Johpa

Thaksin humbly cupping his nuts in the presence of General Sunthorn Kongsompong, the 1991 Coup leader, who granted Thaksin the telecom monoploy.

Now by Thai standards of social behavior, this picture hints at the two having a far closer personal relationship that I had imagined.

But again, I think it was really a matter of luck as I doubt either party fully comprehended the future revenue stream of the telecom business. At the time, a cell phone in Thailand was more a status symbol than anything else. If Sunthorn had known the full financial implications of the monopoly it would not have been handed over to a relative outsider like Thakisn.

Foreign involvement? Give me a break. He is an old friend of Thailand expressing his strong opinion, which btw, many or most foreigners happen to agree with, especially on the subject of the dangers of the dictatorial intent of Thaksin.

Young was instrumental in getting the ball rolling in the Baan Chiang studies, but apart from his youthful days at the International School, he has not been a regular visitor and is no more a old friend of Thailand than any other kid from the ex-pat elite of yore who studied at the International School in Bangkok. (Note: there were also missionary kids at that school whose families are not part of the elite) He is not considered a major academic and certainly not a noted Thai scholar as in his era it was Cornell and not Harvard that was the center of Thai studies in the US.

Young is better known for promoting a politically conservative global pro-business agenda and as such should have embraced Thaksin. But Thaksin made only one key mistake and it had little to do with being more Chinese than Thai (note the articles by the truly noted Thai scholar Prof. Keyes on the subject of Thaksin using traditional Thai imagery), Thaksin was relatively new to the table and did not sufficiently share in the fruits of his administration with the older more established Bangkok players. If you want old school dictatorial intent then perhaps Young should spend more time musing on his family's friendship with Sarit.

The use of การ and ความ to form words is linguistically productive, as it's called. This means that native speakers don't simply draw on a fixed set of constructed words, but they actively create new, non-established words or phrases by applying general rules. For native speakers, this is often subconscious.

Or, as my Chomskian professors would have noted, it allows for the infinite creation of new linguistic thoughts and sentences by providing for unlimited embedding of concepts.

การ not only can be used to create a noun out of a verb, but also creates a noun out of an entire verb phrase. From a syntactic point of view, it neuters the tense out of the verb, the same function that that English accomplishes with the -ing gerund suffix. This becomes especially abstract in Thai as on the surface Thai verbs only have a single tense, compared to English where the verbs evidence two tenses. And it becomes more common in Thai as Thai, especially the written version, is far more topic oriented than subject oriented. In English we often find this a bit old fashioned and stilted as in phrases when someone prefaces a sentence with phrases like "As for the ....." or "In regards to the...."

As Rikker points out, all this is done subconsciously and the native speaker is not able to explain the rules. If you wish to be cured of insomnia I could propose some linguistic rules that might explain it all, but I shall spare you that futile gesture. For purposes of learning Thai, just listen and read and you will eventually get the hang of it subconsciously as your brain's language centers are wired no differently than that of a Thai speaker. Resistance is futile, but effort is necessary.

Tough to argue, although I bet some will give it a try.

Not hard to so as Young clearly associates with the old elite, even noting his father's closeness to the military dictator Sarit. The basic fallacy of his argument is that it you can't have a division in society by blaming only one side, in this case Thaksin. The old elite that Young's family socialized with is as much to blame in the current division as Thaksin, as they organize and propagandize to protect their own turf. Young is naive to compare the older patron client relationships of yesteryear with Thaksin using political promises of the State to provide some services to the rural poor as a vote getter. Thaksin understood that using democratic principles, that the majority of the voters are rural poor, that he could win their votes and get elected. Future, and perhaps more noble politicians, could do the same. Of course Thaksin, like every other Thai politician, went ahead and used his position for personal gain.

There are a few other errors. The Shinawat family is not some piss poor rural family and had some minor connections up in Chiang Mai that allowed them to get the funding for the "silk village" a development scheme concocted by development folks including folks from the US AID, people who would have been known by Young's father. Giving out monopolies to families is nothing new in Thailand, going back to Rama IV and Rama V. Whether Thaksin was smart or just lucky obtaining the telecommunications monopoly is open to question.

Young has clearly taken sides on this issue and is blaming Thaksin and is in effect backing his pals within the old guard.

In the US one is also beginning to encounter merchants who are no longer accepting various upgraded "reward" cards such as your platinum card. Some merchants are just getting tired of being forced to pay for other peoples airline tickets and other "rewards" and are rebelling against the monopoly power of VISA and Mastercard. Remember that all those "rewards" are not being paid by the financial service sector but by the merchants who are told they have no choice in the matter unless they prefer not to accept the cards at all, which is of course no longer possible for most merchants if they want to stay in business.

