British tourist claims she was sexually assaulted in Chiang Mai guesthouse

[keithathome]

Poster # 50 since WHEN has the H in Hotel been silent ????? Unless you're American ! (and it don't matter whether an H IS silent: it is "a" before a consonant and "an" before a vowel) ie. A Historic victory for grammar. NOT An historic catastrophe.

[Paul Catton]

Poster # 50 since WHEN has the H in Hotel been silent ????? Unless you're American ! (and it don't matter whether an H IS silent: it is "a" before a consonant and "an" before a vowel) ie. A Historic victory for grammar. NOT An historic catastrophe.

It is a traditional rule of English that an can be used before words that begin with an H sound if the first syllable of that word is not stressed. Indeed, some traditionalists would say it must be used before such words. Since the first syllable of historic is unstressed, it is acceptable to use an before it.

The point of the word an is to avoid the awkward silent pause between words when saying something like "a apple." So, you should put an before any word that begins with a vowel sound, not just a vowel letter

• a historian
• an honour
• a xylophone
• an X-ray
• a user (begins with y sound)
• an umbrella
• a one-eyed pirate (begins with w sound)
• an owl

The good news is that you just need to do whatever makes sense when talking:

Queen Elizabeth II is one such person who could correctly say an historic event. President Obama is one such person who could correctly say a historic event.

In writing, it doesn't really matter which one is used.

[MissAndry]

Poster # 50 since WHEN has the H in Hotel been silent ????? Unless you're American ! (and it don't matter whether an H IS silent: it is "a" before a consonant and "an" before a vowel) ie. A Historic victory for grammar. NOT An historic catastrophe.

When you're a low class Brit.

"In some accents /h/ is lost - then the /h/ words will behave as if they had an initial vowel.

Such loss of /h/ is usually considered characteristic of uneducated speech, but certain function words (have, has, had) frequently lose /h/ in RP in unaccented, non-initial situations in connected speech."

So for a cockney, it would be "An Istoric" ....... but for an Old Etonian "A Historic"

Altogether now, "In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen"

[Fookhaht]

A tattooed, blond, white, foreign woman in a black spaghetti-strap dress hugs a 32 year old Thai male stranger for performing a normal employee duty?

In his eyes, she had "TROLLOP" stamped all over her forehead. Then she gets naked.

It could only go downhill from there...

I do hope you are not suggesting it was her fault....

She rolled out the red carpet.

He walked down it.

Draw your own conclusions.

[Nasrullah]

I seem to remember reading this story 5/6 month ago..........or something very similar!..........is this a re-told story??

[riverhigh]

More than likely a 32 year old turning 15 at 3.45 am after 12 hours of heavy drinking. Me big guy, you small Thai guy ,.... you take my shit or I beat you up. Lucky that the Thai guy and his pals were not carrying guns or knives. Most probably he was so drunk they didn't have to use them.

[BradWilkins]

Certainly hugging the Thai man when even touching by a handshake is considered unusual in Thai culture, especially by a woman just for finding her "power socket " could be perceived as a definite come on by him .

The large butterfly tattoo on her back would also tend to send the wrong message to Thai people about her morals. She was either very naive or of questionable scruples. Things may have possibly developed differently if her boyfriend was not present.

[MyFrenU]

Are the posters today, practicing for the comedy show at the Mysogynsits Convention for Western Expats being held at a brothel in Cambodia this year??

What fun that will be for you guys!! Hopefully nobody will hug you!!

Are you going to be judging?

[MyFrenU]

''He said that he had heard a loud noise coming from the room''

Yeah, right...

Probably the Farang fatty snoring!

[MyFrenU]

Somchai thought his luck was in,the boyfriend thought different...next!

[taotoo]

Somchai thought his luck was in,the boyfriend thought different...next!

Actually I think we've already moved on..