Here in Thailand, much like across the world, road rage is becoming more prevalent in society. In Australia there are many road rage incidents reported everyday as people seem to be in such a rush and are very impatient to get anywhere.
In Phuket, another German has been killed; he was apparently cut off by teenagers on their motorbike. He lets them know they are idiots by giving them the middle finger and they then stab and beat him to death. This has happened to a German in Chang Mai before and also in Bangkok to other foreign nationals.
Here in Thailand people are often killed when they get involved in a road rage incident. The stupid thing is that what usually brings about their death is trivial.
Here in Thailand people are killed for beeping their horn at another driver, making eye contact in the wrong way, or worse giving a rude gesture. This happens in Australia all the time and most people just ignore the gesture, give a nod or wave of the hand in apology for doing the wrong thing. Others launch into some great Aussie lingo.
Here in Thailand, mostly dickless males who don’t really have much of an outlook on life take anything directed at them as the ultimate insult. Here in Thailand there is this thing that I still say is absolute bullshit, ‘losing face’.
An example is in the situation of a confrontation on a Thai road. A person who is riding or driving like and absolute fucking idiot, having no regard for anyone around them cuts you off. So you jump on your horn and give them a mouthful or even the middle finger.
Now if you do this and there are people around who have seen it, then you have really embarrassed the idiot (what you wanted to achieve) but he has also lost more of his tiny dick by being shamed in public for his idiocy. This is losing face.
This makes you in Thai eyes, the bad person. Thai culture you are meant to look the other way and do the whole ‘Mai Pen Rai’ or ‘never mind’ irritating thing. Many times this can be done for the people who do not mean to cut you off, pull out in front of you and so forth.
I can do that. The people who accidentally do something wrong, I don’t worry at all. I have had plenty of nods as if to say, ‘sorry’ and even apologise when stopped at a traffic light. The people I cannot do this for are the showboating, no respect for anyone, I am the most important person in the world dicks.
There have been moments where I have beeped my horn for a good 5 seconds at some ignorant fool, to only be given the look of death. I don’t want to have a confrontation, ever. But I cannot let people do dangerous and deadly things without letting them know that this isn’t okay and that they should pull their heads in and try and drive normally and responsibly.
Little teeny bopper gangs ride about in large groups, they make rude comments to others and sometimes a boyfriend will say something back and they bash the bash the shit out of him and at times rape the girl. This isn’t something that happens once in a blue moon but more often than you care to think.
I am always very thoughtful when I have Miss Noot with me. I would never get in a confrontation with her there. I have had to bite my tongue many times. And I am extremely careful when we have Nong Ja in our car. They are two lives I never want to have in the firing line of a possible problem from a road incident.
I wish I could do this when by myself, but there is some inbuilt switch that makes me lose all the control I show when with Miss Noot and Nong Ja. One day it could lead to me being taught a big lesson, but again I am a slow learner and old habits die hard.
I carry an extendable baton with me at all times. I have never had to pull it out thankfully. I can access it in a few seconds if need be. This wouldn’t be much use if I was having a disagreement with a person who had a gun, but if they had a knife or something else then it is a ripper.
I want to warn people to be careful in Thailand and driving. To be aware of the dangers of giving people what you might think is a little bit of friendly advice on road rules or road etiquette.
We are all different and some people are so laid back that nothing seems to worry them, and the other side of the coin is the people who get so worked up by the smallest problem. I am in the middle, somewhere.
I know that it is better to say nothing and just ignore whatever has happened, just go on my way. I know that this is the safest and easiest way, we all do but many of us cannot follow our better judgement.
So again, try and heed my advice and not do what I do ever in Thailand. Try and do the Thai ‘Mai pen rai’ thing and just give it the big shoulder shrug. As the saying goes, ‘Do as I say and not do as I do’.
If you live in Thailand, Do you ever get angry and let the other person know?
If abroad, how is road rage perceived there?
Brunty
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Australia Day at N-Joy in Isaan Thailand 2010.
Well as many would have known, yesterday was Australia Day. Being in Thailand I haven’t really celebrated it. Most times it has been a quiet beer at home and maybe a pie and chips or something else a bit Australian.
This year I decided to head on down to N-Joy, an expat bar here in Ubon Ratchathani. If you go to this post you can see the directions on how to get there. Also they have a company STA Services that can sell property, book hotel or long term rooms, hire cars and even tours. They can also organise trips to Savanakhet in Laos near Mukdahan to do visa runs.
It has only been in the last year that I had actually stepped foot in N-Joy. For over 3 years I never had been to the place. One night a friend invited us down for a beer and to watch football, so I went along and enjoyed myself a lot.
I am not a regular as many of the other expats are, but I am trying to get there a little more often than I do now as the owner Lance and his other half Lek who run the bar are great people.
Lance is an old fashioned bar owner, loves a quiet beer and doesn’t mind a chat. He is usually full of colourful stories. Don’t be worried about his noggin, it may look a little rough and that he has been 12 rounds with Ali, but really is a soft touch.
The early doors crowd had gathered to have a quiet beer or two and happily posed under one of the two Aussie flags flying.
