The week that was in Thailand news: Ten faced Thotsakan! A metaphor for the complexity of Thailand

[rooster59]

The week that was in Thailand news: Ten faced Thotsakan! A metaphor for the complexity of Thailand

 

 

Everyone who lives in Thailand – or who wants to gain a deeper understanding of why Thais think or behave the way they do – needs to know about Thotsakan and the story he inhabits.
 
Thotsakan is the demon King of Lanka and one of the anti-heroes of the Thai national epic called the Ramakien, largely based on the Indian Ramayana.
 
In Sanskrit versions he is Ravana a great ruler, a learned scholar well versed in the precepts and religious texts but above all the epitome of evil.
 
To cut a long Thai story short he abducts Rama’s wife Sita before Rama and the forces of good turn the tables and bring about Thotsakan’s demise.
 
Not surprising given the multifaceted nature of Thotsakan’s character, in Thailand as well as India he is depicted with many faces. Here in the kingdom he has ten – a main one, three on the back of his head and six others on his headdress.
 
With all those faces plus twenty arms and a whole load of useful weapons, it’s no wonder that Rooster has always seen Thotsakan as a metaphor for the Thais.
 
There are newbies who complain about Thais being two faced but it’s much more complicated than that!
 
Elaborate “Hua Khon” masks of Thotsakan and Rama were in pride of place on pedestals in my Thai Studies suite at international school. I gave them both a nod every day on the way to my office. A reminder to look behind the smile, read beyond the headlines and between the lines, keep my own cards and aces close to my chest.
 
And always be prepared to learn and be surprised by my adopted homeland.
 
Teaching about the Ramakien was more of a revelation to me than my students. I was pointed in the right direction by a former columnist at the now defunct Bangkok World and Bangkok Post called Denis Segaller who died in 2006. He wrote “Thai Ways” that became my “bible”. I based many cultural lessons on its excellent chapters and informative observations that are just as relevant today.
 
Thanks to Mr Segaller, I found myself teaching children as young as seven about an offshoot tale from the Ramakien about two errant buffaloes called Torapha and Toraphee. Thai news stories refer to them when reporting on ungrateful children who murder their parents. Sadly, not an infrequent occurrence.
 
Among twenty plays I wrote containing Thai cultural themes was an English version of Torapha and Toraphee. A personal crowning glory was my own epic “The Ramakien Rocks”; performed by Year 5 that was a collection of stories set to western music.
 
When Hanuman arrived the children sang “Hey, Hey We’re the Monkees”; when a baby who would later float down a river was born on came ELO’s “Mr Blue Sky”; the final triumph of Rama was accompanied by Jimmy Cliff’s classic “King of Kings” with the children dancing ska style.
 
I had fun teaching my version of Thai culture. The Thai parents seemed to appreciate a foreigner teaching their children Thai culture utilizing English. I say “seemed to” because I was always wary of their true feelings and felt I was walking a tightrope. To cement my position, I always believed it was important to present Thailand and its culture in nothing but a positive light.
 
I knew that this was two-faced and the parents would either see through it or quietly patronize me in private as an outsider who was doing rather well but could never know more about Thailand than they did. In reality, I was distinctly aware of the dark underbelly of Thailand, its disgraceful episodes and disreputable characters as I remain so today.
 
To wit, the metaphor of Thotsakan returns to this columnist. It was always dicey casting a ten-year-old student as this disreputable character! One didn’t want the other children to bully them!
 
As I said, I learned a lot about Thai culture too, especially making things “seem” right, a huge part of understanding Thailand.
 
That learning continues every week for me as a translator at Thaivisa. Not a day passes when my background in the culture fails to help. It helps in figuring out language and the reasons why people act as they do, of course. 
 
It helps in reading between those lines, looking behind the headlines and assisting the reader in interpreting what at first glance can seem like abject nonsense from the Thai press who have the habit of calling a spade a fork.
 
But I am the first to admit that I don’t always get it right and Thailand still surprises each and every day.
 
The story of the Hungarian and Italian divers rumbled on this week. They are languishing in jail after picking up a sea cucumber and a crab. This hardly warrants deportation and many on the forum pointed this out. Attila the Hun (I coined this term years ago, Rumak, in a story from Samui about a coin-op launderette thief) told me from jail that he expects the worst.
 
