chevykanteve Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 This is a front-page photo caption in today's BKK Post Internet edition: A hard-hitting campaign Council for National Security chairman Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin hits a punching bag with the message ``Don't Be Selfish'' written on it, after he declared open activities yesterday at Siam Square Soi 3 to encourage young people to embrace patriotism, morality, ethics and democracy. — The height of morality is practicing what we preach. That means of course that I agree with the above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColPyat Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Samuel Johnson, April 7, 1775 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangkoksingapore Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 what is open activities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace. Oscar Wilde Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet (1854 - 1900) Science cannot stop while ethics catches up -- and nobody should expect scientists to do all the thinking for the country. Elvin Stackman You can never have a revolution in order to establish a democracy. You must have a democracy in order to have a revolution G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Well, the ethics and democracy parts sound rather nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaiWai Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Will the young people be attending voluntarily ? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace. Oscar Wilde Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet (1854 - 1900) Said like a true ethical generalist. "Oh my god, what do I do with this ethical dilemma??? Quick, where is the rule book??? Ah yes, page 4. Phew." Science cannot stop while ethics catches up -- and nobody should expect scientists to do all the thinking for the country. Elvin Stackman Agreed, but scientists should simply verse themselves in ethics- ethics is way ahead of science in terms of percentage of subject ground covered. Again a citation from someone not well versed in ethics. Personally I reckon patriotism is the perfect way to lead Thai youth into exploring ethics. Its the country's strongest lever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Personally I reckon patriotism is the perfect way to lead Thai youth into exploring ethics. not when the version of patriotism includes white washing history ...................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinthee Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Mid, waay too late to change things now. I think whitewash will be widely and liberally available in the coming years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColPyat Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Personally I reckon patriotism is the perfect way to lead Thai youth into exploring ethics. Its the country's strongest lever. In the name of patriotism far too many people have been killed here in not exactly ethical ways throughout contemporary Thai history. On the opposite - the perfect way to teach Thai youth ethics is by exposing the many faults of patriotism, and how through patriotism people are duped into committing the most heinous acts (and not just in Thailand...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Personally I reckon patriotism is the perfect way to lead Thai youth into exploring ethics. Its the country's strongest lever. In the name of patriotism far too many people have been killed here in not exactly ethical ways throughout contemporary Thai history. On the opposite - the perfect way to teach Thai youth ethics is by exposing the many faults of patriotism, and how through patriotism people are duped into committing the most heinous acts (and not just in Thailand...). What you are saying there is that just because something has some bad sides to it, we should not make use of it when it can be used for good. You didn't mean that right? They have patriotism, it's not going anywhere, let them rally behind it for good ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmsally Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 What does it say in the section about military coups? You may have noticed in the last few days there has been a huge media backing for the constitution (well they say to go and vote). But when you get actresses hugging the PM, then we get the hint he's a pretty popular guy, so we guess the media blitz is FOR the constitution - right? Siam Square is just another propaganda stunt aimed at the younger voters. They my just as well launch a circus; how about some healthy open debate to encourage people to use their brains. I sorry I forgot, that's not what we are supposed to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmsally Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Whoops spelling errors - What does it say in the section about military coups? You may have noticed in the last few days there has been a huge media backing for the constitution (well they say to go and vote). But when you get actresses hugging the PM, then we get the hint he's a pretty popular guy, so we guess the media blitz is FOR the constitution - right? Siam Square is just another propaganda stunt aimed at the younger voters. They may just as well launch a circus; how about some healthy open debate to encourage people to use their brains. Oh sorry I forgot, that's not what we are supposed to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 interesting that nobody touched the final quote .................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinthee Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 interesting that nobody touched the final quote .................................... What about a quasi-democracy? Better than nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 What about a quasi-democracy? Better than nothing. am I to accept that better than nothing is the pinnacle of aspiration ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinthee Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 What about a quasi-democracy? Better than nothing. am I to accept that better than nothing is the pinnacle of aspiration ?? Look around you. Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, even Malayasia. Need I say more? It's as good as it gets in this part of the globe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColPyat Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 What you are saying there is that just because something has some bad sides to it, we should not make use of it when it can be used for good. You didn't mean that right?They have patriotism, it's not going anywhere, let them rally behind it for good ends. What may appear as "good" for you, is not necessarily the same for me. A very good read for you would be "Rituals of National Loyalty" by Katherine E. Bowie. This study exposes very well Thai style patriotism and how it is used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasreeve17 Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 What you are saying there is that just because something has some bad sides to it, we should not make use of it when it can be used for good. You didn't mean that right?They have patriotism, it's not going anywhere, let them rally behind it for good ends. What may appear as "good" for you, is not necessarily the same for me. A very good read for you would be "Rituals of National Loyalty" by Katherine E. Bowie. This study exposes very well Thai style patriotism and how it is used. Nationalism has been well sold in Thailand. If you spend some time at the Unis and speak to the students you won't find many free thinkers here. Whose good ends? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 (edited) What you are saying there is that just because something has some bad sides to it, we should not make use of it when it can be used for good. You didn't mean that right?They have patriotism, it's not going anywhere, let them rally behind it for good ends. What may appear as "good" for you, is not necessarily the same for me. A very good read for you would be "Rituals of National Loyalty" by Katherine E. Bowie. This study exposes very well Thai style patriotism and how it is used. Now you're creating a straw man to escape the original point in question, presumably having realised that I have a point. We can write books about how Thai patriotism has been used for bad ends (oh, I see someone already has) but that of course is irrelevant unless you are making an entirely new point that you think everything touched by Thai patriotism will turn to evil badness, in which case I will disagree with you all over again. Miid- nobody touched the last quote because there was nothing wrong with it. whose good ends? Any end which we would agree is good, such as Thai students exploring ethics in any fashion (ala "thinking"). Edited August 18, 2007 by OxfordWill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafval Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 my observation is that many young thais know exactly what is going on, thats why the ruling class is freaking and trying to repress clothing and the internet, I think things will be fine here when this next generation comes thru, in bangkok anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 They are definitely more knowledgeable than most of us give them credit for. As opposed to the apathy growing among the youth in the UK, for example. Mind you among my friends I have asked who is voting this weekend and only two have answered yes.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuestHouse Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 You can never have a revolution in order to establish a democracy. You must have a democracy in order to have a revolution G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) France - Russia - China (and a few others) have all demonstrated that the above quote is total <deleted>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinthee Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 You can never have a revolution in order to establish a democracy. You must have a democracy in order to have a revolution G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) France - Russia - China (and a few others) have all demonstrated that the above quote is total <deleted>. GH, my point exactly, though they are mostly flawed democracies. Not sure about your cite to China unless you mean Taiwan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Traveller Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 my observation is that many young thais know exactly what is going on, thats why the ruling class is freaking and trying to repress clothing and the internet, I think things will be fine here when this next generation comes thru, in bangkok anyway But guess what, this generation {in that position then} were saying the same {relative} things, but when they arrived it was simply more of the same. Regards PS Please don't tell me anyone here thinks there has been anything closely approaching a meaningful democracy here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveromagnino Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 You can never have a revolution in order to establish a democracy. You must have a democracy in order to have a revolution G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) France - Russia - China (and a few others) have all demonstrated that the above quote is total <deleted>. GH, my point exactly, though they are mostly flawed democracies. Not sure about your cite to China unless you mean Taiwan? I think he means the opposite; China has had a revolution without ever having a democracy. Quote seems a bit meaningless. Do I ge the 5 points and not have to clean the blackboard now GH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinthee Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 You can never have a revolution in order to establish a democracy. You must have a democracy in order to have a revolution G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) France - Russia - China (and a few others) have all demonstrated that the above quote is total <deleted>. GH, my point exactly, though they are mostly flawed democracies. Not sure about your cite to China unless you mean Taiwan? I think he means the opposite; China has had a revolution without ever having a democracy. Quote seems a bit meaningless. Do I ge the 5 points and not have to clean the blackboard now GH? Oh..., what he said. I didn't read it carefully, and as someone who's lived in both Russia and China extensively, agree with both of you! China had an economic revolution; Russia had something else. Russia calls itself democratic; China does not. China's working significantly better than Russia now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasreeve17 Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 I do not agree with OxfordWill and rafval. Thai students have a very superficial knowledge of "what's going on". Do they agree with a coup - no, in theory, but actual it was useful this time... Do they want democracy - well yes, maybe, no, they say; "Thailand is not ready for it." Beyond that it's all as the elites would like it to be. All the principles of nationalism, patriotism and Thaiism are strongly ingrained in the students. When you start looking at the underlying control mechanisms they are extremely strong here, and the Thai students do not wish to challenge them - they believe them. Actually they'd rather go shopping in Siam sq anyway. OxfordWill, please be aware that it would be very difficult to find more apathetic students in the World than here. The normal types of political clubs and societies in the UK (and most countries) would not be permitted here. There is no debate taking place in the Thai universities. Full stop. Even now, with all the political goings on, there is virtually no political debate going on, or allowed to go on, in the universities here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 (edited) Taking on board your post I will say I agree and retract what I said about it being worse in the UK. I really did mean "knowledgeable" and not active or involved. I think when I wrote that I was thinking exclusively about the Thais I know back home in the UK as I do not come into contact much with students here in Bangkok. Those that I have met pretty much fit your model. Once or twice though you read or hear about a group of them lobbying in some way for something or other, which is refreshing/optimistic. I do think we should give many of them more credit though. There is one chap in my apartment block who studies law at Ram uni, he has strong opinions on politics and for the most part is rational. He just seems only to be able to discuss them with me as a farang and other farangs. Although clearly among his close friends he has done the same. I wouldnt say he was too special? A minority definitely. Edited August 18, 2007 by OxfordWill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 There is no debate taking place in the Thai universities. Full stop worse as a google of some unmentionable words will reveal .................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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