, you could be right, Thaksin has been removed by army boots a few times since 2001.

But this time, the removal will be hilarious.  See, ages ago, loads of Thais wearing Yellow Shirts did mass protests against Thaksin. These Yellow Shirts never managed to remove Thaksin by the ballot box, but the army boots did remove Thaksin for the Yellow Shirts.

And this next possible removal of Thaksin by the army boots. Who are the army boots going to install as the new government ?  Well, they can't install Abhisit's old party, the Democrats.  The Democrats are a tiny party in parliament. What about installing Peoples' Party ?  Well, that's unlikely, Peoples Party is the re-branded new Move Forward Party.  PP are not pro-Royalists, and PP supposedly, want to remove the army boots in Thai poltics.

Why would the army boots do a coup, and then install a party who wants to ban the army doing coups ?  

There is the other option, the army boots install themselves after they've removed Thaksin. But this time, this time, unlike previously, Thai people might, might not want a repeat of the army boots being in power.

5 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

Not only westerns remember war on drugs the Family's of the 2500 people killed

Thais also remember Tak Bai incident

corruption failing to disclose assets worth about 2.37 billion baht

started the insurrection down south still ongoing

the thais have long memory's 

yes i agree he started to do some good programs but at a terrible price to the thai people and to Thailand  The man is responsible for a lot of killing and corruption in Thailand to feather his own nest

with the internet i think the young are getting educated in thailand history and are realizing how evil this guy is 

Thais have long memories ? You might be right.  Do Thais remember the vast number of Thais with Yellow Shirts doing their protests ?  Protesting against Thaksin. Where are them Yellow Shirts today ?  Do the Yellow Shirts want to come out today, and do their protests all over again ?

It's hilarious to note that, the Yellow Shirts were supposedly pro-Royalists. And today, what do we see ?  The Move Forward Party have re-invented themselves, calling themselves People's Party.  PP are the big opposition in parliament, PP are against Thaksin. Move Forward Party, was supposedly, not pro-Royalist.

So, what now for today ?  How about a load of Thais, former Yellow Shirts, they put their Yellow Shirts back on, and they repeat their anti-Thaksin protests ?  Only this time, the Yellow Shirts are trying to install a near-enough anti-Royalist group ?  How absurd would THAT be ?  
Very absurd !

10 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Strange. No mention of April and May 2010. 

10 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

Quote "If Thais have a problem with the Thai government, well, vote through the ballot box. "

are you living in a cave !!!  the Thais have already tired this and look what happened

Thailand is Not a democratic country  by-far, 

Why do 9  (unelected by the people) persons have the power to bring a government down

Why did International government try  to advice Thailand they where wrong in dissolving a political party ( never know this happen before)

Thailand is a 3rd world country and going backwards  

I do not express to know all the answers  but i know Thailand needs to get rid of all the corruption and has honest people in government to represent the people not just to grab power and money     

I'm not sure what you two are trying to say.  

So, what about 2010 ?  I take it you're talking about loads of Thais with Red Shirts bringing Bangkok to a halt ?  Why did the Red Shirts come out ?  Simple, some Thai bloke called Abhisit was leader of the Democrat Party, he was prime minister. The point is, his party was in charge, but they did not get in via an election.
So, lots of Thais in Red Shirts protested, they wanted Thaksin back in charge, and that's bearing in mind that Thaksin did get in power via the ballot box.

MikeandDow, I'm confused by your point. 
Thailand is not a democratic country ?  Well, I think I agree with you. Have you noticed that all the coups done from 2001 onwards have all been done to remove Thaksin ? 

Democracy ?  Democracy is about the ballot box drafting in a government. It's not actually about a government that we all reckon is great. We've had a democratic vote in Britain. Roughly 60% of the electorate voted, roughly a third of all votes cast were for Labour. Labour are in power, and most people in Britain did not vote Labour, but, but, Labour still got in via democracy. Labour being wrong in lots of peoples views is irrelevant to the issue of Labour being in power. And a huge majority too.

Back to Thailand. Delete Thailand's coups, if you only take into account the ballot box in Thailand, well, Thaksin would have been in power since 2001 to today.  
 

Thaksin was in charge ages ago, and the army and the Yellow Shirts did a coup to remove him. You have to bear in mind that Thaksin was democratically elected.

What Thaksin needs to do, is a purge to remove all those involved in the coup(s). Thailand must never again have a coup. A coup makes Thailand look like a Third World Banana Republic.

A coup ? Most foreigners in Thailand today don't know or don't remember what happened in Thailand previously. Between two decades and one decade ago, Thailand went through a disastrous era. Loads of people wearing Yellow Shirts, bringing Bangkok to a standstill with their protests, protests against a democratically elected government. And then red shirts wanting Thaksin back.

At one stage,  Yellow Shirts even took over Bangkok's airport, creating a situation where people couldn't fly into or out of Thailand. Look it up on the internet if you don't believe me.

I really do hope that Thailand has now matured into being a democracy. No more coups, no more mass protests to bring Bangkok to a standstill, no more taking over the airport. If Thais have a problem with the Thai government, well, vote through the ballot box. And never forget, for us foreigners, in Thailand, our views don't count. As far as all Thais are concerned, our views on what's going on in their country don't count.