Beyond The Limits Of Decency Or Just Bad Taste?: Thai Editorial

[SteeleJoe]

What really gets me is this broad condemnation of prostitutes without a single thought to the fact these are women who are victims of society and of circumstance. Everyone is so quick to say how it is the lowest of the low to be likened to a prostitute. Small minds. The prime minister as a woman should show empathy or solidarity to these victims. Her response and the response of so many only serves to illustrate the crass and unfeeling sentiment toward these women in plight.

Maybe the cartoon was in bad taste, however a better more politically correct response would be more appropriate than the current course of action.

sent from my mobile

Victims of society and of circumstance? Sometimes, to a degree. But that's an old, simplistic and somewhat fallacious cliche.

Having said that, I do not feel that a prostitute is inherently a bad person or should be a symbol of immorality or poor character. And I agree with your implicit objection to the thinking of the poster you quoted.

[smutcakes]

Whether it was bad taste or defamation is not really the main message.

What is, is that people are getting to the stage where they are prepared to vent their anger against what this Govt is doing.

The lady boss tells me that the Thai social media web sites and facebook pages in Thai are full of what amounts to hate posts against Yingluck and the Govt, something she tells me she has never seen before.

Almost every day on Thai tele (not Govt channels) I see groups who are protesting about something or other the Govt or local authority has or has not done.

High tide may have passed for PT.

Well if this is true, let an alternative be elected at the next election. No army stepping in.

[JulesMad]

There are NO prostitutes in Thailand (by law), just lots of friendly women

[culicine]

Chai, whose real name is Somchai Katanyutanan, posted on his Facebook page photographs of Yingluck delivering a speech in Mongolia with the caption: "Please understand that prostitutes are not bad women. Prostitutes only sell their body, but a bad woman has been wandering around trying to sell the country."

Wouldn't it seem more logical to compare her to a " pimp" rather than a prostitute then ?

You have a good point and this touches on something very worrying about this law suit. "filed a defamation lawsuit [cut] for comparing her to a prostitute" .. he didn't say she was a prostitute, or was like one .. merely mentioned her and prostitutes in the same sentence. Whatever next?

Chai, whose real name is Somchai Katanyutanan, posted on his Facebook page photographs of Yingluck delivering a speech in Mongolia with the caption: "Please understand that prostitutes are not bad women. Prostitutes only sell their body, but a bad woman has been wandering around trying to sell the country."

Wouldn't it seem more logical to compare her to a " pimp" rather than a prostitute then ?

You have a good point and this touches on something very worrying about this law suit. "filed a defamation lawsuit [cut] for comparing her to a prostitute" .. he didn't say she was a prostitute, or was like one .. merely mentioned her and prostitutes in the same sentence. Whatever next?

Part of the problem may be that the cartoonist is saying 'prostitution isn't such a bad thing' - which is NOT what they want foreign countries to hear; and the implication that the PM is worse than this.

[koosdeboer]

Am I allowed to say that I like prostitutes but don't like Yingluck?

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jonclark]

No political leader, no matter who, should have to accept being compared to a prostitute! I am no fan of Yingluck, but IMO khun Chai crossed the line!

As I read it he was comparing her to a "bad women" - and said "prostitutes are not bad women", so therefore Yuingluck can't be seen as a prostitutes.

I think the anger here is because the artist suggested / insinuate that a prostitute is better than the PM. Which clearly ruffled the PM.

That's how i read it anyway.

[bobl]

What really gets me is this broad condemnation of prostitutes without a single thought to the fact these are women who are victims of society and of circumstance.

That took longer than I thought it would...

<grabs a coffee and a bag of popcorn>

[kimamey]

I seem to remember the last government got bad reviews for its press freedom as well. I can't believe this hasn't been mentioned yet although the usual ones to do this aren't here yet apart from PREM-R so I'll have to do their job for them.

[MrJohnson]

....the lady doth protest too much, methinks.....

