The week that was in Thailand news: Forget Songkran - splash the cash on a vaccination instead!

[rooster59]

The week that was in Thailand news: Forget Songkran - splash the cash on a vaccination instead!

 

 

One of the great personal pleasures of working as a translator for Thaivisa - apart from the opportunity to inform and perhaps occasionally to even educate - is the chance to make a smidgen of difference.

 

The site is of course a business and advertising revenue is important. But it is by no means the only consideration in the choice of news, the angle of stories or the opinions, both objective and subjective, that they convey. 

 

First and foremost people clicking on items on any news site should realize that stories are selected with the readership in mind - or  at least they should be. Absurdly, some posters seem genuinely aggrieved that everything seems to be about Thailand...duh! (Though there are a few grumps on Facebook who moan at having to slide their finger over news from outside the kingdom).

 

Thaivisa is bound to have stories about foreigners behaving badly, breaking the law, succumbing to accidents, getting ripped off etc etc. To use the prevalence of such stories to form opinions about the prevalence of such events is nonsensical. For that reason, and many others, to rely on just one site for your news is not advisable though I would say that in my totally biased opinion Thaivisa is a good place to start. 

 

One critical poster last week suggested That Thaivisa was “cherry-picking” parts of stories from the Thai media to make the stories more interesting. Again...duh. The angle of many Thai stories is very peculiar to their clientele, namely Thais. Besides they are often written in a style that would leave the western reader of English news bored to distraction. 

 

I mean do you really want to hear about the dozens of arresting officers there were, their full names and ranks before you get to the interesting bit about Somchai or Hans who was nabbed? 

 

Direct translations would often miss the angle entirely as Thai journalists don’t usually ask the pertinent questions. The skilful translator needs to look behind the news to see what is missing as much as what is written. A level of interpretation of the news (hopefully with an indication that that is what is being done) is important when trying to fathom and make sense of happenings in a country like Thailand that may seem confusing in equal measure to the newbie as well as the more experienced resident. 

 

Yes, sometimes online journalists and translators - with the instant gratification that the comments section affords - are sneered at as much as lawyers or even politicians! We are irresponsible click-baiters intent only on getting a rise for the sake of ratings. 

 

Nonsense. The broad range of news that Thaivisa offers - despite the constraints placed on the selection of news items by the make-up of the clientele - puts the lie to that. 

 

As I mentioned last week, to get a broader perspective it is very helpful if one can read Thai or can follow what is said on Thai TV stories from a broader spectrum than just Amarin or Celebrity News stations. 

 

But with so few foreigners able to do that with any great skill I think you may be stuck with us. Just remember like those news recommendations Facebook and Google users (IE nearly all of us) get on a daily basis, whole baskets of cherries have already been picked for us.

 

Even if we like cherries, we should seek peaches or strawberries...even durian. Rooster, who the search engines have decided is a liberal interested in politics, science, football and snooker, still seeks out Fox or Flat Earth theories to find out how the “other half” might be thinking. 

 

You may not agree with that perspective, but it is folly and can be dangerous to dismiss everything out of hand without giving them at least a cursory airing.

 

Frankly, well over half the time I agree with the angle presented in the Thai news anyway, the story having been chosen by my editor for its appropriateness on the site. When I don't and when my idea is of more interest then there is no shame. I prefer to call it personal and professional pride. 

 

And as I said in the introduction to this mini-Sunday sermon, the chance to make a difference is also a pleasure.

 

An example in a very busy week of Thai news was the story about the six high school students in the south who were given a “punishment” of squat thrusts rather than a fine for not wearing a helmet. 

 

I’m not saying it is going to change attitudes overnight but calling out such nonsense, and criticizing the Thai media for not calling it out, might be read by the odd person in Thai society, might reach the occasional individual who stops and thinks….

 

Yes, it’s not very funny is it. Yes, us Thais don’t know everything. Yes, turning the other cheek and not losing face may not always be the best policy. Yes, we really need to accept there is a problem here and do something about it. Yes, foreigners have been there and done that.

 

Maybe, just maybe we can learn from them. 

 

I explained all this to Mrs Rooster who said that the girls wouldn’t have any money, helmets are expensive, the cop was just being nice, is it really such a big deal. 

