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magnum
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For those interested members, this young man is the hottest op-ed writer in Thailand.... each Sunday in the BKK Post, he comments in a very frank way about why Thailand is the way it is.
Voranai's stuff might be particularly interesting to those who visit Thailand, but do not live close enough to it really see through the deceptive veneer concealing the real Thailand.
In this week's offer, he writes candidly about Thailand's cultural values, as a reflected by Thai society and politics... a subject about which I am deeply concerned.
The guy is either going to set new journalist landmarks... or, going to jail.
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COMMENTARY
Liberty and justice for who?
BKKPost
8/04/2012
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/287936/liberty-and-justice-for-who-exactly/page-1/
So when it is a societal norm for one man to crawl to serve another, how can there be freedom and justice in such a society?
In Ankara, Turkey, two surviving leaders of the country's 1980 military coup have gone on trial. This is heralded as a landmark in democracy, and deemed a symbolic end of the army's long tradition of meddling in politics.
In Thailand, coup leades retire in luxurious comfort or head up a government reconciliation committee. There is no landrmark in democracy. There is no end to the army's long tradition of meddling in politics, symbolic or otherwise.
Where's the justice?
Between July 2007 and July 2010, the Information and Communication Technology Ministry blocked nearly 75,000 websites, according to the ''Situational Report on Control and Censorship of Online Media''. The majority were blocked on grounds of lese majeste content, the rest were mainly pornographic.
This month a new film, Shakespeare Tong Tai (Shakespeare Must Die) was banned by the censorship board which deemed that the movie is harmful to Thai unity.
The film is an updated Thai version of the Macbeth tragedy. But instead of a Scottish general seduced by his ambitious wife to assassinate the king and assume the throne, it's an allegory about a fictitious nation where a popular politician manipulates his way into the highest seat of power. In case you are wondering, yes, the film is a satire of the rise to power of the ''man soon to be in Laos''.
Where's the liberty?
Picture those who crawl on their hands and knees to serve the high and mighty, of whom there are so many in this society. We're not even talking about the nobility or royalty, but those with wealth and titles, the facade of prestige in society reinforced by the delusion of grandeur.
Picture a chauffeur talking to his boss or a factory worker to his manager. Study their body language. One person stands tall, enjoying the freedom of hand gestures and body movement. The other person keeps his head slightly bowed, not looking into the eyes of his superior, shoulders somewhat hunched, hands folded humbly across his pelvis, head nodding dutifully and lips mouthing meekly ''khrub, khrub, khrub'', or ''yes sir, yes sir, yes sir'' (there is never a ''no'' unless he's being accused of doing something wrong).
Where is the equality?
Democratic ideals are based on the principles of human rights: justice, liberty and equality. Thailand is a democracy, but Thai democracy is flawed, bruised and battered, because Thai culture does not embrace democratic ideals.
Political behaviour and social norms are but expressions of cultural values. For a culture to be called democratic it must embrace democratic ideals and display these ideals in its social and political behaviours.
But where is the justice in Thailand when coup leaders retire in luxury or head up a reconciliation committee? Where is liberty when works of art are censored and banned? Where is the equality in a culture where individuals are made to crawl and are cowed by someone of higher social status?
(And while we are well familiar that criticisms of the monarchy are banned, since when have criticisms of the man soon to be in Laos been ban-worthy? If criticism of the man soon to be in Laos is harmful to national unity, then we might as well shut down all media organisations _ well, except the many that would never criticise the man soon to be in Laos. But this is just an observation of irony and is beside the point of this column.)
Instead of justice, we have injustice _ the mask of democracy is worn in contradiction to actions that are undemocratic. There have been 23 military coup attempts against Thai democracy. How many of those coup leaders faced justice?
The army rolled in tanks in the name of democracy. The yellow shirts stormed Government House and occupied Suvarnabhumi airport in the name of democracy. The red shirts stormed the Royal Cliff Hotel in Pattaya, etc, and occupied Ratchaprasong district in the name of democracy.
Where is the justice?
Instead of liberty, we have conformity _ the command, by those who believe they know better because they see themselves as socially superior, for everyone else to stay inside the box, censor and ban in the name of what is considered proper and appropriate for Thai society at the expense of the freedom to create and express.
The Culture Ministry does not promote cultural enlightenment, it practises cultural lockdown. The Information and Communication Technology Ministry does not promote freedom of information or communication, using technology or otherwise, it limits the freedom to inform and to communicate by shutting down technology.
Where is the freedom?
Instead of equality, we have inequality _ the demand for titles and prestige and for those considered socially inferior to hobble and kowtow at the expense of human dignity.
Where is the equality?
We have a constitution and every four years (in theory at least) we go to the election booths and cast our votes.
But also since 1932, we have had 78 years of democracy. In those 78 years we have also had 23 attempted military coups. That averages out to about one every three years.
Of those 23 coups, 11 were successful, or one every seven years.
In 78 years of Thai democracy, 42 were spent under the rule of a military strongman, either through a coup or by the appointment of a civilian parliament.
In the past 20 years, there have been two military coups. There have four incidents of blood and chaos: bloody May in 1992, the yellow shirt People's Alliance for Democracy demonstrations in 2008 and the red shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship protests in 2009 and in 2010.
