Racist Headline In The Nation

[chinthee]

So you are stretching the credibilty there by saying probably the most left wing paper in the region has it in for the Hmong people.

How many Hmong people can actually read English?

Most of them in the USA I think the questions would be how many 1) saw the Nation today ... and 2) thought it was anything other than Thaksin's nickname they were making fun of

Yes, well, that's another issue. Most in the USA don't know or care what Thailand is. And, rightly so, in terms of global world issues. our world is a small pimple on the buttocks of the earth, er., so to speak.

I was referring to the Hmong in the USA being able to read English .... right now they are protesting there .. about the Hmong that is accused of plotting a coup in Laos (he's an american citizen)

Well, ok, I suppose that illustrates the point even more. Who cares about a sub, sub ethnic group in Thailand or nearby (isn't Thailand part of China?). As a result the coup news in Laos is no big news in America, and Thailand news barely rates a blip on AP and others.

[chanchao]

So you are stretching the credibilty there by saying probably the most left wing paper in the region has it in for the Hmong people.

They have it in for Thaksin and Thai Rak Thai pretty bad, and swallow the military line without much criticism; While doing this they now manage to use a slur that doesn't fit their standing. Or perhaps, former standing.

Wouldn't surprise me one bit if a previous poster was completely correct that Thai Rath coined it... Now there's a fine newspaper, true excellence in journalism; The Nation must be proud to have made it to the same level.

Edited June 23, 2007 by chanchao

[jdinasia]

c'mon chanch ... just admit it is his nickname ... has NOTHING to do with the Hmong .. and let it go

[chanchao]

Hmong people find it offensive. Hilltribe people who aren't Hmong ALSO find it offensive to have their actual identity ignored; For The Nation to be peddling this is just unfunny, un-called for and just relfects badly on them. Feel free to disagree.

It might seem more harmless when you're not in the North and not meeting hilltribe people regularly.

Note that making fun of Isaan people also greatly upsets me, and fortunately you don't see that a lot in mainstream media anymore.

[jdinasia]

Hmong people find it offensive. Hilltribe people who aren't Hmong ALSO find it offensive to have their actual identity ignored; For The Nation to be peddling this is just unfunny, un-called for and just relfects badly on them. Feel free to disagree.

It might seem more harmless when you're not in the North and not meeting hilltribe people regularly.

Note that making fun of Isaan people also greatly upsets me, and fortunately you don't see that a lot in mainstream media anymore.

It is not making fun of anyone other than Thaksin (and at that just a common play on words)... but I think making fun of him upsets you too!

[chanchao]

I wouldn't object to the 'naa liam' reference. It would still say more about the newspaper in which it appears than about Thaksin, but at least it doesn't ALSO put people down who have nothing to do with the Nation / military's agenda.

BTW nobody in my family ever voted for Thaksin/TRT and nobody's going to, but for sure the "Democrats" can forget about our vote. (We did vote democrat in the past). Of course that doesn't leave a whole lot to vote for, which is I guess just the way the most influential people want it.

Edited June 23, 2007 by chanchao

[jdinasia]

I wouldn't object to the 'naa liam' reference. It would still say more about the newspaper in which it appears than about Thaksin, but at least it doesn't ALSO put people down who have nothing to do with the Nation / military's agenda.

LOL NaaLiamChester just doesn't quite work with Manchester ... while his real nickname Maew DOES in a slant-rhyme kind of way

Write the paper .. wee what they have to say ... (or listen to the vast majority of TV posters)

[meom]

Meomchester don't sound to bad either but I ain't got the money so can't really help you out here.

[Jimjim]

Hmong people find it offensive. Hilltribe people who aren't Hmong ALSO find it offensive to have their actual identity ignored; For The Nation to be peddling this is just unfunny, un-called for and just relfects badly on them. Feel free to disagree.

It might seem more harmless when you're not in the North and not meeting hilltribe people regularly.

Note that making fun of Isaan people also greatly upsets me, and fortunately you don't see that a lot in mainstream media anymore.

It certainly could be seen as offensive to Hmong people but this part of the world is not politically correct and I would bet most of them wouldn't care.

So Hmong people are called this name? And then it became a nickname for Thaksin because he's from the north? It's more making fun of Thaksin but it a round about way it did come from the Hmong originally.

However, as Srirachajohn noted, this term has been used in the Bangkok Post so your original outrage of the Nation which was seen as an endorsement of the Post is misplaced.

[Heng]

'Negro' is common usage (and used without offense) here when referring to those of African descent.... whereas in many places of the world, it has 'become' offensive.

[Ned]

Chanchao : If the contents of the newspaper offends you so much then do the smart thing and not shell out the 25 baht for one; or if reading online...then don't. Why upset yourself with crap you don't need? There's so much really nasty stuff going on here which can be avoided so it just seems unnecessary to get anxious about a headline. Know what I mean? So much political correct excess in the West really is a joy to get away from here. Don't you agree fellow <deleted>?

[jdinasia]

I think the headline should have been "Thaksin's Parents Give Offensive (to chanch) Nickname"

[sriracha john]

Unbelieveable that this thread has this been revived by the OP? ....

If need be, I can quote even more "Maew = Thaksin" references by even more than the 4 publications already posted (including both English-language Thailand news sources and 2 Thai newspapers, which didn't include Thai Rath, btw) .... as any simple Googling expedition can accomplish this.

As for re-titling the thread, jd's suggestion is accurate.

[Plus]

First I heard "Maew City" from Surrayuth on popular news TV program, he must have read in some paper, and it was two or three months ago.

This word play is quite popular and I know no one who'd link it to offending hilltribe people like Chanchao did.

[kmart]

Does anyone really give a toss about this?