This is Mr. B, he is an old Ubon Ratchathani local. I know him pretty well and is a very interesting character who has lived a full life across the globe. And he swears like a trooper to boot.
At the bar was another Aussie, the old bar owner, Lou. He was helping out and you can always catch Lou for a beer and a chat.
And another Aussie I had seen before at N-Joy but never chatted to is Mick, I had a good chat to him a bit later in the night and look forward to catching up with him again for a chin wag. Mick was hitting the free food Lance had put on. If the free food isn’t on you can order something as Lance is a bloody good cook.
There was some really delicious chicken and what I called a Shepard’s Pie but others called it a Cottage Pie. I love Shepard’s Pie and can not remember the last time I had one. I will tell you now that is was a ball tearer and me being a greedy and hungry little pig burnt my mouth as I scoffed into it.
Lance had also knocked up a Chilli Con Carne, everybody said it was great as they started to sweat and they weren’t just being polite as many of us went back for seconds or thirds.
It was a really good afternoon and evening. A few games of Kelly Pool were played. One game lasted two shots. The first player broke the balls and the next player being Pommy Bob potted his and took the kitty. He actually won twice.
There was an Australian quiz and Lance and his Irish mate decided they didn’t need to have an Aussie on their two man team to advise them. There was some cheating for sure going on but they still managed to come last and there were accusations that I had cheated by speaking Australian and confusing Lance.
But in all seriousness, it was a really good time. Some piss taking which we Aussies are good at, also I met plenty of Australians who had dropped in for a beer or two. I didn’t know we were in such numbers here in Isaan.
I went home at about 9pm, Miss Noot had dropped me off and come to collect me. I will not drive after having a few beers. It just isn’t worth the risk. It isn’t being caught by police as those chances are so slim but the chances of having an accident. Thais are the worst drivers of cars and motorbikes I have ever come across and I like to be 100% on the ball when driving especially at night.
I had 3 tall beers and one bought for me by Lance. I bought a couple of beers for my mates Lance and John and my Bill still only hit just over the 300 Baht mark or $10 Aussie dollars.
So thanks to N-Joy for a great day and also to the people I met. I look forward to Paddy’s Day and the English version of Australia Day called St George’s Day. I had never heard of it and truthfully cannot remember any of the Poms celebrating it in Australia.
So that is about it for now. I am slowly starting to process about 500 pictures that will be uploaded over the coming weeks or months, depending on time and also enthusiasm.
Brunty
This year I decided to head on down to N-Joy, an expat bar here in Ubon Ratchathani. If you go to this post you can see the directions on how to get there. Also they have a company STA Services that can sell property, book hotel or long term rooms, hire cars and even tours. They can also organise trips to Savanakhet in Laos near Mukdahan to do visa runs.
It has only been in the last year that I had actually stepped foot in N-Joy. For over 3 years I never had been to the place. One night a friend invited us down for a beer and to watch football, so I went along and enjoyed myself a lot.
I am not a regular as many of the other expats are, but I am trying to get there a little more often than I do now as the owner Lance and his other half Lek who run the bar are great people.
Lance is an old fashioned bar owner, loves a quiet beer and doesn’t mind a chat. He is usually full of colourful stories. Don’t be worried about his noggin, it may look a little rough and that he has been 12 rounds with Ali, but really is a soft touch.
The early doors crowd had gathered to have a quiet beer or two and happily posed under one of the two Aussie flags flying.
This is Mr. B, he is an old Ubon Ratchathani local. I know him pretty well and is a very interesting character who has lived a full life across the globe. And he swears like a trooper to boot.
At the bar was another Aussie, the old bar owner, Lou. He was helping out and you can always catch Lou for a beer and a chat.
And another Aussie I had seen before at N-Joy but never chatted to is Mick, I had a good chat to him a bit later in the night and look forward to catching up with him again for a chin wag. Mick was hitting the free food Lance had put on. If the free food isn’t on you can order something as Lance is a bloody good cook.
There was some really delicious chicken and what I called a Shepard’s Pie but others called it a Cottage Pie. I love Shepard’s Pie and can not remember the last time I had one. I will tell you now that is was a ball tearer and me being a greedy and hungry little pig burnt my mouth as I scoffed into it.
Lance had also knocked up a Chilli Con Carne, everybody said it was great as they started to sweat and they weren’t just being polite as many of us went back for seconds or thirds.
It was a really good afternoon and evening. A few games of Kelly Pool were played. One game lasted two shots. The first player broke the balls and the next player being Pommy Bob potted his and took the kitty. He actually won twice.
There was an Australian quiz and Lance and his Irish mate decided they didn’t need to have an Aussie on their two man team to advise them. There was some cheating for sure going on but they still managed to come last and there were accusations that I had cheated by speaking Australian and confusing Lance.
But in all seriousness, it was a really good time. Some piss taking which we Aussies are good at, also I met plenty of Australians who had dropped in for a beer or two. I didn’t know we were in such numbers here in Isaan.
I went home at about 9pm, Miss Noot had dropped me off and come to collect me. I will not drive after having a few beers. It just isn’t worth the risk. It isn’t being caught by police as those chances are so slim but the chances of having an accident. Thais are the worst drivers of cars and motorbikes I have ever come across and I like to be 100% on the ball when driving especially at night.
