Pattaya sees rise in independent Chinese tourists amid decline in group tours

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Cartoonist 'revealed PM's half truths'
Supon Thanukid,
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The magnitude of the public furore surrounding the dispute between famed cartoonist Chai Rachawat of mass-circulation daily newspaper Thai Rath and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is unbelievably great.

In her speech at the 7th Ministerial Conference on the International Democracies in Mongolia on April 29, Yingluck, the country's first female leader - who has been at the helm for more than two years now - gave what many observers believe is her best speech to date in terms of substance, denouncing the 2006 coup and attacking Thailand's independent organisations.

Yingluck's speech would not have attracted this huge interest had she not spoken on the international stage.

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

Overnight, his post went viral on social media networks, drawing responses from supporters and opponents that reflect the country's political divide. Many supporters of Chai may back him silently, but in an article published in the online edition of Naew Na newspaper, noted Prof Dr Khien Theerawit presented 13 reasons to support Chai's comment. He explained what Chai meant by "selling the country" - distorting the country's internal affairs in order to win praise, while defaming the country. Travelling on taxpayers' money, Khien said, the PM must speak for the country's interests and not for the gain of herself and her own group. The article said that the PM spoke a one-sided truth, saying that her brother's government was brought down by a coup and his parties were dissolved by independent agencies, but without saying why.

Khien defended Chai, saying that as a Thai citizen, the cartoonist has the right to do a great service to the country by protecting the country's name and interests. Chai's comment about prostitutes was not made to intentionally insult women as a whole, Khien said, adding that the cartoonist wanted to make an analogy and got carried away by the concept of "selling the country".

The Democrat Party, which was an implicit target of the PM's speech, issued an open letter to Mongolia and other countries, in which it tried to explain the reasons and political circumstances that led to the military's toppling of the Thaksin government, which Yingluck chose to omit from her speech.

The opposition reasoned that corruption was rife during the Thaksin regime. It said that Thaksin altered laws to benefit his business interests and interfered in the work of independent agencies tasked with performing a checks-and-balances role.

Chai has refused to apologise, as demanded by the PM, who has decided to take him to court for libel on three counts. The Pheu Thai Party has demanded that Thai Rath and the Thai Journalists Association take action against Chai, saying his message was in violation of women's rights. The party also said it would file a complaint with Human Rights Watch.

Chai's supporters have offered him not only moral support for sticking to his stance, but also donations to help him find the best lawyer to fight the case.

The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, meanwhile, has threatened to shut down websites that carry allegedly defamatory remarks against Yingluck by Chai. Persons responsible for defamation prosecuted under Article 326 of the Criminal Act face one year in prison and a fine of Bt20,000.

But rights groups warn that such threats are a violation of the basic rights of Thai citizens and that the right to criticise is a foundation of democracy.

-- The Nation 2013-05-10

[daboyz1]

Seems like the cartoonist touched a nerve with YL. The truth can hurt I guess.

[Bellweather]

Seems like the cartoonist touched a nerve with YL. The truth can hurt I guess.

Politicians the world over do not like being criticised and react in different ways but here the face aspect demands a very firm, and very childish, over-reaction.

[moe666]

What they keep missing is the fact that Big T wasn't the PM as he had resigned and was a illigal care taker. PTP and its supporters constantly try to rewrite history

[hanuman2543]

".... and that the right to criticise is a foundation of democracy."

Since when in this country?

Edited May 10, 2013 by hanuman2543

[Thai at Heart]

".... and that the right to criticise is a foundation of democracy."

Since when in this country?

Criticise. He got a bit close to the bone though.

[geriatrickid]

The cartoonist did his job. The editors are supposed to exercise good judgement when they run a cartoon.

It is an error for the PM to pursue a legal case. Even if she wins, she will lose. Her response demonstrates the ineptitude of her advisers who should have instead taken their case to the court of public opinion. Had they done their jobs, they would have treated this as a low end insult. Instead of creating sympathy for the PM, they have instead fanned the flames of ridicule.

[Halion]

What is all this stuff and nonsense about the cartoon defaming women. These arogant pricks with their inflated self importance and massive ego's never case to try to take the moral high ground every time they are critisized.

This country is truly a world hub for prostittion which is a major industry and it goes undeterred until some self important nobody is likened in parody. Bloody hypocrites. If the cap fits wear it.

[WhizBang]

The opposition reasoned that corruption was rife during the Thaksin regime. It said that Thaksin altered laws to benefit his business interests and interfered in the work of independent agencies tasked with performing a checks-and-balances role.

