Nothing really changes: Thai opinion

[webfact]

'Nothing really changes'
Voravit Suwanvanichkij
Special to The Nation


An anti-government protester flees from tear gas fired by police defending Government House on Monday.

BANGKOK: -- Vendors at a market near the Democracy Monument look on as yet another protest movement delivers empty promises of political reform

"Please help me," implored the woman, sitting at the roadside.

I was near the popular Bobae wholesale clothes market. Government House, a main target of the anti-government protesters trying to unseat the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, was only a few blocks away. The intermittent pops of rubber bullets being fired were growing in intensity and frequency, while a haze billowed down the street, bringing with it the faint odour of gunpowder and an acrid smoke that immediately burned the eyes and nose. The barricades began just two blocks away, where traffic was being redirected away from the protests.

Although we were close to the site of the clashes, the woman was not a protester, nor had she been hurt. Not physically.

"I have barely sold anything all day," she lamented.

Daeng was a middle-aged roadside vendor who sold jackfruit, and what should have been a bustling market was nearly deserted, the vendors whiling away the time with gossip. Several were unsteady on their feet, nursing bottles of local rice whisky.

"It has been like this for over a week now but has been especially bad [since the violence broke out]."

She gestured towards a pile of unsold, peeled jackfruit. "I'm not going to make back my investment today."

Daeng invests about Bt200 each day to purchase several whole jackfruit, which she peels and sells on the roadside.

This neighbourhood, located close to Government House, Rajdamnoen Avenue and its symbolic heart, the Democracy Monument, and several major ministry buildings, is no stranger to political turmoil. Almost every major political uprising in Thailand has taken place in or around the area, including the "1932 revolution" that ended absolute monarchy.

As I did what I could to help Daeng recoup her investment, groups of protesters passed through, frequently wearing black, with the Thai flag emblazoned on a T-shirt, scarf or wristbands, and with the latest local fashion accessory - a whistle - strung around their necks. Many had towels or swimming goggles handy, and several were helping each other rinse out their eyes with bottles of drinking water.

At the time of writing, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban says the prime minister's resignation and dissolution of the House would not satisfy the anti-government campaign's demands. Instead he has given Prime Minister Yingluck a nebulously worded ultimatum of two days to "return power to the people" so that a "People's Democratic Reform Committee" comprised of unelected individuals can oversee political reform and uproot the so-called Thaksin system.

As a physician, I have learned to make a clear distinction between the disease and its symptoms. One of the cardinal manifestations of the disease malaria is high fever, which can be treated with anti-pyretics such as paracetamol while treatment against the causative parasite can be administered.

Similarly, the "Thaksin system" is a reflection of a deeper illness that pervades and perverts Thai democracy: that of patronage networks, where personal loyalties - rather than platforms, performance or ideals - are of paramount importance. Such networks can make or break careers, open or close doors to power, and even allow those with the right connections to flout the law. Thaksin Shinawatra has been indicted for conflict of interest, abusing his position to help his wife purchase land, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison. His tenure as prime minister saw a "war on drugs" in which thousands were extra-judicially executed, and precipitous declines in indices of press freedom for Thailand. Meanwhile, those close to his family were promoted to positions of power. His cousin Chaiyasit Shinawatra was elevated to army commander-in-chief in 2003. Another cousin by marriage, Surapong Tovichakchaikul, currently serves as his sister's deputy prime minister, Foreign minister, and, most recently, chief of the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), charged with handling the current anti-government protests.

Yet the man who would lead the charge against the scourge of the "Thaksin regime" and undertake political reform is, himself, no stranger to controversy and scandal. Suthep Thaugsuban, a veteran politician, has been implicated in several cases of corruption and conflict of interest, and it was Suthep's involvement in shady land deals in Phuket which, in 1995, brought down one Democrat government. Although his current message has struck a chord with many, mobilising the largest protests since 2010 in an expression of anger against the government's unpopular amnesty bill to absolve corrupt politicians, Suthep's past, coupled with his nebulous goals and undemocratic tactics and statements, belie his exhortations for reform.

True, durable political reform in Thailand will not simply come about with the removal of the Shinawatras. To paraphrase the words of a friend who works as a medic in the jungles on the Thai-Myanmar border, their removal would be akin to providing just paracetamol for malaria, masking the symptoms of fever without curing the disease. The bitter pill to swallow, the treatment for the disease, will require a sea-change in the country's value system. Our disease is a self-perpetuating system which often elevates scoundrels to positions of authority. A system where opacity and the maintenance of face are prioritised over transparency, and one which condones and encourages the use of personal connections to achieve one's goals, and tolerates abuse of power, corruption, and even murder for those with the right connections.

"We know he [suthep] owns a lot of Phuket," said Phet, a nearby coffee vendor, with a knowing smile. Phet has also seen a drop in business but has managed to get by thanks to the thirsty demonstrators. With his stall located just off Rachadamnoen Nok, he too is no stranger to political turmoil.