I had 3 tall beers and one bought for me by Lance. I bought a couple of beers for my mates Lance and John and my Bill still only hit just over the 300 Baht mark or $10 Aussie dollars.
So thanks to N-Joy for a great day and also to the people I met. I look forward to Paddy’s Day and the English version of Australia Day called St George’s Day. I had never heard of it and truthfully cannot remember any of the Poms celebrating it in Australia.
So that is about it for now. I am slowly starting to process about 500 pictures that will be uploaded over the coming weeks or months, depending on time and also enthusiasm.
Brunty
Monday, 25 January 2010
The Best Beer in the World, Isaan Thailand.
My friend here in Ubon Ratchathani has been off to Laos for various reasons and he is writing about his adventures over at his blog, Life in Rural Thailand. He had an interesting trip and is putting pictures up. Laos is a beautiful country; even though many are poor the people are amazing.
Laos is well known for its really good coffee, but probably more famous to many of us here in Thailand is its beer. Beer Lao has been getting smuggled across the river for a long time. Anytime I go to Mukdahan I will pay a man on the Thai side who is going across to Savanakhet in Laos to bring a few cases of beer back with him. He makes a few hundred Baht and I get a few cases of beer to ration over time.
My mate had picked up a few beers in Laos for myself and a few other expats. Today I made my way to his shop, Peppers and had an ice coffee and a slice of really good banana cake and of course pick up the beer.
This is Beer Lao Dark. It isone of the best beers I have had the best beer I have had. A great tasting beer with punch at 6.5%. There is a rumour that Beer Laos is meant to be allowed to be imported into Thailand, it’s a rumour but many have heard the same thing. Usually at border crossings, you buy your cases of beer and an extra one for the people who allow you to cross back into Thailand.
The good thing about this beer is, two bottles are more than enough for me. I am more than happy after two ice cold Beer Lao Dark from the freezer. I just wish I had more for Friday night, Saturday night and so forth.
Apart from this, not a lot has been happening. Work is work and we have well and truly hit the ‘silly season’ where moneymaking, dancing and shows take precedent over education.
This school year (May 2009 to March 2010) I have lost 26 days of classes with one of my classes. That is 5 weeks of classes and I can never make up the syllabus and they will sadly miss out on some chapters of their book because of this. And this week they are missing more as they are preparing for a national test. I do not teach them at all this week.
I remember when I used to complain and get angry but it was always to no avail and strange looks with the Thais thinking, ‘what’s wrong with the farang? Why is he angry?
And I would be saying, ‘The dancing isn’t important (In Thailand it is) their schooling is No 1 to me. So after many years now I just sit back and not bash my head against the wall anymore.
We have a ACU Family Night Spectacular next Friday and Saturday nights. The secondary kids dance and god knows what else on the Friday night and then on Saturday night the primary school kids will shake and wiggle to music to the chaos of video cameras and cameras of parents.
I will be well in the background for a few hours one Friday night and will slip away from sight as soon as the chance arrives. There is a bowling alley a floor down, so maybe a few of us teachers will make our way there for a game or two, even a few beers could be drunk.
Next week will be virtually all dancing as all classes must put a show on, sometimes you arrive at a class and there are maybe 5 students there who are not attending the night.
Then the weekend after on Saturday the 13th we have Parent’s Meeting Day, where we don’t meet parents but put on shows, showcasing the English ability of our students. This day I detest and would rather be pulling my teeth out with pliers.
The end of our year is so near, March the 5th is the last day of school. Then a long break until the second week of May 10th or around then. This I am so looking forward to. Playing some golf and travelling and just getting well away from the students and the school to recharge the batteries.
So that is about it. But tomorrow is a new day and anything is possible, especially in Thailand and even more so teaching in a Thai school.
Brunty
Laos is well known for its really good coffee, but probably more famous to many of us here in Thailand is its beer. Beer Lao has been getting smuggled across the river for a long time. Anytime I go to Mukdahan I will pay a man on the Thai side who is going across to Savanakhet in Laos to bring a few cases of beer back with him. He makes a few hundred Baht and I get a few cases of beer to ration over time.
My mate had picked up a few beers in Laos for myself and a few other expats. Today I made my way to his shop, Peppers and had an ice coffee and a slice of really good banana cake and of course pick up the beer.
This is Beer Lao Dark. It is
The good thing about this beer is, two bottles are more than enough for me. I am more than happy after two ice cold Beer Lao Dark from the freezer. I just wish I had more for Friday night, Saturday night and so forth.
Apart from this, not a lot has been happening. Work is work and we have well and truly hit the ‘silly season’ where moneymaking, dancing and shows take precedent over education.
This school year (May 2009 to March 2010) I have lost 26 days of classes with one of my classes. That is 5 weeks of classes and I can never make up the syllabus and they will sadly miss out on some chapters of their book because of this. And this week they are missing more as they are preparing for a national test. I do not teach them at all this week.
I remember when I used to complain and get angry but it was always to no avail and strange looks with the Thais thinking, ‘what’s wrong with the farang? Why is he angry?
And I would be saying, ‘The dancing isn’t important (In Thailand it is) their schooling is No 1 to me. So after many years now I just sit back and not bash my head against the wall anymore.
