WARNING: THAIS ARE SUCKING BLOOD (r)

[MegaMacMan@xxxxxxx]

Subject: Re: WARNING: THAIS ARE SUCKING BLOOD

>From: <strider>
>Received: (from strider) by igc2.igc.apc.org (8.6.11/Revision: 1.14 ) id
FAA05582; Thu, 3 Aug 1995 05:14:58 -0700
>Date: Thu, 3 Aug 1995 05:14:58 -0700
>
>/* Written  5:55 AM  Aug  2, 1995 by an308313@xxxxxxxxxxxxx in
igc:soc.cult.burma */
>/* ---------- "WARNING: THAIS ARE SUCKING BLOOD" ---------- */
>
>LONDON, July 26
>
>        When I recently visited Burma, I had some interest in shrimp
business
>over there. Of course, so many companies are booming with it. Japanese,
>Singaporean, HongKongian are eating a large portion of Burmese shrimp
>everyday. With this I knew trade embargo on Burma by the US won't work at
>all. Ok.. leave this apart for a while.

Just how big is the shrimp industry in 'Bar Mar Pyi?' 
Great! Imagine headlines like this:
"US Sanctions On Myanmar Shrimp Exports Hurts SLORC"

>        What I am going to inform all of you is that I saw 2 exactly painted
>and designed Thai ships near Yangon port. I felt curious and enquired what
>was the case. You know what they did? They obtained 1 license from the
>Burmese government, and were later found out catching shrimp and fish with 2
>or more ships with the same name. People say such things are very very
>common. They say this is just one in hundreds. These businesses comes up
with
>such product:
>        PRODUCT  OF  THAILAND
>        MADE  IN  MYANMAR
>
>        I saw fish sauce and dried fish selling in London carrying a Thai
>logo, and were printed the same way.

So the Thais are enterprising and maybe they engage in illegal fishing in
Burma waters. But if they are honest enough to print 'Made in Myanmar,' hell,
all powers to them! So why don't enterprising Ba ma's compete with them and
export to the world. 

By the way, I've been looking for 'nga pya yi' and 'nga pe kyet' with the
label, 'Made in Burma,' for years at Oriental groceries all over America.
Haven't found one yet but anxious anticipating the day I'll hold a bottle of
authentic Burmese fish sauce in my hands. When that happens, guess which
brand will I buy? The one that says 'Product of Thailand' or the gold ole 'Ba
ma pyi mar lu tay' brand?

>        This could be the same thing with heroin. According to National
>Geographic Magazine (July 1995), our country is the largest opium producer
in
>the world, which is 60% of world production. I at least feel proud with it.

What kind of sick mentality is this? First, a conjecture and then assuming it
to be an refutable fact. All in the space of two sentences. Proud of being
the source of 65 percent of the world's opium production? I've read about
local rednecks but a 'Ba ma' redneck? Oh, well, nothing has changed, really.

>But who is getting money? The Thais, exactly. They buy everything from
>Burmese gems to Burmese women at a floor price, improved them, and sold them
>at a better price.

Sure, in the West, that's called free trade. Who's holding the annual Gem
Emporium at Inya Lake Hotel and selling precious stones for US dollars? As
for 'Burmese women at a floor price,' when the economy goes down the drain,
can you blame people for seeking a better life elsewhere? Like the Burmese
saying, 'Oo ma taunt ma, thi la saunt naing thay.' By the way, prostitution -
the world's oldest profession - is universal; it's been around before your
time and will still be around after we're gone. 

So, if the fact that there are Burmese prostitutes, er, sex workers, in
Thailand, makes you see red, just take a deep breath and repeat three times
"I shall make my country rich and strong ("With malice towards none, and
charity towards all") so nobody has to leave to earn a living." You'll feel
better.

As for 'better price,' like they say, "If you can't beat them, join them."
Stop whining and gnashing your teeth with envy. After all, your Bamar
'government' controls everything from street-corner beetle-nut store (kun ya
saing's) to banks. Even buying a pencil at the local 'Pyi Thu Saing'
(People's Store) requires a letter of recommendation -'htauk kan sa' from the
local precinct bullies, er, officials. Gimme a break!
>
>WARNING: THAIs AND OTHER NEIGHBOURS SUPPORT SLORC, BECAUSE THEY CAN SUCK
MORE
>BLOOD OUT OF BURMA, BY BRIBING CHEAP GENERALS.

So, what should the world do? The government-controlled 'Lok Tha Pyi Tu Nay
Zin' (Working People's Daily) once said, "Countries have no friends, just
interests." You don't think the governments involved in constructive
engagement are doing it because they are 'buddy, buddy,' do you?

My friend, nothin' is free, except the air we breathe - even that is in doubt
in Myanmar.

Your socialist phrase, 'suck more blood' sounds like a worn record stuck with
a broken needle. I've heard that tune decades ago. I guess some things never
die (or fade away.)

Goodnight to you