Bangkok Mar 12-14

[DJTX]

If there's one thing that REALLY PISSES ME OFF in Thailand, it's the f*cking terrible lies!

"The driver fled the scene because he was afraid the victim's ghost would haunt him."

Now that one just might not be a lie :roll:

[PJack]

If there's one thing that REALLY PISSES ME OFF in Thailand, it's the f*cking terrible lies!

eg

"The Southern insurgents died in the truck because they were weak from fasting during Ramadam."

"I didn't attempt to bribe the judges... I had two identical packages in my car... one full of cakes and the other full of money. My lawyers took the wrong package to the judges. They were supposed to give them the cakes."

"Our son accidentally ran his Mercedes into a bus queue full of people. And then he assaulted them with a brick in the head because he is suffering from a mental illness."

"The bedbugs that were found in the trains came from Western backpackers, not Thai people."

"I didn't shoot the man in the nightclub - despite the hundreds of witnesses - it was my driver."

"I was delivering the drugs / people for 30,000 baht... from a guy I just met. His name is A, but I don't know anything else about him."

"The driver fled the scene because he was afraid the victim's ghost would haunt him."

"I have nothing to do with the Red Shirts."

"The shares belonged to my children and my brother-in-law.... the reason the dividends were paid into my account is that they were repaying a debt they owed me."

"Ample Rich? Nothing to do with me..."

"There is no Sars / Bird Flu / Terrorist in Thailand."

"I am buying Fulham football club..."

"I am buying Liverpool football club... with taxpayers' money."

"Thai players will be playing in the Premiership next season."

"I am not the leader of the Black Shirts... but if soldiers attack the Red Shirts, I can guarantee they will come to defend them."

(they're not all Thaksin's lies... but a fair few are. )

Oh and my personal favourite... "It is impossible a sniper can get me."

my favorite is still...

"the bomb that was found before it exploded could not have been mine. Mine would have exploded on time! Therefore it is not my bomb"

[Loburt]

I do have quite a lot of faith in certain people in Government. As the military control the TV I do not believe the Governments underlying understanding of the situation was properly presented.

I really have to disagree with your second sentence. First, I know several people here who work in local television news, including the woman whose OpEd was posted in this thread a couple of pages earlier.

None of them have ever said that anything they wanted to report or say was censored by the military, or that they were told they could not report or say something by their station managers because they feared the military would revoke their license.

And the woman who wrote the OpEd did have her reporting interfered with when she worked at iTV after Thaksin bought it. She was vocal about it and went to court over it and won.

As you can see by reading her OpEd she protested against the military in 1992, so I'm certain she would not keep quiet if the military were interfering in what she can report now.

Second, I have a few foreign friends who have lived here most or all of their lives and are fluent in Thai and watch the local stations all the time. Aside from some of the reporting on Channel 11, they said the other stations were quite fair and they frequently heard the red leaders making their points or their speeches on those channels.

So I really think you are grossly overestimating the influence of the military on what is reported on local tv news here.

On the other hand, I doubt you will be seeing a lot of in depth investigations on local television news on issues such as corruption in the military. Nonetheless, stuff like the ridiculous army blimp were reported on fairly by local tv news with no repercussions.

[robbie36]

I do have quite a lot of faith in certain people in Government. As the military control the TV I do not believe the Governments underlying understanding of the situation was properly presented.

I really have to disagree with your second sentence. First, I know several people here who work in local television news, including the woman whose OpEd was posted in this thread a couple of pages earlier.

None of them have ever said that anything they wanted to report or say was censored by the military, or that they were told they could not report or say something by their station managers because they feared the military would revoke their license.

And the woman who wrote the OpEd did have her reporting interfered with when she worked at iTV after Thaksin bought it. She was vocal about it and went to court over it and won.

As you can see by reading her OpEd she protested against the military in 1992, so I'm certain she would not keep quiet if the military were interfering in what she can report now.

Second, I have a few foreign friends who have lived here most or all of their lives and are fluent in Thai and watch the local stations all the time. Aside from some of the reporting on Channel 11, they said the other stations were quite fair and they frequently heard the red leaders making their points or their speeches on those channels.

So I really think you are grossly overestimating the influence of the military on what is reported on local tv news here.

On the other hand, I doubt you will be seeing a lot of in depth investigations on local television news on issues such as corruption in the military. Nonetheless, stuff like the ridiculous army blimp were reported on fairly by local tv news with no repercussions.