 

Reminding her that our beloved daughters might one day be the victim of such laissez-faire brought the reality home. 

 

If you ever want to level the playing field with Thais use their “sanaam” - this vocalizing of the potential for bad things to happen comes into the realm of what they call “cheng”. By saying it, it is destined to come true - unless your subsequent good actions prevent it. 

 

It was a week when the biggest V word on the site - for years the word VISA of course - has been hopefully temporarily usurped by VACCINE.

 

Nearly every other story seemed to be about vaccines, VAX, vaccination, vaccination passports ad nauseam. 

 

Doctors discussed their efficacy or otherwise. Tourism minister Pipat and others hailed them as a panacea to get his industry back on track. In Phuket someone claimed that 80% of the public would be jabbed by September. In Pattaya mayor Sontaya swallowed his pride at being knocked back to supply his own by burbling on about tourism recovery, the latest EEC development and why he is the best thing since sliced patongo.

 

Apropos my sermon, some on Thaivisa’s Facebook arm took umbrage about the suggestion that soon we might need a vaccine passport to visit a bar. Here was the translator making a perfectly reasonable extrapolation. 

 

Other countries had said that for domestic travel a vaccine passport may be needed to visit crowded places like sporting events and clubs. Thailand has lots of pubs and clubs (yes, the kingdom is kind of well known for them!) ergo……

 

The story got me thinking of a column I wrote many years ago about the need to have a fictitious friend called “Bunbury” (from Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”) to visit when one needs an excuse to go out. 

 

I’ve known many “Bunburies” in my time and they help with the only visa issuing authority that truly matters.

 

The wife.

 

Bunbury is a lovely euphemism of sorts every bit as good as Thai favorites like transfer to inactive post (temporary measure so people forget and we can get back to normal), set up a committee of investigation (contact Axminster for extra supplies of thick shag pile carpet) and misunderstanding (barefaced denial in the absence of any of the above)

 

The last of these - explained in Thai stories ad infinitum as “khao jai pit” or “seu san khat khong” - featured in an inevitable allegation that VIPs were jumping the jab queue. 

 

Most Thai watchers would be surprised if there was NOT such a story on the very day the first vaccines were injected!

 

Later in the week came news of great interest to foreigners in the kingdom, that private hospitals were busy preparing the documentation to get FDA approval to import then deliver their own jabs after getting the nod from PM Prayut. 

 

Uncle Too still needs one after all. Sources in the Thai media suggested that initial costs would be approximately doubled or trebled once they were delivered to patients’ arms. Expect 2,000 baht.

 

This is a huge earner for the hospitals and their backers so those interested in getting vaccinated before the Thai cows come home can expect it to be expedited and available in two shakes of Anutin’s tail. 

 

The DPM and Health Minister was everywhere as usual in the last seven days including on his favorite hobby-horse, promoting marijuana and hemp products and businesses.

 

He went to the GP circuit in Buriram for a big Ganja Fest being staged this weekend that featured talks and workshops on Maryjane Massage and how to make “Choco Balls”.

 

Unfortunately they won’t be like the cookies of yore but the Thais being the Thais they will probably taste quite decent.

 

In international news there were shocking scenes in Myanmar where scores died after the junta fired live rounds on protesters. Thailand, and other ASEAN lackeys, did not directly condemn the carnage which says a lot for the khaki klad krew (KKK). Indeed, it was suggested in Thai English print media that the Thai authorities had used rubber bullets to suppress a protest last Sunday.

 

The best that the Thai government could do was “urge restraint”. 

 

Former teaching colleagues in Myanmar told me they were finally preparing to get back in the class after a one year lockdown when the February 1st coup happened. 

 

It was a busy week for British Royal watchers. Meghan - then hubby Harry - appeared on Oprah Winfrey giving their side of things. Buckingham Palace, not to be outdone, started investigating claims Ms Markle bullied staff. Ninety nine year old Prince Philip did his best not to upstage the errant royals by staying alive, despite serious sounding issues in hospital.

