Koh Samed. is this the beautifull Thailand?

[darrendsd]

WOW!!! .....what a bunch of whingers! Thailand is what it is? Its the Thai's country. You are a guest,,,act like one. Do you often visit a friends house and complain that they haven't cleaned the house, their kids are rude and unruly, the furniture uncomfortable, etc,,,,???? Maybe you do ....and you know what ....kinda of guests I don't want! And just like everywhere else in this world there is good and bad everywhere. Depends on what your looking for. Want to see the garbage, pot holed roads, rude Thai's etc. and that's what you get. Been living here in Thailand (near Samet) for 10 years and YEAH these problems exist....but you learn to go with the flow and enjoy the parts that are enjoyable.....and for me ...it's quiet a lot.

Maybe you wouldn't complain if you went to your friends house and all that happened but you sure wouldn't go back again

[myluckythai]

WOW!!! .....what a bunch of whingers! Thailand is what it is? Its the Thai's country. You are a guest,,,act like one. Do you often visit a friends house and complain that they haven't cleaned the house, their kids are rude and unruly, the furniture uncomfortable, etc,,,,???? Maybe you do ....and you know what ....kinda of guests I don't want! And just like everywhere else in this world there is good and bad everywhere. Depends on what your looking for. Want to see the garbage, pot holed roads, rude Thai's etc. and that's what you get. Been living here in Thailand (near Samet) for 10 years and YEAH these problems exist....but you learn to go with the flow and enjoy the parts that are enjoyable.....and for me ...it's quiet a lot.

Maybe you wouldn't complain if you went to your friends house and all that happened but you sure wouldn't go back again

sure thing!

[bocceball1]

Jviersel....I know you are young and some concepts are hard to grasp in English (yes....I know your Dutch) but the following is much the same as "go with the flow"

Confucius - "The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm."

A French moralist, Jean de la Fontaine (1621-1695), also wrote something similar :

The Oak and the Reed

The Oak spoke one day to the Reed
"You have good reason to complain;
A Wren for you is a load indeed;
The smallest wind bends you in twain.
You are forced to bend your head;
While my crown faces the plains
And not content to block the sun
Braves the efforts of the rains.
What for you is a North Wind is for me but a zephyr.
Were you to grow within my shade
Which covers the whole neighbourhood
You'd have no reason to be afraid
For I would keep you from the storm.
Instead you usually grow
In places humid, where the winds doth blow.
Nature to thee hath been unkind."
"Your compassion", replied the Reed
"Shows a noble character indeed;
But do not worry: the winds for me
Are much less dangerous than for thee;
I bend, not break. You have 'til now
Resisted their great force unbowed,
But beware.
As he said these very words
A violent angry storm arose.
The tree held strong; the Reed he bent.
The wind redoubled and did not relent,
Until finally it uprooted the poor Oak
Whose head had been in the heavens
And roots among the dead folk.

The Thai's say "Gai Yen Yen".....Take it easy/

Good luck being the mighty Oak.....I much prefer the reed's life

[bocceball1]

Sorry for the misprint.....Its "Jai yen yen" ...keep a cool heart

[myluckythai]

Jviersel....I know you are young and some concepts are hard to grasp in English (yes....I know your Dutch) but the following is much the same as "go with the flow"

Confucius - "The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm."

A French moralist, Jean de la Fontaine (1621-1695), also wrote something similar :

The Oak and the Reed

The Oak spoke one day to the Reed

"You have good reason to complain;

A Wren for you is a load indeed;

The smallest wind bends you in twain.

You are forced to bend your head;

While my crown faces the plains

And not content to block the sun

Braves the efforts of the rains.

What for you is a North Wind is for me but a zephyr.

Were you to grow within my shade

Which covers the whole neighbourhood

You'd have no reason to be afraid

For I would keep you from the storm.

Instead you usually grow

In places humid, where the winds doth blow.

Nature to thee hath been unkind."

"Your compassion", replied the Reed

"Shows a noble character indeed;

But do not worry: the winds for me

Are much less dangerous than for thee;

I bend, not break. You have 'til now

Resisted their great force unbowed,

But beware.

As he said these very words

A violent angry storm arose.

The tree held strong; the Reed he bent.

