Thailand and guns: Media mentions thousands of deaths from gun violence - but the USA is worse

[chang1]

2 hours ago, oslooskar said:

I would never be so arrogant and irresponsible to advise a law-abiding individual not to have a gun for protection and to act submissively in the face of a criminal threat. After all, you have absolutely no idea what a criminal may or may not do to his victim and you do not know if a gun would have made the situation worse. You're simply talking through your hat because you're self-righteous and it makes you feel good.

But you would hand guns out to anyone who wants them without a clue about their mental condition or capability to use and store them away from children and drunks or even if they will use them to commit the crimes with, that you say they are needed for to stop. Nothing to do with being self-righteous, it's all about self preservation. Guns are dangerous whoever has them. Less guns = safer overall for the vast majority of us. If guns are so good at keeping people in order and law abiding why is the USA so messed up with gun crime, accidents, suicides etc.? Instead it is one of the countries you are most likly to be killed in by a bullet. Open your eyes to the harm they cause everywhere in the world.

A criminal with a gun is far more likly to use it against someone acting aggressivly while holding a weapon of any kind. An otherwise normal person, with a gun, may impulsivly shoot someone rather than just leave frustrated - look at the number of road rage shootings in Thailand, they are not all done by criminals.

A gun can be handy in some very rare situations but look at the USA figures for 2018, nearly 40000 killed and less than 1600 justifiable. Thats around 38000 dead people just because Americans are too blind to realise guns kill and do very little to protect. And how many of those justifiably killed actually needed to be killed to stop them hurting anyone? and no, protecting property is no excuse to kill someone in a civilised country. I see absolutly no need for anyone, apart from law enforcement and the military to have any access to a gun outside of strictly controlled shooting ranges. The problem is the more guns there are the more unsafe people feel and so the more they want a gun for themselves which just makes things worse and more dangerous for themselves. A fun fact - people who don't have a gun are less likly to be killed by a gun than those who do. probably because they live in safer places to begin with but it is still a fact.

If I ever feel the need to carry a gun for personal protection, it is time to move far away.

[ta158]

37 minutes ago, chang1 said:

But you would hand guns out to anyone who wants them without a clue about their mental condition or capability to use and store them away from children and drunks or even if they will use them to commit the crimes with, that you say they are needed for to stop. Nothing to do with being self-righteous, it's all about self preservation. Guns are dangerous whoever has them. Less guns = safer overall for the vast majority of us. If guns are so good at keeping people in order and law abiding why is the USA so messed up with gun crime, accidents, suicides etc.? Instead it is one of the countries you are most likly to be killed in by a bullet. Open your eyes to the harm they cause everywhere in the world.

A criminal with a gun is far more likly to use it against someone acting aggressivly while holding a weapon of any kind. An otherwise normal person, with a gun, may impulsivly shoot someone rather than just leave frustrated - look at the number of road rage shootings in Thailand, they are not all done by criminals.

A gun can be handy in some very rare situations but look at the USA figures for 2018, nearly 40000 killed and less than 1600 justifiable. Thats around 38000 dead people just because Americans are too blind to realise guns kill and do very little to protect. And how many of those justifiably killed actually needed to be killed to stop them hurting anyone? and no, protecting property is no excuse to kill someone in a civilised country. I see absolutly no need for anyone, apart from law enforcement and the military to have any access to a gun outside of strictly controlled shooting ranges. The problem is the more guns there are the more unsafe people feel and so the more they want a gun for themselves which just makes things worse and more dangerous for themselves. A fun fact - people who don't have a gun are less likly to be killed by a gun than those who do. probably because they live in safer places to begin with but it is still a fact.

If I ever feel the need to carry a gun for personal protection, it is time to move far away.

around 23,000 were suicide and 14,000 were homicides out of the 40,000 gundeaths.