 

British chancellor Rishi Sunak (a word that means dog in Thai) showed how much he valued our dear NHS by giving the nurses a 1% pay rise. Now they can get a sausage roll each week at Gregg's on their way to the frontline. 

 

In sports news Liverpool were beaten at home for the fifth time in a row, the most in their entire history, after being unbeaten for 68 games. If you heard the sound of uncontrollable laughter coming from the direction of Ratchayothin, that was me. 

 

Back in Thailand an investigation began into accusations that army operatives have been using Facebook accounts to covertly influence events in the far south. 

 

It would not be the first time in the past year that such shenanigans were attempted. The authorities are invariably rumbled by far savvier techy Thais who catch them out with ease. 

 

It was announced that Songkran would go ahead in some form this year though it seemed to be worth avoiding more than ever. A cultural bod in Khao San Road said that there would only be the splashing of lustral water and everyone would be tucked up in bed early. A business leader reckoned that 2019’s 50 million baht a day generated  in the Banglampu area would be about 10 million for the entire few days come next month. 

 

This is no surprise, while the TAT have been bigging up “freedom” anyone with their ear to the ground detects only the Covid Inertia I spoke about the other week. Few, even the young who will respect their parents' wishes to protect gran,  will have an appetite for anything that remotely resembles the old Songkran.

 

Buriram featured several times - an English teacher was electrocuted with a plugged in iPad under her armpit that prompted the usual condemnation of what are loosely referred to as Thai electricians. 

 

While an amusing story about a ranting mum armed with a knife ended amicably as so many things are in Thailand with the handing over of money. 

 

Top thai crime of the week featured a wife in Nonthaburi who along with a younger male relative stabbed her husband, cut him up into six pieces and spread him all over Ayuthaya. 

 

They were not au fait with the latest forensic techniques (fingerprints…) and were soon in custody. The Thai TV media behaved as abysmally as they did in the Korat shootings last year in hounding this woman who claimed she was the victim of 20 years of marital abuse. 

 

There are usually at least two sides to any story like this. Seeing the crying daughter aged about 12 who lost her dad, and probably her mum too, was heart wrenching. 

 

In Ratchaburi at a funeral a mayoral candidate for upcoming elections was gunned down. She died in hospital and several more local officials and candidates were also grievously wounded. 

 

Top videos of the week featured a man on the way to buy a birthday cake in Chachoengsao falling into a sewer and the very Thai activities at Asoke intersection where a woman half-expected the traffic to cross at a zebra crossing. She was probably a visitor from Alpha Centauri. 

 

Aforesaid tourism minister Pipat kept the forum faithful amused with his claim that 5 million foreigners will visit in the second half of the year as “Area Quarantine” (three days in captivity followed by eleven in semi-captivity) became the latest buzzword. 

 

He suggested that many of the early arrivals will be Russians desperate to escape their summer (go figure!) and well-heeled Indians desperate to get married in Thailand.

 

Finally, marriage or more precisely infidelity continued to make the news with the Thai media scrambling over themselves to report on the latest furious “mia luang” or savagely vindictive “mia noi”.

 

So it was with some welcome relief that news from Nakhon Sri Thammarat came that two five year old twins had tied the knot.

 

This is one of those quirky events organised by parents to assuage bad karma but a good time was had by all the relatives.

 

However, the kids themselves looked bemused and bewildered. 

 

It reminded Rooster of how I looked on my wedding days.

 

Rooster
 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-07

 

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[madmitch]

Interesting to read the first part as I've just made a tongue-in-cheek comment about one of your translations!

[rumak]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

And as I said in the introduction to this mini-Sunday sermon, the chance to make a difference is also a pleasure.

 

I try to be fair in my assessment of what i read.   You are almost constantly reminding the "readership"  of your good intentions and right to your opinions.

 

Unfortunately you also seem to have a pretty thin skin to any criticism and tend to constantly complain about how others feel about your column.   In the spirit of cooperation,  i would like to

suggest that maybe you should stop complaining about the complainers and just get on with

your job.  

 

Somehow i drift back to the days i was always trying to "teach"  a young lady about the meaning

of life ( well, i was young too).     To this day I thank her for telling me,  in a moment of passion,

to just shut up and .....................  write ? 

