Amnesty International activists gather in front of the Russian embassy in Bangkok, Thailand on 23 March to protest against the invasion of Ukraine. Photograph: Peerapon Boonyakiat/SOPA Image/Rex/Shutterstock

 

Rebecca Ratcliffe, South-east Asia correspondent, and Aksarapak Lapanunt

 

Among the young there is a strong desire to stand by Ukrainians, while older conservatives describe Russia as a longstanding friend

 

In March, as the devastating war in Ukraine raged, Russian diplomats in Bangkok sat down for a meeting with the leadership of Thailand’s military-owned TV station.

 

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They had met, a statement by TV Channel 5 said, to discuss ways to enhance “cooperation in exchanging news and information”. Russian officials were ready to support efforts to tackle fake news, and to verify information. A week later, the TV channel’s boss abruptly resigned.

 

Across the world, battles are being fought over how the war in Ukraine is discussed and presented. In Thailand, the tussle over narratives has played out not just on TV channels, but also on social media and at opposing press briefings and rival statements organised by the Russian and Ukrainian embassies.

 

Full story: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/06/in-thailand-the-war-in-ukraine-divides-the-generations

 

-- © Copyright The Guardian 2022-04-06

 

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12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Among the young there is a strong desire to stand by Ukrainians, while older conservatives describe Russia as a longstanding friend

Fortunately the young are the future not the dinosaurs

Quote

The Thai government faces an awkward balancing act. Russia is not a key trading partner, but, post-Covid, Russians have accounted for one of the largest groups of tourists arriving in Thailand. --from the OP

And there is this, from Wiki, which is interesting, if true. Even the Russians claim the Thais are inflating travel figures from Russia.  

Quote

Thailand is one of the major tropical destinations for tourists from Russia. However, numbers provided by the Thai authorities are contested by Russians as artificially inflated, and Thai authorities contest that Russian numbers are too small:

Russian border guards reported 259,000 departures to Thailand in 2008 (235,000 in 2007). Turkey, the most common destination, accounts for 2.2 million departures.[10] Thai government sources noted that the Russian number includes only direct flights, leaving out tourists that fly with stopovers elsewhere[11] and reported 279,000 Russian tourists for 2007.

Thai tourist service reported 456,972 Russian "tourist visits" to Pattaya alone in January–March 2007 (of a total of 1.57 million). Russian commentators note that Thais actually counted hotel nights and their number should be divided by a factor of 10 to 11

 

Quote

Antagonism towards the US, which some establishment figures accuse of stoking Thailand’s recent youth-led protests, has also shaped conservative responses to the conflict, he added.

So, again I ask, why don't the Thai elites send their children to Russia and China to be educated? Why don't they buy real estate there? Why didn't they travel to Russia and China for Covid vaccines, instead of the US? Why do they buy US and Western businesses and not Russian ones? Why do they buy European soccer teams and not Russian ones?

37 minutes ago, Mr Derek said:

Young = naive and emotional.

Older = wiser and level-headed.

Principle is universal. So obvious it wasn't worth saying - even by the Guardian.

 

The obvious is happening now, mass killing of civilians, rape, torture and executions. The young are not ignoring this and the principles are obvious

"Among the young there is a strong desire to stand by Ukrainians, while older conservatives describe Russia as a longstanding friend."

 

Sure. I totally get how a suppressed people can see a friend in a dictator. I'm sure they're also proud of having Myanmar as their neighbor. National delusion and possibly even a case or Stockholm syndrome. And a total lack of education of course. Dangerous combination.

Among the young there is a strong desire to stand by Ukrainians, while older conservatives describe Russia as a longstanding friend

 

Even long standing friends can make bad choices and do bad things.

Edited April 6, 20224 yr by metisdead
Bold font removed.

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Fortunately the young are the future not the dinosaurs

Sorry, grammatical error... should be: "unfortunately, the young will become the future dinosaurs"

A troll post in caps and an unattributed off topic post has been removed

I think, unfortunately, it all depends on what channel's news you watch... ????

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

The obvious is happening now, mass killing of civilians, rape, torture and executions. The young are not ignoring this and the principles are obvious

Young or old who would stand with Putin's Russia? I would rather live in a cave without his oil and gas that supports him in this massive killing of the Ukraine people. I can't see how India and the EU can do this, there must be other places they can go for oil and gas, like the USA which has the most oil and LPG in the world but has no interest in doing the right thing by helping out other countries not even there own.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

older conservatives describe Russia as a longstanding friend

I was interested to read some numbers in this week's Economist magazine. There was an article about Russian tourists stranded in tropical holiday spots due to the war, and the numbers quoted are:

 

Thailand   -  7,000

Sri Lanka  - 11,500

Bali            - 19,000

 

It seems that Thailand is not such a hot favourite with the Russians any more, and I'd guess than many of the stranded tourists are younger folk so, you might say, represent the future for SE Asian tourism. 

3 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Fortunately the young are the future not the dinosaurs

Yes and never seen or heard anyone on Russias side.not one. Well, Peter Hitchens in Daily Mail…. Discounting all (irrelevant) Russian lies or pro- Russian “ neutral” support nonsense. 

10 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

russians are immoral subhuman scum.

 

Taking a proper side is easy for non-psychopaths.

The western right does not support Russia. There is no divide. All against Russia. 

11 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

russians are immoral subhuman scum.

 

Taking a proper side is easy for non-psychopaths.

