The Mirror Has 60 Million Faces

[yabaaaa]

Voranai Vanijaka is on facebook, if you are a user of this platform, add him as a friend and show your support! ....

from what i gather from a friend who is also a reporter, the Thais are not so keen on his articles

Why am I not surprised!!! Hide it all under the carpet no loss of face.

My wife is well and truly fed up not only of the govt but of Thai people in general with their crazy behaviour/superstitions/ appalling service, outright lies and dangerous driving and loose morals with all the giks.

Many Thais with half a brain are too I'm sure.

[jbowman1993]

Voranai Vanijaka is on facebook, if you are a user of this platform, add him as a friend and show your support! ....

from what i gather from a friend who is also a reporter, the Thais are not so keen on his articles

The "thais" are not keen on it? Well that's good to know. I'll have to tell me wife that she isn't Thai, because she thinks its terrific. Also, most of the circulation of the Bangkok Post is to educated Thais. The percentages of Thai vs Farang readership is tilted heavy in the Thai direction.

[Boater]

Voranai Vanijaka is on facebook, if you are a user of this platform, add him as a friend and show your support! ....

from what i gather from a friend who is also a reporter, the Thais are not so keen on his articles

The "thais" are not keen on it? Well that's good to know. I'll have to tell me wife that she isn't Thai, because she thinks its terrific. Also, most of the circulation of the Bangkok Post is to educated Thais. The percentages of Thai vs Farang readership is tilted heavy in the Thai direction.

sorry i should have mentioned a FEW thais.... my mistake.....

but today at work i did show this article to many thai employees, well the ones that read english and i did get a few mixed reactions, but it maybe as they didnt really understand the context...

but i still think the article is great

[dumball]

Please do not tell me to F###K of out of YOUR adopted country , I HAVE ALREADY , GOT SICK OF YOUR MONOSYBILIC GARBAGE .

The word you've entered isn't in the dictionary. Click on a spelling suggestion below or try again using the search bar above.

Suggestions for MONOSYBILIC: 1. monosyllabic 2. monocyclic

3. monosyllable 4. myoinositols

5. myoinositol 6. monozygotic

7. monotheistical 8. monotheistic

9. municipally 10. moronically

11. mensurability 12. minischools

13. municipality 14. municipalizes

15. miniscule 16. minuscules

17. numismatically 18. monosyllables

19. municipalize 20. miniscules

A few of those would fit nicely , take your pick and see if the shoe fits , come-on-now , lets be honest just this once , moronically miniscule mentality not withstanding .

[absolutelyBangkok]

But what about this story?

Same author, same paper. Got ME boiling:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=130820

[sassienie]

As an Englishman living in Thailand, I am grateful to the Thai people for letting me stay here.

But as I am considered a non-immigrant, with privileges not statutory human legal rights, who can be thrown out of the Kingdom in just 7 days, without explanation if the nice policeman at Immigration doesn’t like my face, for these reasons I personally couldn’t give a rats turd about the politics here.

Never get involved with internal Thai affairs not even in my local community where I live.

My Thai wife tells me that if I keep my head down and continue spending the money, I’ll be left in peace.

So unless I am given any status here in Thailand, there is absolutely no incentive for me to concern myself who is or who is not ruining, sorry, running the country, unless it concerns my well being of course.

So for all the Thai ThaiVisa members, sorry, but Thailand’s your problem folks.

[jbowman1993]

But what about this story?

Same author, same paper. Got ME boiling:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=130820

Boiling? Go drink an iced tea.

[ThaiEye]

"Possibly the Worst editorial newspaper column i have ever read"

Bangkok Post 21 September

By Voranai Vanijaka

In recent times, "democracy" is a word that has been thrown around more often than a ping pong ball in Patpong - and suffers about the same level of degradation.

From words in the pubs to letters in Postbag, to the reports by foreign correspondents and commentaries by the esteemed editors of various prestigious western media, everyone has an opinion on what democracy is, and that it either does not exist in Thailand, or has been battered and abused into something quite undemocratic.

