Get off your high horse, America, we do not need a ride: Thai opinion

[kleelof]

We don't need the US or the EU and if Japanese businesses pull out because of politics, flooding ow whatever we don't need them either.

In fact we don't need anybody as we have ourselves and Thainess and as a line in an old song goes " who could ask for anything more ? ".

I agree with you 110%.

However, Thailand is part of this thing called 'The World'. Ever heard of it? If you are like most of the students I teach, you may never of heard of it.

It is a place full of people who are trying to find ways to work together and help each other.

Thainess will not protect you when there are men at your door with automatic weapons with the intent of oppressing you. Then what will you do? Will you suck it up with your Thainess or will you realize maybe the rest of the world was a bigger help than you thought?

[AfterLOS]

Then why ever morning at the American Embassy their are long lines of people who want to come to this country. Answer that. We must be doing something right.

That's easy, Bob .....

They want to come to America to get a whiff of the people where 85% voted for George Bush - TWICE.

[love1012]

What is the US BIGGEST contribution to Thailand?? Probably Pattaya would be among them - they turned a tiny fishing village into the scum that is Walking street in 6 months and filled the bars with issan bar ladies - thanks for supporting us USA!! next time keep walking!!

that sure would be nice, wouldn't it? Turn back time, take the americans out and there would be no demands for bars with isaan bar ladies. Thailand surely would have no problems then. Excellent writing, love.

darn farangs and their ways!

You obviously like the idea of having a walking street in every town - i wonder if your Government would let you have one in your town - or do you have to go to Tijuana for the weekend?

Edited June 26, 2014 by love1012

[love1012]

We don't need the US or the EU and if Japanese businesses pull out because of politics, flooding ow whatever we don't need them either.

In fact we don't need anybody as we have ourselves and Thainess and as a line in an old song goes " who could ask for anything more ? ".

I agree with you 110%.

However, Thailand is part of this thing called 'The World'. Ever heard of it? If you are like most of the students I teach, you may never of heard of it.

It is a place full of people who are trying to find ways to work together and help each other.

Thainess will not protect you when there are men at your door with automatic weapons with the intent of oppressing you. Then what will you do? Will you suck it up with your Thainess or will you realize maybe the rest of the world was a bigger help than you thought?

True.........and remember the whole point of the coup was because the men with automatic weapons were coming to too many doors!!

[Thai at Heart]

Shooting the messenger instead of the message. If america was a person she would sue for defamation.

[love1012]

Shooting the messenger instead of the message. If america was a person she would sue for defamation.

Then SHE should mind her own business and stop trying to police the world where it doesn't want to be policed!! Then SHE wouldn't build up hatred and resentment against HERSELF!!

I have supported America in many discussions with people but on this occasion by threatening the Government and the Army America has shown that it has no understanding of the affairs and problems n Thailand over the last six years!!

Edited June 26, 2014 by love1012

[AfterLOS]

Obama spent $1,000,000,000.00 Dollars (31,000,000,000 baht) on his re-election campaign. How does a man get that much money?

Big corporations have owned our politicians for decades, our Politicians are merely puppets to distract us and keep us from having to deal with the horrible truth.

6 companies own/control %90 of all Television/new/radio/cable networks owned by the ultra Rich. They are propaganda machines that set to keep people of average or lower intelligence from thinking about the important things. In America we "the right to privacy", recently it was exposed that the NSA has been recording every call ever made in the ENTIRE nation for year. The news stations were very careful in their thought control to keep people thinking about who to blame for this.... Not one station once mention demanding that they stop.... The average intelligence American gobbled it up like their favorite dinner.

American people dont like war, but you know who does? The companies that manufacture weapons for our military donate unbelievable amounts of money to our politicians in order to make sure they stay in business. We are going trillions of dollars into debt because our Politicians are literally giving it away....

Not all American are riding their high horse....

I agree.... I have met & have many American friends that are...normal & free thinking & know what the American government is doing.

Yes there are many arrogant Americans who spout that they saved saved the world for democracy...but there are idiots in every country.

Thailand does need to clean up it's act & I think they are doing it since the recent military takeover.

I also think most Thai people want a better life,less corruption but as the Average American in America feels it's their government & their cronies that dictate policy & rarely listen to the people.

What a croc! If we Americans had any balls there'd be a revolution NOW! UK is already in the toilet, has been for decades and getting worse, America is in the toilet in its infancy with HISTORY's hand of steel on the chain flexing to pull - the pull has not yet occurred. FATCA could be the trigger.