I fully accept that I have an underlying bias against the military. I truly believe in democracy (not as a right force) but an underlying powerful force that will win. To me I truly believes that if the this Government was actually controlling the media they would have done a much better job.

It really is difficult for you to argue that the military have too much influence in anything when there had been 19 coups over the the last 50 years. You can argue that those coups were productive but that is it.

And I have friends in the Thai Government that disagree with you - that actually believe they were misrepresented not the Reds. Really you know some of the politicians involved in this dispute - in my view they want a free press because they are prepared to confront the transparency that goes with it.

And when you say I underestimate the power of the military remember 1) no credible, honest, intelligent Government brings an army in to sort out domestic protestors - how compromised must they have felt? 2) 19 coups, etc, claiming power based on false authority. Look Thalskn was a very powerful figure - to the extent they could take care of him, while Abhisit could not, it is simply wrong to assume that someone overestimate their influence.

[Loburt]

What I am saying is you are overestimating the military's influence on the media, not the military's influence in some other areas.

If some people in the government feel their position was misrepresented by some television media, that does not mean it was because of military influence. Even if they think it is.

They have to have some hard evidence to back that up, and I haven't seen or heard any. If someone can show me some, I'll certainly rethink my position.

You can look at the US or UK and find politicians who will also say their positions are misrepresented by the media and there is no military influence on the media there.

I think if people in the government think the Reds got a better deal from Thai television news, and Reds think Thai television news is controlled by the government and so biased against them (and they do) then Thai television news is probably playing it right, even if in certain instances they may get things wrong.

[EstellaII]

One thing errr good, that came out of this whole mess, a lot more Thai's seem to be interested in Politics than before.... not so sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing though.

Tell me what you don't like about yourself?

[robbie36]

What I am saying is you are overestimating the military's influence on the media, not the military's influence in some other areas.

If some people in the government feel their position was misrepresented by some television media, that does not mean it was because of military influence. Even if they think it is.

They have to have some hard evidence to back that up, and I haven't seen or heard any. If someone can show me some, I'll certainly rethink my position.

Well Loburt, as the Thai army owns channels 5 and 7, I am perfectly entitled to believe it is under the control of the military.

[PiAnt]

If Lob and Rob get any more nice about their so called disagreement I really think I'm gonna puke.

Or take up crochet.

[robbie36]

If Lob and Rob get any more nice about their so called disagreement I really think I'm gonna puke.

Or take up crochet.

I can assure you that compliments on either side were purely unintentional. We will never agree because he is a man of morals and I am a man of practicality. Where he sees 3000 deaths as a result of a drug crackdown, I see a 90% domestic approval rating while he sees civil rights abuse.

[steevolution]

"The bedbugs that were found in the trains came from Western backpackers, not Thai people."

all the others i'm feelin ya, but this one i'm comin down on the side of the hexcuses. talk to anybody that's worked in a youth hostel from hawaii to rio, and they'll tell you that backpackers come with bugpackers. if you ever stay anywhere that backpackers frequent, keep all zippers tightly zipped. luggage in plastic bags is better. (advice from a friend that worked in a hawaiian youth hostel. i'd never heard of bedbugs in hawaii, not exactly a pit of poverty, but the places the backpackers frequent have them.)

"there ain't no bugs on me, boys.

there ain't no bugs on me.

there might be bugs on some a you mugs.

but there ain't no bugs on me!"

[steevolution]

the Tops in Central Chidlom (esp the toiletries and pharmacy) was absolutely packed yesterday. no stampedes, no one trampled, but plenty of dirty looks from hi-so lo-class dames.

that pent up lust for ass-whitening cream had to be sated. home inventories had fallen critically low.

[PiAnt]

If Lob and Rob get any more nice about their so called disagreement I really think I'm gonna puke.

Or take up crochet.

I can assure you that compliments on either side were purely unintentional. We will never agree because he is a man of morals and I am a man of practicality. Where he sees 3000 deaths as a result of a drug crackdown, I see a 90% domestic approval rating while he sees civil rights abuse.

Try being a bit less nice about it.

[drlovelife8]

If there's one thing that REALLY PISSES ME OFF in Thailand, it's the f*cking terrible lies!

eg

"The Southern insurgents died in the truck because they were weak from fasting during Ramadam."