"We have seen many protests and uprisings. They [the politicians] always make big promises with a straight face, grandiose pronouncements. And then? They come and go, but at the end of the day we are the ones who still have to suffer. And nothing really changes."

Voravit Suwanvanichkij, MD, is a Research Associate at the Centre for Public Health and Human Rights, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.


-- The Nation 2013-12-04

[Tatsujin]

"We have seen many protests and uprisings. They [the politicians] always make big promises with a straight face, grandiose pronouncements. And then? They come and go, but at the end of the day we are the ones who still have to suffer. And nothing really changes."

Sad, but true. Nothing really does change much here. When they actually want it to change, really change, they'll make it happen. Until then, they'll swap one set of thieves for another and the cycle will continue in the guise of "democracy" and "Thainess".

[tominbkk]

"We have seen many protests and uprisings. They [the politicians] always make big promises with a straight face, grandiose pronouncements. And then? They come and go, but at the end of the day we are the ones who still have to suffer. And nothing really changes."

Sad, but true. Nothing really does change much here. When they actually want it to change, really change, they'll make it happen. Until then, they'll swap one set of thieves for another and the cycle will continue in the guise of "democracy" and "Thainess".

Real change will come to be when the social pyramid is flattened.

[seminomadic]

Thaksin Shinawatra has been indicted for conflict of interest, abusing his position to help his wife purchase land, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison. His tenure as prime minister saw a "war on drugs" in which thousands were extra-judicially executed, and precipitous declines in indices of press freedom for Thailand.

On a relative scale, which leader of Thailand HASN"T been implicated in corruption? And what percentage of Thais who follow the straight and narrow can be all that disappointed that he went to some extremes to (try to) eradicate yaa baa dealers from the country?

I'm not a fan of the Shinawatras. They could leave and I wouldn't care, so long as a real leader has come along to offer viable solutions to the country's problems (#1- Traffic, about which PM Yingluck has made things much much worse, #2- Education, about which PM Yingluck might have made things worse)

The bitter pill to swallow, the treatment for the disease, will require a sea-change in the country's value system.

BANG ON. This country - or more fair to say this area of the world, southeast Asia, considers knowledge and communication a very low priority compared to saving face and short-term gain. As someone said in another thread about ancient Greece, much of the first world gives great import to public debate. However, here students don't ask teachers questions because they're afraid of losing face by making it known they don't understand 100%. Greng Jai, thoughtful and selfless as it most often is, causes questions to not be answered directly but with assumptions. What is called literature over here is pathetic in comparison to what Vietnam, China and Japan have to offer. Seems it's more effort-intensive and just not as fun as breathtakingly stupid soap operas.

Our disease is a self-perpetuating system which often elevates scoundrels to positions of authority.

No, no, no good Doctor! Please don't localize the problem to the politicians alone! Oh, why did you do that? Now Thais who read the article can point the finger. You had a good thing going with the value system comment, which must be applied to and internalized by ALL THAIS if there is to be significant, Singapore-in-the-last-43-years-esque progress!

A system where opacity and the maintenance of face are prioritised over transparency, and one which condones and encourages the use of personal connections to achieve one's goals, and tolerates abuse of power, corruption, and even murder for those with the right connections.

Oh, good you got it back now. Yes, the opacity, the hiding, the fear of losing face. Here, Thailand, let me give you a concrete example of how you can REALLY assimilate this (yes you): When someone asks your name while you're working, you don't do that pathetic delay attempt where you point your finger at yourself and say "me?" when there's nobody else within 20 meters of you or respond with "tammai ka?" or act like you didn't hear the question, you give them your name. This is the type of ground-level application of transparency you have to get used to if you meant it when you say you want real change. THEN the values of the politicians are forced to reflect that when it's held by the wider population. Stop being so keekyad that you think you can just wait for it to happen without yourself getting involved personally.

We're not holding our breaths for any of this, though.

Edited December 4, 2013 by seminomadic

[sawadee1947]

very ggod description of Thailand. Sad too. But all changes have to be made in a democratic way foolowing rules and laws of democracy. The mob can't change anything. Give Y. the chance of talks with may people and let her change the constitution with majority of parliament

[razer]

A voice of reason. A voice of truth. How does a nation learn what national pride is? How does a nation change its culture?

[sadhukar]

The author forgot to add: and an incredibly gullible, trend-following, sheep like population who believes more in hearsay and dislikes to check facts, especially if given by an authority. This makes propaganda all too easy and why demagogues and the well connected will never be deposed.

[feralfarang]

The bitter pill to swallow, the treatment for the disease, will require a sea-change in the country's value system.

BANG ON. This country - or more fair to say this area of the world, southeast Asia, considers knowledge and communication a very low priority compared to saving face and short-term gain. As someone said in another thread about ancient Greece, much of the first world gives great import to public debate. However, here students don't ask teachers questions because they're afraid of losing face by making it known they don't understand 100%. Greng Jai, thoughtful and selfless as it most often is, causes questions to not be answered directly but with assumptions. What is called literature over here is pathetic in comparison to what Vietnam, China and Japan have to offer. Seems it's more effort-intensive and just not as fun as breathtakingly stupid soap operas.