[ta158]

On 2/14/2020 at 7:37 AM, herwin1234 said:

"facts and reality". Reality is i live in Thailand more than a decade, i walk the streets day and night, i live in the village and in the city, "reality" is i never saw a gun never saw gun violence. "reality" is, its a damn peaceful society here. 

i guess we need the fake media to rattle up fear and hate, with "statistics". i wonder what the next tv article will be to drag Thailand through the mud..

i say that about sweden too and UK, but people are quick to point out of ''dangerous'' sweden or UK is, and how safe thailand is

 

it is just funny when thailand has around 4,000 murders yearly, while UK has around 700 with very similar population to thailand, and sweden having similar murder rates to UK per capita at around 1 murder for every 100,000 people.

 

so just beacause you personally never have seen a gun or vitnessed gun violence does that automaticlly make thailand not have around 3,000 gun murders yearly? and have alot of shootings? compared to Europe,Australia, New zealand and similar rate as USA gun murders.

 

''peaceful society here'' i almost fell down my chair laughing, you must be new in thailand or dont read the news frequently.

[ta158]

On 2/14/2020 at 4:42 AM, Angry Dragon said:

It might seem like the case, but the statistics don't support it.  Over 50% of homicide victims are black, the vast majority of whom (90%+) are killed by other blacks.

 

A visit to your local walmart will expose you to lots of very scary "lower class" white people, but after a few visits you will find that they are harmless.  Try doing the same thing on the streets of Baltimore, St. Louis, Detroit and you'll likely come to a different conclusion.

and most of the mass shootings with 20, 30, 50 dead has been done by whites, black shootings are usually gang violence.

[chang1]

36 minutes ago, ta158 said:

around 23,000 were suicide and 14,000 were homicides out of the 40,000 gundeaths.

37000 guns in safe hands then! Just the sort of armed people I want around me and my family.

[Vascoda]

On 2/13/2020 at 12:30 AM, spidermike007 said:

his recent massacre is extremely rare in Thailand. I am far more fearful of violence and being shot in the US,

Unless you're an African American, you can even threaten police with guns and they won't shoot you. 

[metisdead]

A post with off topic generalizations about genocide in other countries due to gun control has been removed. 

 

A post with unattributed content has been removed. 

[oslooskar]

3 hours ago, Vascoda said:

Unless you're an African American, you can even threaten police with guns and they won't shoot you. 

You know very well that is absolute nonsense. It doesn't matter what race you are, if you're threatening the police with a gun you can expect to get shot. If more African Americans are getting shot by the police than other ethnic groups it is most likely because they engage in more criminal activity than any other ethnic group. 

[oslooskar]

8 hours ago, chang1 said:

But you would hand guns out to anyone who wants them without a clue about their mental condition or capability to use and store them away from children and drunks or even if they will use them to commit the crimes with, that you say they are needed for to stop.

REALLY?? And you believe this to be a fact based on what?

[transam]

4 hours ago, murikamba said:

The story is for farangs to shup up about Thai bashing. Why did they come here after all? To bash Thais? They should go back to their own countries unless they are economic migrants unable to make it in their own country and complete losers in their own country, they have no reason to come to Thailand.

Good morning, and how are you today...?  ????

[oslooskar]

4 hours ago, murikamba said:

The story is for farangs to shup up about Thai bashing. Why did they come here after all? To bash Thais? They should go back to their own countries unless they are economic migrants unable to make it in their own country and complete losers in their own country, they have no reason to come to Thailand.

Personally, I love the Thais and I really do appreciate being able to live here. So, be advised that the only people I bash are those corrupt politicians back in California who have turned the cities of my beloved state into rat infested, deceased cesspools.

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, oslooskar said:

You know very well that is absolute nonsense. It doesn't matter what race you are, if you're threatening the police with a gun you can expect to get shot. If more African Americans are getting shot by the police than other ethnic groups it is most likely because they engage in more criminal activity than any other ethnic group. 

Even verbally assaulting a policeman in the US can lead to arrest, or worse. They are some of the most aggressive law enforcement people I have ever encountered, and are becoming highly militarized. Here, I talk back to the cops all the time. Never had an issue. Most of them back down here when you give them a hard time, which is kind of like a hobby for me. Few things are more fun, than playing around with the mind of the local police franchisees. 