So time to put your big girl panties on and grow up and pay for your own perks.

The corruption starts at the top and to try to clean up anything is simply a lost cause. In my opinion, the corruption is getting even worse and the police are openly corrupt. At one time they tried to hide it.

At what time in ancient history are you referring to when you suggest that the police hid, or even just tried to hide, their corrupt practices as certainly no such state of affairs has existed in my lifetime? Unlike many western countries where organized crime has merely significant influence, Thailand is a nation-state that is actually controlled by organized crime. Of course in the US we have a very different type of organized criminal gangs that gather under the roof we call Wall St.

The Pig Pen/Cottage was indeed there around 1985/1986, run by Gaew (he spelt it Kaew). The tour office, Lucky Tours, was run by his sister, though. I remember watching the Song Kran parade in 1986 from their balcony over the tour office.

/ Priceless

P'Kaew ran The Cottage in the mid 80s and at least until 1988. Kaew also ran the Rim Koo Guest House along the northern moat for a year or so. There were no hostesses at the tiny Cottage and no band, but quite the cast of characters between the local expats, many of whom were teachers and embassy folks, and many of whom could speak Thai, a rarity back then, the off duty bar girls, and Kaew's gay friends including the one regular who would show up between his/her sets at the Blue Moon. No need or a corkage fee at the Cottage. If you did not finish your bottle then Kaew wrote your name on it and you started on it anew on the next visit.

The Karen Hut, a block to the north, had already been operating for a few years since relocating from the Prince into a former ice cream shop, maybe around 1982. Occasionally a few lost Thais would enter and sit down before they realized it was a hostess bar for Farangs and not an ice cream shop, and then make a hasty exit. Just down the alley from the Karen Hut along the moat on Chaiyaphum RD was My Place. One would stagger along walking by the fancy French eatery, The Coq D'Or, where you might encounter a bevy of police acting as security for a Royal who had a craving for some French opulence. Then it was across the moat and south of Thapae to Alan's Lovebirds or Stuart's Oasis. And as others have noted, if you wanted to take an even lower downward step into Dante's world, there was always the Las Vegas or the Welshman's Pit, originally with a dirt floor. Howard, the Welshman, always seemed to represent the lowest common denominator of the older ex-pat community. There was another Las Vegas style bar south of the moat towards the airport, but I have forgotten the name. There was also a faux Patpong style bar behind the old night market aimed at the hotel tourists, but not really frequented by the ex-pat community. And for those who spoke Thai and wanted to get a little ethnic there was the Hennessy Club off of Huay Kaew with real old style Ramwong girls and really, really loud music.

As a footnote, I first met Daniel, AKA Deng, of Daniel's Bar as a bartender at the Karen Hut before he pioneered, along with his ill-fated partner Peter and the Linda Bar folks the beginning of the bar scene along Loi Khroh.

Old Frank used to entertain us there with his Hank Williams tunes.

I really liked Frank, a seemingly decent man earning a living amidst decadence. He would sing a set at the Karen Hut, then mosey over to Alan's bar, and then end up at My Place. All the while singing his songs in front of drunks and stoners and hookers and their Johns. He was an ethnic Karen and once in awhile I could even convince him to sing a Karen folk song.

.....but I vaguely remember some Khunying on the front page of the BKK Post with her politician (?) husband and wearing a beautiful necklace that was later fingered as one of the stolen items.

When she was asked about, she said she a friend had lent her the necklace, but she suddenly couldn't remember the friends name!!!!

She was caught wearing the jewels at a social event in Hong Kong where a picture of her was published in the social pages of a local newspaper. Soon after some fake jewelery was dropped off at a police station.

This case reaches, as Artisi hinted, into the highest stratas of Thailand's social scene, people who will not allow themselves to lose face, even at the expense of the country. It has become a tradition.

I can only think of ยอดรัก /Yord-rak and สุดที่รัก / Soot -tee - rak. It might not be what you want.wait for suggestions from others.

Which of course ultimately leads to cao chiwit.

I think you should just call her Joan, to express your true feelings in advance. : )

I call in once every couple of months or so, usually during the afternoon or early evening. Doesn't particularly bother me, but yes - the staff who have served me haven't exactly gone out of their way to make me feel welcome - rarely a smile. The owner has occasionally been propping up a corner of the bar - barely looks at you, let alone smiles or says hello.

That pretty much describes my experiences the few times I have dropped in over the years.

As I read the rambling piece I was contemplating writing a response until I came to the end of the piece (note: I had by then already begum skimming the verbiage well before the end) when I noticed it was posted on the Stickman website, which pretty much negated the need for any further response other than noting, in my less than humble opinion, what a load of crap.

summarily, i am just imploring everyone not to forget that thailand is still a wonderful country with aplenty comforts to offer everyone.... young or not so young alike....