We have a ACU Family Night Spectacular next Friday and Saturday nights. The secondary kids dance and god knows what else on the Friday night and then on Saturday night the primary school kids will shake and wiggle to music to the chaos of video cameras and cameras of parents.
I will be well in the background for a few hours one Friday night and will slip away from sight as soon as the chance arrives. There is a bowling alley a floor down, so maybe a few of us teachers will make our way there for a game or two, even a few beers could be drunk.
Next week will be virtually all dancing as all classes must put a show on, sometimes you arrive at a class and there are maybe 5 students there who are not attending the night.
Then the weekend after on Saturday the 13th we have Parent’s Meeting Day, where we don’t meet parents but put on shows, showcasing the English ability of our students. This day I detest and would rather be pulling my teeth out with pliers.
The end of our year is so near, March the 5th is the last day of school. Then a long break until the second week of May 10th or around then. This I am so looking forward to. Playing some golf and travelling and just getting well away from the students and the school to recharge the batteries.
So that is about it. But tomorrow is a new day and anything is possible, especially in Thailand and even more so teaching in a Thai school.
Brunty
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Christmas at a Thai School, Part 4 Isaan Thailand.
I am going way back to just before Christmas and we had our Christmas celebration for the kids. The dancing competition is always hotly contested and the following is of the Beat Boy challengers.
Break dancing is very popular about Ubon, I remember it being huge in Australia in the 80’s. These boys break dance everyday during their break times.
The boys have come along way from a few years ago.
The boys put on a good show and the crowd were pleased. I was happy to see something a little different from the other 30 shows before them, which had all been along a similar theme.
I have lots of pictures to still post and will come over the coming weeks.
Brunty
Break dancing is very popular about Ubon, I remember it being huge in Australia in the 80’s. These boys break dance everyday during their break times.
The boys have come along way from a few years ago.
The boys put on a good show and the crowd were pleased. I was happy to see something a little different from the other 30 shows before them, which had all been along a similar theme.
I have lots of pictures to still post and will come over the coming weeks.
Brunty
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Life Nearly Back to Normal, Isaan Thailand.
Well as I briefly said, doing a complete clean out of your computer is a bigger job than many of us probably think. It has been a lot harder than I thought. But I am now enjoying a computer that is fast and uncluttered. I am going to be way more diligent now with what I download and install from now on.
Work has been a little hectic, we are approaching what I call the silly season where we have a huge night for the kids to dance there feet off, and also a parent meeting day where we don’t really met the parents but organise a show for a class that involves them using English they have learnt. I really dislike this day because the kids are brainwashed if you like into remembering a few words or a basic sentence.
I have two classes to prepare and haven’t even thought about what they might do, yet. Some teachers use many teaching periods practising the kids where I worry about the syllabus and them actually learning. I am actually going to let them come up with an idea. The classes are primary 5 and 6 or 11 and 12 year olds. I think they are big enough and ugly enough to work out a short English show.
I have been helping Miss Noot a lot of late as she is into her last few weeks of university. Helping set out PowerPoint displays properly, organise final papers in correct order and set out. Proof reading work she has done and then pointing out mistakes or things I don’t understand.
I don’t do her work, never have which at times has annoyed her, but she knows she has to always try and do the work herself, so she understands what she is learning and when she does have mistakes they are circled and she attempts to correct them.
Miss Noot will do another degree; I have convinced her finally well I think I have. Her English degree which she has worked hard for is a flash in the pan as they are given out like hotcakes here in Thailand, seriously.
Ask many foreigners who have lived here in Thailand for a while. You meet an English major student who is in their 4th and final year and they cannot communicate past the most basic of greeting. I am being truthful.
I have had lecturers from universities tell me, and this is widely known that the students cannot be failed, they must be passed. One lecturer enquired with his chancellor about failing some students and was told this could not happen. They must be passed.
Miss Noot will pass on her merits thankfully. She is one of the top students in her faculty and has excelled in Japanese. She really took to this language as the teacher was so nice. I am also hoping she furthers her Japanese studies.
Miss Noot is going to do a computer degree, and also management in business. This will accompany the English degree and open more doors for her, I am sure.
Apart from all this, we have been looking after our amazing niece Nong Ja each weekend. Friday afternoons we drive out to the village and collect her and then return her Sunday evening. She is growing up so fast and time seems to be flying by.
Nong Ja and I still have to feed Cola and the fish each morning, walk down and see the chickens and cows, then across to the market to buy some breakfast or just for the walk.
It is a routine I really enjoy and actually look forward to each weekend. Anyway, that is about it. Starting next week the regular pictures and boring details of my life in Isaan Thailand should be again being posted regularly.
Sorry for some, and to others see you soon.
Brunty
Work has been a little hectic, we are approaching what I call the silly season where we have a huge night for the kids to dance there feet off, and also a parent meeting day where we don’t really met the parents but organise a show for a class that involves them using English they have learnt. I really dislike this day because the kids are brainwashed if you like into remembering a few words or a basic sentence.