Edited February 16, 2020 by spidermike007

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, oslooskar said:

Personally, I love the Thais and I really do appreciate being able to live here. So, be advised that the only people I bash are those corrupt politicians back in California who have turned the cities of my beloved state into rat infested, deceased cesspools.

 

Thank you. Nearly every time I see someone complaining, or observing a shortfall about the policies here, or the culture, some guy who has not taken the time to think things through, nor to devote any time, study, or focus on the issue at hand, says something like "Perhaps Thailand is not for you", or "maybe you should leave", or "it's not fair", or the top prize, "if you do not like it here, go back to your own country". 

 

Why? Because I have some issues with the place, I am not entitled to complain, or voice my opinions? Half of the posts on this forum are complaints. What is wrong with that? Don't we need someplace to vent? Why the sensitivity? Why such thin skin? Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful thing to be blessed with, it is not something most of us enjoy. The fact that I complain does not mean I do not love Thailand, my lifestyle, and most of the Thai people. I have a good life here. But, I do have some issues with the place, as most do, and I do not like the government, and there are some things I would like to see improved. Do you not see any room for improvement? I should leave because I complain? 

 

And I do agree with you about Cali. I barely recognize it these days. The quality of life there has diminished dramatically. Same applies to the US in general, but more so in the bigger cities of Cali.

Edited February 16, 2020 by spidermike007

[oslooskar]

9 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Because I have some issues with the place, I am not entitled to complain, or voice my opinions? Half of the posts on this forum are complaints. What is wrong with that? Don't we need someplace to vent? Why the sensitivity? Why such thin skin? Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful thing to be blessed with, it is not something most of us enjoy. The fact that I complain does not mean I do not love Thailand, my lifestyle, and most of the Thai people. I have a good life here. But, I do have some issues with the place, as most do, and I do not like the government, and there are some things I would like to see improved. Do you not see any room for improvement? I should leave because I complain?

Complaining and constructive criticism are not the same as bashing. I bash the politicians in California because there is no doubt in my mind that they are criminals. Take Uber for example; why was it allowed to operate in California without having to follow the very same rules as those in the taxi industry? Answer: somebody in Sacramento took a bribe and in so doing allowed Uber to all but destroy the taxi industry and ruin the lives of people in that industry who followed the rules for years.

[woogoo]

On 2/13/2020 at 12:28 PM, Assurancetourix said:

Don't be pessimistic 

In absolute terms, the USA and Brazil, which each have 7 to 8 times more inhabitants than Thailand, are of course ahead;
but relatively, Thailand beats them and from very far.

What they are also not telling you is that the vast majority of those gun deaths in the US are suicides. If you take out those and only include "gun violence", the numbers are much smaller. More people are killed by hammers and knives than guns. But, that's the difference in a country that over reports vs. one that underreports everything except the tourist numbers.

[dcnx]

On 2/13/2020 at 11:12 AM, webfact said:

This was not as bad as countries like Brazil, the USA and India, said the media.

Oh! Well then, keep on killing. I didn’t realize it was a contest.

 

 

[dcnx]

13 hours ago, ta158 said:

i say that about sweden too and UK, but people are quick to point out of ''dangerous'' sweden or UK is, and how safe thailand is

 

it is just funny when thailand has around 4,000 murders yearly, while UK has around 700 with very similar population to thailand, and sweden having similar murder rates to UK per capita at around 1 murder for every 100,000 people.

 

so just beacause you personally never have seen a gun or vitnessed gun violence does that automaticlly make thailand not have around 3,000 gun murders yearly? and have alot of shootings? compared to Europe,Australia, New zealand and similar rate as USA gun murders.

 

''peaceful society here'' i almost fell down my chair laughing, you must be new in thailand or dont read the news frequently.

He lives in a village in the middle of nowhere. It’s not a surprise that he hasn’t seen gun violence.

 

It’s also not surprising that he lives in Thailand with that sort of reasoning.

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed. 

[chang1]

5 hours ago, woogoo said:

What they are also not telling you is that the vast majority of those gun deaths in the US are suicides. If you take out those and only include "gun violence", the numbers are much smaller. More people are killed by hammers and knives than guns. But, that's the difference in a country that over reports vs. one that underreports everything except the tourist numbers.