To apply your argument to a far more extreme case, I am certain that the post-Weimar Republic also offered plenty of comforts for some, just not to others. Yes, a westerner can retire in Thailand in comfort for far less than that same comfort would cost elsewhere. And yes, one can replace a middle class existence in the developed countries with a neo-sahib lifestyle in Thailand that even includes servants and chauffeurs, not to mention cheap BJs. And one can hob-nob and sometimes even marry into what one imagines are members of the local "high society". Life can indeed be comfortable, far more comfortable than one could have imagined back home. But to extrapolate that to the false idea that Thailand offers comforts to "everyone" shows that you have maybe buried your head into the sands far too deeply to be safely extracted with your reasoning intact as you are clearly only thinking with that last bit of exposed body that I see wiggling above the sand.

A friend of mine says his phone rings at least once a day, by freelancers.

That was probably my hapless brother in-law making the calls.

Service means 'bor-rí-gaan', so, no need to say both words together.

In Thai language, we would use the word 'bor-rí-gaan' with person.

And beware of signs that promise "borikaan 24" hours as you might get more service than you were seeking.

My children survived both my less than perfect Thai as well as my wife's less than perfect English. My son speaks Thai with nary an accent, putting my Thai vocalizations to shame. He is often quick to laugh at some of my pronunciations.

I don't believe this is a significant issue. Aim for comprehension, don't get worried or frustrated over lack of production, and then, if possible, make the investment into taking the children back to the country of the second language for some immersion once every few years while they are still young. The return on that investment will be gratifying. If you are based in Thailand and can't make it back to your home country then take a trip to somewhere like Samui where English is dominant or take them for weekend stays at tourist guesthouses with a swim pool as a hook.

I was doing a little job for a few months with the Myanmar Air Force about 3 years ago.

Congratulations on taking a job with one of the most brutally repressive military regimes on the planet. I am sure your mother is very proud of you.

We have raised two bilingual kids who have spent most of their lives here in the US. My son is 21 now and speaks excellent, nearly flawless Thai. My daughter is 18 and speaks less capably in Thai but has very good comprehension. Young children have no problems learning two languages as they grow up. Most commonly there is a "mother" tongue spoken in the house and a "native" tongue spoken in the schools. In a case where a language is presented by only one parent it is common for a child to only have comprehension skills with the production skills not as developed. That is they understand but will respond in the dominant language. And that is fine as normally, when exposed to an environment where that second language is dominant, production will follow quickly. In other words, if you are living in Thailand and only the father is speaking English, the child may understand the English and respond in Thai, but if that child is taken for a visit to the father's family overseas the child will usually start talking in English after a few days.

Children have no problems learning multiple languages. In Thailand we live near minority villages where just about everyone grows up multi-lingual learning their "mother tongue", the rural Kham Muang (Northern Thai) spoken in the street, as well as Central Thai spoken in the schools and in the media. And if there is another minority group nearby with a large population, then most kids also learn a smattering of that language as well.

Bottom line, languages are the gifts of the gods and there is no reason not to bestow your native language to your child by speaking to your kids in that language. It will in no way impede their learning of their "native" language. Just don't get frustrated if they respond in the dominant language. As long as there is comprehension you have succeeded!

Exactly. In the West the corruption is more invisible, more high level, more sophisticated and much more money involved. You have to belong certain country club or go to a 5000 dollar "dinner" to discuss or hear some election candidate to speak. Or officials get free benefits from certain lobby groups or "holiday trips". The possibilities are endless. No need to carry suitcases of cash to the officials. That is sooo barbaric

Then they screw the J6Ps out there with bailout money for the banks. The money they do not need to pay back and are using to pay outrageous bonuses to their employees. Is that any better than in Thailand?

Thailand is still at the "hey man, better show me the money and some whisky too!"-corruption level. In a way much more honest way of corruption. Both of course are wrong but that "I am so much better as a white man and sure know how these pesky natives should behave"-attitude is not going to work.

Yes, in the west they keep the rabble on the up and up so that it is hard to scam the tax man. And then they take that tax money and hand it over to the elite who own the politicians. They use smoke and mirrors (lawyers and accountants) to hide the transfer of the money. They also insure that the politicians that they control insert or leave in loopholes into the laws that do such things as lower the tax rates on themselves and facilitate the transfer of funds offshore. Actually the politicians no longer write the laws, rather the corporate lawyers write up laws that are given to the lobbyists who then hand them over to their politicians to be presented as legislation. So I too prefer the blatant in your face corruption, buy me a bottle of whiskey corruption of Thailand rather than the corporate malfeasance of the likes of Goldman Sachs or the 25 hedge fund operators who insured that a tax loophole in their favor was not closed by buying off a Senator Schumer of New York State.

