Remind me: Where exactly on Earth are we now?: Thai opinion

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STREETWISE
Remind me: Where exactly on Earth are we now?
Achara Deboonme

BANGKOK: -- A drive into the heart of Bangkok last weekend proved a real adventure, a reminder that when law and order is missing, life anywhere in the world can be miserable.

I was elated when People's Democratic Reform Council leader Suthep Thaugsuban called off the Bangkok shutdown on March 3. My first thought was that city life could now get back on track, with residents free to roam without fear of traffic jams or unexpected incidents.

It was an illusion. A group of anti-government protesters was still in position outside Government House last weekend. A section of Phitsanulok Road remained blocked, forcing cars on the way to Rajdamnoen Avenue to make a detour. On my way to Rama VIII Bridge, I was among them. After turning left at Nang Lerng Intersection, I took a right turn to Krung Kasem Road only to find that Rajdamnoen Avenue was still closed. Driving another block, I turned left. At the end of the narrow road, I was supposed to make two more left turns to reach the bridge. But at an intersection, a sign ahead told me I couldn't go left or straight on. "Whatever", I thought to myself, before cranking a right turn to reach Rajdamnoen Nai Avenue. From there, I took the Pinklao Bridge to get cross the Chao Phraya.

If I had a friend living in the area and available to ask online I could have avoided the traffic misery. Unfortunately, I'm not a taxi driver with a network of colleagues to ask on a LINE group chat. The road signage remains the same, but drivers have to discover their own way through the blocked routes. Even PDRC's Facebook page fails to provide any information on the day's traffic conditions, preferring to fill us in on politics updates.

I'm not surprised that more and more foreign visitors are making their own detours when visiting Thailand. According to Thai AirAsia, January saw higher passenger traffic at Chiang Mai and Phuket airports, while the number at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi dropped. And this is just part of the "new normal" that has reigned since the protests started.

As the rallies continue, more reports of violence are surfacing. As well as grenades and drive-by shootings, there has also been news of physical attacks. More than 20 people, children among them, have lost their lives, and over 700 have been injured. A man was reportedly attacked at Lumpini Park and his body dumped in Chon Buri, leading to an arrest warrant being issued for a protest leader. Last weekend, a man was attacked and reportedly had money and an iPhone stolen. In normal times, we at least have the assurance that police can help. But nowadays, who you can turn to? The beleaguered government? Soldiers in their camouflaged bunkers? Suthep?

My sympathy goes out to people in the deep South who have suffered from far greater violence for over 10 years now. I also feel a great deal of empathy for people in other violence-hit parts of the world.

In Syria on Friday, government helicopter gun-ships killed at least six people when they dropped barrel bombs on the strategic rebel stronghold of Yabrud, close to the Lebanese border. Three years of civil war has devastated the lives of an entire generation of children. It's cost the lives of more than 11,000 kids and turned more than 1 million into refugees. It has subjected them to trauma, indiscriminate shelling and even torture. (Highly recommended is this video by Save The Children-UK; as of yesterday it had received over 21 million hits:

)

Consuming so much news on violence there is a danger that we are getting familiar with the "new normal" and no longer taking its horrors as seriously. The more we consume it, the more we're inclined to think that the situation is beyond our capacity. But as long as we keep our distance, we should be okay. Life goes on. It's as simple as that. Fighting in Syria does not directly concern Thais. To most of us, the violence in Bangkok or the deep South is too far away.

Like other ordinary folk, I don't mind if the anti-government protest campaign continues or if individuals and business groups continue to support its cause. For now, I have resolved to avoid at all costs travelling to areas I'm not familiar with and for which I have no traffic news. I would not dare to move any road barricades placed by protesters, as they deem that tantamount to a protest against their "patriotic actions". But that's easy to swallow. I still hold Thai citizenship, though my constitutional rights have been infringed.

What else can I do? Bangkok is just getting scarier, particularly for someone who is not yet familiar with the violence.


-- The Nation 2014-03-11

[rhythmworx]

" I still hold Thai citizenship, though my constitutional rights have been infringed."

Why cant The Nation hire Thai reporters <deleted>.

No one cares about the farangs opinion.

He's only pissed off because he had to pay extra for the detour and possible danger involved.

Edited March 11, 2014 by rhythmworx

[Jeremy50]

Pathetic. Did he wet his pants?

[chainarong]

In Short , Thailand is not much further advanced than the Junta days , the Thai democracy has been a failure as the Academic's were at pains to point out at the completion of the constitution , the arrogance of some members of parliament the criminal records of some members of parliament , the continued challenging of the law when the interpretation is not the same as some would like it, promises that either fail or don't eventuate , all this mixture makes Thailand a international laughing stock and in the long term a basket case, in short , lacking in Education..

[bkkgriz]

" I still hold Thai citizenship, though my constitutional rights have been infringed."

Why cant The Nation hire Thai reporters <deleted>.

No one cares about the farangs opinion.

He's only pissed off because he had to pay extra for the detour and possible danger involved.

Remind me: Where exactly on Earth are we now?