[Tatsujin]

The police have charged Chai on three counts - insulting an official during an official event, defaming another person publically and violating the Computer-related Crimes Act, which prohibits posting defamatory comments against others on the Internet.

Damn . . . we better all watch out now.

You can't post that she's a barbie doll puppet anymore with no brains and little better dress sense.

Pity she's not blonde, that would open up a whole new world of insults.

[Chicken George]

This guy would never get a job for a British Tabloid far too tame!!

[JeffreyWitty]

Who actually cares what these windbags think or do?

As a comic illustrator - I do.

[NCFC]

No political leader, no matter who, should have to accept being compared to a prostitute!

What really gets me is this broad condemnation of prostitutes without a single thought to the fact these are women who are victims of society and of circumstance. Everyone is so quick to say how it is the lowest of the low to be likened to a prostitute. Small minds. The prime minister as a woman should show empathy or solidarity to these victims. Her response and the response of so many only serves to illustrate the crass and unfeeling sentiment toward these women in plight.

Maybe the cartoon was in bad taste, however a better more politically correct response would be more appropriate than the current course of action.

sent from my mobile

victims??? they have choices

[whybother]

I seem to remember the last government got bad reviews for its press freedom as well. I can't believe this hasn't been mentioned yet although the usual ones to do this aren't here yet apart from PREM-R so I'll have to do their job for them.

And wasn't it this government, while in opposition that complained about it?

Sent from my Phone.

[wildorchid]

NO MATTER who you are and what job you do, NO woman is going to happy as to be compared as more bad than a prostitute, and I challenge any husband, son, daughter who is ok with this being said (PUBLICLY) about your wife, mother

there is a line of DECENCY and this FOOLISH man crossed it... I support freedom of speech but this just insulting for his own 15 mins of fame

[belg]

freedom of sa-peech

unknown in thailand...

might even get you many years in jail if you dare to speak your mind about some .... (self-censored)

[Mudcrab]

No political leader, no matter who, should have to accept being compared to a prostitute! I am no fan of Yingluck, but IMO khun Chai crossed the line!

He should immediately apologise to all prostitutes

[wildorchid]

What really gets me is this broad condemnation of prostitutes without a single thought to the fact these are women who are victims of society and of circumstance. Everyone is so quick to say how it is the lowest of the low to be likened to a prostitute. Small minds. The prime minister as a woman should show empathy or solidarity to these victims. Her response and the response of so many only serves to illustrate the crass and unfeeling sentiment toward these women in plight.

Maybe the cartoon was in bad taste, however a better more politically correct response would be more appropriate than the current course of action.

sent from my mobile

Victims of society and of circumstance? Sometimes, to a degree. But that's an old, simplistic and somewhat fallacious cliche.

Having said that, I do not feel that a prostitute is inherently a bad person or should be a symbol of immorality or poor character. And I agree with your implicit objection to the thinking of the poster you quoted.

GO tell to the men that have been drugged, robed, and now have to explain the nasty rash to his wife back home, (self self inflicted no sympathy)

YEAH they are "immoral, poor character, liars, thieves, etc, not necessarily in that order.

[h5kaf]

Chai, whose real name is Somchai Katanyutanan, posted on his Facebook page photographs of Yingluck delivering a speech in Mongolia with the caption: "Please understand that prostitutes are not bad women. Prostitutes only sell their body, but a bad woman has been wandering around trying to sell the country."

Wouldn't it seem more logical to compare her to a " pimp" rather than a prostitute then ?

You have a good point and this touches on something very worrying about this law suit. "filed a defamation lawsuit [cut] for comparing her to a prostitute" .. he didn't say she was a prostitute, or was like one .. merely mentioned her and prostitutes in the same sentence. Whatever next?

What is also puzzling is that among the general population 'working girls' are considered normal members of society. It is only in the so called 'civilised' West that the pejorative term 'prostitute' denotes a socially bad person. For the Prime Minister to be compared to many of the female population would seem to be a unifying gesture rather than defamatory. I have met many ladies working in the entertainment industry who are both beautiful and intelligent, Yingluck should be grateful not angry.

