Actually, what would make this situation more analagous to the US health embarrasment is if these boatmen stopped to ask the struggling boys if their parents would compensate them for loss of earnings during their rescue. Will there be a reward?

As it is, the callousness these Thai boatmen showed is at least egalitarian! Unlike the calculated, ruthless attitude in the greatest democracy on earth (where those 'without' are free to exercise their democratic right to die in the gutter and those 'with' are free to ignore their suffering and walk on by)!

Imagine if in the US there was a news story like this everytime someone died needlessly whilst their neighbours and the state looked the other way! There wouldnt be room on TV for the pap that passes as entertainment.

But at least no one can say they're commies! Hypocrites maybe, but not commies!

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Actually, what would make this situation more analagous to the US health embarrasment is if these boatmen stopped to ask the struggling boys if their parents would compensate them for loss of earnings during their rescue. Will there be a reward?

As it is, the callousness these Thai boatmen showed is at least egalitarian! Unlike the calculated, ruthless attitude in the greatest democracy on earth (where those 'without' are free to exercise their democratic right to die in the gutter and those 'with' are free to ignore their suffering and walk on by)!

Imagine if in the US there was a news story like this everytime someone died needlessly whilst their neighbours and the state looked the other way! There wouldnt be room on TV for the pap that passes as entertainment.

But at least no one can say they're commies! Hypocrites maybe, but not commies!

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Or the situation in Australia where the State turns back boats to the open oceans and people have died as a result.

Its as people don't care anymore - what is scary is that all the kids are being brought up playing games where the loss of " life" is entertainment can death can be reset.

Yeah, there's few things Captain Abbott and his band of fellow travellers dislike more than queue jumpers! Give me a break.

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Well how the internet users watching this movie can condem the person filing the scene: maybe cant swim at first. At second what is the consequenze of that: I am sure nothing.

Police should investigate for the boat operators and bring them to court!!!!!!!!!!! but well nothing will happen:

Smileing face of Thailand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Too bad this country has fallen so very deep meanwhile!

It's how it is here, people just don't come out helping anybody for free, but when Bangkok flooded, I guess everyone felt that they were in the same boat, and everybody helped everybody...(most of them at the least). What I honestly think is that once you display emotion, your leaving yourself open to meddlers, so you clam up for fear of getting played and ending up on the short end of the stick...

My judgement is still out on the people in the boats, because they seemed totally oblivious to the boys predicament and perhaps they did not realise there was a problem? But as for the camera guy, words fail me. Appeared to be just entertainment for him.

Why has the camera guy not been named and shamed?

I find it difficult even to imagine this happening where I am from.

I would say the same for Thailand, if it weren't common knowledge that this is part of the culture.

What I can't figure out is why this is part of the culture.

Common knowledge to who? What on earth do you know about Thai Culture? The only people it's common knowledge to is trolls with nothing better to do than knit scarves and moan about Thai people.

Maybe you missed the bit where the young man risked his life to go help his friends............I thought he was Thai.

What I meant was that it would be difficult for me to imagine Thailand being a place where this type of behavior took place, if it weren;t for people opn this very forum making statements to that affect all the time.

I actually have seen this happen right in front of me when a man was mortally injured by a small explosion in front of my office.

Kinda makes the stories that float around here a little easier to believe.

But I'm no thai basher.

You make a very good point at the end.

How is this situation morally different from being refused treatment for a fatal disease in the USA because you dont have health insurance?

The wealthiest country in the world lets its poorest citizens die in pain lest it adopt the 'socialist' measure of free, universal health care.

Cant see much difference in essence between these boatmen and the US opponents of free health insurance.

Greatest country in the world? What a joke!

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It is a joke, ad wealthiest? Would you call a family with a huge debt wealthy?

I sailed the return voyage for the Brisbane to Gladstone race - when in Moreton Bay we picked up a couple of fishermen who had swamped their dinghy and been floating in the bay for about 6 or 7 hours they thought - after having had several boats go past them and ignore them - even circle them. We found them at dusk, they are lucky to be alive.

This kind of shitty behaviour happens the world over, Thailand and Australia too. Probably hard to pull someone out with longtail boat, and they just in a river - maybe Thai guys assumed they were ok - Aussie fishermen were in the middle of tghe bay where no-one swims.

We made the paper for doing the rescue.

I sailed the return voyage for the Brisbane to Gladstone race - when in Moreton Bay we picked up a couple of fishermen who had swamped their dinghy and been floating in the bay for about 6 or 7 hours they thought - after having had several boats go past them and ignore them - even circle them. We found them at dusk, they are lucky to be alive.

This kind of shitty behaviour happens the world over, Thailand and Australia too. Probably hard to pull someone out with longtail boat, and they just in a river - maybe Thai guys assumed they were ok - Aussie fishermen were in the middle of tghe bay where no-one swims.

We made the paper for doing the rescue.

Exactly! Extracting someone from the water from a small longtail boat wouldn't be easy without risking a capsise, esp with only one in the boat. I guess they could have rafted up. Or just let the kids grab the side then tow them to safety.

As for your Moreton Bay episode, it is inexplicable to me how people could behave that way, but it is not rectricted to Thais.

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So, the boats did nothing, and the person filming did nothing. Great to see we are living in such a caring society now. Sad.

This really got me as surprise to see kids need help on the water and someone is filming and other on the boat doing nothing..I thought Thailand have more respect about life.

If there is one thing This have no respect for its life, other peoples that is

My judgement is still out on the people in the boats, because they seemed totally oblivious to the boys predicament and perhaps they did not realise there was a problem? But as for the camera guy, words fail me. Appeared to be just entertainment for him.

Why has the camera guy not been named and shamed?

I think this the case; I noticed that one of the boatmen manoeuvred around the boys very carefully, it looked like he had no idea that the boys were in trouble.