Just as we have now under this puppet regime. In fact worse in some/many ways.

Time for another coup?

[MikeOboe57]

Travelling on taxpayers' money, Khien said, the PM must speak for the country's interests and not for the gain of herself and her own group.

A fine statement of the obvious, yet too difficult to understand for someone with the intellectual, political and diplomatic capabilities of the PM.

[GazR]

'LOVE BIG BROTHER' (George Orwell, 'Nineteen Eightyfour')

Edited May 10, 2013 by GazR

[ridkun]

PM and ICT did the right thing because ones who supports coup d'état and military dictatorship must be suppressed in the name of democracy. The freedom of speech is guaranteed only for people who supports democracy, not for ones who against it. Right? Right? Please don't replace the word 'democracy' with the name of any exiled person though.

[slapout]

A half truth, white lie, exaggration, is a lie, makes no difference how you want to justify it.

Responsibility, maturity, morals and ethetics teach us to recongize our own faults, correct them or accept that as an individual, we lied, have done so in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.Self appraisal requires honesty, which seems in short supply in this government.

Those who watch, appraise, evulate, etc judge/comment on what they hear, see and preceive, in their analitical way, while those with the inflated self importance/worth, seem unable to look at the predictament they have gotten themselves into, as being self inflicted.

Most successful politicians are astute enough to employee, capable individuals to monitor, write, preview, etc a speech. But when your hold on a position, is so fragile that you only hire/appoint those with a moral/maturity level that falls as low as your own, you will spend a lot of time covering up the stench.

[Minnehaha]

So, I understand Chai posted an image of YS on his page and put a caption under it.

Or was it a cartoon (drawn image) ?

If it was a cartoon, does anyone know where to find it or has Big Brother wiped the slate clean?

I am just curious to see it.

[PETDCAT]

So, I understand Chai posted an image of YS on his page and put a caption under it.

Or was it a cartoon (drawn image) ?

If it was a cartoon, does anyone know where to find it or has Big Brother wiped the slate clean?

I am just curious to see it.

He is a cartoonist. On His facebook page He posted a picture of YS and inserted the comment. He didnt draw a cartoon. It was also on His personnel facebook page and not in the newspaper. Just to clarify.

[whybother]

The cartoonist did his job. The editors are supposed to exercise good judgement when they run a cartoon.

It is an error for the PM to pursue a legal case. Even if she wins, she will lose. Her response demonstrates the ineptitude of her advisers who should have instead taken their case to the court of public opinion. Had they done their jobs, they would have treated this as a low end insult. Instead of creating sympathy for the PM, they have instead fanned the flames of ridicule.

I don't think the editors had anything to do with this. It was on his facebook page.

[Minnehaha]

So, I understand Chai posted an image of YS on his page and put a caption under it.

Or was it a cartoon (drawn image) ?

If it was a cartoon, does anyone know where to find it or has Big Brother wiped the slate clean?

I am just curious to see it.

He is a cartoonist. On His facebook page He posted a picture of YS and inserted the comment. He didnt draw a cartoon. It was also on His personnel facebook page and not in the newspaper. Just to clarify.

Thanks for clarifying that.

I thought I read the other day that it was in Thai Rath paper as a cartoon. Now I understand it was on FB.

I'm no lawyer... and I am fixin to say something maybe stupider than hell but am gonna say it anyway.

So, what you say on your FB page could be libelous harm to another? (libel in the legal definition)

Raises a few thoughts...

I thought libel was for print media.... or the public domain.

Is my FB page public domain? I try to put in restrictions so that only friends can see my posts. (I hate spam and dont wish to be friends with everyone).

If I said something about someone that is not true is would be slander.

[Mampara]

The cartoonist did his job. The editors are supposed to exercise good judgement when they run a cartoon.

It is an error for the PM to pursue a legal case. Even if she wins, she will lose. Her response demonstrates the ineptitude of her advisers who should have instead taken their case to the court of public opinion. Had they done their jobs, they would have treated this as a low end insult. Instead of creating sympathy for the PM, they have instead fanned the flames of ridicule.

A cartoonist is a visualartist who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is often created for entertainment, political

commentary or advertising. In politics a cartoonist usually draws a cartoon as a critic for the amusement of its adult readers that gives food for thought. It is not aimed at immature narrow minded readers, rather for the more mature readers.

[OzMick]

Half truth - such as 'I am PM of Thailand'?

[animatic]

So, I understand Chai posted an image of YS on his page and put a caption under it.

Or was it a cartoon (drawn image) ?

If it was a cartoon, does anyone know where to find it or has Big Brother wiped the slate clean?