I didn’t want to get his hopes up but this is one of those Thotsakan multi-face jobs. A minister has got involved, so has a professor and the head of coastal resources. Maybe if their facial needs can be satisfied then sanity will prevail and the men – at least one of whom has a wife – will get a severe talking to and a fine.
 
Many posters condemned Thais who damage the environment. That is their version of smoke and mirrors with the now almost ubiquitous and nonsensical tag of xenophobia adding a perverted justification for bashing the locals. The divers in Phangan accept they messed up, realize there has to be a reckoning but for all that, they should be dealt with sympathetically.
 
This will benefit foreign divers living in Thailand and potential tourists who might be put off coming. The spirit of compromise – a wonderful Thai trait – needs to prevail.
 
Down in Pattaya a story didn’t add up. It involved five masked men allegedly bursting into a luxury home and stealing ten million baht, quickly reduced to 3 million, from the safe of two Chinese men. Were they tourists or businessmen? The local police started investigating properly once the regional chief reminded them the public were watching. There is clearly a lot more to this case than meets the eye. What my mum called “inherently iffy”.
 
Likewise, in Rayong. Here 400 Cambodians at a company went to the police complaining a visa agent had taken 15,000 baht from each of them for an extension then reneged. In addition, their leader (soon to be jailed for not having a visa I suspect!) said that the company, not named, were withholding 250 baht a month for constabulary tea money.
 
How do they get through so much Rosy Lee? (A rhetorical question).
 
The station chief – barely hiding his contempt for foolish foreigners appealing to the constabulary in matters of corruption – intoned in classic plod parlance: “There’s nothing to see here, move on now”.
 
How I remember as a cub reporter in Croydon when I had first heard that phrase at the scene of a horrendous accident in which there were limbs lying all over the roadway. Nothing to see indeed! It always means the polar opposite!
 
It was a bad week for the “wins” or motorcycle taxi riders. In Bang Plee, east of Bangkok, shoppers scattered in all directions as two hoodlums who run opposing ranks on either side of the road near a branch of Big C took potshots at each other.
 
It was lucky no one was killed though the death of either of these miscreants might have been a blessing. Clearly not fearing plod, who are nearly always involved in taxi rank rackets, they readily gave themselves up. The rambling excuses of one could have filled the tome of “Thai Khor Thoots”. He went from how he accidentally had a lethal weapon with him to the now standard “solly to society”.
 
PM Prayut is in charge of the police these days and it is time he got his finger out. Bringing these ranks into line is decades overdue. The mafias behind and within them need to be cleared up and the conniving police need to be jailed. The public need this service, in many places depend on it, but they could do without risking their lives in the crossfire.
 
In Lat Prao, Bangkok, another jacketed rider was filmed assaulting a pedestrian who didn’t get out of his way on the sidewalk. Despite sounding his horn! Unnamed “win” on this occasion appeared under a white sheet at Choke Chai nick as plod fined him 2,000 baht for having the wrong license. Other charges would have to wait for the pedestrian to pop in and make a report about his injuries.
 
Hapless Uncle Too caused further consternation this week by throwing his not inconsiderable weight behind plans to ban alcohol sales online. Not surprisingly there was a backlash from the suppliers. While readers of this column will be familiar with my views on alcohol as a serious and damaging drug, the demon drink is also subject to idiotic advertising laws that need to be changed. They serve only to protect the big player to the detriment of the lowly consumer and supplier who are unjustly preyed upon by corrupt officials looking for their cut.
 
Virus news mostly concerned the ongoing wringing of hands about letting in foreign tourists and the decimation of the Thai economy. It’s as plain as the nose on a DPM’s face that no one is coming. The reason is not that they don’t want to come to Thailand. Few can be bothered to leave home.  
 
And it is equally obvious that anyone in the tourist industry who doesn’t have considerable funds at their disposal should abandon the business if they are an owner or quickly seek alternative employment if an employee.
 
Krungthai Compass said that it could be four years until the tourism industry recovers. Incredibly for a prediction group they put foreign tourists next year between 900,000 and 14.9 million. Talk about hedging your bets! This is indicative of the private sector not having a clue what the government is going to do next.
 
Even the government – like so many around the world – doesn’t know what it is going to do next. If the pandemic has taught us anything it is that throughout the world our leaders are completely ill-equipped to handle this crisis.
 