"I didn't attempt to bribe the judges... I had two identical packages in my car... one full of cakes and the other full of money. My lawyers took the wrong package to the judges. They were supposed to give them the cakes."

"Our son accidentally ran his Mercedes into a bus queue full of people. And then he assaulted them with a brick in the head because he is suffering from a mental illness."

"The bedbugs that were found in the trains came from Western backpackers, not Thai people."

"I didn't shoot the man in the nightclub - despite the hundreds of witnesses - it was my driver."

"I was delivering the drugs / people for 30,000 baht... from a guy I just met. His name is A, but I don't know anything else about him."

"The driver fled the scene because he was afraid the victim's ghost would haunt him."

"I have nothing to do with the Red Shirts."

"The shares belonged to my children and my brother-in-law.... the reason the dividends were paid into my account is that they were repaying a debt they owed me."

"Ample Rich? Nothing to do with me..."

"There is no Sars / Bird Flu / Terrorist in Thailand."

"I am buying Fulham football club..."

"I am buying Liverpool football club... with taxpayers' money."

"Thai players will be playing in the Premiership next season."

"I am not the leader of the Black Shirts... but if soldiers attack the Red Shirts, I can guarantee they will come to defend them."

(they're not all Thaksin's lies... but a fair few are. )

Oh and my personal favourite... "It is impossible a sniper can get me."

The best ever you seem to have missed "The is no evidense of Thai to Thai HIV transmission"

[pandorea]

One thing errr good, that came out of this whole mess, a lot more Thai's seem to be interested in Politics than before.... not so sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing though.

Don't worry it will pass. Since Luang Wichitwathakan to the October 1973 democracy movement to Kriangsak Chomanand, to Prem Tinsulanonda, to 1981 young turk and to... and to ....

We talk about it for somewhile, it's kind of fashion and we will be busy with something else.

[English_Bob]

I never saw that one.

But it reminds me of the culture minister's classic "I see no evidence of prostitution in Pattaya."

[LakeGeneve]

Dutch stone throwers “got carried awayâ€

The two Dutchmen, aged 44 and 17, who were arrested in Thailand for throwing stones during last week’s riots in the northern city of Chiang Mai, have been released with a warning. Salient detail: they were taking part in a rehabilitation project for people addicted to drugs or other substances.

Ron Gerrits from the Creating Balance Thailand addiction clinic is really angry with his two clients. On the one hand because they haven’t done the name of his clinic any good, and on the other for the two men themselves. Ron says the 44-year-old ex-addict was doing very well in Thailand: he has been clean for two years now and for the last year has been in Thailand.

“Everything was going well,†Ron says. “He had earned a teaching certificate and was ready to start work next week as a teacher.†Ron can’t explain the man’s behaviour other than to say that he let himself get carried away by the emotions of the moment. “But you can see in the video that he only threw one stone.â€

Stranded

It’s different for the second Dutchman. In another video on YouTube, says Ron, you can clearly see him throwing several stones. Ron says he’s an individual who, after getting stranded in aid programmes in the Netherlands, decided to go to Thailand. “Although he’s also done a lot of volunteer work here, he has been involved in a couple of incidents. That’s reason enough for me to send him back home.â€

Neither man now has a punishment hanging over their heads. After a police interrogation lasting six hours, they were released with just a warning. And without a criminal record either, which is especially important for the 44-year-old. It means he can still start work as a teacher. And the school he was planning to work in has already let Creating Balance know he’s still welcome.

Volunteers

Ron Gerrits’ clinic has been active in Chiang Mai for two years. Not only do all patients get one-on-one help, but they also participate in volunteer projects in the north of the country. In conjunction with the local Red Cross, for example, they take part in a drugs, alcohol and AIDS prevention project in the countryside.

Peter van Loo, the Dutch honorary consul in Chiang Mai, says there have no been no such other notable incidents at the clinic and that Creating Balance’s reputation is good. But, he adds, the incident with the two Dutchmen has caused quite an uproar within Chiang Mai’s Dutch community. “When the police sent out a wanted notice, it spread fast among the Dutch residents. Everyone tried to identify the two men.â€

Remarkable

The consul thinks it remarkable that the men were released with just a warning. (He says that if they had been given a prison sentence, then it would have been his job to provide them with assistance.) And he expects that their involvement in last week’s riots will remain a topic of conversation in Chiang Mai for some time. “Most Dutch people enjoy living here and think it’s terrible that their fellow-countrymen could do this sort of thing.â€

http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/dutch-stone-throwers-%E2%80%9Cgot-carried-away%E2%80%9D

[robbie36]

Try being a bit less nice about it.

