News Forum - Tourism officials plan Saudi visit, aim to attract hundreds of thousands to Thailand

[Pinetree]

Just now, TheDirtyDurian said:

Or do you think Putin is representative of all Russians etc etc?

Well I don't agree, but we are all experts on here and have a right to our own opinions.

Putin is a product of the Russian people.  As I have said before, the people get the leaders they are prepared to tolerate, I have little sympathy with the Russian people in this latest of many aggressive moves by their criminal leaders.  

[Pinetree]

6 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

How much time have you spent in Saudi?

Too much, and in the uniform of my deluded government,  in supporting them.  

[TheDirtyDurian]

1 minute ago, Pinetree said:

Too much, and in the uniform of my deluded government,  in supporting them.  

Agree to differ then. I work for a defense company there so I'm familiar with the uniformed environment. Seems like we've arrived at different conclusions though. 

[Pinetree]

11 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

Agree to differ then. I work for a defense company there so I'm familiar with the uniformed environment. Seems like we've arrived at different conclusions though. 

I had the distinct impression that I was bombing the wrong country , I was not alone among my mates.  

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, Pinetree said:

Sorry Sir, but that is nonsense.  Its yet one more feudal , twisted religion dominated,  Stone Age, oppressive regime, that subjugates its own  people and if not for oil, would be beyond the pail for any right thinking person.  I see that three days ago, they publicly executed 81 people , how very modern and progressive of them.   The West embracing them solely for their oil is sickening to observe.  

I do tend to think the West embracing of Saudi is exactly the same as it has been with Russia and China over the past 30 years. When MBS came to power, he was seen as some kind of modernising, liberating,  progressive thinking, western aligned good guy. This lasted all of a year before his real traits started to become evident and he shocked the world by is state murder of Khashoggi. The west is always in a hurry to embrace any despot who shows the slightest lean towards its western ways. We’ve done it with China, and now look at what’s on the horizon. We’ve done it with Russia and look where it’s got us.
 

I personally feel we need more courage of our convictions and stop exporting technology and importing what these countries have to offer. Leave them in the dark ages until the people rise up and kick these depots out of power. I’d have various levels of this approach depending on how close to western rules based democracies they apply themselves to. 

[Pinetree]

23 minutes ago, Soidog said:

I personally feel we need more courage of our convictions

Absolutely agree with all of that.  I have said elsewhere that I do not consider myself a war monger, but this time, we must confront Putin and match aggression with aggression. To do so will send a powerful message to the likes of China and North Korea, that its not all hot air from NATO. However, I suspect that it is more hot air than substance, as Nation States always act in their own, narrow national interest.  We are at least a millennium short of total World cohesion and I very much doubt that human kind with exist that long.

Just realised that this is off topic.  Back to Saudi tourism   

[Soidog]

28 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

Just realised that this is off topic.  Back to Saudi tourism   

Well it’s sought of on topic . Allowing Saudis to travel the world on holiday and buy English Premier League football clubs gives credence and a nod of acceptability to their actions. I don’t know anything of the conflict in Yemen, but it’s Saudi led and a bloody war affecting the lives of millions as in Ukraine. It’s been allowed to go on for years and Western leaders turn a blind eye. I’m not saying the West should continually engage militarily, but we need to show these tyrants you can’t have it both ways. 

[Cathat]

The tread has predictably moved completely away from what is was about in the first place.inbound tourism from saudi arabia!

[HiuMak]

Saudis will be bringing their oily money with them