I am just curious to see it.

He is a cartoonist. On His facebook page He posted a picture of YS and inserted the comment. He didnt draw a cartoon. It was also on His personnel facebook page and not in the newspaper. Just to clarify.

Thanks for clarifying that.

I thought I read the other day that it was in Thai Rath paper as a cartoon. Now I understand it was on FB.

I'm no lawyer... and I am fixin to say something maybe stupider than hell but am gonna say it anyway.

So, what you say on your FB page could be libelous harm to another? (libel in the legal definition)

Raises a few thoughts...

I thought libel was for print media.... or the public domain.

Is my FB page public domain? I try to put in restrictions so that only friends can see my posts. (I hate spam and dont wish to be friends with everyone).

If I said something about someone that is not true is would be slander.

This was defamation.

Facebook is the public domain for public figures, in this case both were.

Of course in Thailand you can defame someone with the truth,

and still be convicted of lowering their reputation publicly.

Yes bizarrely the truth is not a defence, even when working for

the public good is the reasoning, in the land where intentional

loss of face is a civil and sometimes criminal act.

Childish is hardly the word for it.

Edited May 10, 2013 by animatic

[NCFC]

Quote "The Democrat Party, which was an implicit target of the PM's speech, issued an open letter to Mongolia and other countries, in which it tried to explain the reasons and political circumstances that led to the military's toppling of the Thaksin government, which Yingluck chose to omit from her speech."

So the Democrats finally admit that they are undemocratic and support the use of military coups.

[HarryMilton]

".... and that the right to criticise is a foundation of democracy."

Since when in this country?

That was the man's point!

[OzMick]

Quote "The Democrat Party, which was an implicit target of the PM's speech, issued an open letter to Mongolia and other countries, in which it tried to explain the reasons and political circumstances that led to the military's toppling of the Thaksin government, which Yingluck chose to omit from her speech."

So the Democrats finally admit that they are undemocratic and support the use of military coups.

Your political bias is leading you to make implications not justified by the statement. You don't wish to discuss "The opposition reasoned that corruption was rife during the Thaksin regime."?

[hyperion]

A Thai butthurt over what they know is true? Who'da thunk?

[davehowden]

So, I understand Chai posted an image of YS on his page and put a caption under it.

Or was it a cartoon (drawn image) ?

If it was a cartoon, does anyone know where to find it or has Big Brother wiped the slate clean?

I am just curious to see it.

He is a cartoonist. On His facebook page He posted a picture of YS and inserted the comment. He didnt draw a cartoon. It was also on His personnel facebook page and not in the newspaper. Just to clarify.

Thanks for clarifying that.

I thought I read the other day that it was in Thai Rath paper as a cartoon. Now I understand it was on FB.

I'm no lawyer... and I am fixin to say something maybe stupider than hell but am gonna say it anyway.

So, what you say on your FB page could be libelous harm to another? (libel in the legal definition)

Raises a few thoughts...

I thought libel was for print media.... or the public domain.

Is my FB page public domain? I try to put in restrictions so that only friends can see my posts. (I hate spam and dont wish to be friends with everyone).

If I said something about someone that is not true is would be slander.

Yes, it would, and they could prosecute you, so take care what you say on FB or any other social media.

[bkk_mike]

The opposition reasoned that corruption was rife during the Thaksin regime. It said that Thaksin altered laws to benefit his business interests and interfered in the work of independent agencies tasked with performing a checks-and-balances role.

Just as we have now under this puppet regime. In fact worse in some/many ways.

Time for another coup?

God no..

The coup itself went admirably... for a coup (no shots fired, etc.)

But they were awful when it came to running the country.

[SeaVisionBurma]

An inappropriate slur has been removed.

[SOTIRIOS]

...good for him...

...what to dispute....

...are there not prostitutes of every gender running around in Thailand....???

....selling themselves.....(drugging, robbing and killing, too)....... or marrying men they do not love....which adds up to the same thing...

.....what does that have to do with defamation of women.....it is a sad, sick, reality of Thai society...

....as for 'selling the country'......

...misrepresentation of all the facts, for one's own gain.....or one's family or 'group'......is inappropriate for a head of state.....

[waza]

This is not the first time she has embarrassed herself on the international stage, but this time she included Thailand is her shame...........

http://libraryhumors.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/just-wait-until-we-get-home.html

Edited May 10, 2013 by waza

[khunken]

This is not the first time she has embarrassed herself on the international stage, but this time she included Thailand is her shame...........

http://libraryhumors.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/just-wait-until-we-get-home.html

Quite funny.