"I agree with Quyda about how to calculate Vietnamese age.
"I also agree with Longh that Vietnamese age in this way cant count in paperwork or government things. If someone ask "How old are you?", Vietnamese answer in this way "30, and 31 in Vietnamese age". In a paperwork and formal situation just "30".
"I totally agree with Lcagaiden, Vietnamese generally dont celebrate b-day. Why? In Vietnamese culture, b-day is not so important. Back to the past, long time ago, old generation cant remember their exactly b-day as Western do. It's the reason why after Lunar new year, everybody count 1 year in their age. Vietnamese count age by year, not by b-day.
"A little bit off topic here, but I think it's necessary to know more about Vietnamese culture. The most important day for Vietnamese is day of dead. They can forget their member's bday but it's unacceptable if forgeting their dead day. If someone forget this day, others will blame on that. Do a simple test, ask old people about their member b-day and dead day, I'm pretty sure that they dont know b-day but they usually cook a special meal for dead people on their dead day every year.
"You can also ask rural people about their b-day. They have no idea about it and dont do anything to celebrate. I mention about rural people coz they still keep traditional Vietnamese, not like urban people. Urban people are influenced Western culture, more or less. It's the reason why Longh can see lots of insane b-day party. Other reason, this day is just an excuse for them to have a party or do something special for themself.
"Money is not the problem of celebrate or not. Remember that, ALL Vietnamese do celebrate dead day for their family members and invite guests come to their house, even the poorest family."
---------------
"9 months can count a year
"
"Yes, and this is the slightly silly bit, IMO. 9 months is not a year. And what about premature babies? All in all, it just doesn't make sense to count your age from 1, and if this is the main reason why people here do it, then I reckon the winds of change need to start blowing.
----------------
"Actually, if you dont agree with "9 months can count 1 year", I'll explain with more detail (if you guys have enough patient and want to know more about Vietnamese culture):
"An extra age is called "tuổi Mụ" in Vietnamese language. "Tuổi Mụ" means "age of Mrs Mụ". Who are Mụ? They are kind of 12 fairy godmothers. In Vietnamese culture, they create a baby, not the parents. They give Vietnamese parents a baby as a gift.
"Vietnamese dont celebrate b-day every years. However, there is an exception and it's very important in Vietnamese culture. When an infant have enough 3 days or 1 month or 100 days, need a celebration in traditional way (no need to talk about it here). Parents MUST to make a small party to celebrate and this party is called "lễ cúng Mụ" (party of Mrs Mụ). It's the way parents send "thank you" to these fairy godmothers.
"The most important day is the 100th day. This day is "đầy tuổi Mụ" (exactly age of Mrs Mụ) Why? 9 months (actually 9 months 10 days) + 100 day (3 months 10 days) = 1 year. See? Now it makes sense?
http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/aska/answers/qid/5684
:grandmais
"I also agree with Longh that Vietnamese age in this way cant count in paperwork or government things. If someone ask "How old are you?", Vietnamese answer in this way "30, and 31 in Vietnamese age". In a paperwork and formal situation just "30".
"I totally agree with Lcagaiden, Vietnamese generally dont celebrate b-day. Why? In Vietnamese culture, b-day is not so important. Back to the past, long time ago, old generation cant remember their exactly b-day as Western do. It's the reason why after Lunar new year, everybody count 1 year in their age. Vietnamese count age by year, not by b-day.
"A little bit off topic here, but I think it's necessary to know more about Vietnamese culture. The most important day for Vietnamese is day of dead. They can forget their member's bday but it's unacceptable if forgeting their dead day. If someone forget this day, others will blame on that. Do a simple test, ask old people about their member b-day and dead day, I'm pretty sure that they dont know b-day but they usually cook a special meal for dead people on their dead day every year.
"You can also ask rural people about their b-day. They have no idea about it and dont do anything to celebrate. I mention about rural people coz they still keep traditional Vietnamese, not like urban people. Urban people are influenced Western culture, more or less. It's the reason why Longh can see lots of insane b-day party. Other reason, this day is just an excuse for them to have a party or do something special for themself.
"Money is not the problem of celebrate or not. Remember that, ALL Vietnamese do celebrate dead day for their family members and invite guests come to their house, even the poorest family."
---------------
"9 months can count a year
"Yes, and this is the slightly silly bit, IMO. 9 months is not a year. And what about premature babies? All in all, it just doesn't make sense to count your age from 1, and if this is the main reason why people here do it, then I reckon the winds of change need to start blowing.
----------------
"Actually, if you dont agree with "9 months can count 1 year", I'll explain with more detail (if you guys have enough patient and want to know more about Vietnamese culture):
"An extra age is called "tuổi Mụ" in Vietnamese language. "Tuổi Mụ" means "age of Mrs Mụ". Who are Mụ? They are kind of 12 fairy godmothers. In Vietnamese culture, they create a baby, not the parents. They give Vietnamese parents a baby as a gift.
"Vietnamese dont celebrate b-day every years. However, there is an exception and it's very important in Vietnamese culture. When an infant have enough 3 days or 1 month or 100 days, need a celebration in traditional way (no need to talk about it here). Parents MUST to make a small party to celebrate and this party is called "lễ cúng Mụ" (party of Mrs Mụ). It's the way parents send "thank you" to these fairy godmothers.
"The most important day is the 100th day. This day is "đầy tuổi Mụ" (exactly age of Mrs Mụ) Why? 9 months (actually 9 months 10 days) + 100 day (3 months 10 days) = 1 year. See? Now it makes sense?
http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/aska/answers/qid/5684
:grandmais
This girl [at the start of the video] reminds me of one i met on my last trip to Thailand
http://videarn.com/video.php?id=340490
http://videarn.com/video.php?id=340490
Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- A Thai criminal court has sentenced a Thai-born American to 2 1/2 years in prison for insulting the monarchy, the latest case involving controversial laws for defaming, insulting or threatening the royal family.
