Khon Kaen deputy governor apologises for letter referring to ‘people’s stupidity’

By KRISMETH LOHO 
THE NATION

 

 

KHON KAEN DEPUTY GOVERNOR Suchai Butsara has issued a public apology, after “the wrong choice of words” in a leaked official document whipped up a storm of criticism.
 

“How to bring people out of stupidity” was the mission statement for various agencies in a document signed by Suchai earlier this month. 

The document was an invitation sent to various agencies last week for a meeting to prepare to welcome Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his Cabinet members to the Northeast region.

 

 

The leaked letter with the insulting language has been strongly criticised on social media for its “aristocratic mentality” with government officials seeing citizens as dumb. 

 

“I didn’t read through the letter. I just signed it because it was just an invitation for the second meeting,” Suchai said at a press conference yesterday. 

 

He said as soon as he had found out the invitation contained “inappropriate words”, he had ordered the correction. 

 

“I am really sorry,” he said. “I would like to apologise to people who feel uncomfortable about those inappropriate words.” 

 

Suchai added that he definitely did not look down on Khon Kaen people, because his family had settled in the northeastern province. “I was born in the Northeast too,” he added. 

 

 

Suchai also said the content of the meeting was not related to the central government. 

 

Although the meeting had been called to prepare for the upcoming mobile Cabinet meeting, the government did not dictate the preparations, he said. 

 

Porntip Khamchuen, the general-services chief of Khon Kaen’s local administration office, said she had been “reckless” in preparing the document.

 

 

“It’s a mistake. I don’t mean to look down on people. At that time, I only thought about using simple words. But I was too careless,” she said. 

Porntip said she had been supposed to focus on the concept of how to stimulate people to learn at a young age. 

 

Khon Kaen Governor Somsak Changtragul asked for forgiveness from the people. 

 

“We made a mistake,” he said. 

 

Activist Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association to Protect the Thai Constitution, demanded yesterday the Interior Ministry sack Suchai for his alleged ignorance as well as violation of the Constitution and ethical code for civil servants. 

 

Civil servants must respect the dignity of the people, according to the Constitution and ethical code, he said. 

 

Officials such as Suchai should be removed from their positions, he added. The correction of the letter and apology did not change the situation, since the wrongdoing had already been committed, he said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30341201

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-19

I guess the answer to this is much darker in reality. Not only paper-thin.

What an obnoxious toadying civil servant prig. Couldn't help himself from blurting out his true feelings about the people of Khon Kaen and Isaan in general. Obviously one of the PM's sycophants and out to impress; hopefully in return for future favours. 

LOL. He never read the letter. LOL.

the only thing they think is a mistake is that the letter got out...

make no mistake thats exactly how they think and act..

'im a gawd and they are dirt'......

 

its why anybody red no matter who will wipe them in any election.

 

everyday this country sinks lower and lower to anyone with even a fraction of humanity. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

with government officials seeing citizens as dumb. 

 

“I didn’t read through the letter. I just signed it

then perhaps he can just sign over a blank check to me, underscoring his own stupidity

This is what happens when people get their positions through connections, birth, or purchase, rather than merit; there's only person's stupidity being demonstrated here.

Well , no doubt the stupid people will take the whole matter into account when they vote at the next election!

Ah, wait, sorry I forgot...

30 minutes ago, nausea said:

This is what happens when people get their positions through connections, birth, or purchase, rather than merit; there's only person's stupidity being demonstrated here.

Absolutely true. And because of this it seems a pattern has emerged within Thai public administration where the intelligence of those people in high places is in inverse proportion to their ranking. Ultimately the intelligence of the individual bears no relationship to their management position. And so incompetence becomes the order of the day.

the guy was smartly stupid; smart as he nailed the issue; stupid in the way he said it

I learned a long time ago....you cannot fix stupid....end of story....??

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“How to bring people out of stupidity"

 

Spot on deputy governor....!!

That should indeed be the mission of every government official...!!

Love the reactions here on Thaivisa, where posters in general are calling Thai people stupid (or worse) 24/7/365.....Do you think you have monopoly on insulting the local population...?.....

He shouldn't complain. Without stupid people, where would he be?

Keeping people stupid is how the elite hang on to their positions.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“I didn’t read through the letter. I just signed it

and signing a document without reading and understanding it shows how stupid the official is

Never a truer word spoken. 

21 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

and signing a document without reading and understanding it shows how stupid the official is

This comment tells a lot about the level of positions you have held in business during your life.