[Living in a cartoon]

Lighten up guys. Any Asian country would be deeply offended by being called out on something like this. A concept and value frequently referred to as "face"

What I would like to see is a Thai opinion piece that takes the opposing view and acknowledges that this problem exists. It would be a start.

Really irrelevant that the OP attacks the accuser. After all, that has to be the first reaction you would expect.

Diplomacy, like politics and war, is an attempt to resolve conflict.

[Nickymaster]

Then why ever morning at the American Embassy their are long lines of people who want to come to this country. Answer that. We must be doing something right.

You judge the popularity of your country by the long waiting lines at the US embassy in Thailand?

I see those long waiting lines (outside on the street in the sun) as a sign of mismanagement.

Just like the lines outside the Apple store when a new Iphone comes out you call that mismanagement as well? lol High demand for a product or service is bound to create lines.

Silly comparison but I don't mind to educate you.

Long lines when new phones come out. How often does that happen? Correct a few days a year.. max. Let's say 1% of working days. Can you call that mismanagement? Don't think so.

How often do you have to wait on the street in front of the US embassy to get a visa? Correct every single working day of the year. Gross mismanagement and an insult to the people.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Nickymaster

[AfterLOS]

Then why ever morning at the American Embassy their are long lines of people who want to come to this country. Answer that. We must be doing something right.

Americas and Thais have two things in common, corruption and poor intellect, only Americans are on a grander scale. So we have dumb people who think they can make more money in the states.

Ahaha! There are dumber people than Americans and they are amongst us. These dumb and dumber let themselves be bribed a few million dollars to sign up to go to war. The United Kingdom did it for FREE.

That would make the United Kingdom the dumbest of all nations.

[kamahele]

Okay, I am an American and we have our share of troubles as do all countries however we can't compete with Thailand and their troubles. I'm not quite sure why so many people are irate at the American government's actions which were completely predictable. Their actions have actually been quite soft ( a few million dollars in aid and exclusion from one yearly military exercise and some words from the Secretary of State) and no doubt will be reversed when the country is turned back over to elected politicians. America seems to draw the wrath of both Thai people and farang living in Thailand when they are just one of many many countries espousing the same message in regards to Thailand. The American people in America are not talking about this at all. Couldn't care less. Most of us have trouble identifying all 50 of our own states on a map much less Thailand (I'm not proud of that). Time to get over the loss of face and start working towards a functioning government.

Edited June 26, 2014 by kamahele

[iphad]

Obama spent $1,000,000,000.00 Dollars (31,000,000,000 baht) on his re-election campaign. How does a man get that much money?

Big corporations have owned our politicians for decades, our Politicians are merely puppets to distract us and keep us from having to deal with the horrible truth.

6 companies own/control %90 of all Television/new/radio/cable networks owned by the ultra Rich. They are propaganda machines that set to keep people of average or lower intelligence from thinking about the important things. In America we "the right to privacy", recently it was exposed that the NSA has been recording every call ever made in the ENTIRE nation for year. The news stations were very careful in their thought control to keep people thinking about who to blame for this.... Not one station once mention demanding that they stop.... The average intelligence American gobbled it up like their favorite dinner.

American people dont like war, but you know who does? The companies that manufacture weapons for our military donate unbelievable amounts of money to our politicians in order to make sure they stay in business. We are going trillions of dollars into debt because our Politicians are literally giving it away....

Not all American are riding their high horse....

I agree.... I have met & have many American friends that are...normal & free thinking & know what the American government is doing.

Yes there are many arrogant Americans who spout that they saved saved the world for democracy...but there are idiots in every country.

Thailand does need to clean up it's act & I think they are doing it since the recent military takeover.

I also think most Thai people want a better life,less corruption but as the Average American in America feels it's their government & their cronies that dictate policy & rarely listen to the people.

What a croc! If we Americans had any balls there'd be a revolution NOW! UK is already in the toilet, has been for decades and getting worse, America is in the toilet in its infancy with HISTORY's hand of steel on the chain flexing to pull - the pull has not yet occurred. FATCA could be the trigger.

sorry didn't understand ...what's croc?...that I have american friends?

[love1012]

Then why ever morning at the American Embassy their are long lines of people who want to come to this country. Answer that. We must be doing something right.

That's easy, Bob .....

They want to come to America to get a whiff of the people where 85% voted for George Bush - TWICE.

.... Thailand too had the worst possible candidate allegedly voted into power TWICE. Just to compare notes - did Bush rig both elections through bribery and corruption and not allowing other candidates to stand??