The wind redoubled and did not relent,

Until finally it uprooted the poor Oak

Whose head had been in the heavens

And roots among the dead folk.

The Thai's say "Gai Yen Yen".....Take it easy/

Good luck being the mighty Oak.....I much prefer the reed's life

Sorry for the misprint.....Its "Jai yen yen" ...keep a cool heart

ok. first of all sorry if i am acting like an A hole. it was not my intention. it never is. agreed i am young and hot at hearth still. i like the story you added and of course this is true. i find it hard to see some things here in thailand as it is not the way to make a nice societyi think , but surely there are more good thing to me than bad things and most of the people i met are indeed nice people, if not i would'nt be living here. some aspect of thailand will Always be bothering me and i do believe we , the civilized people, thai as well as farang can make a difference in the long run, but trying to do this myself by fighting it is useless. About Samed , it gave me a bad feeling when i was there , but trhis does not mean all and everybody is rotten. i did not intent to speak bad about your way, just got carried away a little in my frustration i guess. although i disagree at some points. Maybe i will see it your way too when i live here long enough. I know holland has other attitude problems wich are just as annoying , only there i know my ways better than i do here and so it is less frustrating.

i wish everybody a healthy and happy live and it would be nice if i can give it to 'm, but i can't. i can only try to help the man standing next to me and if he will some day too thats a mighty good start. cheers to you. lets forget about the BS and enjoy the good life...

[bocceball1]

jviersel......Wrote

"ok. first of all sorry if i am acting like an A hole. it was not my intention. it never is. agreed i am young and hot at hearth still. i like the story you added and of course this is true. i find it hard to see some things here in thailand as it is not the way to make a nice societyi think , but surely there are more good thing to me than bad things and most of the people i met are indeed nice people, if not i would'nt be living here. some aspect of thailand will Always be bothering me and i do believe we , the civilized people, thai as well as farang can make a difference in the long run, but trying to do this myself by fighting it is useless. About Samed , it gave me a bad feeling when i was there , but trhis does not mean all and everybody is rotten. i did not intent to speak bad about your way, just got carried away a little in my frustration i guess. although i disagree at some points. Maybe i will see it your way too when i live here long enough. I know holland has other attitude problems wich are just as annoying , only there i know my ways better than i do here and so it is less frustrating.

i wish everybody a healthy and happy live and it would be nice if i can give it to 'm, but i can't. i can only try to help the man standing next to me and if he will some day too thats a mighty good start. cheers to you. lets forget about the BS and enjoy the good life..."

Thanks for the good words....you are indeed "jaidee" ...actually thought nothing less. Good luck on your journey of life here in Thailand. It has been good to me ...although it can be frustrating for a "farang"...just part of life.

"Chok dee"

[The Usual Suspect]

I try my hand at writing short stories now and then. I wrote this one several years ago after I had gone through some miserable times which challenged my views on many things. It kind of fits this topic so I thought I would post it.

Two Friends

There were two men, friends they were, and one evening around sunset they decided to take a walk along the seashore. There was an old sea wall on the beach where they strolled. As they walked along, one of the friends kept looking at the old delapidated sea wall, it's surface cracked and broken, covered with graffiti. On the sand below the sea wall lay broken liquor bottles, trash of all sorts, drug paraphanalia, dog shit and an occasional dead sea bird. The fellow just fixated on this depressing sight and complained at length about what a terrible condition the beach was in and how it's beauty had been destroyed. He complained about what a miserable time he was having and suggested they turn back. What a downer!

At the same time, as they walked further, the other man was looking out to sea. He saw a most beautiful sunset, a sky with billowing clouds and shafts of golden sunlight breaking through. He saw sea birds soaring high and diving amongst the waves. He saw dolphins jumping and playing in the surf. The breeze coming in off the waves was fresh and exilerating and the man thought to himself, "what a beautiful world this is, I am so lucky to be here and to be alive."

Both men walking along the same beach, right next to each other. One man depressed, disgusted and miserable. The other man joyous, uplifted and grateful to be alive. The only thing causing the difference between the two men.........Their VIEWPOINTS.

This has been my experience in Thailand. Sure, there a lot of things that "could" drive me nuts, but there were a lot of things that drove me nuts in my home country as well! I'm not saying we should just roll over and accept everything as is and not try to improve situations if we can. However, over the years I've learned that for me at least, it isn't about what happens as much as it is my reaction to it, and my viewpoint definitely affects my reactions.

