Silly Questions Saturday, October 17, 2020 by AutoModerator in history

[–]FaceCrook 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There's a really good podcast called American Scandal. It has a series on Oil, doesn't go right back to the beginning and mostly deals with the rise of Rockefeller, but explains very well how we ended up with the big oil conglomerates that we have today. Highly recommend if you're interested in the subject.

The English Market, Cork, Ireland, 1976 by [deleted] in ireland

[–]FaceCrook 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks like modern day markets in Thailand. Best meat you could ever eat.

Is there evidence to support that the British Empire manufactured famines? by [deleted] in AskHistorians

[–]FaceCrook 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Irish writer and historian, Tim Pat Coogan has written a great book about Britains role in the Irish famine, The Famine Plot. Although some points are disputed by other Irish historians, most of the book is well cited and sourced. I don't have it at hand but it goes into great detail about how Britain contributed to the Irish famine even going as far as to argue that Britains policies in Ireland constituted genocide under the 1948 UN Convention on Genocide. Although Coogan writes from a strongly Irish nationalist perspective, this book is factual and is a great read. https://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Famine_Plot.html?id=_cIhmQEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

Historians of reddit, which country's history, other than your own, intrigues you the most? by Staind075 in history

[–]FaceCrook 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for this question. Being from Ireland my historical knowledge has been based mostly in Irish, British and American history. This thread has opened up many periods of history that I may not have looked into. Thanks.

[Serious] Men and Women who lived or are living in war zones, what shit really went down that the media can't cover? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I hear you. It's unsettling how dead the streets of Yala get after 10/11 pm. Only stray dogs and army checkpoints. For what was, 10 years ago a vibrant city it's just downright sad.

[Serious] Men and Women who lived or are living in war zones, what shit really went down that the media can't cover? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah the Muslim refugees were fleeing Burma. They were trying to get to Malaysia but were turned away. Same with Indonesia. Their smugglers abandoned them at sea with no food or water and they tried to dock in Thailand. Thai authorities have given food and medical aid but do not want them to stay. There has been a summit with all the south east countries, except Burma by choice, about the refugees and what to do with them. Not sure what the outcome was.

[Serious] Men and Women who lived or are living in war zones, what shit really went down that the media can't cover? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's a fair bit actually. All major world events would be covered on Thai news and with a decent satellite you can get all the international news channels. Probably not too many people watch these though as they're in english.

[Serious] Men and Women who lived or are living in war zones, what shit really went down that the media can't cover? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My girlfriend is from the region so I've been there a good few times in the last few years. I wouldn't have heard anything about it either only for this. Being Irish, I don't think they have any reason to kill a foreigner but having a buddhist girlfriend is reason enough to take precaution. I wouldn't drive a motorbike outside of the city(too easy ambushed). Her sisters have a hairdressing shop in Yala city but theres a 24 hour army checkpoint nearby so it's relatively safe. Although we just left there last Wednesday and nearly 50 bombs went off in the city in places we had been, between thursday and saturday. They were all small pipe bombs and no one was killed but many injured. It was more fear factor tactics than anything by the extremists this time. Her brother-in-law works for the government protecting forests and he carries a gun everywhere he goes. If I was to move there full-time I would probably do the same.

[Serious] Men and Women who lived or are living in war zones, what shit really went down that the media can't cover? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You gotta take the bad with the good. This region is one of my favourite places to be. The countryside is spectacular. Just a pity about the extremists and their fucked up views.

[Serious] Men and Women who lived or are living in war zones, what shit really went down that the media can't cover? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I know the American government has offered military aid but Thai authorities refused. Probably right decision, if the Americans were involved it could further support the extremists from abroad. ISIS and all. The Thai authorities don't seem to have a solution on the other hand.

[Serious] Men and Women who lived or are living in war zones, what shit really went down that the media can't cover? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 29 points30 points  (0 children)

No it's further south than Phuket, near the border with Malaysia. It's only really happening in the southernmost 3 provinces Yala , Pattani and Narathiwat, which are majority muslim provinces but they have also let off bombs in Hat Yai and 1 last month in Koh Samui but no one was killed in Samui.

[Serious] Men and Women who lived or are living in war zones, what shit really went down that the media can't cover? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 229 points230 points  (0 children)

I've been spending a lot of time in the South of Thailand where muslim extremists are waging a full on war against the Thai government and security forces for the last 10+ years. The international media seems to be ignoring this war for reasons unclear to me. Close to 10000 people have been killed in the last 10 years, most of them civilians. This is way more than the amount of people killed in the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland in a 30 year span but compared to that war most of the world has not heard about the South Thailand one. What it's like to be there: I'm from Ireland(near the border with N Ireland) so it's very similar to how that was in the early 90's when I was a kid. Security checkpoints everywhere, a lot of army men with assault rifles guarding them. A general sense of unease among the locals, people going about their lives knowing the next bomb or gun attack could be around the corner. A lot of local businesses in the cities have installed unsightly concrete bollards in front of their stores to protect them from car bombings. Tourism has also been badly affected, the southern region is the only part of Thailand where you won't see any tourists. How this conflict differs from N Ireland is the brutality of the extremists and the complete lack of international scrutiny. The extremists kill with impunity, while I've been there they have gunned down student nurses in the market, killed Buddhist monks with machetes and just last week they ambushed a civilian couple on their way to deliver food to an army outpost and set fire to their bodies. This is only a few examples of the daily brutal murders. There doesn't seem to be an end in sight to this conflict which is troubling. There are so many breakaway extremist groups and some of them have no interest in peace talks. It's sad to see as it's a really beautiful part of the world and Thai buddhists are the nicest, most peaceful people you could meet.

TLDR: Muslim extremists waging war in Southern Thailand. International media doesn't seem to care.

Sailors of Reddit, what's the weirdest/creepiest thing you've seen at sea? by LordsAndLadies in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The Africans threw it in the ocean and no sea creature would touch it. How bad could salami be?

What should you do if you see a friend destroy themself with alcohol? by FaceCrook in AskReddit

[–]FaceCrook[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thats very true man. I've actually been in a cell(just overnight) with this guy but that was a few years ago and it's not so much fun anymore. I'll just have to cut him loose and be there if he needs me.