Smile, pay the "fine" or back down and walk away. The best thing to do is to never allow yourself to get into a situation that has the potential to escalate.

You're right he is lucky they stopped when they did. The funny part of it if there is one.

The Bartender/owner who ever that was looked calm and ready to reason with him until the Brit started to pound on the bar.

That is also why I do not drink in any other country when I'm out on the hunt.

A sober mind is a calm mind

Would you try to explain the relativity theory to a 4 years old? No. The same goes for Thais. Don't try to have a logical explanation with them as they will turn it into "their" way, i.e. the non-sense way. It's just like that. Don't fight it, just bite the bullet and pray that evolution comes their way. Then again, this cultural mysticism is fascinating. That's why the Thais are so unique and charming. As I always say, there's no perfect country...

Last thing, as much as the Brit behaved as imbecile, I don't think he deserved to be pounded unconscious by 3 people. The Thais in this instance over-reacted.

As opposed to the numerous Western societies that believe a magic man in the sky sent down his son to die on a cross so that everyone can be saved? Pfft.

>
>Last thing, as much as the Brit behaved as imbecile, I don't
>think he deserved to be pounded unconscious by 3 people.
>The Thais in this instance over-reacted.

Why not? It's not like the Thais viewed him as an equal.

yeah... so some 70% (or whatever) of westerners are extremely ignorant fools. the percentage is much higher for thais, and you know that i know that you know that.

anyway, we're _all_ just different levels of idiot. just a couple of nucleotides and proteins separating those of us who are considered "smart" from full retard.

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obligatory mention of whores

You never go full retard. You know how the Academy feels about that shit.

"Weren't no cell phones in '69, man. I'm head-to-toe legitimate."

Makes you think that there are hot headed assholes of every race, religion, and creed.

likely somebody would call the police via cell phone as it was happening. and when they showed up, they wouldn't be accepting on-the-spot fines in lieu of arrest. but even if not,
the next day that thai, black, latino or muslim would file charges, and the police would actually do something.

if they didn't, there'd be a federal civil rights case, and the fed. govt. _would_ do something.

after that, there'd be a civil case, and even if the bar owner wasn't involved in the original incident, he'd likely be handing his keys over to the victim (figuratively). as it should be. hell, he'd be up shit creek just for serving a person alcohol after he reached the point of "drunk."

comparing a country with remnants of a legal system where there's still some rule of law (ie, the usa) to thailand, a country where justice is a joke... just doesn't work.

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The victim would have legal recourse here but there are still events in our nations history past and present where the victim didn't get justice.

maybe not. certainly not because we're more moral, but still, maybe not (read on for a different take, if you care to).

> My main point in
>the so-called "bad uncivilized" Thai debate.
>
>The victim would have legal recourse here but there are
>still events in our nations history past and present where
>the victim didn't get justice.

yes, fools and shitheads exist everywhere. it's not like our dna is (drastically) different than that of Thais. it's human nature not to use your brain beyond what's necessary. if you use it just for the sake of using it, you're the exception.

i'm not disagreeing that by reversing the conditions, you couldn't find a group of white trash rednecks that'd beat on the guy with colored skin (or at least want to).

my point being that _today_ in the USA (not 1950 in the USA, nor 2050 in Thailand... today here, today there), it's likely they'd face both criminal and civil procedures, and lose. as would the bar owner, even if he wasn't involved (for not stopping it, and for serving a person who was already drunk).

my other point being that because they wouldn't get away with it,

it's less likely to happen

(not because the white men would be any less like animals) -- even racist assholes are smart enough that they don't want to become prison bitches.

and my final points being (stereotypes & exaggerations that are rooted in truth)
1) we think about things more here, beyond answering the question "how can i get something to eat today?" and
2) we have rule of law, thailand pretends to have rule of law.

both of those things are cultural differences that reverberate throughout our society with many different repercussions.

for example, people don't go around the USA saying "you think too much," and no thai has ever won a nobel prize (and when one finally does, it'll be one of the worthless ones... peace -- highly subjective & political -- or literature, which these days is just rotated amongst 3rd-world nations).

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Most of us converse with Isaan bar girls of age 18+. Not a truly representative sample methinks.

I mean, just imagine if the average guy you see in a bar in Thailand was talking to some trailer trash from back home. Imagine the depth of conversation.

Imagine further, the same guy talking to an educated woman of the same age back home. Whoops, mistake, she would not give him one second of her time.

Further, there is a generational difference. I am an old fart, therefore am interested in finance and investment and thinking beyond the next meal for sure. However, when I was the age of most bar girls, I maybe thought past the next meal, but certainly NOT past the next fuck.

My point is, laboured as it is, is that for most people unless they can speak the language, and appreciate the customs of another culture, normally only ever meet an unrepresentative sample of that culture.

Your comments are probably true of the average bar girl, but I would be surprised if they were true of Thai culture as a whole. (Just as if a Thai came to where we live and based their opinion of us from some of our trailer trash. (Just imagine what the Indonesians think of Aussie women who turn up in Bali - Heck even other expats think they stink, but you would not want to extrapolate Aussie culture either from your average punter in Thailand, or our trailer trash in Bali).

Religion, I think it might relate to the difference between Buddhism and Xtianity.

I vote one Buddha.

Personally, I'm a fan of the good old fashioned bar fight. The loud mouth dude deserved to get clocked, but once he was put down then anyone else landing a blow was in the wrong. Think of it as the 'Geneva Convention' of bar fight rules

Too bad we've outlawed the occasional bar fight in the U.S., it was a great way to blow off steam.

NTO

Take the fine, or whatever, pay it. Walk out.

1) that fine is cheaper than a trip to the hospital
2) if you really are pissed, stop by the tourist police and maybe they will help you get it back
3) and this one is important: YOU WILL BE ABLE TO WALK OUT. not be carried out.

As a lover of the Thais, their culture, the food and the people (not just their women). You just have to learn to play the game.

TO REITERATE THE RULES: you CAN disagree with another poster's comments but you cannot personally insult or attack him. Please do not make me start aggressively deleting stuff.