Look I cant do that but when the revolution comes he will be made to sit in a corner and write 500 times - Giles Ungpakorn is sexy.

[CiaranM]

And when you say I underestimate the power of the military remember 1) no credible, honest, intelligent Government brings an army in to sort out domestic protestors - how compromised must they have felt?

ehhhhh .... try the British government fairly recently !!!

although i suppose in fairness when u use the terms credible, honest and intelligent that would rule out just about every f**king government !!!

[CiaranM]

Try being a bit less nice about it.

Look I cant do that but when the revolution comes he will be made to sit in a corner and write 500 times - Giles Ungpakorn is sexy.

has ur sadism no limits Robbie ???? :shock: :shock:

[Loburt]

What I am saying is you are overestimating the military's influence on the media, not the military's influence in some other areas.

If some people in the government feel their position was misrepresented by some television media, that does not mean it was because of military influence. Even if they think it is.

They have to have some hard evidence to back that up, and I haven't seen or heard any. If someone can show me some, I'll certainly rethink my position.

Well Loburt, as the Thai army owns channels 5 and 7, I am perfectly entitled to believe it is under the control of the military.

You're entitled to believe whatever you want, but it doesn't make you right.

Channels 3 and 9 are not owned by the military, and I know people at both and they say they have not spoken of any interference.

[Loburt]

If Lob and Rob get any more nice about their so called disagreement I really think I'm gonna puke.

Or take up crochet.

I can assure you that compliments on either side were purely unintentional. We will never agree because he is a man of morals and I am a man of practicality. Where he sees 3000 deaths as a result of a drug crackdown, I see a 90% domestic approval rating while he sees civil rights abuse.

I'm sure the Salem Witch Trials, the Holocaust, the slaughter of Native Americans and lynchings of black people also got high domestic approval ratings. I guess you approve of those things, then.

[CiaranM]

If Lob and Rob get any more nice about their so called disagreement I really think I'm gonna puke.

Or take up crochet.

I can assure you that compliments on either side were purely unintentional. We will never agree because he is a man of morals and I am a man of practicality. Where he sees 3000 deaths as a result of a drug crackdown, I see a 90% domestic approval rating while he sees civil rights abuse.

I'm sure the Salem Witch Trials, the Holocaust, the slaughter of Native Americans and lynchings of black people also got high domestic approval ratings. I guess you approve of those things, then.

unfortunately in many cases what proves popular with the masses isn't always the right thing to do !!!

now (IMO) if the 2,500-3,000 deaths on the drugs crackdown had been properly reported to an educated, informed population it might not have proved so popular !!!

[beej]

This my friends is how to not get a light sentence from a judge in a Thai court...

http://www.smh.com.au/world/australian-launches-tirade-in-thai-court-20100527-whrn.html

This however is a better try..... but a FAIL.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/27/jeff-savage-thailand-redshirts

[DANNO]

This my friends is how to not get a light sentence from a judge in a Thai court...

http://www.smh.com.au/world/australian-launches-tirade-in-thai-court-20100527-whrn.html

This however is a better try..... but a FAIL.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/27/jeff-savage-thailand-redshirts

errrrrr what was that Mr. Savage said a few days ago:

"I'd be dissappointed if they were to arrest me... " :shock:

oh MY! Are we a bit dissappointed now, are we?

bet his 80 year old Mum was proud of her boy while he was raing hell on stage

[DJTX]

This my friends is how to not get a light sentence from a judge in a Thai court...

http://www.smh.com.au/world/australian-launches-tirade-in-thai-court-20100527-whrn.html

This however is a better try..... but a FAIL.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/27/jeff-savage-thailand-redshirts

errrrrr what was that Mr. Savage said a few days ago:

"I'd be dissappointed if they were to arrest me... " :shock:

oh MY! Are we a bit dissappointed now, are we?

bet his 80 year old Mum was proud of her boy while he was raing hell on stage

Maybe they'll get lucky and the most that happens is that they are deported. My luck though, I will have to take a trip somewhere, and these two morons will be on the same flight - in the seats next to me :twisted: