Sawasdee 4 (Thai K-1s in 2010)

[ThaitoUSA 15]

I gave my wife the link to the Thai edition of the book. After reading the introduction, she said that she was not interested in reading more. "sometimes it's better not to know everything, even if it's true.". Though I may disagree, I respect her decision. As a Thai she was raised to always respect the King, which she does, and does not wish to have his image tarnished.

[thongd4me 69]

Interview with Paul Handley

Excerpts from the interview:

Nicholas Farrelly: In a 2007 interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation you said that "The constitutions changed, political leaders changed and all the time there was this promotion of the King as a good, honest leader. Slowly I think the people really accepted that, really believed that, and they started to believe all the mythology about the King that was promoted. Nothing was said bad about the King, everything was good, and in that kind of environment, you sort of say, 'Well it seems not to be bad'". Do you think that the mythology that surrounds King Bhumibol has been threatened since the September 2006 coup?

Paul Handley: Not so much. He has always had these moments where a lot more Thais – never the majority – question what he is doing, but eventually the image recovers. I think it is pretty bulletproof. Whatever I wrote, Thais will love him, and worship him after he dies.

Nicholas Farrelly: In that same interview you reflected that "what I'm saying in this interview right now could be construed as lese-majeste in Thailand, and if I was in Thailand I could be arrested for just suggesting that there might be another story. And this has worked incredibly effectively to protect his image, to make sure that everyone believes that he – King Bhumibol – and the institution he leads, the institution of the monarchy, is only a force for the good in Thailand, and only has good ideas and he's truly a wise sovereign who only does the correct thing". Since publishing The King Never Smiles can you return to Thailand? Would you want to? Have you ever been formally warned or reprimanded by Thai authorities? Or by anybody else?

Paul Handley: Of course I would want to. It's a lovely place, I have friends there, it was a big part of my life, altogether 13 years or so. Can you really get good Thai food outside the country? But I understood in writing this book that I would not be welcomed back. I have received no warning or threat, I haven't checked whether they have me on any blacklist. I know of no charges filed in absentia. Remember, the official view of my book is, it doesn't exist. So filing charges against me would just recognize it. I have not been threatened by any one. I think all the attention has really been on Thaksin anyway. The bloody scene-stealer.

Nicholas Farrelly: Before we finish, I thought it was worth raising one of the big issues that has been partially illuminated by your account: succession. It is an issue that has been very widely discussed in the wake of The King Never Smiles. At least in Thailand, this is one aspect of palace politics that is off limits for public discussion and is often only whispered about. As his unofficial biographer, what lessons do you think Bhumibol's reign offers for future kings or queens?

Paul Handley: The positive lessons: try to be a force for social good, to recognize that you have a role to help the little people against the hefty forces of freewheeling capitalism, that you have to keep the long-term view when others are short-term.

The negative lessons: remember that everything is not about you, that your institution is vulnerable to mismanagement by your heirs and so the country needs other firm institutions – and by the way, that is not the military. And that electoral democracy, as they say, is a rotten system except for all the others, which are all worse.

Nicholas Farrelly: At the end of the book, you conclude that for the institution's survival "ultimately, members of the royal family will have to make use of one of the monarchy's greatest unspoken prerogatives: the alchemic ability and right to remake itself before others do it". What changes do you think the royal family need to make if they hope to see future monarchs take the throne in a peaceful and prosperous country?

Paul Handley: They need to desacralize the monarchy, themselves, to become working royals as in Europe, without the air of holiness. Europe's royals show you can still be wonderful, beloved, adored, without assuming religious status and demanding fealty. Perhaps the Mahidols are already going down that road. But they also have to shed their haughtiness, and only Princess Sirindhorn has managed that.

============================================================================

In my mind the interview proved that his feelings were consistent with the ones presented in the book;

namely that his "color" was neither red nor yellow but rather the color of "white light," i.e.,

all the colors of the rainbow.

His not being welcome in Thailand is not the equivalent of a "death warrant" fatwa but just

the position by the powers that be that the book doesn't exist.

If they were to condemn it with a vengeance the fact-checkers would be

overwhelmingly on his side. He is also good with timelines

Handley said that his opinion of the king changed several times during the writing of the book.

"Whatever I wrote, Thais will love him, and worship him after he dies."

white - The achromatic color of maximum lightness;

the color of objects that reflect nearly all light of all visible wavelengths.

[thongd4me 69]

I gave my wife the link to the Thai edition of the book. After reading the introduction, she said that she was not interested in reading more. "sometimes it's better not to know everything, even if it's true.". Though I may disagree, I respect her decision. As a Thai she was raised to always respect the King, which she does, and does not wish to have his image tarnished.

Exact same reaction from my wife. I won't push it; married couples have better things to do

and talk about than politics. If she wants to explain something about Thai politics to me I

will ask questions but keep them in a non-judgmental context and she will accept them as such.

I may explain something about US politics and she reciprocates likewise.

[DaveTX 2]

I'm glad you show your true colors. You are truly an idiiot. Click the report button on the left.

Huh???

[Tom and Teaw 1]

Hey hey for the Monkeys!!!!

That is if you are old enough to remember them!!!!!

[thongd4me 69]

Hey hey for the Monkeys!!!!

That is if you are old enough to remember them!!!!!

Ah yes, the Monkees - their cultural artifacts and primitive instruments have been found out in Issan I believe...

and their style of dress still manages to live on among representatives of the female gender

[thongd4me 69]

Ah yes, the Monkees - their cultural artifacts and primitive instruments have been found out in Issan I believe...

and their style of dress still manages to live on among representatives of the female gender

Do you remember "Galaxy Quest?" - Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman & Tony Shalhoub.

