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Mr. Duni
While I know you have the utmost contempt for me and always have had, I continue to think you are a very humourous man. BTW, I left Canada because I hate snow, not because I couldn't make it at home. I did go back to the west in 2004-05 to see if I would like living and teaching there again and I found that I didn't. So, I came back to the tropics to educate the "unwashed" (LOL). To get my yearly "fix" of Western culture, I take a group of Thai university students to Europe on a study-abroad program. They don't measure up to comparable European students. But, it's a good experience for them, anyway.
My connections only go up to NEAR the top, and haven't afforded me any protection, just access to better-looking girls. My security, however may increase as I'm about to become a civil-servant and as everyone knows, civil-servants never get fired, but merely moved to inactive posts. I do know more than most Thais about their own culture, because as often happens in many places Thais rarely bother to learn more than the superficial trappings of their own culture, while someone like me has spent a great deal of time researching the back story of the culture.
and oh, Mr. G isn't THAT handsome. :)
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[QUOTE=Lover Boy #2]Having lived/worked in Thailand for a few years, it is apparent to me that OTH has some very valid and well constructed points. As I think about some of the characters I have had to deal with on my job in order to keep an army of misfits producing.....your offer of marriage looks better every day....possibly OTH should take you up on this.
Let's all just get along....move this over to the fight club......and continue on our quest (in this thread) for cheap, dumb pussy.[/QUOTE]
Lover Boy,
I do agree that any topic that mentions race, should automatically be posted in the fight club. This is not a "PC" issue. It goes much deeper than that. To presume OTH has a point, is only to agree that you wish Thai's to fall in line with Western thinking, because you are judging them by Western ideals.
That, in and of itself, is rather arrogant in my opinion.
AT2
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[QUOTE=AsiaTraveler2]To presume OTH has a point, is only to agree that you wish Thai's to fall in line with Western thinking, because you are judging them by Western ideals. That, in and of itself, is rather arrogant in my opinion.AT2[/QUOTE]
...not Western thinking or ideals, but international educational standards which are well below par here, because it is not in the interests of the powers-that-be to have an educated, intelligent populace.
Actually, I don't think we should bother to move this to fight club, as there's nothing more to say. We have two opposing POVs that will never concede. Once again, I've pissed off the usual suspects, plus a few new ones, which is a good thing. But, what's the point of continuing bashing away at each other? Maybe you should all go back to debating the merits of Eden Club. I think that's more in line with the mandate of this board.
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Values vs. statistics...
I'm new to this discussion and have no wish to provoke any diatribes, but as a sociologist, and one who has visited Thailand many times, I wonder if this whole argument isn't really ultimately about cultural values rather than statistics. Our (Western) concept of what constitutes an "intellectual" is so deeply rooted in Western culture, that it may be entirely inappropriate to compare even well-educated Thais to this particularistic standard.Perhaps Thai standards are different. I don't know enough about the culture to know. At any rate, judging intellectual capacity based on the number and type of reading materials seems fairly narrow and ethnocentric.
Just my two cents, but I could not resist commenting since I don't think that statistics, whether wrongly or correctly applied, illuminate this discussion at all.
GE
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Econ Issue
IMHO, this is an economic issue. If you go outside the richer areas of the country, look at the schools. Despite the robust economy in some areas, a majority of this country is still developing. The well to do in every country put their children either in private schools and get them in the best colleges and/or universities. I live in Hawaii, it is done here to da max because most public schools don't measure up to for example to an Orange County California School District but maybe better than a Mississippi school district (examples only). This horse is beaten to death already today. Time for the next subject :):)
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[QUOTE=Retired Army]Only by about 3,000 THB[/QUOTE]I thought 1500 would be good for 5 hours of oil massage. Not 6 hours of just about anything goes, unless you're referring to Africa, Cambodia or Chinatown. But I am a relative newbie to BKK, having only 3 months under my belt.
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[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]
I still maintain that it is exceptional to find a Thai who is intelligent and worth enough to discuss serious issues with.
QUOTE]
yeah, but if you can find such a woman you should snag them. Nothing better than a pretty, smart Thai woman to hang out with. Knowledgable about Western ways, but still Thai enough to take care of her man in the way he likes.
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Moron Bosses
[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand] My boss has a PhD from UC Berkeley and is a moron.