And anyone who commits suicide is not worth counting?

[ta158]

7 hours ago, woogoo said:

What they are also not telling you is that the vast majority of those gun deaths in the US are suicides. If you take out those and only include "gun violence", the numbers are much smaller. More people are killed by hammers and knives than guns. But, that's the difference in a country that over reports vs. one that underreports everything except the tourist numbers.

Bullcrap, gun murders stands for most of the murders in USA. There is around 17,000 murders yearly, and 14,000 is gun murders, so how is knife , hammer or other methods used more In murders? Do people not at least make sure it is right? Facts they post? See that all the time here.

 

I agree on last bit though.

[oslooskar]

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Even verbally assaulting a policeman in the US can lead to arrest, or worse. They are some of the most aggressive law enforcement people I have ever encountered, and are becoming highly militarized.

Yes, the police in the United States are, in fact, becoming more militarized. And, at the very same time, numerous politicians across the United States are calling for more and more restrictions on the private ownership of firearms. Combine that with the fact that American youth has been indoctrinated by their communist professors and it all adds up to an Orwellian nightmare looming just over the horizon. At least that's the way I see it.

[cdemundo]

On 2/12/2020 at 10:19 PM, deesquared said:

What does gun rights have anything to do with a soldier rading an armory? If anything gun rights could have helped this situation. We've seen this time and time again in the US when a private citizen stops a shooting with their own weapon. 

"We've seen this time and time again in the US when a private citizen stops a shooting with their own weapon. "

Huh, I guess I missed a few of those.

[samuttodd]

[spidermike007]

22 hours ago, oslooskar said:

Complaining and constructive criticism are not the same as bashing. I bash the politicians in California because there is no doubt in my mind that they are criminals. Take Uber for example; why was it allowed to operate in California without having to follow the very same rules as those in the taxi industry? Answer: somebody in Sacramento took a bribe and in so doing allowed Uber to all but destroy the taxi industry and ruin the lives of people in that industry who followed the rules for years.

The rules may be the rules, but the reality is that taxis are not competitively priced in the US, and we were ready for alternatives. Taxis died due to competition, because they were not competitive. Uber, Grab, and Lyft have completely transformed transportation options in the US. I use them alot, and love them, and applaud them. And bad, nonsensical rules are meant to be broken. Who knows where the real corruption lies? My sense of it, is that the original monopolies that taxis were granted, is right up there with the BA Samui airport monopoly. Not good for the people, on any level. A few thousand people are out of work. That is the way the modern economy works. Adapt, or die.

Edited February 17, 2020 by spidermike007

[oslooskar]

8 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The rules may be the rules, but the reality is that taxis are not competitively priced in the US, and we were ready for alternatives. Taxis died due to competition, because they were not competitive. Uber, Grab, and Lyft have completely transformed transportation options in the US. I use them alot, and love them, and applaud them. And bad, nonsensical rules are meant to be broken. Who knows where the real corruption lies? My sense of it, is that the original monopolies that taxis were granted, is right up there with the BA Samui airport monopoly. Not good for the people, on any level. A few thousand people are out of work. That is the way the modern economy works. Adapt, or die.

Knowing where the real corruption lies is not rocket science------at least in the case of California and in particular San Francisco. That's why the San Francisco Federal Credit Union is suing the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Also, be advised that in San Francisco it is the Board of Supervisors who regulate taxi fares, not the cab companies. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for free enterprise just as long as the playing field is level for all the competitors------and it's not.

[drbeach]

On 2/13/2020 at 1:30 PM, spidermike007 said:

This recent massacre is extremely rare in Thailand. I am far more fearful of violence and being shot in the US, than I am here. 

 

Most gun deaths in Thailand are Thai on Thai. Very little violence against foreigners, fortunately. 

Not only that, but the vast, vast majority of gun deaths in Thailand are between people who know each other (or a hired hit against someone). A result of business disputes or more commonly, relationship issues where a jealous wife hires a hitman to kill her cheating husband. That sort of thing. Random gun violence committed by Thais either against other Thais or non-Thais, is extremely rare. I definitely agree with you there.