Understood thanks, and that’s how I see it also.
Phuket is located right in the section of Thai coast impacted horribly by the Tsunami.
I’m not making Thai jokes. I admire the Thais a lot.
Our own Libertarians, should be more like Thais, IMHO. Very free people, in many regards. They’ve got that almost impossible system: in effect a benevolent dictatorship. It’s actually a Kingdom, and the King is in fact quite powerful - yet the system keeps hands off their citizens for the most part. Very unique.
I just noticed the article linked on Stan Deyo’s site, and having just had a small quake here yesterday thought it might be worth posting.
(just to clarify, I am not supporting a benevolent dictatorship here or anywhere else)
I believe there is some inherent quality about Thais themselves, which allows their society to function with such freedom.
No “benevolent” dictator anywhere else, would remain benevolent.
Thais simply have such a profound anchor religiously in non-vilence, as to make it work there.
Their style of governmental system, were it exported to a country such as America would run out of control and be taken over by a true dictator, within months. Our national psyche simply does not operate anywhere near benignly enough, to remain peaceful unconstrained by our Constitution.
Just to clarify. :D
Seems to work there though. Darn well in my opinion.
A good people, and country.
I like the Thais as well. Thailand like many third world countries offers much more personal freedom than most industrialized countries, as long as you don’t say anything negative about the royal family... They put down any resistance to the government very quickly we were in Bangkok for the Thai New Year in 2008 and they had troops in APC’s firing on civilians in front of our hotel but by the next morning the streets were clean and the bodies were gone..