Neighbour arrested for brutal murder of Swedish man in Cha Am

[The Deerhunter]

What is it about these people that they can't handle an insult? It's words for %$ sake. In more sane countries and cultures, we realize that people get worked up and blurt things out or flip the bird. Then we reciprocate appropriately -- and that's not by getting a shotgun and blowing the person away, with the exception of some nut cases who do that. It seems the incidents of violence in Thailand have risen greatly over the past few years. Does that possibly indicate there are some very serious potholes in the road to happiness?

The loss of face thing is am Asian cultural thing. Tbe increase in use of Yaba has introduced the uncontrollable rage factor that we all notice and comment on. Asians are trained to suppress emotions which is unnatural and dispute resolution goes out the window when this meets methamphetamine.

[piersbeckett]

It just goes to show if you want to live long in Thailand, you must keep a low profile.

It's been said many times before:

Never get into an argument. with a Thai, male of female and never make them lose face by pointing out their mistake(s)

It may seem a coward's way of dealing with problems but the reality is there to see.

Faced with an angry Thai, the best solution is to smile and do a good wei and walk away and hope you don't get a knife or bullet in the back !

If there is an "accident" don't accuse anyone of wrong doing, just pay up with a smile and live.

Couldn't agree more; that is the way it is and as a foreigner you ain't gonna change it but in the case of an 'accident' there's often room for a bit of bargaining before paying up.

[oldsailor35]

"Police believed that personal or business motives were the cause of the crime" Why in the hell do these turkeys (police) alwys make quick guesses and then immediately announce it to the world. Primitive idiots !

[ClutchClark]

"Police believed that personal or business motives were the cause of the crime" Why in the hell do these turkeys (police) alwys make quick guesses and then immediately announce it to the world. Primitive idiots !

Possibly to dispell any public fears that this was a random act of violence and the community was at risk ?

[oldsailor35]

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Took a lot of hands to catch him........23 in fact !

[ClutchClark]

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Took a lot of hands to catch him........23 in fact !

When I go fishing its common for everyone on the boat to take a group photo with our catch whether each person was directly responsible or not.

I suppose if someone just made a habit of not liking the police and was always looking to find fault then they might not consider this likelihood?

[oldsailor35]

Perhaps the message is slowly sinking into the mind of foreigners, that Thais only tolerate you to a certain point, and then bang ! Foreigners must bear in mind the consequences of living in a country where the mindset towards non-Thais is in many cases, extremely xenophobic.

I regret to say that I agree with you 100%, useronethenet, and if expats here would, for a few minutes, drop their stereotyped views, post colonial attitude, and get off their high horses, they might see that this xenophobia is a serious and complicated phenomenon :

- some of it complies with a global tendency to blame foreigners for every problem a country has to face. Socially and economically, the changes are so incredibly fast that most humans just can't cope and the urge to close the doors on all 'non locals' becomes prevalent. Racism, parochialism and insularism are the big winners, everywhere.

- some of it is definitely local, a dangerous mixture of envy, inferiority complex and superiority complex.

- some of it is fueled by the attitude of many expats here, who never miss an occasion to show the Thais how much they despise them, happily generalize a few cases to a whole population and tend to consider all Thais like a bunch of lazy-up-to-no-good hypocrites, opportunists and liars.

- some of it is based on historical facts : the West did conquer much of the world, and did make much of its present wealth by looting and pillaging the conquered territories , hypocritically dressing it up as a plan to spread 'civilization' and christianity. The claim that Thailand was never colonized is preposterous and was coined strictly for history books in schools. Sure, it wasn't colonized in the same way as India, Burma, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia etc. but it was colonized nonetheless, albeit in a more subtle fashion.

- some of it stems from the fact that no matter how much the West claims to have 'decolonized' the world, the reality is that political colonization gave way to economical, cultural and financial colonization, which are just as brutal and destructive of local equilibrium. This form of colonization is cunning because it feeds on passive support from the colonized, who seem to happily consume our products and endorse all the artificially created needs on which Western economy is mostly based. The fact that Thais are just as fond as we are of mobiles phones, cars, and brand names doesn't mean they don't perceive (and resent) the deep alienation caused by consumerism.

