Comments on: Remembering Those Who Served in Thailand

By: Talen

Talen — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:09:41 +0000

“Thailand and Cambodia too, don’t need an armed conflict at any time let alone right now.”

Amen brother…Amen

By: Martyn

Martyn — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:45:19 +0000

I think your post is a smashing tribute to those who fought in the secret operations in the Vietnam war. Unfortunately innocent lives are lost in all wars and sometimes for years after but I feel it’s right to honour the brave servicemen who served your country.

Picking up on Mike’s point about the current situation in SE Asia, I hope you are both right with your hopes and things settle down. Thailand and Cambodia too, don’t need an armed conflict at any time let alone right now.
Martyn´s last blog ..Thai Bar Girls – Food, Phones and Thumbs

By: john

john — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:27:04 +0000

Thailand still plays a important role in the game of cat and mouse between world powers
udon thani and issan must have really been a iinteresting place to have been based in the conflict
i would like to send my respects to all those family’s that lost members in all wars
we human.s are a destructive race but also creativeich side of us will prevail over time
john´s last blog ..best burger in udon thani issan thailand

By: Talen

Talen — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:11:43 +0000

Mike, One can only hope that the current situations in SE Asia settle down with not more than a few shouting matches…unfortunately man has never learned from previous wars the only lesson ever taken away is by the people left devastated by them.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:03:42 +0000

I think its right to honour your servicemen as we in the UK do however perhaps like me you sometimes are at your wits end when it comes to the political actions that cause such dreadful loss of life.

I just hope that some of our current “combatants” in this little corner of SE Asia remember what happened in Loas Cambodia and Vietnam, when politicians start to play God, before they start another armed conflict.
Mike´s last blog ..Road Safety in Thailand

By: Talen

Talen — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:04:02 +0000

Cat,
I understand what you are saying but such is the nature of all wars. Man has found a way to be horrific throughout time and yet we still don’t learn.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:53:20 +0000

Talen, Don’t take me wrong. I think it’s commendable that you are honouring the American servicemen who followed orders way back when.

But my heart hurts for the Laotian people struggling with the results of that war. The bombing was just too horrific to ignore.
Catherine´s last blog ..Sesame Street Turns 40

By: Talen

Talen — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:33:12 +0000

Cat,
While it is true that bad things happened all during the Vietnam war they happened on all sides. Thailand continues to lose people and elephants to Laos land mines as well.

This post wasn’t meant to dredge up old wounds but to remember those that did their duty. A great deal of these men and women were drafted into the Vietnam war and gave their lives.

They didn’t order bombings and they didn’t call the shots, they did their duty. And many like John have come back to these areas to give again…the only difference is the fact that this time they weren’t ordered to do so.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:37:02 +0000

Ah yes. The ’secret war’ that left so much damage in its wake. I remember reading about the extensive bombing, resulting in loss of life for the ordinary people of Laos.

Legaciesofwar.org: From 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped more than two million tons of ordnance over Laos during 580,000 bombing missions – equal to a planeload of bombs every 8 minutes, 24-hours a day, for 9 years.

About 260 million cluster bomblets fell over Laos with close to 53 million bomblets dropped within one kilometer of villages. Up to 30% of the bomblets did not detonate on impact, leaving as many as 86 million unexploded cluster bomblets buried in fields, roads, forests, rivers and villages.

I’m glad to hear that the servicemen involved have formed a group to benefit the Lao people.
Catherine´s last blog ..Sesame Street Turns 40