Yes, Thailand has done well to keep the virus numbers down but their handling of the economy has been shambolic and the people know it as they are the ones suffering the most. Overreaction to isolated virus cases has been incredible. Nearly 1,000 were tested because of the DJ. The Egyptian soldier debacle crashed the Rayong economy.
 
Meanwhile on a personal level, I am seeing staff desert their posts at stores and ignore temperature checks or insistence on obeying the Thai Chana app protocols. CP Group even came in for criticism from a Chula academic who said their labor saving (read money saving) automatic temperature devices reading customers’ palms were a waste of time.
 
Rooster couldn’t resist the “Facepalm” headline and awaits next week when Thais start “wai-ing” the machines so that their foreheads can be read.
 
In Chiang Mai a video from “The Standard” showed the north deserted. In Patong more Thai media spread the doom and gloom. The Phuket Model still lingers but she’s more like a hag waiting for the grim reaper.
 
Thai domestic tourism is clearly not the answer. It WAS momentarily the answer to Pattaya’s prayers during the long weekend but as soon as the Bangkokians headed back to the sanity of Krung Thep, QUOTES was left with nothing (except curmudgeonly expats gloating about how much they prefer it now there are no tour buses).
 
Mayor Sontaya diverted attention with his 160 million baht “greening” of Beach Road. It’s been one long stream of “improvements” from Jomtien to Bali Hai, underground toilets to parking spaces, drainage schemes to wire burying, parks to more department stores to recreation areas.
 
If only they had that commodity they once thrived on and so wantonly took for granted. Foreign tourists.
 
I agree with Sontaya that Pattaya has to reinvent itself as a family friendly destination for Bangkokians as well as foreign tourists when they do return. Its seedy days may well be numbered but Rooster expects that the day before all the landscaping is completed plod will round up the “Coconut Ghosts”.
 
Who will then return to the shadows beneath the trees next day despite the dearth of men who formerly engaged them in heated ‘negotiation’.
 
In international news France recorded 10,000 coronavirus cases in a single day. The UK government were accused of reneging on their own Brexit deal with the USA saying they couldn’t be trusted. Bless!
 
 Ronald Bell, one of the founders of Kool and the Gang died aged 68. Cue Rooster spending an entire evening going down YouTube music-video ratholes. I think I can feel a “Ladies’ Night” coming on as part of a “Celebration” for a life well lived that we should “Cherish”.
 
Dame Diana Rigg of Avengers and more lately Game of Thrones fame also died aged 82.
 
Back in Thailand a new British Ambassador was announced. Brian Davidson will be replaced next year by Mark Gooding, OBE. Hearing the British curmudgeons complaining about their consular personnel, one imagines they think the award stands for Obsolete British Expat….
 
These ambassadors seemed to have encountered one other in postings in China and they also have something else in common. Both their husbands are men. It’s excellent that is not a hindrance to joining the diplomatic corps these days, not that it ever was.
 
Sadly, stats showed that the suicide rate in Thailand was up 22% during the six months of the pandemic.
 
Finally, this weekend marks the beginning of something that Mrs Rooster dreads – after a 48-day hiatus the English Premier League is back. The last time my beloved Spurs won the top flight title was in 1961 just a couple of months before I popped out of my mother’s nether regions in the back bedroom.
 
For years at my international school as Head of Thai studies I would “graap” to Buddha to mark the start of our annual Teachers’ Day celebrations. Everybody looked on believing I was placing my head to the respected image to pray for student/teacher harmony and learning.
 
Not a bit of it. I was praying that the EPL title would come to White Hart Lane.
 
Even though my wishes always fell on deaf ears, I would straighten my jacket after the prayers, bow solemnly, walk serenely to the podium, take a deep breath then grin widely before delivering my annual speech.
 
After all, there was more than a bit of Thotsakan in this Englishman.
 
Rooster
 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-09-13

 

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[Samui Bodoh]

An interesting read as always.

 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Hapless Uncle Too caused further consternation this week by throwing his not inconsiderable weight behind plans to ban alcohol sales online. Not surprisingly there was a backlash from the suppliers. While readers of this column will be familiar with my views on alcohol as a serious and damaging drug, the demon drink is also subject to idiotic advertising laws that need to be changed. They serve only to protect the big player to the detriment of the lowly consumer and supplier who are unjustly preyed upon by corrupt officials looking for their cut.