From the observations of many non-Thais, opinions have ranged anywhere from disbelief to disdain and downright disgust at what is going on with the democracy of this Kingdom. With harsh words and brutal assaults, slamming and insulting the Kingdom, and with it, my fellow countrymen.

Well, allow me to address our foreign critics and help form an understanding of how we got into this mess. Though by all means, this observation is one man's humble opinion offered up to be considered, discussed and debated; nothing less, nothing more.

In the West, democracy is a tradition of over 2,000 years old, although it had taken a nap for centuries before it was rediscovered. One may trace the origin of modern democracy to the French Revolution (1782), the American Revolution (1776), or even the signing of the Magna Carta (1215). But no matter which event one would like to attribute modern democracy to, it is unarguable that Western democracy has been several centuries in the making and written by numerous conflicts and much bloodshed.

So if the West has gone through centuries of mistakes, of trials and tribulations, to arrive at a healthy, though imperfect system of modern democracy, why can't Thailand embrace the finished product, packaged with a beautiful ribbon? Well, it's not that we don't want to.

To understand where we are now, one must look at the historical evolution of Thailand since the conversion to constitutional monarchy in 1932.

From our first prime minister, Praya Manopakorn Nititada, to our latest, Somchai Wongsawat, in the 76 years since there have been 36 prime ministers, most of whom were "appointees", by the military or otherwise.

There were many reasons behind these "appointees", military or otherwise, not least of which was the influence of the superpowers and their Cold War chess match. Like the majority of the Third World, we were but a pawn served up on a platter with a side order of freedom fries by our leaders, to be exploited in the name of democracy against the rising tides of communism. Never mind the fact that we ourselves were ruled by military dictators for much of that time.

It wasn't until 1988 when we sustained a succession of "elected" leaders, starting with the government of General Chartchai Chunhawan.

Only for 20 years had the electoral process been able to sustain breathing room in this Kingdom, minus the hiccups in Black May 1992 and the 2006 coup. Is the Thai democracy young and fragile? It's a sickly, crying toddler in an incubator. So why, I ask you, would anyone look at an infant in an incubator with disdain and disgust?

Through much of our history in the 20th century, the overwhelming majority of the Thai population were peasant farmers, the backbone of the Kingdom, who wouldn't know a democracy from a tamagochi. How could they? With little to no education, their primary concerns were simply feeding and clothing their children? Democratic ideals are the luxury of the "haves", the "have nots" hold graver concerns. Is that so unbelievable? So disdainful? So disgusting?

It was only the economic boom of the late 1980s and 1990s, the advances in communication technology and globalisation, that saw the burgeoning middle class. Western education, or education period, was no longer the privilege of the elites.

Be that as it may, not unlike the period of Industrial Revolution in the West, the people were much more infatuated with the newfound riches than the ideals of democracy. Human nature: a pile of cash on the table versus some lofty ideal, which would the average Somchai and Somying one generation removed from the rice field (or the villages of Communist China) choose? Is that so disdainful, so disgusting, so unbelievable?

The infant may be wearing Gucci and the incubator may be the latest Mercedes model, but the fact is, in the 1990s Thailand's democracy was still just an infant in the incubator. As such, we were easily exploited by corrupt leaders, thrifty merchants (local and foreign) and, of course, our own greed. That is disdainful and disgusting, but which country has never gone through such a period? Like puberty, it isn't pretty, but it's a natural process of evolution.

With the Asian financial crisis of 1997, we woke up and realised that we simply exchanged "appointees", military or otherwise, for opportunistic thugs and gangsters, who knew about running a country and economy as much as we Thais know how to queue up in orderly fashion to board/deboard the Sky Train. They simply sneaked into office while the educated middle class were too busy having a bubble bath.

Then it happened. Clouds parted, Beethoven's Symphony No 3 echoed out of nowhere, the birds and the bees chanted, "hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah"! For the messiah had arrived! He was not a general, nor a gangster. He was a businessman who built a telecommunication empire with his own hands.