Achara Deboonme

I'm pretty sure that is a Thai name.

[slipperylobster]

You hit the nerve. Yes, totally correct. I think the Romans did a better job during the 100 years of PAX Romana.

Perhaps mankind is on the brink. Unfortunately, people do not think alike. Many live in their self made hell of a brain, and do not think as a group....for the good of all.

Aristotle though Hemlock to be the answer, and chose the path of self righteousness. The nature of mankind....since the first book was written, was a study of who can get the most fastest. War and destruction are nothing new, it is from that which we came.... our heritage.

Public information, now shared without censorship through media channels such as facebook and twitter, are a noble start.

Unfortunately, that power is the proverbial "Pandora's Box". Can our minds handle so much information at once, without shutting down? If we put this to the test, how many can survive that depression of knowing the infestation of corrupt morality, evil, and imminent danger that exists at every turn of the corner.

Is there any power in the world that can change the animal instincts that still control our actions....being the victorious genetic inheritors of great conquerors and evaders of diseases throughout the ages, such as was the bubonic plague.

Perhaps in the future, out offspring will shudder at what we have to put up with. It must change. It has too.

Evolving into what? Fear mongerers? Or a disciplined society that will not tolerate evil, corruption, and inhumanity.

There is no power in me..... it exists only as a group. I am tired of selfish national interests. The world should be one.

or am I dreaming? Thank you John Lennon.

[slipperylobster]

In Short , Thailand is not much further advanced than the Junta days , the Thai democracy has been a failure as the Academic's were at pains to point out at the completion of the constitution , the arrogance of some members of parliament the criminal records of some members of parliament , the continued challenging of the law when the interpretation is not the same as some would like it, promises that either fail or don't eventuate , all this mixture makes Thailand a international laughing stock and in the long term a basket case, in short , lacking in Education..

Lack of education, perhaps as Abraham Lincoln would surmise, is not the problem. The issue is greed. True in any society. I would take a classroom of C minus students, and make them Senators, if they could just say no to profiteering, over a classroom of Wall Street Wannabees. It is an issue of morality...not intelligence. A man such as Lincoln...could educate himself.....but a choice to make the world a better place takes much more.

[soalbundy]

You hit the nerve. Yes, totally correct. I think the Romans did a better job during the 100 years of PAX Romana.

Perhaps mankind is on the brink. Unfortunately, people do not think alike. Many live in their self made hell of a brain, and do not think as a group....for the good of all.

Aristotle though Hemlock to be the answer, and chose the path of self righteousness. The nature of mankind....since the first book was written, was a study of who can get the most fastest. War and destruction are nothing new, it is from that which we came.... our heritage.

Public information, now shared without censorship through media channels such as facebook and twitter, are a noble start.

Unfortunately, that power is the proverbial "Pandora's Box". Can our minds handle so much information at once, without shutting down? If we put this to the test, how many can survive that depression of knowing the infestation of corrupt morality, evil, and imminent danger that exists at every turn of the corner.

Is there any power in the world that can change the animal instincts that still control our actions....being the victorious genetic inheritors of great conquerors and evaders of diseases throughout the ages, such as was the bubonic plague.

Perhaps in the future, out offspring will shudder at what we have to put up with. It must change. It has too.

Evolving into what? Fear mongerers? Or a disciplined society that will not tolerate evil, corruption, and inhumanity.

There is no power in me..... it exists only as a group. I am tired of selfish national interests. The world should be one.

or am I dreaming? Thank you John Lennon.

Wrong forum...............blessed are the Greek. I say,if you can't beat them, get a bigger axe.

[soalbundy]

In Short , Thailand is not much further advanced than the Junta days , the Thai democracy has been a failure as the Academic's were at pains to point out at the completion of the constitution , the arrogance of some members of parliament the criminal records of some members of parliament , the continued challenging of the law when the interpretation is not the same as some would like it, promises that either fail or don't eventuate , all this mixture makes Thailand a international laughing stock and in the long term a basket case, in short , lacking in Education..

Lack of education, perhaps as Abraham Lincoln would surmise, is not the problem. The issue is greed. True in any society. I would take a classroom of C minus students, and make them Senators, if they could just say no to profiteering, over a classroom of Wall Street Wannabees. It is an issue of morality...not intelligence. A man such as Lincoln...could educate himself.....but a choice to make the world a better place takes much more.

Lack of bleeding hearts is more like it. Get real for a change,the perfect world would be extremely boring.

[laobali]

In Short , Thailand is not much further advanced than the Junta days , the Thai democracy has been a failure as the Academic's were at pains to point out at the completion of the constitution , the arrogance of some members of parliament the criminal records of some members of parliament , the continued challenging of the law when the interpretation is not the same as some would like it, promises that either fail or don't eventuate , all this mixture makes Thailand a international laughing stock and in the long term a basket case, in short , lacking in Education..

Lack of education, perhaps as Abraham Lincoln would surmise, is not the problem. The issue is greed. True in any society. I would take a classroom of C minus students, and make them Senators, if they could just say no to profiteering, over a classroom of Wall Street Wannabees. It is an issue of morality...not intelligence. A man such as Lincoln...could educate himself.....but a choice to make the world a better place takes much more.

Lack of bleeding hearts is more like it. Get real for a change,the perfect world would be extremely boring.

For the people in many countries who have to struggle to survive every day, would 'boring' be so terrible?

Edited March 11, 2014 by laobali

[bangkapi]

Mehhhhhh.......

[slipperylobster]

Sorry...had to smile at the naivity of it all. Politics is at best, a beast. Axe the Greeks.

...as they started it all. (self rule)

[slipperylobster]

Mehhhhhh.......

Nice input....Your contribution to this exciting topic has been noted, As well as your phallic stickman.

[Benmart]

In Short , Thailand is not much further advanced than the Junta days , the Thai democracy has been a failure as the Academic's were at pains to point out at the completion of the constitution , the arrogance of some members of parliament the criminal records of some members of parliament , the continued challenging of the law when the interpretation is not the same as some would like it, promises that either fail or don't eventuate , all this mixture makes Thailand a international laughing stock and in the long term a basket case, in short , lacking in Education..

Lack of education, perhaps as Abraham Lincoln would surmise, is not the problem. The issue is greed. True in any society. I would take a classroom of C minus students, and make them Senators, if they could just say no to profiteering, over a classroom of Wall Street Wannabees. It is an issue of morality...not intelligence. A man such as Lincoln...could educate himself.....but a choice to make the world a better place takes much more.

A sound education sometimes results in an enlightened individual who may see the goodness in honestly, benevolence and compassion. Those devoid of these virtues often worship at the altar of self.

[slipperylobster]

In Short , Thailand is not much further advanced than the Junta days , the Thai democracy has been a failure as the Academic's were at pains to point out at the completion of the constitution , the arrogance of some members of parliament the criminal records of some members of parliament , the continued challenging of the law when the interpretation is not the same as some would like it, promises that either fail or don't eventuate , all this mixture makes Thailand a international laughing stock and in the long term a basket case, in short , lacking in Education..

Lack of education, perhaps as Abraham Lincoln would surmise, is not the problem. The issue is greed. True in any society. I would take a classroom of C minus students, and make them Senators, if they could just say no to profiteering, over a classroom of Wall Street Wannabees. It is an issue of morality...not intelligence. A man such as Lincoln...could educate himself.....but a choice to make the world a better place takes much more.

A sound education sometimes results in an enlightened individual who may see the goodness in honestly, benevolence and compassion. Those devoid of these virtues often worship at the altar of self.

Did Thaksin attend the University?

[Benmart]

In Short , Thailand is not much further advanced than the Junta days , the Thai democracy has been a failure as the Academic's were at pains to point out at the completion of the constitution , the arrogance of some members of parliament the criminal records of some members of parliament , the continued challenging of the law when the interpretation is not the same as some would like it, promises that either fail or don't eventuate , all this mixture makes Thailand a international laughing stock and in the long term a basket case, in short , lacking in Education..

Lack of education, perhaps as Abraham Lincoln would surmise, is not the problem. The issue is greed. True in any society. I would take a classroom of C minus students, and make them Senators, if they could just say no to profiteering, over a classroom of Wall Street Wannabees. It is an issue of morality...not intelligence. A man such as Lincoln...could educate himself.....but a choice to make the world a better place takes much more.

Lack of bleeding hearts is more like it. Get real for a change,the perfect world would be extremely boring.

"Get real for a change...". What does that mean? Or, is it another meaningless expression used in lieu of thought, words and sentence structure?

A perfect world would hardly be boring, unless one is a diehard pessimist.

[Benmart]

In Short , Thailand is not much further advanced than the Junta days , the Thai democracy has been a failure as the Academic's were at pains to point out at the completion of the constitution , the arrogance of some members of parliament the criminal records of some members of parliament , the continued challenging of the law when the interpretation is not the same as some would like it, promises that either fail or don't eventuate , all this mixture makes Thailand a international laughing stock and in the long term a basket case, in short , lacking in Education..

Lack of education, perhaps as Abraham Lincoln would surmise, is not the problem. The issue is greed. True in any society. I would take a classroom of C minus students, and make them Senators, if they could just say no to profiteering, over a classroom of Wall Street Wannabees. It is an issue of morality...not intelligence. A man such as Lincoln...could educate himself.....but a choice to make the world a better place takes much more.

A sound education sometimes results in an enlightened individual who may see the goodness in honestly, benevolence and compassion. Those devoid of these virtues often worship at the altar of self.

Did Thaksin attend the University?

Notice that I said "sometimes". History has many examples of highly educated people that worship(ed) at the altar of self. The point I was making is that education in itself isn't the complete answer, only a part of it. Edited March 11, 2014 by Benmart

[slipperylobster]

Suffice it to say, that the majority of people in Politics do, in fact, have an education. The problem is not a Diploma, the problem is morality. That is what I am implying. For most people, that would be self evident. If you took any individual out of the political arena and have them take extra courses in the University, they would still be the same politician, by nature.

Granted...some exceptions in any scenario dealing with politics.