 

When you get "high-up" in any corporation you simply cannot read all documents you need to sign anymore because a day only has 24 hours and you also have actual work to do.

 

Thats why it is so important to hire competend people below you who scan through these documents so you can sign them blindly.

 

And as pointed out by others; that is a problem in thailand due to nepotism and corruption.

21 hours ago, YetAnother said:

the guy was smartly stupid; smart as he nailed the issue; stupid in the way he said it

You really are filth. Isaan people never accepted to be dust under these people dirty feet. Much smarter than the BKK toads and salim <deleted>. 

14 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

This comment tells a lot about the level of positions you have held in business during your life.

 

When you get "high-up" in any corporation you simply cannot read all documents you need to sign anymore because a day only has 24 hours and you also have actual work to do.

 

Thats why it is so important to hire competend people below you who scan through these documents so you can sign them blindly.

 

And as pointed out by others; that is a problem in thailand due to nepotism and corruption.

There only one word to those senior managers who don;t read before signing; lazy. 

 

I have been the Managing Director of Asia Pacific Rim in my previous job and Director of my own company in Thailand and I always read before signing all important documents. Even the mundane letters to customers will get a glance over to pick up the key points before I sign. The important letters may take longer for me to vet through but I make it a point to read and understand the content. You simply don't want to risk errors or misunderstood messages in the letter that would cause serious damage to your company. Just not worth the risk and any damage control reflect poorly on your company management. 

The problem is, sometimes the truth hurts.

38 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

This comment tells a lot about the level of positions you have held in business during your life.

 

When you get "high-up" in any corporation you simply cannot read all documents you need to sign anymore because a day only has 24 hours and you also have actual work to do.

 

Thats why it is so important to hire competend people below you who scan through these documents so you can sign them blindly.

 

And as pointed out by others; that is a problem in thailand due to nepotism and corruption.

your comment tells a lot about how you handled business...

5 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

LOL. He never read the letter. LOL.

To be fair, it is a damn sight more plausible than 'I borrowed it from a friend. Who is dead'. And at least he apologised even if the apology was insincere. For both I am prepared to cut him just a little slack...

Of course he is 100% correct but causing a huge loss of face is what has stirred the pot in this case.  I would have used phrase seriously lacking in common sense instead as I think most Thais would have no idea what that meant.  Telling the truth is a foreign concept to Thais, at least openly.

“I didn’t read through the letter. I just signed it..." Pot calling the kettle black I reckon. I advise not telling stupid people that they are stupid. Nothing good comes from that because they are.....

1 hour ago, klauskunkel said:

your comment tells a lot about how you handled business...

Yeah right! He adopted Thai style to blend in.

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

There only one word to those senior managers who don;t read before signing; lazy. 

Did you read all the documents coming with signing up for your current software, your email acocunt, and your social media accounts?

Or did you just click the "i agree" checkbox at the bottom so you could continue installing?

4 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

Did you read all the documents coming with signing up for your current software, your email acocunt, and your social media accounts?

Or did you just click the "i agree" checkbox at the bottom so you could continue installing?

 

Was the governor's letter 56 pages long like software T&Cs are?

I won't repeat what others have said about the 'stupidity' point but what worries me is...how many others there might be just like him? Given the lack of integrity coming from the top these days and the millions of Baht being 'redirected' from the the the poor's fund to the official's pocket in many provinces, it seems to me that the whole country is riddled with these types.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The correction of the letter and apology did not change the situation, since the wrongdoing had already been committed,

Wow hey.... unbelievable wording in an article apologizing for wording.

 

or is this a precursor to getting rid of the wai as a get out of jail free card... hopefully so, but I doubt it.... just more bad driving, as in, failure to engage brain before putting mouth into gear

My wife shared this story with me before i saw it pop up here. Funnily enough my wife, friends and family agree. Stupidity is rampant and its that way because stupid people arent punished nore set straight with little emphasis on facts being taught therefore mislead. The guy is stupid himself but anyone taking offense is probably stupid also. Constructive criticism never goes down well with the ones that think they are the best thing sliced bread. Pissing and moaning as has happend on unsocial media is just plain  stupid itself when the basis of this in the first place is too help people that are disadvantaged whether they like it or not. Its pointless to comment really but anyone can take a look around and see that stupidity reigns. 

I think the problem personally is simple. Pay a police force that actually polices. If stupid people get punished for being stupid i see that as the first step to people being able to distinguish a better way of being and will evolve for the better. Education that doesnt center around religion and culture(history) would do wonders for this country.