For a society that had embraced capitalism for only a little over a decade, we were googoo and gaagaa over him like he was some K-pop heartthrob. For the first time in the history of Thailand, the rich, the poor and those in between agreed on one thing: Thaksin Shinawatra was our man.

Chuan Leekpai was solid, but he was a plain housewife. This new guy was Paris Hilton on steroids. Is it so unbelievable, so disdainful, so disgusting? Infant in an incubator, we were lost lambs, confused and desperate, then came our shepherd, our saviour, all glittery in golden lights.

And well, you know the rest of the story.

Here we are in 2008. Duped and deceived, scarred and full of scorn. Conflict in all levels of society. Flocking to the banner of the PAD are simply people who have had enough. Sure, the leaders of the PAD are questionable. Sure, many of the PAD's tactics are unsavoury. But allow me to speak for the average Thai person - rich, middle and poor - we marched simply because we have had enough.

Similar to Black May 1992. Then we marched because we wanted no more military dictatorship, but now we march because we want no more greedy money merchants and their thuggish cronies.

Is this undermining democracy? There is no democracy to undermine. We never had it. Democracy isn't just about going to the poll and voting. Democracy isn't about smiling as you are getting screwed over once again. That may be fine for countries with healthy, but imperfect democracy. But here, in this corner of the Third World, we are tired of taking it lying down and are simply saying enough is enough.

They don't hand out democracy at the local mom and pop store, and it isn't on sale at Central or Paragon. One must fight for it.

It's an ugly fight. But is there such a thing as a pretty fight? Definitely, there isn't anything democratic about a fight, just ask the Coalition of the Willing. At least we avoid bloodshed as best we can. Granted, a lot of us aren't even sure what we're fighting for, a lot of us are simply venting frustrations and anger, but at least we're conscious and alive enough to stand up and fight.

Certainly there are and will be mistakes to overcome, trials and tribulations to triumph over in the road ahead. As I wrote in my first commentary on Sept 14, we Thais also have to look at ourselves and start the change with ourselves, not just point fingers at our corrupt leaders.

Is it so unbelievable, disdainful, disgusting? For those who are understanding, we thank you. For those who are not, please take no offence. You don't have to help us, or support us, constructive criticisms are welcomed and appreciated. But beg your pardon, please do not insult us. Especially if you are a guest in our country.

Edited September 22, 2008 by ThaiEye

[absolutelyBangkok]

It offends Thais even more than non-Thais.

The Post prints an applauding letter in Postbag today - if you read the comments though below the op-ed you get the feeling that quite some people may even have cancelled their subscription.

[ThaiEye]

Voranai, in his latest op-ed, is a total xenophobic rant with no justifiable reasoning. As for his knowledge of modern Thai history that comes straight out of a nationalistic pamphlet as issued by the Ministry of Education. What is the guy saying in his Cold War paragraph? Blaming the West for appointing all of Thailand’s dictators? It was the West who exploited Thailand’s democracy?

As for his democratic ideals and the haves and have-nots, it is Voranai who is being disdainful of the Thai rural grassroots people and their lack of education. The same people who also voted in the likes of Chuan Leekpai etc…. or is he trying to tell us that vote-buying in Thailand didn’t exist prior to Thaksin?

Half the people in the UK are 'uneducated' (didn't go to come fancy university in Bangkok, WoW!) and read what they believe in say the The Sun newspaper. The 'educated' British journalists however, don't (and wouldn't dare) go lambasting the un-educated working class masses for the latest election result - same goes for in The US etc...

Voranai and his “Educated middle class” (urban Thai-Chinese) should get a history lesson and realize that he and they are the ancestors of ‘guests’ to Thailand, so perhaps he should shut his mouth and not complain, just as he is ordering foreigners to do.

Edited September 22, 2008 by ThaiEye

[permanent_disorder]

"Possibly the Worst editorial newspaper column i have ever read"

Bangkok Post 21 September

By Voranai Vanijaka

In recent times, "democracy" is a word that has been thrown around more often than a ping pong ball in Patpong - and suffers about the same level of degradation.