If Thailand was never colonised, where in the hell did all the powerful Chinese come from ?

[hdkane]

They call Thailand the land of smiles, few however, realized that there's this raging anger and disregards

to any outcome behind those " smiles " we have seen it happening time and time again where Thais

loses their cool and unleash hell on anyone who perceived to slight and hurt their honor.....

Yet, there is so little honor among the Thai men...their lack of integrity and honor guarantees that such incidents will happen often...

[KarenBravo]

It just goes to show if you want to live long in Thailand, you must keep a low profile.

It's been said many times before:

Never get into an argument. with a Thai, male of female and never make them lose face by pointing out their mistake(s)

It may seem a coward's way of dealing with problems but the reality is there to see.

Faced with an angry Thai, the best solution is to smile and do a good wei and walk away and hope you don't get a knife or bullet in the back !

If there is an "accident" don't accuse anyone of wrong doing, just pay up with a smile and live.

You're right.......it is the "coward's way".

[NanLaew]

I counted at least 23 coppers in that picture.What is the collective noun for policemen? A gaggle,a hoard,a murder(if the name fits)

An over kill,a whoop,a herd.Certainly not a parliament.Whats the one for pigs?

The correct collective noun is a backhander of police.

[Yann55]

As someone who has lived in Thailand and dealt with all levels of Thai people for a long time- the most difficult thing to get used to is the loss of face concept. Thais do not complain even when its justified; do not express surprise or question those they consider in authority; and do not ask the questions that need to be asked when conducting even simple business. It is as aggravating as anything I have ever seen and it has taken me decades to get around it or adjust to it. The rich and powerful Thais are keenly aware of the Thai nature and use these cultural traits to remain rich and powerful. There was a time when I tried to explain to my closest family members how this cultural trait is inhibiting Thailand's advancement and keeps individuals ignorant and poor but it is impossible. I have been rebuked often that I do not understand Thainess. The fact is , I understand what is happening quite well- now I just ignore it or simply keep quiet. Nothing I or any other foreigner will ever be able to change a Thai person's cultural trait.

However, what is interesting is that when a Thai lives abroad for a considerable period of time and interacts daily in English or another language and then returns to Thailand- they can see what we see and get as irritated by it as we do. They begin to realize how inhibiting some of Thainess can be.

A very interesting post, thank you.

This phrase especially : "The rich and powerful Thais are keenly aware of the Thai nature and use these cultural traits to remain rich and powerful" is particularly perceptive and shows that you are a keen observer of Thai society.

Moreover, you are trying to understand it rather than judge it by basic Western standards, values and habits, and that's rare on this Forum, which all too often turns into TBF rather than TVF (B for Bashing). I cringe, especially, when I read some comment about the Thais that starts with the words : 'these people' ...

[bodymassagemyfriend]

So when its a Thai , we can't see his face on the picture and nobody is pointing the finger at him like at School, unlike when its a stranger?

[gk10002000]

its the old Thai rage thing again, they just never think of their own censequences, (still i expect he will say "sorry") and be out of jail in no time. we see this every day though don't we, and he tested positive for drug abuse

sadly and fearfully so many Thais know that there will be few if any major repercussions from their acts or crimes against a foreigner, or possibly another Thai for that matter. Mad and upset about somebody? Go kill somebody is a way too common scenario

[denby45]

1 perp and 23 others in the photo. Oh my it brings back memories of my working days when there was always one Indian guy working and at least 10 others watching. The Thai police have excelled here. Maybe a call to Norris and Ross of the Guinness book of records is warranted.

Den.

[Chapelroad]

1 perp and 23 others in the photo. Oh my it brings back memories of my working days when there was always one Indian guy working and at least 10 others watching. The Thai police have excelled here. Maybe a call to Norris and Ross of the Guinness book of records is warranted.

Den.

Norris and Ross died a long time ago !

[khundon]

Was anyone left out of the photo ?

The Police Station cat ,it was asleep inside and missed the great photo op.

maybe next time.

regards Worgeordie

And the wife. You know, the one you had money on for the murder geordie.