Give Yourself The Best New Year Blessing For 2012: Thai Opinion

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STREET WISE

Give yourself the best New Year blessing for 2012

Achara Deboonme

The Nation

Five days from now, everyone will hope that life would be better as another New Year arrives. That includes me.

Before 1941, when Thailand adopted the international calendar, the New Year began in April for Thais. Indeed, whichever calendar is followed, the New Year that we all await is just the marking of a new round of 365 days.

Customarily, it's the time to make new resolutions, after some achievements or none in the previous 365-day round. I have several resolutions for next year.

First, it deals with consumer confidence. The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce expects consumer confidence to stay low as the country is recovering from its worst flood crisis. As a person who is not a shopaholic, I promise to spend more if that is a sign of my confidence in this country. (I do know that we need to save in light of global uncertainties.) From someone who has lived more than half of her life like me, nowhere is better than Thailand.

Second, it deals with Thais' generosity. During the flood crisis, many Thais have lent generous support to others affected. I do hope that as all the water "whales" return to the sea, such generosity would not dry up. Many positive-thinking Thais viewed the help as a good sign for the country's reconciliation process, if any, as help was extended to all regardless of political beliefs.

Third, it concerns my view towards politicians, for peace of mind. Next year, I will try to be more positive. I won't feel bad about the Bangkok Governor's denial of his mismanagement during the flood crisis; I won't mind any part of Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's speeches written as if they were delivered by an in-office prime minister; I won't glue my ears to speeches by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, just to observe if she mispronounces or misuses any Thai words; I won't pay much attention to any ministers' defence that the government was formed for the benefit of one person "the you know who". Let them recite the phrase until their last days in office, if that would make them happy.

Fourth, I will forget that I ever heard any "intellectual", hopeless moaning about the country's future, as long as the current democratic system stays. To them, some people should have a greater say in the country's future than those "oblivious" farmers. Political lessons of the past years have shown that the "one man one vote" philosophy does not fit the Thai environment. All that will be erased from my memory, as it is sick to think about someone considering themselves superior than the underprivileged. Even Utopia cannot be constructed and sustained by intellectuals, who still need feeding and other products that demand labour.

Fifth, I vow to cut down on my drinking. Drinking causes sickness and despite my life-insurance policies and small financial supports from the Social Security Fund, I guess it would be better to save the money for a better cause.

Sixth, I intend to devote more time to reading. In the past 365 days, I finished only a few pocket books. Due to the crisis in the euro zone and the US as well as floods, a lot of the reading time last year was spent on wire news and news magazines, aside from news updates from local channels. I guess reading more would clear some dubious issues better than joining a chit-chat sessions and criticising without facts in hand.

Seventh, I will clear my storage room. Items unused for years should be given to someone who needs them, or be tossed away. If floods could remind us of anything, it is the true meaning of possession. If we have less, we lose less.

Eighth, I would do good deeds more often as many people out there are struggling from hardships, including those caused by climate change. Academics confirm that the floods we experienced this year could re-occur, along with other kinds of disasters Thailand has never experienced before.

I strongly believe that if I achieve all the above, I would be a happy

person throughout the next 365 days and the years after that. That would be the best New Year blessing I can give myself, and hopefully another happy citizen will help make this country better. Want to join my mission?

-- The Nation 2011-12-26

[chainarong]

Muggins here to take first call, to all members, friends of Thai Visa and everyone in L.O.S, best wishes and lots of luck in 2012 and lets try and keep the Barst!!ds honest