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

They were not au fait with the latest forensic techniques (fingerprints…) and were soon in custody. The Thai TV media behaved as abysmally as they did in the Korat shootings last year in hounding this woman who claimed she was the victim of 20 years of marital abuse. 

 

There are usually at least two sides to any story like this. Seeing the crying daughter aged about 12 who lost her dad, and probably her mum too, was heart wrenching. 

There is only one side, because dead men tell no tales.

She could have left at any time without harm to herself or her husband.

Women who murder, then use the excuse of years of abuse, need to be imprisoned for the rest of their life.

[PatOngo]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

and why he is the best thing since sliced patongo.

Owwww!

[sambum]

 "Rooster, who the search engines have decided is a liberal interested in politics, science, football and snooker,"

 

Wot? No Scrabble? 

[overt2016]

You get paid for this???

[off road pat]

Good one Rooster ! I enjoyed this , as usual....mostly !

[Rocking Robert]

I wish you would’ve wrote more about Myanmar

[Mark mark]

Tanks Rooster, another Good one today … As Always. … And ? ..

 

“Still seeks out Fox or Flat Earth theories to find out how the “other half” might be thinking. 

 

You may not agree with that perspective, but it is folly and can be dangerous to dismiss everything out of hand without giving them at least a cursory airing.”

 

 

…  Well Yes, we ALL have to know that these People DO exist !!! AND, that they were around before … You Know Who ! … (That Guy who’s name Rhymes with “Dump”)  …. Like their platform of being left behind I think ? DID exist !!! …. And unfortunately always WILL Exist !!! …

 

 

Like Too many Rats in the box ! and survival of the fittest ? (Rat ?) … A Lock Down, View of the future ??? … Yes I am STILL Trapped here, Outside of Thailand!!! !@#$%^&)(*&^%$# …. But do not worry ??? Flights resuming to here … Soon !!! ???

 

 

And please do not leave out Anti Vacksers !!! … Or Evangelists ??? … Well I might be going a bit far here I guess ??? … Like the old excuse “I did it for my Family” …. Or “I did it for God” !!! …Right !  ? … (And Yes,  I AM a Christian also, so I DO also care.)

 

 

…. But that guy (Whose name Rhymes with Dump), just gave them a Platform and relevance I think, for these lost people … in Unfortunate and far greater measures than before …Well, I am Lost also !!! I must admit, … but as Rooster puts it here, … I do not feel Deluded in my Losstness. … It IS all just Life at the end !!! …  (If you can still type right ???)

 

 

… So anyway, I for one will still be thinking at least ? Of ways to get all of these lost people, … out of any Positions of Power …  Right ? …

 

 

… So the new IQ Test for future Politicians ? … Must be over 13 Right ??? …. ???

 

Mark mark, …

[Mark mark]

3 hours ago, Rocking Robert said:

I wish you would’ve wrote more about Myanmar

He possibly can not d/t Political Reasons ? ... 

[Mark mark]

On 3/7/2021 at 3:00 PM, rumak said:

 

I try to be fair in my assessment of what i read.   You are almost constantly reminding the "readership"  of your good intentions and right to your opinions.

 

Unfortunately you also seem to have a pretty thin skin to any criticism and tend to constantly complain about how others feel about your column.   In the spirit of cooperation,  i would like to

suggest that maybe you should stop complaining about the complainers and just get on with

your job.  

 

Somehow i drift back to the days i was always trying to "teach"  a young lady about the meaning

of life ( well, i was young too).     To this day I thank her for telling me,  in a moment of passion,

to just shut up and .....................  write ? 