I have two classes to prepare and haven’t even thought about what they might do, yet. Some teachers use many teaching periods practising the kids where I worry about the syllabus and them actually learning. I am actually going to let them come up with an idea. The classes are primary 5 and 6 or 11 and 12 year olds. I think they are big enough and ugly enough to work out a short English show.
I have been helping Miss Noot a lot of late as she is into her last few weeks of university. Helping set out PowerPoint displays properly, organise final papers in correct order and set out. Proof reading work she has done and then pointing out mistakes or things I don’t understand.
I don’t do her work, never have which at times has annoyed her, but she knows she has to always try and do the work herself, so she understands what she is learning and when she does have mistakes they are circled and she attempts to correct them.
Miss Noot will do another degree; I have convinced her finally well I think I have. Her English degree which she has worked hard for is a flash in the pan as they are given out like hotcakes here in Thailand, seriously.
Ask many foreigners who have lived here in Thailand for a while. You meet an English major student who is in their 4th and final year and they cannot communicate past the most basic of greeting. I am being truthful.
I have had lecturers from universities tell me, and this is widely known that the students cannot be failed, they must be passed. One lecturer enquired with his chancellor about failing some students and was told this could not happen. They must be passed.
Miss Noot will pass on her merits thankfully. She is one of the top students in her faculty and has excelled in Japanese. She really took to this language as the teacher was so nice. I am also hoping she furthers her Japanese studies.
Miss Noot is going to do a computer degree, and also management in business. This will accompany the English degree and open more doors for her, I am sure.
Apart from all this, we have been looking after our amazing niece Nong Ja each weekend. Friday afternoons we drive out to the village and collect her and then return her Sunday evening. She is growing up so fast and time seems to be flying by.
Nong Ja and I still have to feed Cola and the fish each morning, walk down and see the chickens and cows, then across to the market to buy some breakfast or just for the walk.
It is a routine I really enjoy and actually look forward to each weekend. Anyway, that is about it. Starting next week the regular pictures and boring details of my life in Isaan Thailand should be again being posted regularly.
Sorry for some, and to others see you soon.
Brunty
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
I am Back, Soon.
I am still here, sorry to a few readers as I am sure that news is not what they wanted to hear.
I have been busy but also did a complete cleanout of my computer. Over the years I had installed and uninstalled programmes. There were things here and there, all over the place. So I saved all the important data and anything else I thought I needed and did a complete format.
I had researched about doing this and I knew it wasn’t going to be a quick fix and turn around, but it has been a bigger job than I thought. I have virtually finished installing all the programmes I use back onto the computer and have found the missing drivers for things here and there.
So posting should be back to normal in the next few days. I have my Abobe CS4 installed again so this means uploading of photos and processing can again be done.
The next time, if there is a next time. I will know what is involved in doing a complete partition clean out.
Brunty
I have been busy but also did a complete cleanout of my computer. Over the years I had installed and uninstalled programmes. There were things here and there, all over the place. So I saved all the important data and anything else I thought I needed and did a complete format.
I had researched about doing this and I knew it wasn’t going to be a quick fix and turn around, but it has been a bigger job than I thought. I have virtually finished installing all the programmes I use back onto the computer and have found the missing drivers for things here and there.
So posting should be back to normal in the next few days. I have my Abobe CS4 installed again so this means uploading of photos and processing can again be done.
The next time, if there is a next time. I will know what is involved in doing a complete partition clean out.
Brunty
Monday, 11 January 2010
Thai Media, Should Pictures of Death be Censored, Thailand.
The last week, some of the stories in the newspapers here in Thailand have been really saddening. Deaths of young children in motorbike crashes and rapes involving children.
Two really sad stories involved a 2 year old boy and a 9 year old girl, who were killed in accidents involving motorbikes.
The two year old was riding pillion passenger with a relative or family friend who looks after him as the parents are working. She was returning home with the boy when the accident happened.
The lady riding the motorbike clipped a tractor reversing onto a road that had an attachment on the back of it. This caused her to crash and the boy being only two year old was thrown and he received fatal head injuries, including a supposed broken neck.
The nine year old was on a motorbike with her grandmother on the way to school. They were hit by a pick-up truck and again she was killed instantly with fatal head injuries. The grandmother was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
In both accidents these were young children travelling in unsafe ways, with no helmets. It is Thai law that motorbikes only carry two people, it is the law that both have to wear helmets. Sadly this is ignored by so many.
Even if the two children had been wearing helmets maybe they wouldn’t have survived, but maybe they would have as well. Studies show how fragile a human skull is and delicate our brain is. The smallest of knocks to a person’s head can mean brain damage or loss of life.
What disgust me in all of this is the pictures the Thai newspapers carry. The two year old boy was front page, his body laying face down with blood that seeped from his head trauma. Thankfully this was blurred but you could still make everything out easily.
The nine year old was saddening. Her picture was not blurred. She was laying face down with her school bag beside her. He face was turned toward the cameraman and there was a large pool of blood surrounding her head.
I cannot understand how the government allows such pictures to continually grace the front pages of newspapers. I am not against the reporting of the deaths. I would hope that this might make just one Thai person to change the way they transport their children.
I am against the use of such graphic images; they could use pictures of the motorbike, car involved in the accident. I am going to start a data base of all these pictures of death from the Thai papers, I am going to try and find out the media laws pertaining to the use of such pictures in the media. I want to know what is legal and what isn’t legal.