[myluckythai]

I try my hand at writing short stories now and then. I wrote this one several years ago after I had gone through some miserable times which challenged my views on many things. It kind of fits this topic so I thought I would post it.

Two Friends

There were two men, friends they were, and one evening around sunset they decided to take a walk along the seashore. There was an old sea wall on the beach where they strolled. As they walked along, one of the friends kept looking at the old delapidated sea wall, it's surface cracked and broken, covered with graffiti. On the sand below the sea wall lay broken liquor bottles, trash of all sorts, drug paraphanalia, dog shit and an occasional dead sea bird. The fellow just fixated on this depressing sight and complained at length about what a terrible condition the beach was in and how it's beauty had been destroyed. He complained about what a miserable time he was having and suggested they turn back. What a downer!

At the same time, as they walked further, the other man was looking out to sea. He saw a most beautiful sunset, a sky with billowing clouds and shafts of golden sunlight breaking through. He saw sea birds soaring high and diving amongst the waves. He saw dolphins jumping and playing in the surf. The breeze coming in off the waves was fresh and exilerating and the man thought to himself, "what a beautiful world this is, I am so lucky to be here and to be alive."

Both men walking along the same beach, right next to each other. One man depressed, disgusted and miserable. The other man joyous, uplifted and grateful to be alive. The only thing causing the difference between the two men.........Their VIEWPOINTS.

This has been my experience in Thailand. Sure, there a lot of things that "could" drive me nuts, but there were a lot of things that drove me nuts in my home country as well! I'm not saying we should just roll over and accept everything as is and not try to improve situations if we can. However, over the years I've learned that for me at least, it isn't about what happens as much as it is my reaction to it, and my viewpoint definitely affects my reactions. alt=wai.gif width=20 height=20>

thanks for the reply. one day it feels like i should do more and not turn my head away, others indeed i am able to see the beauty of it all and realize its life all around . the good and the bad together make it the life we are living on this world

[jmccarty]

The far end is still nice and well looked after, but you gotta pay for Paradee!

[bocceball1]

Sad to say ....but there is some truth in the Following:

“We're so self-important. So arrogant. Everybody's going to save something now. Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save the snails. And the supreme arrogance? Save the planet! Are these people kidding? Save the planet? We don't even know how to take care of ourselves; we haven't learned how to care for one another. We're gonna save the fuckin' planet? . . . And, by the way, there's nothing wrong with the planet in the first place. The planet is fine. The people are <deleted>! Compared with the people, the planet is doin' great. It's been here over four billion years . . . The planet isn't goin' anywhere, folks. We are! We're goin' away. Pack your shit, we're goin' away. And we won't leave much of a trace. Thank God for that. Nothing left. Maybe a little Styrofoam. The planet will be here, and we'll be gone. Another failed mutation; another closed-end biological mistake.”
― George Carlin

[The Usual Suspect]

Sad to say ....but there is some truth in the Following:

“We're so self-important. So arrogant. Everybody's going to save something now. Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save the snails. And the supreme arrogance? Save the planet! Are these people kidding? Save the planet? We don't even know how to take care of ourselves; we haven't learned how to care for one another. We're gonna save the fuc_kin' planet? . . . And, by the way, there's nothing wrong with the planet in the first place. The planet is fine. The people are fuc_ked! Compared with the people, the planet is doin' great. It's been here over four billion years . . . The planet isn't goin' anywhere, folks. We are! We're goin' away. Pack your shit, we're goin' away. And we won't leave much of a trace. Thank God for that. Nothing left. Maybe a little Styrofoam. The planet will be here, and we'll be gone. Another failed mutation; another closed-end biological mistake.”

― George Carlin

Thanks for posting this! George Carlin has been one of my favorites since way back in the stoned age. He always put it right out there and was straight business until the day he checked out. One funny aside to this..........I was watching this three part series about the history of the Earth and how it functions on National Geographic a few years ago. At the end of the series the commentator summed it all up by saying basically the same thing as Carlin. "Save the Earth? We'd better get busy saving ourselves because the planet will be here whether we are or not!" True, that.