MaiLuk Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 >>Unless of course you live in California, where if you shoot a burgler in your home, you could be tried for dening him of his civil liberties,<< You guys are overburdened by your left leaning compatriots. In Florida, we have laws that: 1. Permit residents to carry a firearm concealed (does california have the same?) 2. Shoot a burglar when he visits your home and not be subject to prosecution 3. and lately we changed the law so that you may stand your ground in a public place if attacked and you may use deadly force (i.e. shoot your attacker using your concealed firearm) rather than retreat. Previously one had to retreat (i.e. run away) from an attacker and could not use deadly force. Only if you had no means of escaping imminent grievous bodily harm were you legally authorized to use deadly force. This old law has changed to #3 above. Common sense rules the day for once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatRai Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 I have seen people (foreigners) looking deliberately for trouble. On Sukhumvit an Italian looking guy wanted to hit a Dutchman in the middle of the day. In the Tilac bar a big, creepy American smashed a glass on the ground because of some silly conversation with someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun004 Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 I like the line from the original story. It meshes well with what I have found living here for many years: In my experience, there are, broadly-speaking, two types of farang I meet here - those who regularly bump into such problems and those who, despite many years in Thailand, have never had a problem. Maybe you are in the first group? I obviously am in the second. Suadum makes an excellent observation. In two years of living in Bangkok, my experience confirms his quote above: I've never had a problem. Why is that? It doesn't take much reading of forums (including Stickman) to observe that almost all of the problems have at least one of the following ingredients - and many have more than one: Late at night Drunk With a prostitute In or nearby a bar area frequented by foreigners (The entire "red zone" of Pattaya qualifies: the area West of Sukhumvit Road.) Loud and probably rude manners - inferred from the writer's language and attitude Immoderate about money: either stingy (a "Cheap Charlie") or an obvious spendthrift who appears with an expensive watch, a high-price camera, or similar presentation. Found some reason to pick a fight with Thais It is simple to avoid every one of those situations. The men I know who avoid all or most of them, almost never have problems here. I'm always dubious when I read posts that begin, "I heard about ...", or "A friend of mine was ...", or "The newspaper had an article about ..." I'm especially dubious when I can look around with my own eyes and see the situation. I've lived in 15 cities in 5 countries on 4 continents. Life here in Thailand is not perfectly safe, of course, but -- keeping in mind all the other benefits here -- it is a lot safer than anywhere else I've ever been or can imagine. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kojis Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 [*]Late at night [*]Drunk [*]With a prostitute It is simple to avoid every one of those situations. " Khun... you just seem to forget one of the main interests of thailand is offering visitors endless possibilities fo hanging out drunk late at night with a prostitute, or two. I'm fairly sure having lunch in a five stars by the river is a safe activity in this wonderful Land of Smile, as must be a meditation session with monks. But people wonder if they're safe partying, or simply walking out in the wee hours.Please get back to the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun004 Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 I like the line from the original story. It meshes well with what I have found living here for many years: In my experience' date=' there are, broadly-speaking, two types of farang I meet here - those who regularly bump into such problems and those who, despite many years in Thailand, have never had a problem.[/i'] Maybe you are in the first group? I obviously am in the second. Suadum makes an excellent observation. In two years of living in Bangkok, my experience confirms his quote above: I've never had a problem. Why is that? It doesn't take much reading of forums (including Stickman) to observe that almost all of the problems have at least one of the following ingredients - and many have more than one: Late at night Drunk With a prostitute In or nearby a bar area frequented by foreigners Loud and probably rude manners - inferred from the writer's language and attitude Immoderate about money: either stingy (a "Cheap Charlie") or an obvious spendthrift who appears with an expensive watch, a high-price camera, or similar presentation. Found some reason to pick a fight with Thais Loaned money to a Thai Engaged in any business deals with a Thai Caused a Thai to lose face in a large way Those items don't automatically lead to problems, but problems I've seen and read about, always have one or more of those ingredients. It is simple to avoid every one of those situations. The more of those situations you avoid, the more you avoid problems here. I'm always dubious when I read posts that begin, "I heard about ...", or "A friend of mine was ...", or "The newspaper had an article about ..." I'm especially dubious when I can look around with my own eyes and see the situation. I've lived in 15 cities in 5 countries on 4 continents. Life here in Thailand is not perfectly safe, of course, but -- keeping in mind all the other benefits here -- it is a lot safer than anywhere else I've ever been or can imagine. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Life here in Thailand is not perfectly safe, of course, but -- keeping in mind all the other benefits here -- it is a lot safer than anywhere else I've ever been or can imagine.Actually, the statistics prove otherwise. You are new here so you may not know this, but there really is no serious debate here about this point. Statistics have been posted here establishing beyond any reasonable question that, when using the best measure of safety â?? the homicide rate â?? Thailand is much more dangerous than the US. No one has ever come up with any cites or statistics indicating otherwise, but many here seem to forget this. And I hope I donâ??t have to provide those cites again (there are available if do a search and they have been posted multiple times.) Compounding matters, homicides are much more likely to be under-reported in Thailand than in the US. Thailand own chief forensic scientist, Khunying Dr. Pornthip, says the police consistently call suicides homicides. The title â??Khunyingâ? was awarded by H.M. the King for her work in this area. In other words, the policeâ??s own statistics, which show that Thailand is much more violent that the US, seriously under report the problem. Again, no one seriously disputes this either. Most all of the problems have at least one of the following ingredients - and many have more than one:â?¢ Late at night â?¢ In or nearbyâ?¦the area West of Sukhumvit Road It is simple to avoid every one of those situations. Let's take this at face value and think it through. What do I do: make sure I leave the country every day by 10:00 p.m.? Or do you mean, I should avoid going outside after 10 p.m.? That doesnâ??t sound very safe to me. Youâ??re at risk if you are outside after 10 p.m. The Emporium is in â??the area West of Sukhumvit Roadâ? So is the Landmark Hotel, the Marriott and the Sofitel. I guess I am really asking for it and deserve what I get if I am in any on those areas, particularly after 10:00 p.m. Now letâ??s pause and take a reality check. What is the name of this board again? What is it about? So the members of a board about Nana Plaza should take solace as long as they avoid Nana Plaza and donâ??t go outside after 10 p.m. Yeah that makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 The Emporium is in â??the area West of Sukhumvit Roadâ? So is the Landmark Hotel, the Marriott and the Sofitel. I guess I am really asking for it and deserve what I get if I am in any on those areas, particularly after 10:00 p.m. Gaddy, Will you ever read a post before becoming all self righteous and professing to being a know it all. Khun 04's quote referred to Pattaya not Bangkok. I suggest you start reading thread before quoting and replying, thereby saving you making a complete ignorant fool out of yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Mekong - Go back and read the post because you are missing the point. He says: "In or nearby a bar area frequented by foreigners" before he even mentions Pattaya. But more important, go back and consider what this board is about - bar areas frequented by foreigners. In other words, as long as the members of this board - which is focused on a bar areas frequented by foreigners - stay out bar of areas frequented by foreigners, they are OK. Come on, get real, this is so silly it's funny. And your expressing umbrage because somone I pointed this out? Chill out. And I have a suggestion for you. Instead of making personal attacks (calling a member "a complete ignorant fool" or a"know it all"), why don't you respond to the substance of what I posted. Or is that too hard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddha Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Gadfly, I seriously dispute that Thailand is more dangerous than America. Lets only talk about Bangkok to keep things simple. I think Bangkok is as safe as New York City. I feel Los Angeles is much more dangerous than Bangkok. I regularly cruise around bangkok at night on my motorcycle. Getting lost is half the fun. Turning down small soi's, trying to zig zag my way back to a main road. I would never do this in parts of LA. I roam Bangkok with reckless abandon, I hope to see the whole city this way. Some thai girls think I am crazy for this, yet they also believe I am taking a big chance by having a big skull on my motorcycle helmet. Something about 'evil spirits'.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 [*]In or nearby a bar area frequented by foreigners (The entire "red zone" of Pattaya qualifies: the area West of Sukhumvit Road.) Gaddy, May I suggest it is you whom ought to go back and read the Post. Khun 04 quite clearly makes referance to the area West of Sukhumvit Pattaya, it was you who jumped to conclusions and started on about Bangkok. Just admit you were wrong without being such a pretentious bore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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