And yet, it was the ancient Greeks who first invented the word "demagogue" and described the results of introducing this kind of individual into a democracy.

To blame all of this on the Asian idea of saving face is a myopic view of the actual problem. That is not to say a different perspective by the electorate could not do anything to make the rise of demagogues more difficult, but to imply that the "first world" is immune to their effects due to public debate is disingenuous. The recent example of the quintescential demagogue Adolf Hitler should be more than enough proof of that.

Unfortunately, the author of this piece misses the fact that demagogues are an unfortunate reality in any democracy, He claims they are merely a symptom, but in a very real sense they are the disease itself. Thailand may have a compromised immune system and allow them to easily proliferate, but even a strong patient can not always escape their effects, as history can testify. Being a physician, he should be more aware of the effects a parasite can have on a host. The metaphor he has chosen is flawed.

I support his desire to improve the overall health of Thailand, but like many who are trying to make sense of this problem, he does not want to confront the ugly reality that democracies are vulnerable to the likes of demagogues. To admit that an ideal like "Democracy with a capital D" may not be as great as you would like to believe is to admit that you see the emporer without clothes, and few want to accept the reality of that.

Even the ancient Greeks understood that any democracy is crippled when a demagogue arises. Before you can heal the democracy, you must first remove the parasite. By all means do everything you can to make the host healthy, but have the courage to understand the root cause of the problem first. No amount of education or reduction in corruption is going to cure this issue. The Greeks couldn't do it, and nothing has changed throughout the millenia. Human nature being what it is, the only solution is to remove the demagogue, and then try and prevent another one from arising before they become this powerful. The patient is likely to suffer mightily during this process.

[englishoak]

If you ask anyone on the street in India they will happily engage you in current political opinion or discussion. If you ask someone in Thailand their eyes will glaze over.

Now if they introduced political debate around eating and Thai soaps there would be a never ending stream of conversation and opinion .... sadly until a good cook or B class Thai actor/ actress steps into the political arena i doubt most Thias will take much of an interest let alone even try to understand what these parties policies actually stand for.

I have never managed to have a a decent political conversation longer than 2 minutes in Thailand. I dont expect anything to change in my lifetime either ... mores the pity.

[sadhukar]

If you ask anyone on the street in India they will happily engage you in current political opinion or discussion. If you ask someone in Thailand their eyes will glaze over.

Now if they introduced political debate around eating and Thai soaps there would be a never ending stream of conversation and opinion .... sadly until a good cook or B class Thai actor/ actress steps into the political arena i doubt most Thias will take much of an interest let alone even try to understand what these parties policies actually stand for.

I have never managed to have a a decent political conversation longer than 2 minutes in Thailand. I dont expect anything to change in my lifetime either ... mores the pity.

The sad reality is that the intellectuals are scared of lese majeste, so they don't want to talk to anyone about it. Get to know some mahidol or chula students (the thai version, not the reject rich college aka international version) or thai expats and you'll get some seriously passioned debate

[SheungWan]

"We have seen many protests and uprisings. They [the politicians] always make big promises with a straight face, grandiose pronouncements. And then? They come and go, but at the end of the day we are the ones who still have to suffer. And nothing really changes."

Sad, but true. Nothing really does change much here. When they actually want it to change, really change, they'll make it happen. Until then, they'll swap one set of thieves for another and the cycle will continue in the guise of "democracy" and "Thainess".

Real change will come to be when the social pyramid is flattened.

Land reform in the north-east where Thakisn has his political alliance with the north-eastern landowners might be a start. Thakin's own personal family pyramid conducted by de capo certainly no alternative.

[Robby nz]

Don't know where to put this so I will put it here.

The Mrs has just called me from BKK and tells me there have been bombings and gunfire since about 4 oclock and that emergency services are running around.

She is close to one of the rally sites and has been out talking to locals who have told her that someone tried to start fires earlier but were caught by guards and taken to the police.

Seems the Kings words have had no effect on some.

[englishoak]

If you ask anyone on the street in India they will happily engage you in current political opinion or discussion. If you ask someone in Thailand their eyes will glaze over.

Now if they introduced political debate around eating and Thai soaps there would be a never ending stream of conversation and opinion .... sadly until a good cook or B class Thai actor/ actress steps into the political arena i doubt most Thias will take much of an interest let alone even try to understand what these parties policies actually stand for.

I have never managed to have a a decent political conversation longer than 2 minutes in Thailand. I dont expect anything to change in my lifetime either ... mores the pity.

The sad reality is that the intellectuals are scared of lese majeste, so they don't want to talk to anyone about it. Get to know some mahidol or chula students (the thai version, not the reject rich college aka international version) or thai expats and you'll get some seriously passioned debate

Thats the problem, without an interest by the person on the street in politics nothing will ever change, trying to find a few needles in a haystack is far from enough to affect change here