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Broken Leg
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I do find this post amusing the world is always in decline.
Why don't you read your Thai history books, democracy is a short anomaly in this country.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:58 am on June 24, 2005
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DaffyDuck
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Quote: from scobie on 6:10 pm on June 24, 2005
I think we should encourage Hermanolobo. His absence will help keep the average IQ of everyone in Thailand at an acceptable level.
His presence skews the average downwards.
Priceless.
Yeah, it's unfortunate that Hermanolobo has effectively eroded his credibility many times over, with his incessant theories on conspiracies and UFOs - not that his 'news' is anything worth noting (or, even 'new').
I guess he's the boy who's crying 'wolf'.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 12:21 pm on June 24, 2005
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Kaymanx
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Given what's happening across Asia, with muslim fundamentalists demanding secession or sowing other forms of trouble, it should not be surprising that Thailand displays more vigilance. Time other countries did too. Same reason why western countries tighten their visa rules, can't blame any country. In the west you only face problem of terror. In Asia you face both terror and secessionist forces -- besides growing fanaticism in politics. Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, SriLanka, India, Russia, Afghanistan.....
If a strong government does not prevail, you will have worse... much much worse : the nucleus of a cancer that will eat up the world.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:52 pm on June 24, 2005
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China Sailor
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I beleive that what we are seeing in Thailand is an expected result of Thailand's moving up in the world. It seems that most countires, once they have got their economies in order, have this irrational urge to become 'Respectable'.
Of course what is 'Respectable' is usually determined by a bunch of opinionated narrow-minded idiots that always seem float to the top of society. In the current context that would be the PC Liberals and the Neo-Cons of the US, OZ, and the EU.
In the end though, a truely successful country strikes a balance between international expediency and the cultual prefences of its population. This movement is becomming evident in the last few years in Japan and Korea.
Of course there is that rare country that says "Up yours Mr. President, if we want to cane a vandal we will and you can shove your mother-my-dog PC 'Respectabity'."
Or words to that effect..
BTW: When I first arrived in LOS in 1983 I had to attend a briefing given by the US State Department on what we could say, do, or write in LOS and what would not be permitted. If I remember correctly the 'not permitted' list was quite long.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 12:55 pm on June 24, 2005
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China Sailor
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Kaymanx,
Gotta disagree with you somewhat.
In my experiences traveling and doing business in PI and Indonesia I have found that most of the hand-wringing over 'Islamic Terrorists and Secessionist Forces' is in order to keep the 'Haves' on both the Left and Right in power and the 'Have Nots' scared and docile.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:03 pm on June 24, 2005
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ukguy84
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Hermanolobo
Every time you forget to take your tablets you start with the BS,
Try taking them with a bottle of Whisky, make us all feel good.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:39 pm on June 24, 2005
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DaffyDuck
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Quote: from China Sailor on 1:15 am on June 25, 2005
In my experiences traveling and doing business in PI and Indonesia I have found that most of the hand-wringing over 'Islamic Terrorists and Secessionist Forces' is in order to keep the 'Haves' on both the Left and Right in power and the 'Have Nots' scared and docile.
Yes, agreed that gov's invariably try to take advantage of such precarious situations to also push their own agendas, but really, its a thin line to walk -- act too liberal and too moderate, and the muslim 'insurgents' will exploit what they consider to be your weakness; act too harsh, and international opinion will label you enemy of civil rights.
What's noteworthy, though, is that in the case of regimes that and turn islamic, once the supression of the population starts, the same people that stood up for civil rights are curiously quiet...
Personally, I see nothing extraordinarily wrong, or surprising, in what Thailand is doing -- and if it helps keep the muslim threat at bay, so much the better.
On the other hand, I would be interested to see what constructive suggestions to achieve the balancing of the goals of stability and respectability others have.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:19 pm on June 24, 2005
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China Sailor
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I think that part of the issue in developing countries is that whether the population has a sense that there is a possiblility of some 'Upward Mobility' and that their children can have a better life than they do.
Malaysia is an excellent example. Right after the Asian Economic Crash the fundamentalist parties began to gain power in the rural areas and several provences adopted Islamic Law. The government reacted by providing more economic incentives to those provences that the fundamentalists were strong in and then co-opted the middle class into the decision making process. In the last elections the fundamentalist parties were soundly defeated and lost control of all but one provence.
The same thing appears to be happening in Indonesia now with the exception of Aceh provence (and since the Tsunami it seems that even Aceh is receiving government attention and assistance).
On the other hand in PI the govenment cracks down on rebels and seperatists. The economic aid provided by the government is limited to food and medicine and little opportunity is given to the common person to move up in society. That is why the government is so shakey both in the north (from the PLA) and the south (from the MLF). To keep control the government uses threats and force.
Up until now it seems that Thailand has been following the PI model in dealing with the south with the same results as Arroyo has been getting. Maybe it is time to look at what Malaysia and Indonesia has been doing as an alternative and provide some real economic incentives to the south.
IMHO...
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:28 pm on June 24, 2005
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DaffyDuck
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Some excellent points, China Sailor -- in fact, personally I feel that the US (and the rest of the West) could apply the same principle to stem the expansionistic efforts of fundamentalist islamics, by simply supplying the population of such countries with economic support and incentives - essentially, getting them hooked on capitalism 
Once people have a comfy lifestyle, and their kids get hooked on videogames, fudamentalism has a more difficult time reaching a foothold - IMO.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 5:04 pm on June 24, 2005
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Blattsucker
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Sorry, but have to prove you wrong Daffy.
It were the kids that got "hooked on videogames" that did all the mischief like playing Flight Simulator with 2 towers as a runway. Or like playing the Sims in Tora Bora. Or playing Rail Road Tycoon in Madrid. Or playing a First Person Shooter in Amsterdam.
They were not some uneducated Lokul Yokals just of the pigfarm.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:24 pm on June 24, 2005
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