Matthew

Fran...you're killin' it.

Totally agree.

Don't necessarily think that something that qualifies as 'neat' necessarily can't be genuinely appreciated, though. The stopping for the song at 6pm. I think it's 'neat', but not in that 'awwww shucks look at them' way, really. In what ways? 1) it shows a society which places a strong emphasis on corporate expressions of respect for something bigger than themselves (as problematic as that might be from certain analytical perspectives, it's also refreshing and genuinely attractive to me 2) as I said above, it's beautiful to see people stop. Just stop. It's (in theory anyway, I know it sounds idiotic) like a built-in communal minute of meditation every evening 3) I love music. Everyone stops and listens to music.
4) I love my new home. I feel 'patriotic' about Thailand, in a sense. I feel proud about Thailand, about my choice to be here, to participate, and to marry into the culture.

There. 4 new ways to show Matthew's a silly fool.

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stfranalum

and a good point man.

which is why i find it a bit disingenuous to think that its 'respectful'. "expected to" does not equal respect. openig the door for your mother is respectful. a public servant or government official not taking bribe is respectful to the country.


but standing is obedient. and on those merits (of obedience) it gets an A in my book cause its not hard to do. you look cool doing it. oh, and your girlfriend can be seen in public with you.

Eric C

Agreed!

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"It is anti-pedagogical to expect campesino students to be educated [in a schoolhouse in such poor condition], while government officials drive Mercedes cars. That is what we are fighting against."
--Ernesto "El Che" Guevara (hours before his execution)

"I don't believe that drug addiction is an occupational hazard."
-- Duke Ellington (Playboy's "Narcotics and Jazz Musicians" panel discussion)

pumpkin

Oh my god!!! Is that where it comes from originally????

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ชมนักผักตบซ้อน บอนแซง
บอนสุพรรณหั่นแกง อร่อยแท้
บอนบางกอกดองแสลง เหลือแหล่ แม่เอย
บอนปากยากจะแก้ ไม่สิ้นลิ้นบอน

jimbo

I reckon a few posters wouldn't stand,....because it MIGHT be Buddhist.

There is that pic of him being ordained.....

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stfranalum

funny matt....many thais i see dont stop.

last week i forget the context where it happened......but i stopped and stood up at the evening anthem and no one around me was. some thais looked at me and followed suit. it was prrrrrriceless.

and the concept of "something bigger than myself" is noble indeed. i too appreciate that about thailand.

being required ot do something though, is like rubbin' the cat the wrong way for me. i really feel the need to push back at sentiments like that. and i feel a deep down respect for this place.

Eric C

I've always thought British of tea time like this. Seems quite healthy and civilized and all.
Interesting analogy. In some US communities this would be expected, would that decrease the level of personal respect conveyed? Just asking, I've always enjoyed sociology.

__________________
"It is anti-pedagogical to expect campesino students to be educated [in a schoolhouse in such poor condition], while government officials drive Mercedes cars. That is what we are fighting against."
--Ernesto "El Che" Guevara (hours before his execution)

"I don't believe that drug addiction is an occupational hazard."
-- Duke Ellington (Playboy's "Narcotics and Jazz Musicians" panel discussion)

Matthew

Nice.

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jimbo

I picked up a dog turd off the street, just to smell it. No one followed me

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Matthew

Yeah...or better yet, the Mexican siesta

Alright everyone...GO TO SLEEP!!!

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Eric C

That's learnin' em!

__________________
"It is anti-pedagogical to expect campesino students to be educated [in a schoolhouse in such poor condition], while government officials drive Mercedes cars. That is what we are fighting against."
--Ernesto "El Che" Guevara (hours before his execution)

"I don't believe that drug addiction is an occupational hazard."
-- Duke Ellington (Playboy's "Narcotics and Jazz Musicians" panel discussion)

Umbuku

St franny has hit the issue on the head.

Respect is not obedience or compliance.

Respect is deserved where respect is due, not when some arbitrary rule says it should be so.

Here come the wolves and the sheep.

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The free man thinks about nothing so little as death; his mind is focused upon life, not upon death. I always feel a bit sad when I see someone who thinks that the purpose of life is something other than living.

kikiat

Back home we have remembrance day, at that day we remember all that have lost their lives in world war 2 (it now has gotten the wider meaning of all wars rather than just wwII) flowers being laid at monuments, and at 20:00 nationwide everybody is silent for 1 minute to remember the people who have died in WWII everybody is supposed to stop doing whatever they were doing, stop your car turn off your car etc stop machines in factories etc

anyway the point is: once a year for one minute we are silent, for the millions and millions of lives lost in WWII (all wars now), and yet here in Thailand I have to stand up for one person every time I go to see a movie.

The king deserves a lot of respect what he has done for this country, but showing respect for millions and millions of people for one minute a year versus about a minute and a half several times a year for one person seems over the top for me, so when I stand up, I always just think about the people dying in wars rather than the king.

And if people really have a problem standing up for the anthem, there is one simple solution:

Come to the movie late, all the trailers and adverts and the anthem and more adverts take at least a solid 10 minutes, sit outside, and go in when the anthem is over.

Problem solved.

but out of curiousity, where, when and how did this thing start anyway?

-----------------

never stopped for the daily 18:00 one, that's just stupid, I haven't even seen Thai people stop for it, ever.

so we have kids in the morning shoutin' the anthem when raising the flag, then we have the standing in the cinema, and at 18:00 the anthem again, are Thai people so scared to loose their Thainess that it needs to be reminded over and over?

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Sometimes my mind wanders, sometimes it leaves completely
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I ALWAYS GIVE A 100% AT WORK:

12% Monday
23% Tuesday
40% Wednesday
20% Thursday
5% Friday

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jimbo