I will then approach the relevant authorities and see if the laws are being broken, or try and start a change. No person should ever see some of the pictures that are printed in Thai media. This is a pipe dream of course and I am sure my one tiny voice will hardly make a ripple but I am going to try.
I am going to start a webpage shaming the papers and their pictures and hopefully with time this will eventually have enough followers to present a petition of change is need be. We will just see what happens.
What I don’t like is how these papers are displayed; children of all ages can see the death and destruction left across the country. The victims or murders, even rape victims have their pictures splashed across the front pages in death. It is just so wrong.
There has to be civil liberties for victims. What about the families’ of victims having to see these pictures splashed across newspapers and also TV.
The stupid part about censorship in Thailand is on Thai TV, they blur out nudity, alcohol, smoking, drug usage, guns (weapons) only when they are pointed at another person.
In the 1997 constitution, freedom of speech was guaranteed in articles 39, 40 and 41. Censorship can be imposed for, national security, maintain public order, preserve the rights of others, protect public morals, and prevent criticism of the royal family and insults to the national religion being Buddhism.
Surely some of these are broken when printing pictures of victims at the worst time of their life. Wouldn’t these pictures break, preserving the rights of others and protecting public morals?
The newspaper that is notorious for pictures of death and carry front page picture, sometimes 3 or 4 is a paper called the Thai Rath. This newspaper apparently sacks editors if they fail to run a certain number of death pictures. And sadly it is Thailand’s biggest selling newspaper and the oldest.
Another sickening paper is the Daily News. It is a glossy paper and carries plenty of horrible pictures. This is the paper where I saw the picture of the 9 year old girl. I will link to a picture from the paper, it isn’t graphic as in blood and gore but in humiliation for a victim. She was 21 years old and was choked to death by her 31 year old boyfriend. She is being removed from her room by rescue services.
Am I just being oversensitive, do I need to desensitize? I just know that I don’t want kids seeing these images, growing up thinking this is the norm.
What do you think? Should pictures of this nature be allowed to be printed and also shown on TV?
Brunty
Two really sad stories involved a 2 year old boy and a 9 year old girl, who were killed in accidents involving motorbikes.
The two year old was riding pillion passenger with a relative or family friend who looks after him as the parents are working. She was returning home with the boy when the accident happened.
The lady riding the motorbike clipped a tractor reversing onto a road that had an attachment on the back of it. This caused her to crash and the boy being only two year old was thrown and he received fatal head injuries, including a supposed broken neck.
The nine year old was on a motorbike with her grandmother on the way to school. They were hit by a pick-up truck and again she was killed instantly with fatal head injuries. The grandmother was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
In both accidents these were young children travelling in unsafe ways, with no helmets. It is Thai law that motorbikes only carry two people, it is the law that both have to wear helmets. Sadly this is ignored by so many.
Even if the two children had been wearing helmets maybe they wouldn’t have survived, but maybe they would have as well. Studies show how fragile a human skull is and delicate our brain is. The smallest of knocks to a person’s head can mean brain damage or loss of life.
What disgust me in all of this is the pictures the Thai newspapers carry. The two year old boy was front page, his body laying face down with blood that seeped from his head trauma. Thankfully this was blurred but you could still make everything out easily.
The nine year old was saddening. Her picture was not blurred. She was laying face down with her school bag beside her. He face was turned toward the cameraman and there was a large pool of blood surrounding her head.
I cannot understand how the government allows such pictures to continually grace the front pages of newspapers. I am not against the reporting of the deaths. I would hope that this might make just one Thai person to change the way they transport their children.
I am against the use of such graphic images; they could use pictures of the motorbike, car involved in the accident. I am going to start a data base of all these pictures of death from the Thai papers, I am going to try and find out the media laws pertaining to the use of such pictures in the media. I want to know what is legal and what isn’t legal.
I will then approach the relevant authorities and see if the laws are being broken, or try and start a change. No person should ever see some of the pictures that are printed in Thai media. This is a pipe dream of course and I am sure my one tiny voice will hardly make a ripple but I am going to try.
I am going to start a webpage shaming the papers and their pictures and hopefully with time this will eventually have enough followers to present a petition of change is need be. We will just see what happens.
What I don’t like is how these papers are displayed; children of all ages can see the death and destruction left across the country. The victims or murders, even rape victims have their pictures splashed across the front pages in death. It is just so wrong.
There has to be civil liberties for victims. What about the families’ of victims having to see these pictures splashed across newspapers and also TV.
The stupid part about censorship in Thailand is on Thai TV, they blur out nudity, alcohol, smoking, drug usage, guns (weapons) only when they are pointed at another person.
In the 1997 constitution, freedom of speech was guaranteed in articles 39, 40 and 41. Censorship can be imposed for, national security, maintain public order, preserve the rights of others, protect public morals, and prevent criticism of the royal family and insults to the national religion being Buddhism.
Surely some of these are broken when printing pictures of victims at the worst time of their life. Wouldn’t these pictures break, preserving the rights of others and protecting public morals?
