jak2002003

Just rescued a Black throated laughing thrush from my dog (the bird must have flew into our window). . Poor thing has all its tail missing and most of the feathers on its back and many on the wings. Luckly no bites... dog seems to like to pull out the feathers.

Got him in a big cage and he is hopping about.... but he can not fly.. so I can't release him until his feathers grow back.

I have no idea what they eat? Worms, fruit? Can anyone advise me what to feed it? I tried giving it some of the red mynah bird pellets from the supermarket.. but he wont' touch them.

Thanks.

In the street outside my house we have dog poop, cow pats, and buffalo puddings. Then there is the chicken droppings on the gate and the pigeon poo on the windows.

I don't want to go around bagging up all that shit and taking it the the animals owners houses to complain.

I find the hot sun dries all out and it just washes away in the heavy rain anyway. Not a problem. I have more important things to worry about than animal droppings and who's animal they belong to. Some people have a very boring life to get worked up over such things.

I have the misfortune to live near a temple which has a nasty abbot monk.... who I often see driving in the temple pick-up truck late at night.. wearing normal clothes. He is a real bully and all the village are scared of him. He blasts out commands on the loudspeakers to tell the villagers how sinful they are.. listing in detail the bad things they do, and commanding people bring him food and more money.

There are weekly visits by a black pick up with blacked out windows.. late at night...

When I first moved here 2 years ago the head monk was a lovely old guy.. and the temple was traditional and small. It used to get lots of people going there.. and I used to go to its festivals and parties.. it was a lovely community feeling. Now its lucky to get a dozen elderly people on a festival day. People used to stand outside their gates in the morning to give the offerings to the monks.. that has stopped.

The monk has so far built a new stupa, and 2 big outbuildings, bought a new truck, and is now getting workers to build more things and cut down beautiful old rain trees.. that must be over 100 years old. I don't think that he can be getting all this money from the few donations the temple gets.

His 2 or more times a week loud speaker many hours long rants and bad music can be heard in the next village... so its torture to stay in my own house... I resort to going out at 5.30 am several times a week. He actually had the volume on so loud he blew the speakers several times!

All the villagers know what's going on, no one likes it, but they do the Thai thing of pretending its not happening.. and not talking about it.

I wish there was some number I could call to get someone to come 'inspect' whats going on there.. and kick him out. It seems that each temple can do what it likes and is above the law and public scrutiny. This is what leads to corruption and abuse.

I used to like Thai temples, the monks and the Buddhist teaching.. but since this guy I have an aversion to all that now.

Having an allergy for MSG... mostly the allergy is actually an overdose of MSG. So having a little in sauce and other foods is not going to cause a reaction.. only having large amounts scooped into food will cause a problem.

You can say I Dim or Ice Gream... they both mean the same.

Don't say 'Kor' in that situation... its far to formal and polite. In this case the 'aw' is fine so long as you say 'Khrap' at the end of the sentence.

There is actually a lot of scientific evidence that MSG is bad for our health.. just a few references at the end of this article.

http://www.foodrenegade.com/msg-dangerous-science/

I have had one very bad reaction to an overdose of MGS when I lived in the UK and had eaten at a Chinese restaurant. That night I woke with crippling stomach cramps... which continued the next day.. so I had to see a GP. He told me it was MSG poisoning.

I have also had lesser reactions to MSG here in Thailand, after eating 'junk food' from local markets... where only a few minutes after eating it I get tightness across my chest and pain / aching in my shoulders.

I always tell the food vendors and restaurants not to add the MSG. I know they don't add it.. as I can see them making it and they don't scoop loads of the white MSG powder into it. I am sure I still eat the stuff in other foods, but its only the very high doses of it that make me feel ill, so I don't worry about eating it at low levels.

I think I may just have an allergy to it. It may not be 'dangerous' for most people who don't have an allergy to it.

So sad that there are people and cultures like this still around today... with all our new understanding, technology and science, there are still so many backward twisted idiots about. I often here that the Muslim women are treated very badly by their husbands or men in general, but it also seems that the women are just as savage and crazy to each other and their own children!

See the same kind of stupidity from people visiting the elephant camps too... watching the elephants being forced to do the shows, paintings and carrying people about... all the time clearly frightened of their trainers and being stabbed in the neck with the hooks, or having their ears pulled etc.

The people don't look and see what is really going on... they somehow can't see the huge chains around the animals legs, can't see the stressed out elephants rocking back and forth out of madness on short chains, or the baby elephants forced to be separated from their mothers, etc.. and they don't want the even think about how they steal the young elephants from the wild, and torture then into submission.

Its about time all these animal places were closed down and the animals released or re homes in a properly run sanctuary.

And don't get me started on the poor monkeys with collars and chains around their necks being forced to ride little bikes or wear lip stick and make up for the shows.. then getting locks away in tiny cages out of sight when the sow is over.

Alcoholism is not a disease!

Alcohol is a drug. You become an addict to drugs. Its not a bacteria or virus!

Its a drug that is freely available and acceptable in most societies. That's why its so easy to get addicted to it.

Calling it a disease is not taking responsibility for your own actions.