...

there a two different versions on the Post webite.

one starts with :The opinions of non-Thais range from disbelief to disdain and disgust at what is going on with Thai democracy. Here is help for our foreign critics to understand how we got into this mess.

the other one with:

DEAREST TOM, DICK AND HARRY ...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/210908_News/21Sep2008_news016.php

beside the classic 'you falang, you no thai, you not understand' it is not an explanation at all.

[Loaded]

One of the major causes of institutionalised corruption in Thailand was the decision of a previous monarch in the late 19th century to appoint powerful local warlords as provincial governors and not pay salaries. They would not be paid, but would be allowed to use their positions, through under-the-table payments, nepotism, cronyism etc. to 'compensate' themselves for lost time and costs. This system of 'gin muang' (eat the country) is still an acceptable part of being a government officer. It's as normal to Thais as large bonuses are to Lehman Brothers brokers.

Edited September 22, 2008 by Loaded

[Andrew Hicks]

Where are all the Thai apologists that beat down even the hint of any criticism of anything Thai on this board?

This intelligent piece of commentary must have them very conflicted. Imagine if a foreigner had written a similar article. Strangely but blessedly quiet.

Yes, I too thought this an excellent article and emailed Khun Voranai to say so.

This weekend there was a further column by him, also extremely well written and thought provoking. I should re-read it to summarise it properly but what sticks in my mind was his explanation of the current chaos, namely that Thai democracy is in its infancy and so should not be unduly criticised. In the West democracy has matured over many generations but here it is only a few decades old and was held back by the authoritarian governments that were necessary while the communist threat was being dealt with.

Finally let nobody therefore be unduly critical, he says... for foreigners to do so is particularly offensive.

Interestingly in a recent excellent interview by Erika Fry in the Bangkok Post the British ambassador was quite frank in saying that Thai politics have hardly matured in the thirty years since he was first posted here at the beginning of his career. Even some of the same faces are still jockeying for power.

Uncomfortable truths do need to be faced.

It often amazes me how well Thailand has done despite its leadership. That success though has hardly been equitably shared with all the poor chao naa that I see around me in Surin.

[JohnBanPrang]

Voranai, in his latest op-ed, is a total xenophobic rant with no justifiable reasoning. As for his knowledge of modern Thai history that comes straight out of a nationalistic pamphlet as issued by the Ministry of Education. What is the guy saying in his Cold War paragraph? Blaming the West for appointing all of Thailand's dictators? It was the West who exploited Thailand's democracy?

As for his democratic ideals and the haves and have-nots, it is Voranai who is being disdainful of the Thai rural grassroots people and their lack of education. The same people who also voted in the likes of Chuan Leekpai etc…. or is he trying to tell us that vote-buying in Thailand didn't exist prior to Thaksin?

Half the people in the UK are 'uneducated' (didn't go to come fancy university in Bangkok, WoW!) and read what they believe in say the The Sun newspaper. The 'educated' British journalists however, don't (and wouldn't dare) go lambasting the un-educated working class masses for the latest election result - same goes for in The US etc...

Voranai and his "Educated middle class" (urban Thai-Chinese) should get a history lesson and realize that he and they are the ancestors of 'guests' to Thailand, so perhaps he should shut his mouth and not complain, just as he is ordering foreigners to do.

My opinion is the same.

Who is Voranai Vanijaka???

Asked this question yesterday in the post "PAD, Democracy and labour unions.

Can somebody give me an answer?

[absolutelyBangkok]

You can't be serious Andrew.

Defending an author defending a system of failures.

Please.

[permanent_disorder]

Possibly the Greatest Column I've ever read in a Thai Newspaper.

THE MIRROR HAS 60 MILLION FACES

by Voranai Vanijaka

One night in October 1973, my mother (who was 8 months pregnant with me at the time) was sitting at home, worrying and crying. My father, an officer in the riot prevention unit, was trapped in a police station surrounded by left-wing militants. He was cradling in his arms one of his subordinates, who had been shot in the guts. He was bleeding profusely.

There were between 15 to 20 policemen trapped in the station, surrounded by hundreds of the opposition. The situation was hopeless. Snipers were everywhere. The policeman who was shot eventually died from blood loss.

Late in the night, my father ordered his subordinates to strip off their uniforms and put on civilian clothes. Under the cover of darkness, they escaped from the police station.

...

"Your Commie has no regard for human life, not even of his own. Have you ever heard of a thing called fluoridation? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual -- certainly without any choice. That's the way your hard-core Commie works. Later in the night, i will order my subordinates to strip off their uniforms ..."

"No, just only one died. For me, no deaths, one unlucky Commie had been shot in the guts and eventually died in Sanam Luang. Only one Commie by that day. What's wrong to be the right-wing if it is? The left-wing is communist. We should continue to fight, regardless of the colour of their shirts "

"The way to solve the problem is to get the people on your side, if we cannot make them surrender, then we have no choice: the assignment is to kill Commies from all walks of life. If i were to lead the mob, the battle would be finished in three hours. To get the tiger cub you have to go to the tiger's cave, fish in the water and the rice in the field"

"The Thai-Chinese, Chanchai Ruayrungruang – also a member of the Chinese Communist Party helps evil hel_l hound string puppet proxies squareface money, many. His name is Yian Pin, Yan Bin, proxies chairman underground Commie, Thai Rak Thai branch in Beijing, i say. Get Out, Get Out.

If we want to change Thailand for the better, getting rid of a few individuals won't do it. Not just Thaksin. Not just Samak. But all 60 million plus of us. "

--------

Am i the only one who thinks that this article nothing more than hot air? (and i don't mean the strange opening.) i mean that one nation, one vision, individually and collectively, from all parts of society, and see also kids, cute, blabla, tralala. so much pathos. that is written for who? makes me sometimes thing all that newspaper is a big surealistic joke or a dada project.

anyway, click on the pics to get the source of the slightly altered quotes.

maybe i should add that i am far away of being a commie, but those little Genesis start with the author as foetus under special circumstances, maria durch ein dornwald ging, and then leads to the rebirth of the nation. but the question But then what? unanswered.

[albertjames]

The PPV screenings begin with "The Mirror Has Two Faces" on July 11, followed by "The People vs. Larry Flynt" on July 13, "Beverly Hills Ninja" on Aug. 1 and "Jerry Maguire" on Aug. 27. The package, which includes EarthLink's award-winning TotalAccess registration software and 15 days of free Internet access, will be announced at the movies' conclusion.

----------

albertjames

impression marketing

[permanent_disorder]

The problem is the people themselves combined with their culture/brainwashing in some aspects.

Corruption is rampant and its everywhere. I have mailed the BKK post asking them for a Thai version to be put out.

there is a thai version out there. but i am not allowed to post links to thai language pages. (i got edited in the past by a mod, and it is The Rules)

put www.bangkokpost.com/070908_News/07Sep2008_news18.php into google, check the results, on high position you will find prachatai.com. prachatai is a web publication you can trust (at least for the translation), you see there also the back link to the post and the head line and writer name in english. if you can not read thai but want print and hand out the text you can trust that is not a fake or something about dolphin sex. (as long they don't get hacked)

check the about us page http://www.prachatai.com/english/aboutus.php

but for myself i wouldn't hand over text i can not read and understand by myself. if you do it, don't do it with a "here, you must read that", better ask the thai persons what they think about and if they could give you further advice. play the pupil.

but before you do it, re-read and re-think the text. it's pretty nationalistic blabbing, but at least without the hate other nationalists operate. but it aims on and propagate a similiar mindset. a soft PAD version with the same goal, against the traitors of the Kingdom and all brothers and sisters have to wear yellow. the glorification of the love for the nation bears also a danger. it's the base for propaganda à la thaksin, TRT, PAD, ... (fill in your political nonsense). it supports fads and herd behavior, to vulnerable for false shepherds. a little bit personal disobedience and lateral thinking would be better.

i really don't understand why that mirror text got so much applause. i did grow up in a unfree, closed society, a dictatorship and got an overdose of such do-gooders, do-better vision and unity lullaby by false prophets. maybe it's the chaos of the modern times, the loss of orientation, a to much of a freedom where nobody gives you a leitmotif, that people favour such easy solution.

prachatai is bi-lingual, i recommend also a look at the english part http://www.prachatai.com/english/ good reading matter. they have critical & academic approach.

if prachatai not your kind of political viewpoint, you can still trust the translation.

behind that, i am still mull over the opening, one night in October 1973...surrounded by left-wing militants. wasn't it all the "left wings students" the octoberists that got killed, same as 1976, remember samak, his famous sentence "only one unlucky guy dead"? the authors father he fight/lost on the other side. we have two option how we can interprete, the author is same as samak(the old, the palace samak, not the proxy samak) a strong royalist and sees himself in a continuous tradition, a right wing tradition, and the commies, liberals have been always the traitors and enemies of the Kingdom and he continious the mission of his father, for the Kingdom.

a other interpretation would be - 1973, he is the newborn of a modern time, the dictators are gone and a small plant with the name democracy starts to grow. as the newborn of a father who stands for the old times, he reflects a discord, the two minds in the thai society. the old military times left the building in civilian clothes to immerse into the masses of the people. for my second interpretation, that would pleased our western minds, i have very little to go on. only the civilian clothes of daddy. and i think this text is no fiction, at least for the birthday of the author. in a fictional text of course the author would play with suchs strong symbols on a turning point, right? but it is coincidental his date of birth, not more. nothing with that liberal mini plant democracy outside.

Voranai Vanijaka is a hard core traditionalist, he read other history books, he miss the good old times. unity with security, protection, safety. "situation hopeless. Snipers everywhere"

OUTSIDE rampages the bloodthirsty mob, disturbing left wing militants, the destroyer. ugly. INSIDE we have with the return of the father the holy family, for the outside world daddy lost his power - no uniform, but inside they stay together a small unity with security, protection, safety at least for the three of them and love family love.

whats going on outside, a evolution of the society, a progress maybe? the author looks at it

and ask some 'emphatic' questions. "What have we been fighting for?", " What have we achieved?" nothing he answers himself, nothing since he left the perfect pre1973 world of his mothers womb. the world he sees is full of suffer, greed, hate, strife and discord. and all that came to the world with that "one night in October 1973." his solution, love, is symbolic, the love for you know, the love for thailand, the love in his family and the pre oct1973 perfect idyll.

a piece of esoteric Kitsch, 15 years old girls write such thoughts in their diaries. that doesn't need to be distributed all over the kingdom.

better send some history books around, study history, analyse history and don't repeat the same errors. start to think for yourself and don't follow a herd behavior.

"But then what?" Khun Voranais society still a mob, the love mob. don't dare to think different, don't even think, just love thailand if you want to be thai. fantastique.

[mahtin]

Fascinating.

Pithy, to the point, straight for the jugular.

Dare I ask your first language, sir?

[dave_boo]

I'm no great writer, so I'll just quote someone who is:

In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, — if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.

-Benjamin Franklin

Democracy only works when the people want it to work. Why has a form of it worked in the West so long? Perhaps it's more than the people simply wanting it.

Perhaps it's the culture. Being raised to believe that there is individual worth and the government is for the people, rather than the people being for the government. If the general populace believes that, it will hold the government to its responsibilities.

Perhaps it's the religion. Believing that you're accountable for your actions rather than 'shit happens'. Holding one's self accountable naturally extends upwards to those that are entrusted into the welfare of the state.

Perhaps it's the familial ties. Rather than expecting the next generation to take care of the older, the younger generation is pushed out and expected to fend on their own. This learning of what is required to make things work rather than being able to turn to someone else to solve the problem results in an expectation that others should be able to do the same. And if others aren't, they're not allowed to do the job any more.

Or it could be me thinking to mutt.