The polite but quirky space aliens/autograph hunters had built an entire alien technology on the mysterious "historical documents."

At the very end of the movie we find that these documents are old VCR tapes of Star Trek eposodes that they retrieved from space trash.

[Herk Driver 0]

Hey gang! Has anyone ever had to file an extension for approval of the I-129F? The NOA2 that we are working with expires in Jul. We mailed in packet 3 just before total mayhem errupted on the embassy's front door. We were banking on a Jun or early Jul interview but now that they're backed up from being closed I'm getting concerned. Right now we are just waiting to hear when the interview will be but I'm not counting on things happening very fast now.

Does anyone know if there will be automatic extensions due to the embassy closure and if not is sending an extension request a big deal?

Any advice would be appreciated.

E.L.E.

[Audy_Rob 26]

Hey gang! Has anyone ever had to file an extension for approval of the I-129F? The NOA2 that we are working with expires in Jul. We mailed in packet 3 just before total mayhem errupted on the embassy's front door. We were banking on a Jun or early Jul interview but now that they're backed up from being closed I'm getting concerned. Right now we are just waiting to hear when the interview will be but I'm not counting on things happening very fast now.

Does anyone know if there will be automatic extensions due to the embassy closure and if not is sending an extension request a big deal?

Any advice would be appreciated.

E.L.E.

Hi Herk, this is a common question from members interviewing at all Embassies/Consulates around the world.

The COs at the DOS (Department of State) can and will ROUTINELY extend the NOA2 expiration date. This is not a waiver you need to apply for. It had become such an issue the DOS posted a one line statement on their web site saying this will be done and has been there for a long time, nothing to do with the current situation in Thailand.

While the extension is automatic, I think it is a good idea to send an email to the IV Unit and let them know you are requesting an extension and desire to keep the petition alive.

===== The DOS web site =====

The link:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#Extending

What it says at the link:

Extending the Petition

The I-129F petition is valid for four months from the date of approval from USCIS. Consular officers can extend the validity of the petition (revalidate the petition) if it expires.

================================

Wait a week or two for things to calm down after they re-open. Then send an email to both email addresses with the Subject line:

IV Unit, BNK<your number>, <Thai fiance(e) last name>

and in that email simply say in light of the recent events in Thailand, and some delay in collecting all your paperwork, you are requesting an extension of your NOA2 expiration date of <enter your current expiration date>.

etc...

Good luck

[thongd4me 69]

Has anyone with interviews scheduled during or soon after the consulate closure

succeeded in getting a new date for the interview?

How much of a delay resulted from that?

Were travel plans for the USC (if in BKK) changed?

If we were waiting for the interview those would be questions I'd have.

[kenny1 0]

Has anyone with interviews scheduled during or soon after the consulate closure

succeeded in getting a new date for the interview?

How much of a delay resulted from that?

Were travel plans for the USC (if in BKK) changed?

If we were waiting for the interview those would be questions I'd have.

The consulate received our Packet 3 on May 10th and we have yet to recieve an interview date. We are being patient and hope that we get our appointment date this week.

[Kang Lang 7]

not sure if anyone posted this in the other thai threads yet but bears repeating given all that has gone on in thailand recently.

arrest warrant was issued for thaksin on terrorism charges today.

My linkthaksin arrest warrant issued

Edited May 25, 2010 by Kang Lang

[Tom and Teaw 1]

Seems that idiot from Pattaya is now feeling the rath of the Thai police since he has been arrested now.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/05/23/british-yob-in-bangkok-riot-frenzy-is-seized-by-thai-police-115875-22278421/

[kenny1 0]

Normally the Embassy puts out the monthly Interview Schedule. Do you guys think that in light of recent events that they will post the June schedule online later today. Today is their last working day before the Holiday and the beginning of the month.

Secondly, did anyone find out their interview day from the website rather than recieving an email? The embassy recieved the packet 3 on May 10 and we do not have a interview date yet.

[TheBears 9]

I doubt the schedule will be updated this week. Maybe next.

Richard, I'm sorry to say, but you should start your counting new. This time start with the day the IV unit in Bangkok opened (May 24) instead of May 10. Coming back from a 2 week vacation at work, are you able to pick up right exactly where you left off? I have no doubt the embassy received a massive stack of case files all at the same time. The mail was backed up, remember? Those cases were all delivered/picked up the same day and added to the lot already waiting. More work at one time without increasing the number of workers means that the work will take longer to get done. Priority is going to go to those cases that were canceled, as it should. Then they'll start assigning dates to that massive stack of cases. Your timeline is great -- only 3 months. Just a little more patience.

Are you sure your evidence is solid? Get your Hater Vision Goggles out and look again. Has she had her medical? If not, does she want to go to her local clinic to get her MMR, Tdap, and varicella immunizations before her medical? It'll be less expensive. If she's coming from outside of Bangkok, the money she saves from that can be put toward her travel expenses. Take this time and do some mock interviews, some easy, some difficult. Perhaps the best thing to do is just forget about the interview entirely. Wait 2 weeks. Don't call. Don't e-mail. Don't add to their workload. Give them time to process everything. Work on her English and your Thai. Anything to take your mind off of things. The embassy personnel are only human; you have to be patient with them.

Seems that idiot from Pattaya is now feeling the rath of the Thai police since he has been arrested now.

http://www.mirror.co...15875-22278421/

Good. Som nam naa.