In the last 20 years, only one government actually served out its term, headed up by the man soon to be in Laos.
Since 1932, we have had 18 constitutions. That averages out to about one constitution every four years.
It should be no wonder that in such a culture, democracy is so flawed, bruised and battered.
The laws and politics of a nation are defined by the cultural values of the nation. They are but expressions of social norms. When results of public opinion polls have it that the majority of respondents are fine with political corruption, as long as they themselves are well taken care of, it is but an example of how politics reflects society. Though society may complain and condemn corruption on the surface, underneath all corruption is condoned and practised throughout society.
The political landscape is a reflection of society.
So when it is a societal norm for one man to crawl to serve another, how can there be freedom and justice in such a society? When a culture practises and condones inequality, is it such a wonder that politics is corrupt and laws are unjust?
Change starts with embracing the democratic ideals of justice, liberty and equality. To embrace those ideals, we can begin by picking up those kowtowing on the ground, helping them to stand tall, telling them they can look us in the eyes and letting them know that we all can speak our minds.
Or vice-versa, we can ourselves insist on getting up off the ground, standing tall and looking people in the eyes, speaking our minds. Don't let those caught up in delusions of grandeur keep us down.
If equality becomes the cultural value of a nation, then we may find freedom, and then we may find justice.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:12 pm on April 8, 2012
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dirty guru
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Quote: from magnum on 12:12 pm on April 9, 2012
Instead of liberty, we have conformity _ the command, by those who believe they know better because they see themselves as socially superior, for everyone else to stay inside the box, censor and ban in the name of what is considered proper and appropriate for Thai society at the expense of the freedom to create and express.
Like Magnum I am a great fan of this writer.
I have emailed him several times to tell him " history is on his side...and what he writes is courageous and important"
He replies and is humble usually just thank you for the encouragement.
This guy tells it as it is.
How long he goes is one thing.....but in my book he is a hero...and a brave one at that.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 9:32 pm on April 8, 2012
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Meatywsg
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I never miss his articles, i'm amazed he's still 'allowed' to have his say, because EVERY article tells it EXACTLY how it is, and just has to be ruffling some serious feathers EVERY week.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:38 pm on April 10, 2012
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koolbreez
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Consider where he writes, and who his market is, and it becomes clear why he is allowed to publish.
Very very little of what he writes is translated for the Thai edition, it is all in English, so no real threat to the general Thai population. He writes for the expat market in the English edition, and they respond better to controversy.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 3:55 am on April 11, 2012
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magnum
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Quote: from koolbreez on 3:55 pm on April 11, 2012
Consider where he writes, and who his market is, and it becomes clear why he is allowed to publish.
Very very little of what he writes is translated for the Thai edition, it is all in English, so no real threat to the general Thai population. He writes for the expat market in the English edition, and they respond better to controversy.
... you are, of course, correct.
... still, Voranai appears to enjoy favored placement in the English edition, both print and digital media... hope that is a measure of his popularity as an effective commentator... he is a regular panelist on the Thai language 'talking heads' TV shows.
... hopefully his English language Internet footprint is but a 'toeprint' under the tent... as the Thai inbred elite's grip on the controls is wrenched from them, this might someday lead to something more meaningful in the Thai language press.
... but, of course, this might all be for naught if Thailand continues it's reign at the bottom of ASEAN as a nation of non-readers... until then, they will cotinue to accept what they are told by the local political kamnans, whose loyalties are purchased in the Thai corrupt Thai patronage system.
... guys as Voranai might never impact, much less touch, the overwhelming numbers of Thais in his lifetime, much less ours, if their education and socialization remains deformed by Thailand's inbreds.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 11:43 pm on April 11, 2012
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koolbreez
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It's not really a start. It's more of an appeasement to build sales.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:58 am on April 12, 2012
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dirty guru
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I feel that while your assessment is accurate in that the Thai masses haven't a clue what political comments are being made,,...its better than none.
I do also feel his views are not "risk free"
Many of his statements are flying close to the sun.
He is pushing the the proverbial envelope.
And one day may not be around or free to tell a few home truths.?
Maybe we should get his comments translated into Thai and stick them up around Bus stations and Skytrain stations and reproduced in Thai newspapers ?
I would donate $250 to get that happening we might only need $3000 to get lot of his shit out there.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 4:03 am on April 12, 2012
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dirty guru
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This week he is making fun of the Thaksin in exile
The following is an article that was sent from Bangkokpost.com.
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http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/288896/il-duce-come-home-now
Il Duce, come-home-now
Quote Article
In 2003, it took you only three months to come up with some 2,000 dead bodies, without trials, without the due process of law, and not much longer to reach around 2,600 overall. Legal repercussions? Amnesty talks? Reconciliation? None. No need. You get things done, Il Duce. Your body counts are second to none in this Kingdom.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 5:53 pm on April 14, 2012
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thailife
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I have said itr before, I will say it again... if it wasn't for ther girls and what they do for money no one would go to Thailand..... the place is one step above total collapse, always has been, always will be......
It is like a cartoon book but in real life.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:09 pm on April 14, 2012
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