... I personally think that the Complainers, Have to be Complained about !!! .... Just like the Fox News Watchers ? Well those that actually believe it, ... and the flat Earther's ... and Anti Vacksers ... .... and the Loonie Evangelists also !!! ..... Like I would support Good Brother Rooster FOR complaining about these people !!!  ... Like it would be good, If THEY were the ones that did a bit more thinking about things I think !!! ? .... Not Good Brother Rooster, who though pretty "British" ? as far as can goes now ... He is also about one do the most even handed People that I read just now ....  And yes Thanks Rooster !!! AND Keep on Complaining about the ??? Cumgoemns is it that you refer to them as ???  Har Har ... and Thanks. ... Mark mark

[rumak]

14 minutes ago, Mark mark said:

... I personally think that the Complainers, Have to be Complained about !!! .... Just like the Fox News Watchers ? Well those that actually believe it, ... and the flat Earther's ... and Anti Vacksers ... .... and the Loonie Evangelists also !!! ..... Like I would support Good Brother Rooster FOR complaining about these people !!!  ... Like it would be good, If THEY were the ones that did a bit more thinking about things I think !!! ? .... Not Good Brother Rooster, who though pretty "British" ? as far as can goes now ... He is also about one do the most even handed People that I read just now ....  And yes Thanks Rooster !!! AND Keep on Complaining about the ??? Cumgoemns is it that you refer to them as ???  Har Har ... and Thanks. ... Mark mark

 

You must be a FUN guy to HAVE a beer with .    Har Har      Thanks mARK   ! 

[Mark mark]

“Frankly, well over half the time I agree with the angle presented in the Thai news anyway, the story having been chosen by my editor for its appropriateness on the site. When I don't and when my idea is of more interest then there is no shame. I prefer to call it personal and professional pride.”

 

So Who is the Editor of the Nations, Thai Visa ? … I guess that I could find out by pushing a few more buttons, but well, …. I am Lazy, and I am starting to get really quite a sickness from … Just pushing More buttons so much !!!

 

So is he Thai ? …. Well Are THEY  !!! Thai ? Or Foreigner, and like a Man or a Woman ? … It would be very interesting to just know that much.

 

Like if they were Thai, well they must be about the most Urbane Thais in Bangkok wouldn’t they !!!

 

…. And well I like English Humor, like I am Australian … Though Living in Thailand  … (When I can <Deleted> get back there now that is !!!) … and I have worked off shore and traveled all around the world … Seeing more as a back packer for the first 10 to 15 Years, than the subsequent 20 as Technical crew on a Scheismic Exploration vessel !!! … Like seeing the First Pub at the end of the Dock ? …. And all that good stuff that goes with it BUT being Part of it all !!!  Like there is a VERY Major difference in coming in to a town on a Ship !!! Than there is in coming in on the bus !!! … Still over a hundred countries now …

 

… And ! ? I like every one !!! Well except the Fox News Believers, Flat Earthers Anti Vacksers and Loony Evangelists like I have said in Post above this, … But just about every country does deserve a LOT of respect I think. 

 

Like they all do things differently, and well some abuses of Human right should be singled out and that is for sure !!! … BUT they almost all DO get to a pretty reasonable outcome … From a Human point of View, …  if not always a financial one. …

 

(I go to Germany when I go to Europe, and “Do the EU” Right ??? … Germany and with real Friends there …. Like the best of the learned Peaceful and Free in Europe I think ???) … And I have not been to the UK ? Well since the boat went up in to the North Sea right !!!   … (A Holiday in Britain !!! …. More of the same, I could go to the Burnside Bowling club, or it’s town hall for a concert, here in Adelaide, …. And save my money on the fight !!! Right.!!! ??? )

 

Mark mark

[Mark mark]

5 minutes ago, rumak said:

 

You must be a FUN guy to HAVE a beer with .    Har Har      Thanks mARK   ! 

Har Har !!! Yes for the first 10 Minuets before I start going off Right !!! ... Sill I WOULD meet you for one any day !!! Where is it Pattaya ? Pueket ? or BKK ??? ... Well yes, when locked down here I did loose it for a bit, You know, ... and I do not drink now ! ? ... Though well yes I still would have one ? Well a few with you Rumak if our paths ever do cross. ... The best times of my Life possibly were in Bars !!! Yes, I am Political !!! ... 

[rosst]

A good read as usual, I rarely miss your piece and I almost always enjoy it, keep it up 

[Wongkitlo]

I wanted to comment but have to visit my friend Bunbury. He is very unwell. Regards Jack.

[Marpa47]

Thanks for your always rewarding articles.  As always, loving the personal touch, the thing that makes this news column so interesting as well as so vulnerable.  Very Well Done!!!