I am not saying I have no sympathy for alcoholics.. far from it... its a very real addiction and destroys lives and families.. just as other drug related addictions do.

If AA helps a small percentage of people then good for them, even if their teachings and ideas seem crazy to others. What ever helps people.

And, yes, people can drink alcohol and not be alcoholics. I drink, like most people, socially. Not every day or even every week, and very rarely in access as I HATE hangovers!

Well there you have it, thanks for telling us jak2002003 . I'll write to the following and tell them your opinion differs from theirs: - The American Medical Association, The World Health Organization, American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American College of Physicians , Joint Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Which medical school did you graduate from?

I graduated from the Aberystwyth University of Wales, UK, Masters of Biological Sciences. Thought not a medical degree, we covered in depth diseases, viruses, fungi, parasitology etc, so I have some knowledge of what the definition of a disease is.

Which medical 'school' did you graduate from?

Just saying alcoholism is a disease does not make it true.

I see your references are from American Associations, and it is in America that alcoholism is seen mistakenly seen as a disease and not an addiction, due to American Medical professionals and American Culture.

You might find this article interesting as it explains how this came about.

http://www.baldwinresearch.com/alcoholism.cfm

Alcoholism is not a disease!

Alcohol is a drug. You become an addict to drugs. Its not a bacteria or virus!

Its a drug that is freely available and acceptable in most societies. That's why its so easy to get addicted to it.

Calling it a disease is not taking responsibility for your own actions.

I am not saying I have no sympathy for alcoholics.. far from it... its a very real addiction and destroys lives and families.. just as other drug related addictions do.

If AA helps a small percentage of people then good for them, even if their teachings and ideas seem crazy to others. What ever helps people.

And, yes, people can drink alcohol and not be alcoholics. I drink, like most people, socially. Not every day or even every week, and very rarely in access as I HATE hangovers!

I read through this thread and find it very sad and depressing to read some peoples ignorant and hateful views about transgendered people and LGB.s

It seems it stems from them being 'uncomfortable' around such people. They have an irrational fear of people who aren't like them, or don't act the same as they do.

They could use the same argument about black people, Muslims or Thais.... or disabled people... saying that they are not 'normal' and not like them. This is just as wrong and very childish and shows their stupidity and ignorance.

Everyone is different... no 2 humans are the same. Even you straight men.. you are all different too... and EVERYONE has different likes and dislikes what they get up to in the bedroom.

I am very surprised how insecure these (mostly straight men) are about LGB and transgendered people. I have no idea why.. only to think it is their upbringing that has made them think like this.

Always makes me laugh when straight men think a gay person will fancy them and try to have sex with them... even when the straight guy is fat, ugly and an idiot. Where this idea comes from I have no clue... but don't flatter yourselves.

Its also has a serious note.. because this negative attitude breeds contempt and discrimination against such people... who don't deserve it.

Transgendered people don't go around wearing make up and womens clothes because it turns them on. They do it because they feel comfortable and feel they are able to be their true selves.

You straight guys that are so upset and moaning about these issues need to go out and meet some of these people. make friends with them and see how their life is different from yours... and you will be disappointed that they are not having the mad crazy sexually charged and evil life you imagine. They have normal lives with the same worries and concerns as you do... they have to deal with all the problems common to everyday life.. and then they have to have the additional problems caused by people like you persecuting them, or just being cruel and ignorant.

Been up to my local dam... still very low... The drought crisis is only 'over' because we are having some rain to green things up and supply a small amount of water. If the rain stops.. or at the end of this rainy season... it will be a drought again.. as its going to take a hell of a lot of water to refill the dams.

Hi. I have some Dutch Capuchine pigeons and also white garden doves looking for new home.

Very pretty and relaxing to have flying around your garden.

In Chiang Mai Doi Suket area.

The white garden doves are cross breed with king pigeons... so the bigger ones could be used for squab production if anyone interested in farming them.

Please this is not about religion at all its about bad monks nothing to do with Buddhist teaching at all. Same Catholic priest who abuse children nothing to do with Catholic Church. I do not like what they have done bad bad for Thailand and as I said I hope they get locked up.

but it's not about religion.

well.. that's is sort of true... but the problem is these people do their bad deeds under the name and protection their religion affords them.

Without their religion they would not be monks.. they would be normal people illegally keeping, killing and selling protected wildlife and they would be all in prison by now and they actions condemned by everyone. Because they are monks, they were able to continue doing these things with no consequences as no one wanted to be seen to be upsetting or doing bad things to monks.. as it is a taboo.

Also, I suspect this is the reason the PM is not doing anything about it.. as it could make him look like a very bad person to many Buddhist Thai people who don't know the real story, or who don't give second thought about tigers or wildlife.

It is sad, but came as no surprise to me. Next the authorities need to go and inspect the other tiger tourist places. Funny how they seem to have an endless supply of tiger cubs to have you photos taken with.... but what happens to them when they get bigger... I think these places are actually only farms. Supplying tiger parts.. and making extra money from the tourists.

I just say yes. I think that is what Thai people do... unless they have not eaten and are actually really hungry.. then they will say 'no' and that's a great excuse for everyone to go eat... because we are always looking for an excuse to get more food!!!

