[Mjyzpzph]

Yes John, I know what you are doing and who you are blaming, but if Brits had no troops here and you were not in the US military, how do you know who to blame and how do you know that it wasn't already that way when the US troops first came here??

Actually it's a little known fact that there were a few Brits that served in Vietnam, the British Government issued around about 75 General Service Medals for service in Vietnam. Most of these were for SAS who served with the New Zealand and Australian Special Services officially as Instructors.

David

[NutChusty]

The main drink drivers are in the cities like Pattaya, where it is 'normal' for people to consume exsessive amounts of alcohol then ride their motorbike. This has been largely taught them by the Farrangs who have no heed for the law or their own safety.

This statement is rather silly,it is not based on fact or real knowledge and is completely untrue.My wifes family live in Samutprakarn and have never mixed with drunken Farangs (other than me !!) yet it is quite common for their moped to end up in the canal after a few too many beers or whiskies.

[ireleda]

I lived for a while in San Sai, aways from Chiang Mai, and in the spring of 2002 I moved down here to this village in central, I am the only american within miles, there are a couple of Danes and a few Swiss, and Thai, In fact there is a distillery in my back yard, it has a new stainless steel pot still, but doesn't run anymore, the Tax deal was costing to much and so it was shut down, but I have seen a few Thai and how they act in the Village.
There has been quite a few Thai killed while drunk on Motorcys, the wifes son wrecked his while drunk last year and her nephew did the same and has plates bolted to bone keeping him together, No I do not believe everything you say there John b..

I didn't think that Brits had any troops over here during that time. Funny ain't it.

[gusunsuth]

Well...thanks for that comment...I guess one reason I was not aware of such high alcohol usage in Thailand is that all my friends there belong to same church as I, and we do not use alcohol, nor smoke, nor any drugs...so we never went to any drinking parties nor bars...It is a pity if even Thai children start to drink at an early age...

[markshome23]

as this thread is not about Thais and alcohol any more, but a collection of insults that is going fast downhill, I am closing the thread. have a good day guys, calm down, get a life for heavens sake instead of arguing about nothing. thanks.

[twiffatticy]

I just saw on "Al Jazera" web, video about Songkran celebration, and report on the traffic deaths that are caused by drunk drivers, at this Thai new years festival-about 400 in about 4 days of these "festivities". It also stated on this video that Thailand is among the highest alcohol consuming countries in the world and on Pattaya atoz web it says that Thailand is 7th. highest alcohol consuming country in the world this is surprise to me, because I haven`t seen alcoholic burn outs staggering on Bkk. streets as you can see in U.S. big cities....well for those in Thailand during these 4 days; be extra careful

"because I haven`t seen alcoholic burn outs staggering on Bkk. streets".

That's because they are all behind the wheel of their cars or riding their motorbikes. The amount of drunken driving that goes on in Thailand is incredible.

[gusunsuth]

Thanks Mr. Surawut for that humorous comment...but lets hope it is not entirely true ..

[ireleda]

Thailand is no difference than anyplace else or any other people, altho their makeup seems to be on a par with American Indians and when they take a drink they will get drunk, not everyone will drink, but those that do tend to get drunk.
It has nothing to do with Farang, I have been coming here for almost 50 years and Thai have always been this way.
The police will arrest some people, always have, but if you have a few baht in your pocket your chances of anything more than haveing to give away your baht is doubtful.
Just because you break a law in Thailand does not mean that you will be arrested or even have a confrontation with the police, in fact you are more apt to be noticed if you are a farang than a Thai, and it is sure to cost you more money because they seem to think that all farang are rich..

[JennyStewarta]

Yes I have seen a lot of drunk Thai's in my time, but I would have to say the vast majority are still sober., But you would have to multiply there drunkenness many times over to match the extreme drunkenness of the Australian aboriginal population in out back Australia, I rarely see one sober, men, woman and children drunk.

I wonder where you have actually been in the outback Paul.

Yes, there is a high level of alcoholism within the aboriginal community, both in the outback and in the cities and towns. Many people who have had their culture ripped to shreds, their land stolen from them, their children stolen from them and who see little prospect of a better future will turn to drink.

It's the same story everywhere first peoples have been brutally colonized.

[ireleda]

I didn't say ALL Thais avoided alcohol and I never mentioned BRITISH soldiers, actually I was blaming the Americans, and before I dissapear in a hail of Yankee bullets I know why They got drunk etc... Yes John, I know what you are doing and who you are blaming, but if Brits had no troops here and you were not in the US military, how do you know who to blame and how do you know that it wasn't already that way when the US troops first came here??
Or were you living here at the time, young tho you would have to have been, but you say you have only been out to the village 3 times, kinda short time to have made such astounding and deep reaching observations is it not??
O well, what ever, and then Brits wonder why Americans are hard to get along with when so many Bigoted Brits are running loose.

[adultcheee]

wonder why Americans are hard to get along with[?] It's because we are usually recovering from a sucker punch!


In an environment where advertisers tell everyone to "get drunk and be somebody", it's surprising that anyone maintains any degree of sobriety.

