groper

... "the world's cultural heritage should never be a cause for conflict."
...
It should when then's something to gain and the said resource is on a disputed boundary...
...welcome to an enlightened perspective from the land of dry smiles

easylife, on 2010-12-23 14:28:24, said:

When working in various bars over the years, I experienced that when a punter wouldn't accept that last orders had been called, there was always the potential that he/she'd get violent.  

Check out the following for a classification of drugs based on the harm they do the users and those close to them, i.e. family members:

http://www.economist...cause_most_harm

Merry Christmas... and drink sensibly;-)

Seems to me the powers that be are so desperate to hold onto their control of the populace (and the status quo) that they're happy to attempt any ridiculous measures.  Telling people what to do, think and feel has always been a priority.  Badge it under culture (read nationalism) and you activate alarm bells in many a 'good' citizen, who also believes their 'Thainess' should be preserved.  Many aspects of Thai culture was simply manufactured by past leaders and it's the jobs of those currently holding the flame to make sure it lasts.  If you've got kids in Thai schools, goverment or private (excluding international schools), spend the 1st hour observing the morning 'ceremony' and you'll see the measures that are employed to instil a respect of all things Thai.  This deep, lasting indoctrination, is driven top-down without question from any lower rungs on the ladder.  What's interesting is that when something is grown from the roots up, which is certainly the case with language, those at the top feel threatened and try to stamp it out.  Culture and language are two of the same things: they're evolutionary and they're the property of the people, chi mi?