[/QUOTE]
Aren't all bosses morons? Seems like the only ones who get promoted, especially in my line of work, are the ones who have been deprived of oxygen for long periods of time.
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Newbie Advice
[QUOTE=Mastertraveler]Will be making first trip to BKK in a few days. Will be there for only two nights, one day. Would appreciate any guidance. I am an older monger who is not looking for bargains. Looking for quality and like to avoid excess noise, hassle and annoyance. Would like to check out some nude dancing and an MP or possibly take out for the main event. Staying at the JW Marriott. I know I will be told by some that there is plenty of information on the board and that I should do my research. Have been doing it, but there is an overhelming amount of information on BKK, and I thought someone might be kind enough to distill it for me a little.
Thanks[/QUOTE]
Nude dancing yes. Nana Plaza, or Soi Cowboy...
MP yes. I recommend the Posiden...
Quality. Hard to find unless you want to go the the Pegagus (or some other) Member Club$$$...
If you want to avoid excessive noise and hassles then BKK isn't the place to go.
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Newbie Question
[QUOTE=Timewaster]Sorry for the newbie question. This forum is 500+ pages and I read the last 10 or so pages.
Are you allowed to take pictures inside or outside the the bars in the red light districts in Bangkok? Will they try to break your camera if you try?[/QUOTE]
Inside absolutely NOT! However, there may be exceptions. Ask first before hauling out you Koday and going crazy.
Outside usually no problem. It's a public street. If they don't want you taking pictures they will let you know. Act like a tourist and be respectful and you should not have any problems.
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[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]Mr. Duni
...
and oh, Mr. G isn't THAT handsome. :)[/QUOTE]Old Thai Hand,
What? --- BESTARD.
Sir,
as the TQM manager you are responsible for the quality of our customers. Can we let OHT in in the future?
BTW: OTH, there is still this bottle of cheap red wine standing here, which we wanted to kill together.
All this serious discussion reminds me of that piece of writing in the Bangkok Post, front page, 2-3 years ago, about the average IQ in Thailand... :).
Can we get a report about Eden Club or Biergarten - I forgot already how it is there...
Giotto
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[QUOTE=GoodEnough]. Our (Western) concept of what constitutes an "intellectual" is so deeply rooted in Western culture, that it may be entirely inappropriate to compare even well-educated Thais to this particularistic standard.Perhaps Thai standards are different.
GE[/QUOTE]I wonder if Thai standards for stupidity would be different from the West! Just kidding!
[QUOTE=GoodEnough]I wonder if this whole argument isn't really ultimately about cultural values rather than statistics.
GE[/QUOTE]What about the roles of Thai Buddhism religion?
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[QUOTE=Giotto]Old Thai Hand,
What? --- BESTARD.
Sir,
.....................as the TQM manager you are responsible for the quality of our customers. Can we let OHT in in the future?.................
Giotto[/QUOTE]
Sorry Dr.G, as TQM Manager I am responsible for the in house staff and amenities. You need to get a hold of the Marketing Director for the quality of the customer, and the Vice President about who can come in or not. :)
......and the Head BESTARD to serve the customer or not. :D
And OTH, I absolutely do not have any contempt of you. How could you ever think that. I just think that you are a very interesting person who has interesting viewpoints.
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[QUOTE=Retired Army][QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]
I still maintain that it is exceptional to find a Thai who is intelligent and worth enough to discuss serious issues with.
QUOTE]
yeah, but if you can find such a woman you should snag them. Nothing better than a pretty, smart Thai woman to hang out with. Knowledgable about Western ways, but still Thai enough to take care of her man in the way he likes.[/QUOTE]
Be careful of what you ask for. My TGF is able to talk about a multitude of subjects. Her english is quite good. She is currently in her 3rd year at university but I can see the brainwashing there taking place. Unfortunately politically she and I are at opposite ends of the spectrum. I am always getting lectures on how bad George Bush is. At least she acknowledges how messed up certain things in Thailand are, although she is unabashedly pro-Thai in the final analysis. She will say how stupid something in Thailand is, but always follow it up by saying it is still not as stupid as how the rest of the world is.
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[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]........................
and oh, Mr. G isn't THAT handsome. :)[/QUOTE]
FINALLY, something truthful in all these different posts.......
;)