The above quote/situation highlights the need for Thailand to have a demand-responsive government to create laws that benefit citizens rather than special interests and/or businesses. Yes, I would strongly prefer one that utilized Democratic principles as its guiding force, but I'd settle for a demand-responsive entity combined with a promise to improve; Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

I truly and sincerely wish the students well in their marches and demands for Democracy, but (sadly) I think it'll need a few massacres to actually change anything on that front. I hope that I am wrong. I really, really hope that I am wrong. 

 

I often wonder why those who wish to see social change in the Kingdom don't try to mobilize and utilize economic power rather than other forms of persuasion; we all know that Thais love the money. There is a long history of citizen economic power being an instrument of social change; Americans more knowledgeable than I can recount how Black people led economic boycotts in the US South in the 60's as a means of fighting 'The Man'. Along the same lines, slightly older members will recall the dis-investment campaigns against Apartheid-era South Africa in the 80's/90's. There are many other examples globally.

 

Closer to home, long-time expats will recall in the days of Suthep and his 'Rent-A-Mob', the Singha heiress made comments to the effect that Issan farmers were too stupid to vote. Within hours, there was talk of an economic boycott of Singha products, and within days the woman (apologies, I forget her name) was no longer allowed to use the family name. It was an example of citizen economic power (or just the threat of it), properly directed, having an immediate impact. What might occur if that kind of thing were directed at Red Bull? What might occur if that kind of thing were directed at Police-owned businesses (I don't know which businesses are police-owned, but locals do)? What might occur if a Thai Magnate was selected by a Student Leader and targeted as a 'means of encouraging others'? Hmm...

 

As noted by Rooster above, Thais have many outlooks/viewpoints on things. It is a shame that they don't use that talent to see the underlying power they have in a society that, more than most, focuses on cash/wealth; not buying someone's products is an easy and effective form of protest and often generates quick results.

 

Just an idle Sunday morning thought...

 

 

[Flying Saucage]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

I truly and sincerely wish the students well in their marches and demands for Democracy, but (sadly) I think it'll need a few massacres to actually change anything on that front. I hope that I am wrong. I really, really hope that I am wrong. 

 

 

Yes, I think so too Samui Bodoh.

 

Thailand had these massacres commited by the army, the ultra conservatives and the so called "elite" four times within the last 47 years, the next one maybe coming soon. It's part of the culture of these people on the top who see themselves as superiour creatures. They believe to have the right to kill those who demand to get a piece of the cake back, and whom they see as inferiour. And in their eyes, all the populace located lower in the Sakdina pyramide are inferiour humans. They are able to kill, they are willing to kill, they are keen to kill, in order to defend the system and to protect the status quo, whenever they think it is necessary.

 

With an average of one massacre per decade, I think one should brand this culture as the culture of the "The traditional Thai massacre" .

 

[Flying Saucage]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

I often wonder why those who wish to see social change in the Kingdom don't try to mobilize and utilize economic power rather than other forms of persuasion; we all know that Thais love the money. 

 

Closer to home, long-time expats will recall in the days of Suthep and his 'Rent-A-Mob', the Singha heiress made comments to the effect that Issan farmers were too stupid to vote. Within hours, there was talk of an economic boycott of Singha products, and within days the woman (apologies, I forget her name) was no longer allowed to use the family name. It was an example of citizen economic power (or just the threat of it), properly directed, having an immediate impact. 

 

As noted by Rooster above, Thais have many outlooks/viewpoints on things. It is a shame that they don't use that talent to see the underlying power they have in a society that, more than most, focuses on cash/wealth; not buying someone's products is an easy and effective form of protest and often generates quick results.

 

 

Couldn't agree more!

 

The students are quite aware of this already. That can be seen already from the boycott of some celebrities who support the ruling elite, or from the call to boycott Disney's movie Mulan by the #MilkTeaAlliance, in which the Thai youths actively take part.

 

The problems however are:

 

1. The majority of the Thais wouldn't give up any convinience to follow a boycott. Not many would follow a boycott of let's say CP, and stop to buy at 7-eleven.

