It takes a child to see the junta has no clothes

By The Nation

 

 

No one can be surprised that Deputy PM Prawit was unnerved by children’s free expression during semester-opening ceremonies   
 

Those who fear the free expression of children also fear the future. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was among “respected elders” unnerved last week by the political views expressed in pedestals designed by high school students. 

 

Students across the country, from northeastern Nong Khai province to Phitsanulok and southern Trang, were paying respect to their teachers by displaying independent thought in ceremonies to mark the start of the semester. 

 

Traditionally, each student prepares a display of joss stick, candle and flowers, while each class creates a pedestal tray to place before their teacher.

 

This year, many of the pedestal trays drew their themes from political events – including the scandal over Prawit’s multimillion-baht luxury watch collection. 

 

Students from Chumpol Phisai school in Nong Khai province took sarcastic aim at another political development, with the motif of a weighing-balance on which “250 Votes” on one side outweighed “Millions of Votes” on the other.

 

The pedestal obviously referred to the recent prime ministerial election, in which 250 junta-appointed Senators helped elect General Prayut Chan-o-cha to the top government post against the wishes of millions of civilian voters. 

 

This was politics as per usual – seen on a daily basis ever since a military coup toppled an elected government in 2014. Yet authorities took offence at the notion that students would offer free comment on everyday reality. After photos of the pedestal tray spread on social media, police from Phon Phisai station in Nong Khai province visited the school and ordered the students to delete every picture shared online.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit claimed the high school students were tools of a conspiracy among adults who were exploiting the occasion for political gain. 

 

“Teenagers could not express ideas about political developments in this way by themselves. They have must have been brainwashed, perhaps by teachers spiteful about the new [ministerial] portfolios,” he said.

 

Prawit’s reaction reflected a conviction, widespread among Thai adults, that children are incapable of thinking for themselves and must always follow the directions of adults. In fact, what the children had expressed was already in the public domain. Indeed, many of them would have had nothing to say had Prawit himself been clear and transparent about his assets and wealth. Nobody, meanwhile, would be expressing negative views about the junta had it accepted democratic norms instead of doing everything it could to perpetuate its power. 

 

The junta’s actions over the past five years have been an embarrassment by any truly democratic standard, culminating in the selection of senators who then did their duty by helping General Prayut back into power. 

 

Rather than seeking conspiracy theories behind legitimate criticism and free speech, powers-that-be should recognise that all citizens, young and old, have equal rights and freedoms in an open democratic society. People must be able to express their views on political developments and the future of the country.

 

Students will one day inherit the country; they are the future. As such, it is heartening to see them expressing concern over political setbacks that threaten the nation’s development. As long as the younger generation continues to question and criticise those in power, we remain hopeful of positive change – especially once this current crop of authoritarian leaders has gone. The future of our country lies in the hands of our children. Let’s support and nurture their independent thinking. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30371278

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-06-18

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7 minutes ago, webfact said:

As long as the younger generation continues to question and criticise those in power, we remain hopeful of positive change – especially once this current crop of authoritarian leaders has gone. 

 

Excellent article overall, just about sums it all up, especially the above few words.

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

Students across the country, from northeastern Nong Khai province to Phitsanulok and southern Trang, were paying respect to their teachers by displaying independent thought in ceremonies to mark the start of the semester. 

To see the phrase "independent thought" in an article is so encouraging. No wonder those at the 'top' are shitting themselves at the idea of this.

 

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit claimed the high school students were tools of a conspiracy among adults who were exploiting the occasion for political gain. 

“Teenagers could not express ideas about political developments in this way by themselves. They have must have been brainwashed, perhaps by teachers spiteful about the new [ministerial] portfolios,” he said.

Fatty just refuses to accept this. Free thinking - whatever next? He knows what's best for them.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit claimed the high school students were tools of a conspiracy

add paranoia to his impressive list of negative qualities

1 hour ago, webfact said:

People must be able to express their views on political developments and the future of the country.

Never was considered in this vote, 

so true that the leopard can not change its spots.

Thai Independent thought?  An oxymoron up there with Army Intelligence and police honesty.

I move between two worlds. Staying with my wife in an isolated country village I hear very little political discussion and all seems well with the country. Moving down to Chiang Mai and staying with my university attending son I see a bunch of young people so angry and involved that anti-military posts start coming in at 6.30am and arrive all day long. These young educated people are very aware of a system they would love to change but cannot. They are politically savvy and have a very poor opinion of those who wont listen to them and wish only to keep them on their knees. Like Prawit most of the establishment have no idea just how unpopular they really are.

“Teenagers could not express ideas about political developments in this way by themselves."

 

  Unbelievable, now we're talking about young adults. 

What a sad state of affairs. Police visiting students....arai wa?

 

Living in a delusional world of their own creation, now censoring and censuring young people still at school.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

It takes a child to see the junta has no clothes

I pity the child!

My friend's son went on an Thai Army week end.

 

Throughout the stay it was made clear to the youngsters that the Thai military had saved Thailand.

 

He is 13, and has a farang father; fortunately, and gets told the other side of the story. The Thai kids might not get such a balanced view.

 

Edited June 18, 20197 yr by owl sees all

They must have done a great job in deleting everything in this week old story one of the photos was of the PM with his eyes barred under the very lopsided scales of justice????

'As long as the younger generation continues to question and criticise those in power, we remain hopeful of positive change,' says The Nation.

 

What a pity that The Nation did not practise what it is now preaching - did not practise it during the first two years of the scandalous Power Grab, but essentially cheered it on ...

