17 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Pretty much sums up ASEAN whoever has the chair.....negative is not in their vocabulary!

I would not discount Singapore. I wish Singapore could exert some influence.

I love Thailand people and the Asian countries in general. The people that is.

So many other countries help the power people to squeeze the population to submission.

The fact that the people know no better is the reason there is not a real revolution in tech, education, democracy, freedom of speech and so on.

Don't blame the common people, blame countries and businesses that allow the generals to rule.

5 hours ago, spiderorchid said:

I would not discount Singapore. I wish Singapore could exert some influence.

I love Thailand people and the Asian countries in general. The people that is.

So many other countries help the power people to squeeze the population to submission.

The fact that the people know no better is the reason there is not a real revolution in tech, education, democracy, freedom of speech and so on.

Don't blame the common people, blame countries and businesses that allow the generals to rule.

I have to disagree with your assessment of Thais. I blame the people.

 

If you ask normal Thais, most would confirm that they endevour to be just like their masters. Their goals are all the same: to become wealthy by almost any means. Numerous Thai studies indicate that they generally believe corruption is OK as long as they benefit individually. 

 

They don't believe in equity. Rather, they believe that nobody is equal and that "good people" or those of "high birth" or simply people with wealth (irrespective of how it was acquired) are entitled to exploit the others. 

 

They deserve the business people and governments they get. Their culture from top to bottom is exploitative. 

 

Not bad people but also definitely not the smiling angels many think. Just because a person is poor and powerless does not mean he/she has or aspires to good values.

Edited January 16, 20197 yr by Fex Bluse

44 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

Not bad people but also definitely not the smiling angels many think.

Normally agree your posts, FB, but certainly not this one that forces me to think that you must spend your time amongst a totally different bread of Thais than I do … an urban vs rural contrast, maybe. The acid test, though, would be whether you'd be honest - and brave - enough to be similarly frank in your views, given the chance to address a thousand-strong audience . . . many of them sitting only a few feet away from you. I think you'd be a bit worried as to where your microphone may finish up.

35 minutes ago, Ossy said:

Normally agree your posts, FB, but certainly not this one that forces me to think that you must spend your time amongst a totally different bread of Thais than I do … an urban vs rural contrast, maybe. The acid test, though, would be whether you'd be honest - and brave - enough to be similarly frank in your views, given the chance to address a thousand-strong audience . . . many of them sitting only a few feet away from you. I think you'd be a bit worried as to where your microphone may finish up.

I spend my time with as few as possible. I admit that. In the past, though, I'd spent time with a full spectrum of Thai people. Exceptionally wealthy, educated, and traveled all the way to impoverished village people who hadn't even visited different parts of Thailand. They almost uniformly let me down with their routine dishonesty. 

 

While I don't hold any hate for Thai people, in general, I acknowledge that the vast majority don't share too many of my core beliefs. Therefore, when I encounter them, I'm polite but ensure they are kept at arms distance as if they are a threat. The exception to this is a handful of Thai friends I've made and tested over decades and my wife's family. 

 

This handling has served me very well over a long time in Thailand. 

 

Would I stand in front of a group of a thousand Thais and share these views? Of course not. Why would I do that? What would be the point? I don't aim to cause Thai people any pain or discomfort. I just don't like them or the incessant dishonesty and exploitative power relationships that form a large part of the culture. 

 

I think I'm within my rights to have these measured views. Not all societies are that alike. 

Edited January 16, 20197 yr by Fex Bluse

1 hour ago, Fex Bluse said:

I spend my time with as few as possible. I admit that. In the past, though, I'd spent time with a full spectrum of Thai people. Exceptionally wealthy, educated, and traveled all the way to impoverished village people who hadn't even visited different parts of Thailand. They almost uniformly let me down with their routine dishonesty. 

 

While I don't hold any hate for Thai people, in general, I acknowledge that the vast majority don't share too many of my core beliefs. Therefore, when I encounter them, I'm polite but ensure they are kept at arms distance as if they are a threat. The exception to this is a handful of Thai friends I've made and tested over decades and my wife's family. 

 

This handling has served me very well over a long time in Thailand. 

 

Would I stand in front of a group of a thousand Thais and share these views? Of course not. Why would I do that? What would be the point? I don't aim to cause Thai people any pain or discomfort. I just don't like them or the incessant dishonesty and exploitative power relationships that form a large part of the culture. 

 

I think I'm within my rights to have these measured views. Not all societies are that alike. 

Thanks for that, FB . . . a sad picture, though, especially the 'arms distance' comment ????