The newspaper that is notorious for pictures of death and carry front page picture, sometimes 3 or 4 is a paper called the Thai Rath. This newspaper apparently sacks editors if they fail to run a certain number of death pictures. And sadly it is Thailand’s biggest selling newspaper and the oldest.
Another sickening paper is the Daily News. It is a glossy paper and carries plenty of horrible pictures. This is the paper where I saw the picture of the 9 year old girl. I will link to a picture from the paper, it isn’t graphic as in blood and gore but in humiliation for a victim. She was 21 years old and was choked to death by her 31 year old boyfriend. She is being removed from her room by rescue services.
Am I just being oversensitive, do I need to desensitize? I just know that I don’t want kids seeing these images, growing up thinking this is the norm.
What do you think? Should pictures of this nature be allowed to be printed and also shown on TV?
Brunty
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Christmas at a Thai School, Part 3 Isaan Thailand.
Way back on the 24th of December, we had a Christmas day celebration. I have already written two parts to the day. You can read part 1 here or part 2 here.
This is a student I used to teach, she is now in secondary 4 or year 10. If you look at the largest picture, you will see she is wearing these very popular fashion contact lenses. They have been popular for a while now. 99% of the students, who wear them, do this just for fashion and nothing to do with eyesight problems.
On this Christmas celebration day, one of the big competitions is Mr. and Miss Popularity. It is hotly contested and the student who raises the most money wins the title. They receive flowers from friends. Some classes and parents spend 10’s of thousands of Baht. Last year I saw a parent purchase 5,000 Baht worth of flowers over the 3 rounds. It’s insanity to me.
This girl is also a year 10 student, but she wasn’t entering the popularity contest. She was in the team dancing competition. She has done a job and a half on those jeans. And how about the hair, that mustn’t be comfortable.
These girls were competing in the popularity competition.
These young Thai girls were waiting for the popularity competition to finish, so they could get dancing.
There was a good crowd on hand watching the main stage.
Some more dancers were waiting to compete and she knows how to strike a pose.
This is one of my year 1 students, she looked to be enjoying the main stage activities.
And she was really in the spirit with the school’s initials on her face.
More dancers were waiting for their chance to star.
There was a lot of hair product in this hairdo.
These boys were enjoying the sights.
More dancers were waiting their turn.
I caught up with Minnie Mouse, Mickey had stayed at home.
And these are two of my year 5 students; they were going to bust a move on the stage as well.
I have many pictures of students dancing, 700 odd still to go through. Plus there are still the pictures from the sport day, academic day and many other things that have been happening but time has been short.
Brunty
This is a student I used to teach, she is now in secondary 4 or year 10. If you look at the largest picture, you will see she is wearing these very popular fashion contact lenses. They have been popular for a while now. 99% of the students, who wear them, do this just for fashion and nothing to do with eyesight problems.
On this Christmas celebration day, one of the big competitions is Mr. and Miss Popularity. It is hotly contested and the student who raises the most money wins the title. They receive flowers from friends. Some classes and parents spend 10’s of thousands of Baht. Last year I saw a parent purchase 5,000 Baht worth of flowers over the 3 rounds. It’s insanity to me.
This girl is also a year 10 student, but she wasn’t entering the popularity contest. She was in the team dancing competition. She has done a job and a half on those jeans. And how about the hair, that mustn’t be comfortable.
These girls were competing in the popularity competition.
These young Thai girls were waiting for the popularity competition to finish, so they could get dancing.
There was a good crowd on hand watching the main stage.
Some more dancers were waiting to compete and she knows how to strike a pose.
This is one of my year 1 students, she looked to be enjoying the main stage activities.
And she was really in the spirit with the school’s initials on her face.
More dancers were waiting for their chance to star.
There was a lot of hair product in this hairdo.
These boys were enjoying the sights.
More dancers were waiting their turn.
I caught up with Minnie Mouse, Mickey had stayed at home.
And these are two of my year 5 students; they were going to bust a move on the stage as well.
I have many pictures of students dancing, 700 odd still to go through. Plus there are still the pictures from the sport day, academic day and many other things that have been happening but time has been short.
Brunty
Friday, 8 January 2010
Life is How You Make It, Seize the Day like Patrick Henry Hughes.
I was reading a few of the regular blogs I like, and over at Jungle Jil’s, he posted a video from YouTube there on his site. It is a story about a boy born with disabilities and his amazing talent and outlook on life that have overcome them. His name is Patrick Henry Hughes.
His father has obviously sacrificed lots to help his son become everything he is now. It is really awe inspiring to watch. It is 6.32 long and took my computer about 30 seconds to load.
To any person who thinks their life is tuff, or they are being wronged, or they just can’t catch a break; watch this video below and see the miracle of determination, a positive outlook, and love.
I have now watched Patrick in about 10 or so videos, he really is inspirational. So many could complain and moan the, ‘why me’ but Patrick lives he life to the fullest.
It is a good wake up call for me, even though I have no real problems and life is pretty good. It makes me think how stupid I am at times when I do get worked up over the smallest of things.
Life is an amazing gift that we need to seize, and enjoy to the fullest; no matter our stature, wealth, race, religion and so forth.
I hope you take the time to watch this video and others on Patrick and let me know your ideas.