 

Edited June 18, 20197 yr by Eligius

To the Junta, if these kids back talk going against the grain with free thought, then they are going against Thai stranglehold tradition of the Phu Yai is always the god and they must respect by cowering down to them with a wai and kissing their feet. Thai's are coming of age and are tired of this baloney, especially when they do not respect the regime and all it stands for protecting the elite.

This is better than students shooting others in schools and classrooms.

Maybe there is hope for the future.

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

To see the phrase "independent thought" in an article is so encouraging. No wonder those at the 'top' are shitting themselves at the idea of this.

 

Fatty just refuses to accept this. Free thinking - whatever next? He knows what's best for them.

Tic Toc is an old fool who does not understand the generation that has unprecedented access to information via internet.
Straight away he plays the blame game - Just too frightened to face the truth.  The country's population INCLUDING KIDS have had enough of a military dictatorship pretending to be a democracy.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

many of them would have had nothing to say had Prawit himself been clear and transparent about his assets and wealth.

Was it ever revealed where the watches actually originated.  We know they were supposed to be gifts from a deceased friend, a fact that came out after many other attempted explanations were denounced/rejected, but does anybody really know the truth?  Just curious.

'nuf sed.

Edited June 18, 20197 yr by wotsdermatter

I tutor a few high school first year university students and can tell you that they are more than aware of what is gong on.  Their thoughts are quite real and well thought out.  It is actually the teachers that are in denial or afraid to speak because of their job security.  The kids themselves have no careers at this stage to worry about so feel free to express their thoughts.

 

many were upset and pissed off about the changes to the GAT PAT testing and all the crap about the election dates.

 

The advise I give them is the same that we got as teens. Don't like it get involved be part of the change.  There seems to be a movement afoot that is in line with if I want to change the country i change the way I am and my friends change the way they think..  it will be a slow process but it seems to be the best.

8 minutes ago, wotsdermatter said:

Was it ever revealed where the watches actually originated.  We know they were supposed to be gifts from a deceased friend, a fact that came out after many other attempted explanations were denounced/rejected, but does anybody really know the truth?  Just curious.

'nuf sed.

Top-end watches like those are all sold with extensive guarantees  and sales sources keep accurate records.

NONE OF THOSE RECORDS WERE INVESTIGATED. - Or they "disappeared" - The whole process of the investigation int how Tic Toc came to posses them was a total sham and a cover-up.

     

      "“Any situation in which some individuals prevent others from engaging in the process of inquiry is one of violence. The means used are not important; to alienate human beings from their own decision-making is to change them into objects.” 

 

     – Paulo Freire

5 hours ago, webfact said:

It takes a child to see the junta has no clothes

Rather like in the story that Hans Christian Andersen wrote about "The Emperor's New Clothes".

'nuf sed.

My niece, who is actually more like my daughter, just finished her final year if Law School at Mae Fah luang, in the top 10% of her class. In other words, one smart young lady. She is absolutely furious over what she calls a "B.S. rigged election", and tells me that most of her friends, and fellow law students feel the same way.

6 minutes ago, Just1Voice said:

My niece, who is actually more like my daughter, just finished her final year if Law School at Mae Fah luang, in the top 10% of her class. In other words, one smart young lady. She is absolutely furious over what she calls a "B.S. rigged election", and tells me that most of her friends, and fellow law students feel the same way.

Plus thousands of students at a high school in lower northeast. ( Feel the same way)........☹️

23 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

I tutor a few high school first year university students and can tell you that they are more than aware of what is gong on.  Their thoughts are quite real and well thought out.  It is actually the teachers that are in denial or afraid to speak because of their job security.  The kids themselves have no careers at this stage to worry about so feel free to express their thoughts.

 

many were upset and pissed off about the changes to the GAT PAT testing and all the crap about the election dates.

 

The advise I give them is the same that we got as teens. Don't like it get involved be part of the change.  There seems to be a movement afoot that is in line with if I want to change the country i change the way I am and my friends change the way they think..  it will be a slow process but it seems to be the best.

Sir, I applaud you for the advise you give to the students. These youngsters will soon be off voting age and they can make the difference. Below some quotes that you can use to supplement your advise.

 

"People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people". Alan Moore.

 

"We do not have a government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate" Thomas Jefferson. 

 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

It takes a child to see the junta has no clothes

Unfortunately it takes an army AND Tanks to shut up a child in the land of smiles....

• One would think if the man had any intelligence, he would have his advisor engage the students in discussion, take their ideas and begin to address the concerns in a productive manner, then become a "hero" of the younger future voters. 
• I know you will all laugh at me, but I live in hope.
•  

23 minutes ago, Lenny Jones said:

The country's population INCLUDING KIDS have had enough of a military dictatorship pretending to be a democracy.

LOL since when did the junta jackals ever pretend to be a democracy?  And the country's population, EXCLUDING KIDS, still seems to be oblivious to the fact their democracy was spirited away 5+ years ago.  I keep using the term The Walking Dead to describe the local adults' mental state both pre- and post- 'erection'.  Yep, they've just let themselves get screwed again.  T.I.T.

To the students, youth and young generation:

 

"Do not believe in what you have heard; do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations; do not believe in anything because it is rumoured and spoken by many; do not believe merely because a written statement of some old sage is produced; do not believe in conjectures; do not believe in that as truth to which you have become attached from habit; do not believe merely the authority of your teachers and elders. After observation and analysis, when it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and gain of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."

 

Good luck!