[coma]

Then why ever morning at the American Embassy their are long lines of people who want to come to this country. Answer that. We must be doing something right.

Why then, whenever I go out to a tourist area I run into Americans ?? Answer that.

[tominbkk]

Add to that their current financial performance with their economy shrinking 2.9% in the first 3 months (BKK Post today)

Even with all the problems Thailand did better than that.

Not that difficult to do when you are employing slave labor.

[atsiii]

I think the op misses a crucial connection. The USA has always made as big and as many mistakes as anyone and everyone else. The difference is that one can read about all the American mistakes on the front pages of American newspapers. We have always put our mistakes on the front page for the world to see. It is explicitly because of our guaranteed free press that Thailand--and the rest of the world--can read about everything we do wrong. What the op fails to understand is that being able to read about all our mistakes is actually one of our greatest strengths.

[iphad]

Then why ever morning at the American Embassy their are long lines of people who want to come to this country. Answer that. We must be doing something right.

That's easy, Bob .....

They want to come to America to get a whiff of the people where 85% voted for George Bush - TWICE.

.... Thailand too had the worst possible candidate allegedly voted into power TWICE. Just to compare notes - did Bush rig both elections through bribery and corruption and not allowing other candidates to stand??

well not to split hairs but I think Bush did steal the 1st election lol

[love1012]

Then why ever morning at the American Embassy their are long lines of people who want to come to this country. Answer that. We must be doing something right.

You judge the popularity of your country by the long waiting lines at the US embassy in Thailand?

I see those long waiting lines (outside on the street in the sun) as a sign of mismanagement.

Just like the lines outside the Apple store when a new Iphone comes out you call that mismanagement as well? lol High demand for a product or service is bound to create lines.

Silly comparison but I don't mind to educate you.

Long lines when new phones come out. How often does that happen? Correct a few days a year.. max. Let's say 1% of working days. Can you call that mismanagement? Don't think so.

How often do you have to wait on the street in front of the US embassy to get a visa? Correct every single working day of the year. Gross mismanagement and an insult to the people.

Who goes to get a VISA every day of the year??

[love1012]

Add to that their current financial performance with their economy shrinking 2.9% in the first 3 months (BKK Post today)

Even with all the problems Thailand did better than that.

Not that difficult to do when you are employing slave labor.

you mean like the US does with mexicans?

[sumtingwong]

I see he has not lost his sense of humor. I too would like to see a coup in the USA. Populist politics has destroyed the USA as they destroyed the Thai rice farmers.

[Living in a cartoon]

I think the op misses a crucial connection. The USA has always made as big and as many mistakes as anyone and everyone else. The difference is that one can read about all the American mistakes on the front pages of American newspapers. We have always put our mistakes on the front page for the world to see. It is explicitly because of our guaranteed free press that Thailand--and the rest of the world--can read about everything we do wrong. What the op fails to understand is that being able to read about all our mistakes is actually one of our greatest strengths.

Ya got that right dude.

[bkkfaranguy]

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i agree with you totally there are extremely technically advanced people in the US There are also millions who commit the worst crimes on the planet in gang and drug wars, drive by shootings highest murder rates per second in the world- just a shame that their intellect is not matched by their common sense and feeling for their fellow human beings. If it was they may not blindly stick to outdated ideals and furthering their own ends above all!!

You apparently do not know what you are talking about, the murder rate per 100,000 in USA is 4.8 and does not even make it into the top 100 worldwide, Thailand has a higher murder rate at 5.0. Then you have countries like Venezuela 53.7, Columbia 30.8, South Africa 31, Brazil where the world cup is being played 25.2 etc. etc., USA does not even come close and most all these countries with higher murder rates have gun laws that prohibit ownership.

Now convert that into sheer numbers based on population size and you will see that i certainly DO know what i am talking about!! Just the number of drive by shootings in the US says everything about the country±!

Once again that's flawed logic, USA is the third most populated country in the world but for total number of murders it does not rank in the top 10. Your odds of being murdered in Thailand are greater than in the USA. I think you have been listening to much rap music and watching way to many gang banger videos/shows!

[kannot]

We don't need the US or the EU and if Japanese businesses pull out because of politics, flooding ow whatever we don't need them either.

In fact we don't need anybody as we have ourselves and Thainess and as a line in an old song goes " who could ask for anything more ? ".

I dont think you could actually get anything much less than what youve got!

[Nickymaster]

Add to that their current financial performance with their economy shrinking 2.9% in the first 3 months (BKK Post today)

Even with all the problems Thailand did better than that.

