EDITORIAL
We need to be honest about our failings
The Nation

Thais get upset when confronted with home truths, but we as a society are reluctant or unwilling to discuss controversial and taboo subjects that require remedies

BANGKOK: -- The first two arrests were about the possession of protected animals. The third arrest, this past weekend, was because of a lewd sex show. What's the connection?

Rihanna, the international pop star who visited Thailand last month, left the country's law-enforcement agencies red-faced after her racy "tweet" about what she had witnessed during a visit to an entertainment venue in Phuket. The singer has 32 million followers on the networking site. She also took a picture of herself with a slow loris, a protected primate, while watching a sex show.

Two people have been arrested for possession of the protected animal. And last weekend the authorities arrested a bar owner in connection with the lewd show that Rihanna mentioned in her tweet. He faces charges of obscenity.

Local district chief Weera Kerdsirimongkon was quoted by The Associated Press as saying the arrest was part of a crackdown on such shows. "Authorities found out about this bar the morning after Rihanna tweeted about it, but we were not able to catch them violating the law until Saturday night," Weera said. "We had been waiting for them, and finally caught them red-handed."

The bar owner could face a month in prison and a fine of up to Bt60,000, according to the district chief.

Do the district chief and law-enforcement agencies deserve a pat on the back?

For those who are unfamiliar with Thailand's seemingly contradictory social-political setting, it would appear that the rapid response from the country's finest was a job well done. But for the local people, as well for expats who have been here long enough, officials were merely covering their own backs.

It is unfortunate that this social-legal predicament has to rest on the shoulders of a district chief and the Phuket police.

This is about much more than local officials not doing their jobs until a renowned foreign celebrity causes a stir or makes an issue out of something in Thailand. It's more about our ability to come to terms with what is normal or acceptable in our society.

Part of our inability to come to terms with issues that are so obvious, such as the sex industry and the appalling treatment of endangered animals, has to do with the fact that we are indifferent to sensitive and controversial issues until we are forced to look deep inside ourselves. We don't like to talk about these things - from prostitution to the trade in and exploitation of wild and endangered animals - because it makes us uncomfortable.

Our lawmakers make such things illegal while our law-enforcement agencies and society turn a blind eye to them. Then, when a well-known person puts these issues in the spotlight, for whatever reason - as when Lady Gaga joked about buying a fake wristwatch in Thailand - many of us either get bent out of shape or refuse to stray from our comfort zone.

Is it so hard to admit that the world's oldest profession and lewd sex shows are thriving in Thailand? Or that we sell counterfeit goods and trade in endangered species?

If we could be more honest, we can debate these issues in a more meaningful way, and formulate concrete solutions to things such as corruption, extortion by the authorities and labour rights for sex workers.


-- The Nation 2013-10-18

Good start about the failings , but don't turn a blind eye to the truth also!

' Honesty ' and ' Failings ' aren't exactly words in everyday use in Thailand.

Every week, there is onr article from the nation about what Thais should do to become better people or make a better society.

I swear it is read only on here and about 20k print copies and that is it. No one cares, and nothing will change. We should, we think, but you don't know and you won't change.

Edited October 17, 201312 yr by Thai at Heart

Good start about the failings , but don't turn a blind eye to the truth also!

And for God's sake, there are floods in Thailand, can somebody notify the government about it, it seems they are still not aware !!!

Face and denial.......If it's not discussed, it doesn't exist.....perfect.

As far as Thais are concerned its always someone else's fault !

regards Worgeordie

The 'educated, middle class' people I work with have both no interest and no knowledge of what goes on in their own country.

But they do know everything about the latest soap operas, furbees and eating.

Average age, 34.

If they really bothered to take a long hard look at Thailand and face the realities of the world around them, I fear they would all suffer a nervous breakdown of the highest magnitude.

Go figure...

Good topic for the article. The fact is: any time and any where, one must first acknowledge a problem before it can be solved.

The truth will set Thais free. Thais are not interested in truth. The entire culture is based on denial, deception, and deceit.

But you are <deleted> not!

"Thais get upset when confronted with home truths..."

As Jack Nicholson said: "You can't handle the truth!!!" Thai society is about saving face, and that facet of the Thai mindset is so ingrained it will never be replaced by truth, honesty, reality or humility.

The law enforcement agencies do not 'turn a blind eye' to it. They're in there with a bag.

3 monkeys:
Don't see Don't hear Don't speak

3 words forbidden in Thailand:
Sex Corruption Window Dressing

The government is not blind, but they don't want to see.
Thailand is over the whole world famous about his beautifull girls and sex-shows.

They arrest people who trade in drugs and sex and nobody think about the bad things the officers do.

But only a few see Thailand as one of the biggest producers of rice.

The government does a lot good, but works slowly and keep their eyes closed.

Maybe over 50 years they are awake.

Edited October 27, 201312 yr by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal. Please do not post using overly large font.

With corruption endemic at every level, what impresses me is not that so many Thais are dishonest scoundrels - but that the vast majority remain decent, honest and hard working.

As a retiree fortunate enough to have settled here 15 years a go, I can honestly say I am treated with more kindness and respect by Thai people than those in my dysfunctional home country, where blaming the elderly for its current economic plight is part of the millionaire government's vote winning strategy.

Britain is the birthplace of "grannie bashing". This involves young people physically attacking old people and recording the results on their mobile telephones so their mates can enjoy a laugh, too.

If that is Western "civilisation", they can keep it.

What isn't mentioned, in this article, is that the arrests were made shortly before the Governor and his new side kick, the new police commander walked down soi bangla, call me suspicious if you want, but looks like another photo op. Oh, last night, 17/10/2013, business was back to normal.

Edited October 18, 201312 yr by Rorri

The truth will set Thais free. Thais are not interested in truth. The entire culture is based on denial, deception, and deceit.

Entire culture? Hey, the place has a number of problems but c'mon, this is way beyond a sweeping and inaccurate generality. It's just flat out wrong.

The editorial is Friday humor, nothing less nothing more.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Such emcomia are wishful thinking.

Loss of face ,belief in dharma,black magic ,ghosts and special people are all part of the general ignorance.

In an increasingly globalised world where high skills and trust are earned elsewhere seems like it is destined to be the playpen of ASEAN.

Like others I feel lucky to live here and ordinary rural THAI folks seem fine and often a different color to the folks on TV?

I wish Rihanna would tweet about my motorcycle being stolen

Very good that's someone wake up and reflect !!!

Hmm...... so Rihanna tweets and three men get arrested by the cops in short order.

They should make her the Honorary Chief of Police.

Whoever wrote the op-ed obviously was educated outside of Thailand.

Never happen, too much face to be lost all round...

We need to be honest. about our failings

Every week, there is onr article from the nation about what Thais should do to become better people or make a better society.

I swear it is read only on here and about 20k print copies and that is it. No one cares, and nothing will change. We should, we think, but you don't know and you won't change.

What I have wondered about is; Are these editorials/commentaries being printed in Thai and in the Thai language newspapers???

Every week, there is onr article from the nation about what Thais should do to become better people or make a better society.

I swear it is read only on here and about 20k print copies and that is it. No one cares, and nothing will change. We should, we think, but you don't know and you won't change.

What I have wondered about is; Are these editorials/commentaries being printed in Thai and in the Thai language newspapers???

No way Jose. They would get pilloried for showing disloyalty to Thailand.

Whoever wrote the op-ed obviously was educated outside of Thailand.

That was my thoughts also.. "We're Thai.. we don't need no stinking honesty".. p.s. The UN is not my father either.