Brunty
His father has obviously sacrificed lots to help his son become everything he is now. It is really awe inspiring to watch. It is 6.32 long and took my computer about 30 seconds to load.
To any person who thinks their life is tuff, or they are being wronged, or they just can’t catch a break; watch this video below and see the miracle of determination, a positive outlook, and love.
I have now watched Patrick in about 10 or so videos, he really is inspirational. So many could complain and moan the, ‘why me’ but Patrick lives he life to the fullest.
It is a good wake up call for me, even though I have no real problems and life is pretty good. It makes me think how stupid I am at times when I do get worked up over the smallest of things.
Life is an amazing gift that we need to seize, and enjoy to the fullest; no matter our stature, wealth, race, religion and so forth.
I hope you take the time to watch this video and others on Patrick and let me know your ideas.
Brunty
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
New Years Festival, Ubon Ratchathani Thailand.
Last week we headed to the annual Red Cross New Years Festival, it is held every year at the government offices here in Ubon Ratchathani. This year it is running from the 29th until the 7th.
There are games, rides and of course many different things to buy. All shoes were 100Baht.
Rastafarian style clothes have been popular for a long time here in Ubon. I see them for sale all over the place but never see many people wearing this style.
Another popular thing is the depiction of marijuana, usually the shape of leaves or in this case a joint being smoked.
There are plenty of things for the kids, from jumping castles to train rides.
The huge and scary Ferris wheel, I have been on much bigger Ferris wheels I am actually just scared of the maintenance or probably lack of it and how well it had been assembled.
And of course we had taken along Nong Ja, she was a little overwhelmed by everything at first and wanted to be carried.
Miss Noot and Nong Ja looking in one of the many toyshops. We wanted to get a small styled computer that makes plenty of noises as Nong Ja always wants to use the computer when you are working away.
Then it was time to play Bingo, Miss Noot and Nong Ja were choosing the lucky board that was going to win them a large stuffed toy.
It wasn’t long before Nong Ja had become bored of Bingo and headed off on an adventure. I sauntered behind as she took off and didn’t look back once to check I was following her.
Nong Ja decided to enter the toyshop again and this is what she chose.
This is the games lane. This was pretty quiet as it was early.
The most popular game is this. For 20 Thai baht you get 7 darts and have to pop 7 balloons to win a stuffed toy of your choice. You can pay more, 60 Baht for 3 darts and improve your chances.
Here Miss Benjawan was trying her luck, and her first dart went sideways and wrecked her chances of winning a toy.
Then it was some therapeutic therapy, shopping of course. Everything was 100 Baht or under at this stall.
Some nice cool drinks on offer; these were coconut, pineapple and lime flavoured. I had a lime and it was really good.
The bakery, there was plenty of cakes and other Thai sweets on offer. We bought a delicious banana cake.
And at nearly every festival or fair you will find these. They are claimed to be miniature rabbits. I see people buying them all the time on a spur of the moment whim, for sure.
Rabbits are cute I suppose. I used to think of them as pests and shoot, trap or poison them. They are pests in many places in Australia still and in plague proportions in many places.
I am now a rabbit owner; my first rabbits I was given by a friend whose rabbits had a kit of about 6. They were pure white like Cola above. My first rabbits were Latte and Mocha. Mocha died shortly after I got them, Latte lasted a year or so and then also suddenly died. I had read and researched so much about looking after rabbits and was really sad, angry as I had tried to do everything right that was offered on some large rabbit websites. I don’t think the vet I used when Latte became ill was worth a pinch of shit though.
Anyway, I was rabbit-less for a short while until my friend’s rabbits again a kit of rabbits and I was again coaxed into taking a pair. I was reluctant as anytime I have owned an animal it has been treated like a member of the family. And after I failed to look after my first pair of rabbits and I had no idea what I had done wrong. I didn’t want to kill two more rabbits.
I took in our new family members, Cola and Pepsi. Not long after their arrival Pepsi died. I came home from work and he was dead. I thought, ‘here we go again.’
Now over three years later, Cola is a healthy and active rabbit. He is treated very well. Fresh water each morning, fresh vegetables that are well washed, top of the line rabbit pellets, he is brushed nearly every day. He has massages that he loves and will often get to sit upside down (he likes this) on my lap and nod off for a while.
He has the run of the house. It has pretty well been rabbit proofed, to stop him nibbling cables and such. He has a bedroom to himself but spends little time in there. He uses it to eat and use his litter box. Otherwise he is in the lounge room lazing about and just watching the goings on.
Many people don’t understand that the tiny little cage the rabbit comes in is not a place they can spend much time. They need to be out to hop and jump about the place. Also maintenance, such a trimming nails is absolutely terrifying the first few times. Now Cola doesn’t even move when I trim his nails. The first few times I was a mess with scratches and poor old Cola huffing and puffing with a heartbeat going off the charts.
Cleaning the litter tray every day or every second day, and the list goes on. So owning a rabbit isn’t as easy as the people tell them at the fair. But of course they don’t want to scare them off. I wander how many rabbits are discarded after the novelty wears off. In all my time I have never seen rabbit burrows on Thai farms.
Well that was my trip to the New Year Fair here in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
Brunty
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)