We also have Birdy, M150, Red Bull and Carabao Daeng telling us that the little bottle will give us power.
Then, when yaba actually delivers that promise, all hell breaks loose!

[Cofeeman]

OK Ok I agree with you both, I didn't say ALL Thais avoided alcohol and I never mentioned BRITISH soldiers, actually I was blaming the Americans, and before I dissapear in a hail of Yankee bullets I know why They got drunk etc...
I was speaking from experience, however I have only been to my partners village three times and I get the impression from them that they don't drink......maybe I'm listening to too many women out there!!! I do know my future Father in law likes a drink but he seldom gets to the point of falling over ( unlike me first time on Thai whisky!!)
Apologies if I offended anyone, I merely offer my own thoughts.
John.

[gusunsuth]

Oh, thanks Nam Phyyng...She is a stunner allright...in more ways than one

[adultcheee]

Most of them aren't "homeless", like many of the visible the drunks in the States.
Many just hang out around the house and drink.

A lot of Thai people I know will start drinking early The fool that lives in the house behind ours is one of these.
He starts crowing with his roosters.
Karaoke starts around noon.
He starts throwing his empty bottles after lunch.
He's normally passed out by sunset (if we are lucky).

[QxmFwtlam]

About Thais and their relationship to alcohol, by speaking to locals, they explained to me that when there is nothing to do, they drink to curb the boredom. So, that means there are lots of them with nothing to do. Instead of listening to music, tea time or coffee while reading a book (ever notice most Thais do not read books during leisure time?), sports such as cycling, self study some extra subjects over the Internet or any activities to improve on oneself, they drink. Why nothing to do? No money = no high-so life = cannot afford or not enough knowledge to read the book or research or know how to play the Internet = drink cheap alcohol and have fun. Of course, not all of Thais are “nothing to do”, but just that the majority is.

And here’s something about drink driving from my blog I wrote a while ago….

What do Thai people do the first thing they get salary at the end of month? Drink dance drunk. It doesn’t matter if this bash will cost them a quarter of their salary, they just want to live life to their fullest, worry later. Typical of the average employee, three of them decided its time for a drink and took the company car out for a Friday night bash.xxxxxxxxx

Intoxicated at 2am, they returned. From the third left lane of an eight lane road, they made an illegal u-turn cutting across the fourth lane onto the opposite in the quiet no traffic night. Then the sound of shattering glass, the loud metallic crush of metal followed by the silhouette of a rider fist bumping onto the roof of the car and flipping onwards onto the tarmac followed. Yahoo.

Here is what then transcript according to the employee…..

Police to Employee: You drunk?
Employee: Yes.
Police to Rider: Did you drink?
Rider: Yes, just a few glasses.
Police to Rider: Why are you on the right most lane of this road? Motorcycles are supposed to be on the slow left lane, not the right most!!
Rider: It is difficult for me to know which lane I am at. I don’t know where is the left lane and can’t make it out.

I guess, as long as there is nobody killed, no one seriously injured, no reporters, cases like these are treated locally and no one gets arrested for drunk driving. What then followed I will not document, but all I can say is that, there were no fines issued and they got their driving license back on the spot. I love Thailand.

[Mjyzpzph]

According to the United Nation's Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), Thailand ranks fifth worldwide in consumption of alcohol, behind South Korea, the Bahamas, Taiwan and Bermuda. An interesting article on alcohol consumption in Thailand can be found here: http://www.ias.org.uk/resources/publ...03-04_p16.html

David

[Cofeeman]

I think its a pretty open arguement, particularily about the drinking and driving side. I am a frequent visitor to Thailand and am no stranger to the odd tipple, however I also know many many young Thai's and they seem to be 50 50 some drink some don't. It's true they start at a young age but that is mainly in the likes of the Isaan villages, a lot of people drink in the villages but mainly for a reason. Admittedly they have a lot of party's but then tend not to drive as they usually party together in their own locale. The main drink drivers are in the cities like Pattaya, where it is 'normal' for people to consume exsessive amounts of alcohol then ride their motorbike. This has been largely taught them by the Farrangs who have no heed for the law or their own safety. At last the police are actually doing something about it now and are actively arresting drunken Farrangs and Thai's alike in a purge to reduce the death toll at this otherwise happy time of year. Regards. John.

[gusunsuth]

Thanks David for that informative statistical in put...I have some Korean friends here, I know they like to "hoist" one too many, though not on regular basis, but now she slowed down,...hope she stops altogether, and does not follow her father`s foot steps-he died from liver scirhosis

[ireleda]

John b said
I was thinking back to the days of Thailand as an R&R base for the troops as being where the rot set in, Thailand was never an R&R base, The Thai govt asked for help from USA to stem communism that they were worried about in their 2 neighboring countrys, so the USA did set up bases here. And some troops from RSVN did come over here, but many also went to Taiwan and PI.

But then he said

I will not lower myself to denigrating the Americans, although severely tempted .
55555

[adultcheee]

"This has been largely taught them by the Farrangs who have no heed for the law or their own safety."

I think Thais have plenty of disregard for laws and safety without our influence.