In this day and age why can't most humans give up religion and superstitions?

Religion is outdated and backward.. and hold back progress and human rights.

For those people who are defending Muslims... go and talk to one. Ask him or her what will happen to you if you do not believe in their god or follow their religion.... ask the woman if her husband will let her be in public without her head scarf on, ask them what would happen to their children if they grew up to be gay or lesbian.

Some zoos can be very good for the animals.. better for them than living in the wild... but MOST zoos are not up to this standard and its like a prison for the animals.

The problem is that we can't control how zoos are run in other countries.

As usual the humans in this sad situation made the problem worse by making all that noise and screaming and gettting the animals excited.

Panic and stupidity caused the gorilla to get killed... and potentially the little boy.

But the zoo will just buy a new one.. This lesson teaches us.... you don't have to take care or superivse your child. When you child has an accident as a result of your negligence you can blame someone else and they get punished by having to give you lots of money as a reward. You can shoot and kill any animal you like even if its an endangered species if you are a zoo to protect you publicity and made future profits... while pretending to care about animal conservation and protection.

The people I feel sorry for here are the little boy, who is stuck with bad parents, and the zoo keepers who looked after that gorilla.. they must be heartbroken.

Its quite easy. Do some research on 'Superficies'.

Siam legal international has some good advise. Just do a web search.

We have 2 Rai and house... you don't have to do it through a business or anything like that.

Of course they shot the gorilla... its America.. they LOVE to shoot things.

I see the parents are blaming the zoo as their little boy could fall into the enclosure! The parents are the ones to blame for not taking care of their child. People these days don't see to be able to take responsibility for themselves anymore.. always blaming someone else.

Those parents should be charged with neglects, the child given to a family who will be better able to look after him. And the person who agreed to the action of shooting the gorilla should be fired from his job... zoos always tell us they are there to protect endangered species.. not shoot them.

All depends on your personality. Some weak minded people are doomed the day they set foot here.. as there is too much freedom for them... to destroy their own lives with alcohol, antisocial behaviour, failed relationships and financial problems etc. People do things here that would be socially unexceptable in their own countries... so they would not get themselves such a mess back home.

BUT, you can integrate with Thais if you put in the time. You have to learn the language to at least a basic extent. My closets friends here are all Thai, and I have found them 100 percent trustworthy over the years, unlike some of the farangs.

I have been here 10 years. I came here when I was 31... so kind of young.

People want different things from life. If you want a simple life with a lot of freedom, which is not materialistic ,then you can get it here.

Avoid the main traps leading to unhappiness... don't frequent the bars too often... or you will end up there every day of the year and have an alcohol problem.

Don't go against the flow of the culture and try to fight it or impose your farang culture and ideas on Thai people.

If you want a relationship then look to Thai women who have 'normal' jobs rather than working in a bar, for better likelihood of long term happiness.

Don't throw whatever money you have about buying things for your partner or their family.. or they will expect that the rest of your life... not a Thai thing, a human nature thing. People from Europe generally would not buy their new GF of a few months a new house and car etc.

Stay away from bitter ex pats who will make you really depressed and twist you thinking against Thailand and Thai people.

Some people say the heat is not good for us, but some people love the heat, and your body will get used to It after a few years.

You need a job or hobby, interests too. Like you would in any country. Otherwise you will waste you time and get into an unhealthy lifestyle with will damage you physical and mental health.

Go live in a real Thai area.. don't live in a Tourist area. Then you will see what the average Thai person is like. You will see they won't be trying to rip you off, or treat you like a tourist with money to brun. You will also get to eat real Thai food and see their real culture.. not one manufactured to our tastes.

Finally, don't isolate yourself from Thai society. Trying to live in your own little expat world will bring disaster.

What a fag

What does that mean?

Yet another 'clampdown' on something.. Lost count of how many clampdowns there have been lately.... and not seen the results of them either for that matter.

Seems they just spin out the phrase...'having a clampdown', and the population breath a sigh of relief and think... 'oh good its a clampdown'.. 'end of the problem'. End of story. Nothing changes. Weird place this.

I think the problem is getting worse.. not better.

When I first lived here there was a lot less litter about.

The last few year in this village have see a huge increase in litter... now its every where.

I see people buying food from the market.. eating it as they drive away in the car or on their bike.. then just throwing the plastic bags, cans, polystyrene, plastic bottoles onto the street.

There has also been a huge increases in dumping old household appliances, building materials and other large items... with one valley near my home having huge hills of the stuff... and at the river near me I have seen trucks and lorries stop late at night and tip their loads of rubbish down the bank into the river!!!

What upsets me the most is when the temple has a festival or party... and they preach about taking care of each other and the respect for life and doing good. Then when everyone goes home there is huge amounts of lttter everywhere.. and no one ever cleans it up!

They used to teach the Thai children at school about not dropping litter... and there were the old 'teacher Pye Linn' books where the class asked about why people dropped litter at the market and made a mess... and the teacher takess the class to clean the place up to make it nice too look at for everyone. But they no longer teach there old fashioned stories any more.