 

2. It is the power of the monolpolies and duopolies, which make boycotts often difficult. Often there is simply no alternative to 7-eleven anymore. And, now the issan people drink Leo, which is just another Singha product, or Chang, whose owner belongs to the other elitist player in this Thai oligopoly of breweries. Chang and Singha might belong to different factions among the elite, and oppose each other. But a boycott will not change anything substancial, as against the commoners, all these elitist factions are quite united.

 

But generally of course it is a fantastic way to use the economic power in order to change the system to a better one.

[overt2016]

Rooster, I read your column every week liking some and hating some.

This week's opening was a load of hogwash.

The belief in myths which extends to religions is one of the fundamentals 

that causes wars and mistrust throughout the world.

 

 

[xtof2]

1 hour ago, overt2016 said:

The belief in myths which extends to religions is one of the fundamentals 

that causes wars and mistrust throughout the world.

So true !

[xtof2]

I really enjoyed this one Rooster. 

Thank you !

[sambum]

33 minutes ago, xtof2 said:

So true !

I can not remember the actual wording, but I read something some time ago that said that conflicts between opposing factions in religion (e.g. Muslims and Christians) was like two schoolboys fighting over who had the best imaginary friend!

That is (IMHO!) also so true!

[jerolamo]

I enjoy, Rooster, when you write about culture. This is, i think, the real best part of your job to try to educate people. The one who will be the most should be the one who will go ahead to search some more about the subject.

And to be honest, you will see maybe that to have one holy bible is not enough to be free. No bible,=> no advantage, one bible =>no freedom but a place in this community bible fan, More bible => more freedom potentiality, but maybe more alone to be free as long as people have only "one bible".

The fact is that, what ever the culture of the animal is, it does change and everybody have to grow to survive. It is a fact before the human (a social animal who put himself in the center of the Universe) born in this Earth.

Let's read any bibles, and do not mystify human influential ideologies the way it suits the power in place (all the time, anytime, everywhere).

 

[Bogbrush]

I was intrigued by your mention of Denis Segaller’s book “Thai Ways” as a bible for local tradition and culture, and was delighted to find I could buy it on Kindle for £5. I am only a few pages into it, but already find it incredibly interesting. Thanks for the tip!

[rumak]

18 hours ago, rooster59 said:

But I am the first to admit that I don’t always get it right and Thailand still surprises each and every day.

Ahemm.  Now that is surely not the case.  I remember the one occasion where I dared to comment on something you said that was not correct ( ok, it was, as they say IMO ) . You reached into your bag of  slydom (see Rumak's new normal dictionary..NND)  and responded with something to the effect "you make a very good point and I will get back to you as soon as i figure out what it is".  Not word for word, but something like that.   I will be the first to admit that it had quite an affect on me, and instead of pouting and going to my room I embraced the technique.   A subtle , sardonic putdown that is not aggressive.   I now use that technique on this forum as well,  so thank you sir. 

 

In other "news" ,  trying to take credit for the Attila the Hun  play is a bit too much,  don't you think?

OK,  forget i asked you that.  There were more than a few dim wits that I am sure came up with that little witty, but mine was posted before yours.  And I was promptly notified by a dear reader that they had posted such on Flamebook.  (see Rumak's NND) .   To set the record straight on that,  it was 1973 , the year I married  Nadia Rumakski ,  that she threw a fit accusing me of having another woman, one by the name of Natasha .  Staying cool and collected I calmly informed her the correct name was

"Natalie, my Hun" .     

 

Last BNL...... why is it SB ( of " an interesting read as always " fame )  is always the first to the buffet table ?  A truly tested and trusted troubadour he is , singing his praises for thee.  I feel a bit slighted,

but take comfort that you surely appreciate my presence as well.   And i want to let you know that

"School of Rock"  was really great .   

 

regards,  rumak   

 

 

 

[Stargeezr]

A great update and education of the Thai culture.  The saving their face thing is also

complicated, as it may not be their face, but their brothers face, sisters, Fathers, Mothers

or other relative face, so there may be more than one little white lie to cover a situation.

  Then they just go to the temple and make merit, or pay some baht to the coffers

and talk to a monk. Complicated, and confusing country to be sure.  

Thanks for your explanations.

Geezer

 

[lamyai3]

On 9/13/2020 at 9:04 AM, rooster59 said:

Hapless Uncle Too

Hard to believe it's already six years since he released his first hit single "Returning Haplessness to the People"...