Joe W. Gordon, whose Thai name is Lerpong Wichaicommart, cooperated during the investigation of his case and pleaded guilty, resulting in a lenient sentence, his lawyer said.
But the charge of writing and posting articles insulting the monarchy under the Southeast Asian country's lese majeste laws can yield a sentence as high as 20 years in prison in the Buddhist country, where the king is highly revered.
"A chokehold on freedom of expression is being created in the name of protecting the monarchy," Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a report published December 2 on the laws.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej has pardoned foreigners in similar cases in the past. The lawyer, Anon Rumpa, said he plans to file for a royal pardon.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Gordon said he was "an American, not a Thai citizen."
An "American has rights and freedom to comment. In Thailand, there is limitation in expressing opinion," he said.
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej is highly revered in the Buddhist nation.
Gordon, 54, returned to Thailand last year after 30 years in the United States. He was arrested in May for posting a link on his blog to an unauthorized biography of the king, according to the Asian Human Rights Commission. He has been detained without bail since then.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States regards freedom of expression as a fundamental human right, "so we are troubled by the outcome of this case"
"We also have no higher priority, as you have often heard from this podium, than the protection of American citizens abroad, so we are engaged with the Thai authorities and consular officers from our embassy in Bangkok are in touch with Mr. Gordon and his family," Toner said Thursday. He said the United States has conveyed its views on the case to Thai authorities and doesn't see the incident "adversely affecting the overall relationship."
Elizabeth Pratt, consul general at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, called the sentence "too high for just expressing his free speech."
"We also respect the law of Thailand. We are trying to help Mr. Gordon in any way that we can."
The Human Rights Watch report cited a sentencing of a 61-year-old man to 20 years in prison for sending four text messages considered offensive to the queen. It said "many other harsh punishments" for violating the laws have been rendered in recent years.
"The severity of penalties being meted out for lese majeste offenses in Thailand is shocking," Adams said. "The new government seems to be responding to questions about its loyalty to the monarchy by filing countless lese majeste charges."
Human Rights Watch said the government has launched "a major campaign against alleged violations" of the laws since Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra took power last summer.
"The roots of the recent campaign appear to be found in the September 2006 military coup against Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister at the time, who was considered by royalists to be insufficiently loyal to the monarchy," the report said. Yingluck Shinawatra is Thaksin's sister.
The rights group said private people and entities "often misuse" the laws for political reasons. It has called on Thailand "to amend the laws so that private parties cannot bring complaints of lese majeste since no private harm is incurred."
"The heavy-handed enforcement of lese majeste laws has a devastating impact on freedom of expression in Thailand," Adams said. "A broad-based discussion is urgently needed to amend the laws to ensure that they conform with Thailand's international human rights obligations."
Joe W. Gordon, whose Thai name is Lerpong Wichaicommart, cooperated during the investigation of his case and pleaded guilty, resulting in a lenient sentence, his lawyer said.
But the charge of writing and posting articles insulting the monarchy under the Southeast Asian country's lese majeste laws can yield a sentence as high as 20 years in prison in the Buddhist country, where the king is highly revered.
"A chokehold on freedom of expression is being created in the name of protecting the monarchy," Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a report published December 2 on the laws.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej has pardoned foreigners in similar cases in the past. The lawyer, Anon Rumpa, said he plans to file for a royal pardon.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Gordon said he was "an American, not a Thai citizen."
An "American has rights and freedom to comment. In Thailand, there is limitation in expressing opinion," he said.
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej is highly revered in the Buddhist nation.
Gordon, 54, returned to Thailand last year after 30 years in the United States. He was arrested in May for posting a link on his blog to an unauthorized biography of the king, according to the Asian Human Rights Commission. He has been detained without bail since then.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States regards freedom of expression as a fundamental human right, "so we are troubled by the outcome of this case"
"We also have no higher priority, as you have often heard from this podium, than the protection of American citizens abroad, so we are engaged with the Thai authorities and consular officers from our embassy in Bangkok are in touch with Mr. Gordon and his family," Toner said Thursday. He said the United States has conveyed its views on the case to Thai authorities and doesn't see the incident "adversely affecting the overall relationship."
Elizabeth Pratt, consul general at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, called the sentence "too high for just expressing his free speech."
"We also respect the law of Thailand. We are trying to help Mr. Gordon in any way that we can."
The Human Rights Watch report cited a sentencing of a 61-year-old man to 20 years in prison for sending four text messages considered offensive to the queen. It said "many other harsh punishments" for violating the laws have been rendered in recent years.
"The severity of penalties being meted out for lese majeste offenses in Thailand is shocking," Adams said. "The new government seems to be responding to questions about its loyalty to the monarchy by filing countless lese majeste charges."
Human Rights Watch said the government has launched "a major campaign against alleged violations" of the laws since Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra took power last summer.
"The roots of the recent campaign appear to be found in the September 2006 military coup against Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister at the time, who was considered by royalists to be insufficiently loyal to the monarchy," the report said. Yingluck Shinawatra is Thaksin's sister.
The rights group said private people and entities "often misuse" the laws for political reasons. It has called on Thailand "to amend the laws so that private parties cannot bring complaints of lese majeste since no private harm is incurred."
"The heavy-handed enforcement of lese majeste laws has a devastating impact on freedom of expression in Thailand," Adams said. "A broad-based discussion is urgently needed to amend the laws to ensure that they conform with Thailand's international human rights obligations."
hno: 