I took a Myers-Brigg test online. A long list of semi ambiguous yes/no questions whose answers mainly fall along on a continuum. Anyway, maybe there is something to it as noted persons who fell under my categorization included Bill Clinton, and I certainly could never say no to a young woman willing to give me a Lewinsky in the privacy of my office.

I got a little confused when I saw the Navy apologising for flying. I thought they had got the aircraft carrier out of mothballs.

They were just reminding the Thai govt about who really runs the country.

The RTN has been the weakest branch of the Thai military since they sponsored a failed coup decades ago. There only recent success was scamming the government into buying that useless aircraft carrier and allowing the admirals to take a piece of that action into their pockets. But otherwise the Navy does not influence politics the same way that the Army does. The Royal Thai Army, nor the RTAF, would never have to issue an apology and suffer the consequent loss of face.

Not only have I never heard of Myers-Brigg, I don't even know what INFJ stands for. Somehow, I think that a lot of other people are in the same boat.

I was going to recommend to the OP some volunteer options, but after googling Myer-Brigg I thought the better of it. But then again, belief in such systems might be make a person amenable to working with the Thai citizens who rely more heavily on animistic beliefs.

You are one of the first people I have seen to have the balls to opened this door and on TV to boot. I have done the research as well and understand why you posted this statement. But "rubbers" do help prevent a host of STD, and unwanted pregnancy's. HIV and AIDS will always be a controvercy. The pharmacutical and thier investers are making a huge sum of money on this false hood.

As one who lived in rural northern Thailand through the 1980s and into the 1990s, I personally witnessed an otherwise healthy population drop like flies from AIDS and, more to counter your point, who had been clinically diagnosed as HIV+. There was no poverty, no drugs from Big Pharma, just a steady drop in population in a Tambon with a maximum population of about 8,000 that over several years in the early 1990s experienced at least one AIDS related funeral each week. The fatalities were not limited to the gay male population but included those of all sexual proclivities and all ages including young children unfortunate enough to have been born with the virus. The tide was reversed in the late 1990s by education and preventative measures such as promoting the use of condoms, warning people of the dangers of sharing needles (not to mention the shift from heroin (needles) to meth, which initiated a new social plague), and the closing of the small bordellos that catered to the local population. These small brothels served as a secondary vector being the locus of two primary vectors, sex and needles. In addition the local population finally started to infer from the never ending processions of funerals of friends and family that this epidemic was real and behavior needed to be changed. Northern Thailand remains a model for reducing AIDS. Despite all its shortcomings bemoaned here on TV on a daily basis, Thailand had the political will to attack this epidemic, a political will that is still hard to find in hapless African nations. The political will included closing the small local brothels, promoting condom usage as well as pressuring the vested powers (politicians, the military, and the bankers) to move away from importing and distributing heroin which the poor used by sharing needles.

Big Pharma was never a factor in the rural north other than using it as a test population for many a phase II trial. That is not to say that Big Pharma is not corrupt. For those interested in a scathing criticism of Big Pharma I suggest reading Marcia Angel's book The Truth About the Drug Companies. But the corruptive forces within Big Pharma should not be confused with the reality of HIV.

Foreigners taking over land in North, claims farmers' group

.....He added that a large number of farmers also rented their farms to foreigners, and received payment in the form of rice instead of cash.

-- The Nation 2009-08-12

I believe that paying off rent with 50% of the padi harvest is the traditional form of rent up north. And although I can not remember the title or author, there was an academic book published I think in the late 1970s that both noted in the data and bemoaned the fact that a majority of the peasantry up north, peasant being the common academic term for Thai farmers at that time, had lost their land for one reason or another to absentee landlords. So this is nothing new other than instead of city based Thai-Chinese, often with Thai wives, buying the land we have a few Caucasian foreigners buying the land through their Thai wives. As I have noted for many years, most of the anti-Farang sentiments in Thailand derive from the one earlier arriving group not wanting competition from the more recently arrived group. And of course the real story is that the major land owners up north now have long been firms such as Boon Rawd up in Chiang Rai or the massive holdings of the CP group. Neither group wants competition nor higher land prices for their expansion.

The stories are dated back 20+ years.

One has to understand the social dynamics going back 20 plus years when the feudal aspects of Thai society were less obscured then today. Rural people lived in fear of the government officials and "phu yai" They were deemed to be "caos" or lords. It took, and still does, take gumption and chutzpah to confront the bureaucrats. One had to be brave and bold because if you screwed up there could be negative consequences to both the individual and the entire village. Thus in the context and times of when Gething collected material for his reader, it required more than just confidence to confront the power of the State as represented by the local district officials (Amphoe), it also required a degree of boldness and bravery. It was risky business.