[davejonesbkk]

"Especially if you are a guest in our country"

I get so bored of hearing that along with Thais saying 'MY country' when talking about Thailand. It's pathetic and shows obvious insecurity issues. I would never say to any non-Brit in the UK 'you are a guest here' nor do I refer to it as 'MY' country, it's just sad and a little bit paranoid too....

[sgtpeppers]

yes, the best article ive read in a Thai newspaper.

[AlbertWeinerschnitzel]

Possibly the Greatest Column I've ever read in a Thai Newspaper.

THE MIRROR HAS 60 MILLION FACES

by Voranai Vanijaka

One night in October 1973, my mother (who was 8 months pregnant with me at the time) was sitting at home, worrying and crying. My father, an officer in the riot prevention unit, was trapped in a police station surrounded by left-wing militants. He was cradling in his arms one of his subordinates, who had been shot in the guts. He was bleeding profusely.

There were between 15 to 20 policemen trapped in the station, surrounded by hundreds of the opposition. The situation was hopeless. Snipers were everywhere. The policeman who was shot eventually died from blood loss.

Late in the night, my father ordered his subordinates to strip off their uniforms and put on civilian clothes. Under the cover of darkness, they escaped from the police station.

A few hours later, my father made it back home to my mother.

Thinking of all the coups, the protests and the bloodshed that Thailand has been through, I wonder: What have we been fighting for? What have we achieved?

The majority still live in poverty. Our children still beg in the streets. Not just politics, but our society as a whole is still corrupt. And we still have no clue what democracy is.

Coups, protests and conflicts are nothing more than the squabbling between rich and powerful men, whose fiery rhetoric, fancy tactics and deep pockets are able to rouse the people to flock to their banners.

I am no fan of prime minister Samak Sundaravej, nor am I a fan of the five leaders of the PAD. However, I am a fan of everyone who wakes up in the morning, goes to work, provides for his or her family, lends a helping hand to the less fortunate and lives an honest life, regardless of the colour of their shirts.

Getting rid of Prime Minister Samak and dissolving the parliament would make a lot of people happy, it would make me happy. But then what?

Would there be less corruption? Less social injustice? Less income disparity? Would it better the lives of the people?

We want to get rid of him because he is corrupt. But is he any more corrupt than the average Thai person? How many among us never cut corners, go under the table, use connections, or hand over a hundred baht bill?

We want to get rid of him because we don't want Thaksin-style mega projects. But then _ look at our media, look at our society _ why are we so obsessed with materialism and superficiality?

We don't want him to change the constitution to serve his (or his boss's) agenda. But then why do we the people each and every day bend the rules and manipulate the laws to serve our own agenda?

If we want to change Thailand for the better, getting rid of a few individuals won't do it. The change starts with us.

We march to get rid of one man, but do we march to save the lives of our children begging in the streets?

We march to get rid of one man, but do we march to save the lives of our brothers and sisters in the three southernmost provinces?

We march to get rid of one man, but did we march when Thaksin mandated the murder of innocent men and women on the streets?

If we want to change Thailand for the better, getting rid of a few individuals won't do it. The change starts with us.

The PAD has the right to protest, and Samak has the prerogative say he was democratically and overwhelmingly elected.

We can say the election was bought, but which election wasn't? Buying an election is just a matter of supply and demand, it can't be bought if the people aren't willing to sell it. And the people is us, the Thai people. It is us who sell our freedom, our democracy.

If Samak resigns, there are thousands and thousands more Samaks ready to replace him. The idea and being of the likes of Thaksin or Samak is like the proverb ''fish in the water and the rice in the field''.

Yes, like fish and rice, there are an abundance of Thaksins and Samaks in Thailand, in all level of society, from the poor to the rich.

The jealousy, the factionalism, the close-mindedness, the hate, the cronyism, the corruption, the politicking, the manipulation, the exploitation, the selfishness and self-righteousness, the refusal to change for the better _ the things that we see play out in the political landscape, that we the people never cease to complain about in disgust _ are we also guilty of the same in our families, in our social circles, in our schools, in our work places?