Russians descended from, occupied for 250 years by & strongly admire the savage merciless Mongols and adopted all their brutal war tactics including indiscriminate savagery against military & civilians, including their own civilians! Raped every female aged 8 to 80 they could find between Moscow and Berlin 1942-45.

All well documented….

3 hours ago, webfact said:

older conservatives describe Russia as a longstanding friend

Your longstanding friend has revealed himself to be a thug and murderer...

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Among the young there is a strong desire to stand by Ukrainians, while older conservatives describe Russia as a longstanding friend

The young will take over the reins sometime and hopefully Thailand will change for the better.

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

So, again I ask, why don't the Thai elites send their children to Russia and China to be educated? Why don't they buy real estate there? Why didn't they travel to Russia and China for Covid vaccines, instead of the US? Why do they buy US and Western businesses and not Russian ones? Why do they buy European soccer teams and not Russian ones?

Or buy Mega Yachts.

The older generation is just not Media affine.

And like in other countries it's a matter of IQ. ????

5 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Or buy Mega Yachts.

Or go to hell

Up until mass media hysteria most did not know what Ukraine was , where it was or what it was.

 

Do not agree with war but also do not agree with American manipulations.

 

MSM pound a Russia and yet not only do not report but cover up Ukrainian officials calling on mass murder of all Russians any time , any place. And in case many forgotten or were not aware Ukraine was a willing collaborator with Nazi on Jewish people extermination.Babi Yar ,Nazi battalions still in existence and still have nazi SS as a flag , now called Azov.

 

But for some unknown reason MSM and the rest seem to totally ignore it  and arm them . Weird if you asked me 

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

but, post-Covid, Russians have accounted for one of the largest groups of tourists arriving in Thailand. --from the OP

Do you mean pre covid because there is no post covid for the foreseeable future . Whatever they decide I hope the Russians stay away ....

The Russian diplomats in Bangkok meet with the "Military Owned" TV stations, a statement by TV Channel 5 said, to discuss ways to enhance “cooperation in exchanging news and information”. Russian officials were ready to support efforts to tackle fake news, and to verify information. A week later, the TV channel’s boss abruptly resigned.

 

Was the boss of TV Channel 5 forced to resign because he would not lie for the Russians?  What officials would also tackle the fake news and verify information? Does it sound all one sided and the Thai government is supporting Russian? Is the Thai government keeping that a secret?

3 hours ago, Mr Derek said:

Young = naive and emotional.

Older = wiser and level-headed.

Principle is universal. So obvious it wasn't worth saying - even by the Guardian.

 

What is more interesting is the obvious left-right divide when it comes to the war. (Left-right in politics nowadays of course no longer means rich vs poor, but bleeding hearts vs hard-headed.) The left is on the side of Ukraine because they assume Ukraine is the victim (without giving any thought to the complex background and history of the war), and victimhood is the apotheosis of leftism.

Older = Corrupt and Nest Liners

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

So, again I ask, why don't the Thai elites send their children to Russia and China to be educated? Why don't they buy real estate there? Why didn't they travel to Russia and China for Covid vaccines, instead of the US? Why do they buy US and Western businesses and not Russian ones? Why do they buy European soccer teams and not Russian ones?

Because it is all cheap <deleted> and breaks down and not worth it!

4 hours ago, Mr Derek said:

Young = naive and emotional.

Older = wiser and level-headed.

Principle is universal. So obvious it wasn't worth saying - even by the Guardian.

 

What is more interesting is the obvious left-right divide when it comes to the war. (Left-right in politics nowadays of course no longer means rich vs poor, but bleeding hearts vs hard-headed.) The left is on the side of Ukraine because they assume Ukraine is the victim (without giving any thought to the complex background and history of the war), and victimhood is the apotheosis of leftism.

Your view ignores the all too obvious reality of the situation. It's got nothing to do with left or right but rather people able to recognise brutality, bullying and war crimes when they see it.

32 minutes ago, BestB said:

Up until mass media hysteria most did not know what Ukraine was , where it was or what it was.

 

Do not agree with war but also do not agree with American manipulations.

 

MSM pound a Russia and yet not only do not report but cover up Ukrainian officials calling on mass murder of all Russians any time , any place. And in case many forgotten or were not aware Ukraine was a willing collaborator with Nazi on Jewish people extermination.Babi Yar ,Nazi battalions still in existence and still have nazi SS as a flag , now called Azov.

 

But for some unknown reason MSM and the rest seem to totally ignore it  and arm them . Weird if you asked me 

What absolute nonsense.

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

So, again I ask, why don't the Thai elites send their children to Russia and China to be educated? Why don't they buy real estate there? Why didn't they travel to Russia and China for Covid vaccines, instead of the US? Why do they buy US and Western businesses and not Russian ones? Why do they buy European soccer teams and not Russian ones?

You forgot offshore rouble accounts

A strange article here as the older generation provided the third largest number of troops into South Vietnam, following behind the US and S.Korea.  Unless someone has forgotten, North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet (Russian) Union, China, and N. Korea.  As Vietnam faded away among most folks, many of the farang visitors to Vietnam were reportedly surprised that the Vietnamese people, most young ones like western visitors more than they did the communists countries.  They at least recognize the Russians for what they really are and it is not "friends".  But, then I remember where I am living right now so no surprise at all.  TIT for sure.

 

Don't know if it's a matter of young and old yet indeed it is a matter of time, that perhaps younger generations take less into account: the blame for the war, which began in 2014 and not this year, is crystal clear: since February 24 it has been Putin's, while until that day it was shared equally by Russia, NATO (especially the U.S.), and the Ukrainian government.