Prime Minister suggests that people read George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”

[webfact]

Prime Minister suggests that people read George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”

 

 

Deputy Government Spokesperson, Lieutenant General Werachon Sukondhapatipak, said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had recommended that those who are interested should read the Thai version of George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm”, saying it offers a good insight to life.

 

The recommendation promptly stirred heated debate on Thai social media, especially Twitter.

 

Some took it as a satirical jab at the ongoing power negotiations involving politicians, as the Thai translation of the book title literally reads “Politics: Matters of the Animals”.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/prime-minister-suggests-that-people-read-george-orwells-animal-farm/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-05-30

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[Thaiwrath]

"All animals are equal, but some animals (the one's at the trough) are more equal than others !

[bluesofa]

I can hardly believe this after the PM's hatred of free speech, and his persecution of anyone reading 1984, by charging them with "eating a sandwich with political intent":

 

 

 

 

[nikmar]

1 minute ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

I think he has been pranked here. 

 

He's never read it that is for sure. 

maybe he s confusing it  with "The Three Little Pigs"

[PatOngo]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

those who are interested should read the Thai version of George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm”, saying it offers a good insight to life.

Interested people, all seven of them, said they'd already read it!

[ezzra]

The thing is no matter what books we read here in Thailand it will always end up with Joseph Heller's Catch-22 situations...

[taichiplanet]

who said he didn't have a sense of humour

[lannarebirth]

Just now, taichiplanet said:

who said he didn't have a sense of humour

Who said he had any self awareness?

[bluesofa]

Just now, lannarebirth said:

Who said he had any self awareness?

He has loads.

He's aware the the most handsome man on the planet as well as being an accomplished songwriter, loved by everyone.

[CGW]

11 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

He's never read it that is for sure. 

It was the illustrated version! he like's pretty pictures ???? 

[Odysseus123]

..and yet '1984' remains banned..

 

Is the PM a closet radical..consuming reams of subversive literature such as 'Mary Poppins and the Dirigible' and that famous treatise on Thai governance 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

[rkidlad]

Is he getting this book confused with ‘Babe’? 

[RotBenz8888]

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai translation

Or is it a Thai modification?

[ThaiFelix]

Problem is the book was written as a warning not an instruction manual!

[gk10002000]

Others might suggest Fahrenheit 451

[geoffbezoz]

35 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

"All animals are equal, but some animals (the one's at the trough) are more equal than others !

or more aptly "some animals with weapons, and use them against their own sort", are more equal than others"

[sturdyd]

That's rich! If he actually did read it I'd have to say that never has the point of a story ever gone so far over the head of the reader. I'd agree with ThaiFelix, he must think it's an instruction manual.

[Hayduke]

43 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

I think he has been pranked here. 

 

He's never read it that is for sure. 

 

Having never read a real book…he doesn’t know there are actually words involved. The general thinks it’s a book with pictures of cute fuzzy animals who live on a happy farm…and everyone know Thais love pictures of cute fuzzy animals who live on happy farms. He’s going to be really pissed if he ever finds out the truth.

 

 

 

 

[Crossy]

44 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

I think he has been pranked here.  

 

That was my immediate thought after verifying the date.

 

[Justgrazing]

54 minutes ago, webfact said:

as the Thai translation of the book title literally reads “Politics: Matters of the Animals”.

Given the variation in standards of translation in Thailand hope its a bit better than the tran's job done on where ( or not ) to take a pony .. 

 

[DrTuner]

Ain't that cute. He wants people to read the manual he's adhering to. Like Mao's little book.

[Briggsy]

He must be interpreting the book as (or been told it is) anti-communist, ergo, pro-royalist, ergo, democracy is bad, rather than seeing it as a book that shows the corrupting influence that power has on those who hold it.

 

If this is true, it is rather a strange effect that viewing the book through the filter of Thai politics has on its otherwise rather obvious interpretation.

[Sonhia]

A Thai version!! 

 

The context maybe conveniently altered with added propaganda plus indoctrination thrown in. 

[StayinThailand2much]

Is he nuts or suicidal? If a large number of Thais read George Orwell's "Animal Farm", just imagine all the things that could happen! There is a good reason why it was banned in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, and why discussion about it is banned in China. - If that novel ever becomes popular in Thailand, the semi-feudal system of the 5% will be threatened...

[monkeycu]

Let them watch the cartoon, reading is not high on their can do list

[StayinThailand2much]

5 minutes ago, monkeycu said:

Let them watch the cartoon, reading is not high on their can do list

It would have to be dubbed in Thai...

[StayinThailand2much]

12 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

A Thai version!! 

 

The context maybe conveniently altered with added propaganda plus indoctrination thrown in. 

Perhaps with 'farangs' instead of the pigs...

[Eric Loh]

15 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Is he nuts or suicidal? If a large number of Thais read George Orwell's "Animal Farm", just imagine all the things that could happen! There is a good reason why it was banned in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, and why discussion about it is banned in China. - If that novel ever becomes popular in Thailand, the semi-feudal system of the 5% will be threatened...

You do know that he is not that bright. He just mistook this book to be a children book about animals.  

[monkeycu]

8 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

It would have to be dubbed in Thai...

For sure sub titles would be a waste of time

[ocddave]

26 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

He must be interpreting the book as (or been told it is) anti-communist, ergo, pro-royalist, ergo, democracy is bad, rather than seeing it as a book that shows the corrupting influence that power has on those who hold it.

 

If this is true, it is rather a strange effect that viewing the book through the filter of Thai politics has on its otherwise rather obvious interpretation.

This is a Thai General, critical thinking is not a prerequisite, just corrupt tendencies and narcissism.