[Neilly]

I have met many ladies working in the entertainment industry who are both beautiful and intelligent, Yingluck should be grateful not angry.

[SteeleJoe]

On this thread we see both ends of the spectrum in regards to attitudes towards prostitutes, neither of them universally accurate or even realistic.

All of them are:

Innocent victims? Regarded as the same as anyone else by Thai society?

OR

Liars, thieves, and immoral?

No.

[thequietman]

I don't think he is calling her a prostitute. he is saying that he thinks prostitutes are the lower level of females all over. He says they will stoop to sell themselves. he is saying that she stooped beyond that by selling out the country. He is not saying she is a prostitute...................... I think. what ya all think ??? He is saying that she is worst than a prostitute.

[callaway]

Correct me if i am wrong but didnt the cartoonist say "prostitutes are not bad women". Then goes on to say "this bad women". So basically in those words he is saying she is not a prostitute. Thats how i read it. Anyone else see this?

[Robby nz]

Robby nz, on 07 May 2013 - 12:22, said:

Whether it was bad taste or defamation is not really the main message.

What is, is that people are getting to the stage where they are prepared to vent their anger against what this Govt is doing.

The lady boss tells me that the Thai social media web sites and facebook pages in Thai are full of what amounts to hate posts against Yingluck and the Govt, something she tells me she has never seen before.

Almost every day on Thai tele (not Govt channels) I see groups who are protesting about something or other the Govt or local authority has or has not done.

High tide may have passed for PT.

Well if this is true, let an alternative be elected at the next election. No army stepping in.

Yes indeed Smutcakes we await with interest.

And just to prove my point we have:

Meanwhile, hundreds of farmers, led by the People’s Movement for a Just Society, have set up temporary shelters near Government House to call for the state to urgently resolve their poverty and environmental problems.

[longtom]

NO MATTER who you are and what job you do, NO woman is going to happy as to be compared as more bad than a prostitute, and I challenge any husband, son, daughter who is ok with this being said (PUBLICLY) about your wife, mother

there is a line of DECENCY and this FOOLISH man crossed it... I support freedom of speech but this just insulting for his own 15 mins of fame

Soo, you support freedom of speech as long as it doesn't cross your line of decency? Very slippery slope.

Do you think Bush, Obama, Abhisit ... are happy to be called murderers or worse? That's not really the point, isn't it?

I know, , but you heard the saying “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Or in other words, even if I hate Bill O'Reilly to the core, we have to let him spread his vitriolic hate speeches for the sake of freedom of speech. (please fans of Bill don't sue me!)

So let the PM sue this poor guy for defamation, which could be devastating for him under Thai law (remember Thaksin's Billion Baht lawsuits against journalists!). But enacting the computer crime law would be just plain censorship of an undesired opinion, opening the door to stiffling any view the governement doesn't like.

No, freedom of speech this ain't.

[khunken]

Would this have been a problem if he had likened Abhisit to being lower than a pimp?

No need to answer, just a rhetorical question with an obvious answer.

[finnomick1]

Suppose this will lead to yet another crack-down

[longtom]

Would this have been a problem if he had likened Abhisit to being lower than a pimp?

No need to answer, just a rhetorical question with an obvious answer.

Hope this was a response to the OP and not my post , because it woudn't make any sense otherwise.

[khunken]

Would this have been a problem if he had likened Abhisit to being lower than a pimp?

No need to answer, just a rhetorical question with an obvious answer.

Hope this was a response to the OP and not my post , because it woudn't make any sense otherwise.

If it was in response to your post, I'd have used the quote facility. It wasn't.

[Emdog]

I thought immeadiately of PJ O'Rourke's very funny and scathing book about the Congress of US of A. Name of the book is "Parliament of Whores". Are whores above, below or equal to prostitutes? Or are they entepreneurs just maximizing the use of their assets in a free market enviornment?

No government ever jailed a member of the press that agreed with said governments policies.