Samak is merely a reflection of our society, a mirror of who we are _ the writer of this column not excepted.

Finding scapegoats and blaming others is easy. The rich blame the poor, the poor blame the rich. Failing that, we blame karma or black magic _ and of course, we blame foreigners.

Yes, we should take to the streets against corrupt politicians, but not much good can come of it if we simply huff and puff every few years and then go back to our daily corruption, apathy and superficialism.

The fact is: Each and every one of us is responsible and accountable for our country, our society and the future of our children.

Whatever that is wrong with Thai politics and society, we 60 million plus people all have a hand in it _ we are responsible for it.

We make Thailand. Not just Thaksin. Not just Samak. But all 60 million plus of us.

Samak is not worth one act of violence, not worth one drop of blood, not worth a single tear. He is not even worth the insults and hates the PAD throw at him each and every day.

Take to the streets and protest for the right reason: march not because we hate Samak, rather march because we love Thailand.

What we do in life each and every day, individually and collectively, is what will change our country, for better or for worse.

We should continue to fight corrupt politicians. But if we truly want better things for Thailand, the change starts with us, the Thai people.

Quite a moving post!

And a post that makes so much sense!

You are 100% right, what has all of this achieved? The people are not really any better off, there is still widespread poverty and discrimination.

The only time it will make sense is when the MAJORITY can receive an education, then overthrow the minority who hold the power...good luck!

[bannork]

Voranai, in his latest op-ed, is a total xenophobic rant with no justifiable reasoning. As for his knowledge of modern Thai history that comes straight out of a nationalistic pamphlet as issued by the Ministry of Education. What is the guy saying in his Cold War paragraph? Blaming the West for appointing all of Thailand’s dictators? It was the West who exploited Thailand’s democracy?

As for his democratic ideals and the haves and have-nots, it is Voranai who is being disdainful of the Thai rural grassroots people and their lack of education. The same people who also voted in the likes of Chuan Leekpai etc…. or is he trying to tell us that vote-buying in Thailand didn’t exist prior to Thaksin?

Half the people in the UK are 'uneducated' (didn't go to come fancy university in Bangkok, WoW!) and read what they believe in say the The Sun newspaper. The 'educated' British journalists however, don't (and wouldn't dare) go lambasting the un-educated working class masses for the latest election result - same goes for in The US etc...

Voranai and his “Educated middle class” (urban Thai-Chinese) should get a history lesson and realize that he and they are the ancestors of ‘guests’ to Thailand, so perhaps he should shut his mouth and not complain, just as he is ordering foreigners to do.

Yes, it's not politically correct in England to point out that a lot of the people are morons, perhaps John Lennon was the last with his song,'Working Class hero' - 'keep you doped with religion, sex and TV...... but you're still f....g peasants as far as I can see'

And now it's all reality shows and a dumbed down, dumber and dumber culture.

Regarding votes for Chuan Leekpai, the South has always had a strong political culture, rallies are attended by thousands and the coffee shops discussing politics are a common feature, hopefully Issan and the North can develop the same characteristics once their love affiar with Thaksin is over.

[permanent_disorder]

Possibly the Greatest Column I've ever read in a Thai Newspaper.

THE MIRROR HAS 60 MILLION FACES

by Voranai Vanijaka

One night in October 1973, my mother (who was 8 months pregnant with me at the time) was sitting at home, worrying and crying. My father, an officer in the riot prevention unit, was trapped in a police station surrounded by left-wing militants. He was cradling in his arms one of his subordinates, who had been shot in the guts. He was bleeding profusely...

Quite a moving post!

And a post that makes so much sense!

You are 100% right, what has all of this achieved? The people are not really any better off, there is still widespread poverty and discrimination.

The only time it will make sense is when the MAJORITY can receive an education, then overthrow the minority who hold the power...good luck!

yep nothing won and nothing achieved since the October 1973 uprising of those damned left-wing militants chase a brave man and good-hearted anti-communist dictator the Prime Minister Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn out of office.

bring back the good old days.