Not that difficult to do when you are employing slave labor.

Is that so?? Please elaborate on your STATEMENT. Or are you just desperate to say something nasty?

[kingstonkid]

I find this article interesting. While there is a lot of crap in it there is also a lot of truth.

Corruption seems to be more and more rampant i the US these days.

IRS picking on conservative veiew groups.

NSA tapping everyone's phones

A government that can not pass a piece of legistalture.

A president that thumbs his nose at congress and does what he wants.

These are the internal issues.

Externally

Iraq due to a vacuum left by Obama has turned to Iran for help unless it wants to become an Islamic Sunni nation much as Afghanistan was.

Afghanistan will within in 2 years be the Islamic state of Afghanistan under taliban rule again.

Syria is on it's way to doing the same thing

Now when there are good things that can be done to help this country the US and EU decide to thumb their noses at Thailand. China now steps in as the new big brother stepping up it's relationship with one of the biggest members of ASEAN to offer support.

No offence to any Americans here but you have to wonder how the US can claim to be a superpower if they are not able or willing to do anything to help other countries.

If Iraq fails then that will make the US 0-2-1 with Afghanistan and undecided.

[Nickymaster]

You judge the popularity of your country by the long waiting lines at the US embassy in Thailand?

I see those long waiting lines (outside on the street in the sun) as a sign of mismanagement.

Just like the lines outside the Apple store when a new Iphone comes out you call that mismanagement as well? lol High demand for a product or service is bound to create lines.

Silly comparison but I don't mind to educate you.

Long lines when new phones come out. How often does that happen? Correct a few days a year.. max. Let's say 1% of working days. Can you call that mismanagement? Don't think so.

How often do you have to wait on the street in front of the US embassy to get a visa? Correct every single working day of the year. Gross mismanagement and an insult to the people.

Who goes to get a VISA every day of the year??

Different people.

[Living in a cartoon]

Add to that their current financial performance with their economy shrinking 2.9% in the first 3 months (BKK Post today)

Even with all the problems Thailand did better than that.

Not that difficult to do when you are employing slave labor.

you mean like the US does with mexicans?

Mexican slaves in the US? Do tell, I could use a couple of them.

[Hawk]

Big words coming from a woman whose country doesn't even have a government.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Exactly!

A small country that thinks its big and "important", with far too many self righteous people with dodgy degrees.

If there isn't an enemy invent one as it diverts attention away from the sorry state of the country. Laos, Cambodia, now back to the USA yet again.

[The Deerhunter]

The writer had a chance to make a point here. unfortunately the article is a smattering of negativity from Google searches with no coherent connection.

Yes Thailand you have made a mess of your politics, just admit it and try to fix it. Deflection to America will not make any difference.

Just because America has it's own problems doesn't mean they and the rest of the world can't see yours.

Did anyone notice that she (the writer of the OP) forgot to add to the slew of deeds that:

1- Thailand allowed the Japanese army to occupy the country

2- set up bases and concentration (hard labor camps) on Thai soil and...

3- the crowning jewel of Thailand actions during World War II, publicly declared war to USA and UK.

The usual suspects should abstain from their apologies: "but the ambassadors never delivered the declaration of war."

The government of the time made public the declaration of war first, to the Japanese, second to the Thai population, third, to the world.

Happy now?

The declaration of war was delivered to Britain which is why the US and the UK argued over their post-war stance towards and dealings with LOS.

[Always18]

The writer had a chance to make a point here. unfortunately the article is a smattering of negativity from Google searches with no coherent connection.

Yes Thailand you have made a mess of your politics, just admit it and try to fix it. Deflection to America will not make any difference.

Just because America has it's own problems doesn't mean they and the rest of the world can't see yours.

Did anyone notice that she (the writer of the OP) forgot to add to the slew of deeds that:

1- Thailand allowed the Japanese army to occupy the country

2- set up bases and concentration (hard labor camps) on Thai soil and...

3- the crowning jewel of Thailand actions during World War II, publicly declared war to USA and UK.

The usual suspects should abstain from their apologies: "but the ambassadors never delivered the declaration of war."

The government of the time made public the declaration of war first, to the Japanese, second to the Thai population, third, to the world.

Happy now?

Spot on.................but trying to find a single Thai now who is aware of this disgraceful period in Thai history (or even of WW2!) is a fruitless exercise - these "inconvenient" facts are simply airbrushed out of the Thai psyche along with any others that might cause a loss of face.