Thais 'need to learn to coexist with those who think differently'
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Sunday Nation

Gothom

BANGKOK: -- Representative democracy and participatory democracy are not sufficient for Thais, because people should learn how to coexist with others who think very differently through a deliberative democracy process, peace expert Gothom Arya has said.

The focus put on citizen education should not just be about winning an argument or elections, Gothom said, but on learning how to listen to others with deeply held and starkly different views - and being capable to make trade-offs in order to peacefully coexist with each other.

The May 22 military coup follows months of political deadlock that saw neither political side willing to compromise and this reflected the need for Thais to learn more about deliberative democracy.

Gothom held a two-day training on deliberative democracy at Mahidol University, which ended on Thursday. The process and techniques was fine-tuned and promoted by the Ohio-based Kettering Foundation.

Giving consent to politicians via elections was not enough, according to Gothom, who lectures on peace and conflict resolution at Mahidol.

Often, he said, Thais fail to learn to make a political compromise that requires trade-offs.

This, he said, cannot be achieved if people do not learn to be empathetic and suspend their political stance in order to learn to understand things from a different perspective.

The workshop was aimed at normalising conversation between people who think differently about politics and other public issues.

He said that in the United States there was an event such as National Deliberation Day, when active citizens discuss wide-ranging issues of public importance in order to try to come up with common ground.

"Eight decades after introduction of [constitutional monarchy], Thai democracy is still not complete," he said, adding that politicians were not trusted while (illegal) forces exist outside the constitution.

Learning about deliberative democracy is time consuming and requires citizens to learn how to deliberate and even the two-day workshop involved less than 20 participants.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Thais-need-to-learn-to-coexist-with-those-who-thin-30238970.html

-- The Nation 2014-07-20

A peace expert?

Who studies peace and what qualifies you as a peace expert?

Your number of John Lennon albums and how many spliffs you smoke a day?

There will never be peace until they stop trying to force things down your throat.

They should probably also learn from the mistakes already made in the rest of the world.

They do seem to persist in thaiefying the wheel.

Edited July 19, 201411 yr by Thai at Heart

It requires critical thinking, a skill not taught in Thai schools, nor will it ever be in the near future as the ruling classes want to keep the masses ignorant.

Easier to persuade them to be happy with their lot.

the guy has got a point

A peace expert?

Who studies peace and what qualifies you as a peace expert?

Your number of John Lennon albums and how many spliffs you smoke a day?

It's philosophical. It's about pondering the human condition. It's about thinking and it's about the nature of society. And more. Perhaps it's above the thought processes of some people.

Not everything is about "one plus one equals two".

"Often, he said, Thais fail to learn to make a political compromise that requires trade-offs."

It's hard to make trade-offs when you already have a "lobbyist"'s money in your back pocket.

"Thai democracy is still not complete," he said, adding that politicians were not trusted" What makes him think we trust politician's in our own country?

The only danger to a coexist with different thinkers in Thailand is Thaskin Shinawatra , come back this time next year a review the B/S.

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"Thai democracy is still not complete," he said, adding that politicians were not trusted" What makes him think we trust politician's in our own country?

I don't.

I don't think most Thais have got beyond seeing negotiations as a zero-sum game -- that is, if you win, that means I automatically lose. There is no such thing as a win-win situation.

So everyone tries to grab a bigger piece of the existing pie rather than working together to make the whole pie bigger.

The immaturity of official thinking in this country is quite staggering.

A big problem is the inability to accept criticism - a process that should give you a chance to ponder another person's opinion of your actions or thoughts in a calm and rational manner (rather than attempt to kill them for causing you, the all important you who can do no wrong, to lose face). There's way too much false pride in this country, and subservience and brown-nosing - no help to the social development and co-existence that Gothom desires. Thailand is not an "all for one" kind of community, it is a "selfie" society. Until more people, especially in the military and "elite", can stand in self-judgement, there'll be no social progress.

I observed my wife with a few neighbors. They were all talking at the same time. I asked how can anyone understand or listen when everyone is talking. She said, "Thais only talk NO ONE listens. I think she was correct except possibly for a few select Thai individuals.

There will never be peace until they stop trying to force things down your throat.

Done deal Thaksin will be bowing out in exchange for his sisters visit to Paris. People will no longer have his red shirt henchmen spreading dissent.

Matter of fact some of them are all ready stopping it they are to busy fighting criminal charges.

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"Thai democracy is still not complete," he said, adding that politicians were not trusted" What makes him think we trust politician's in our own country?

I don't.

Me, either!

"Thai democracy is still not complete," he said, adding that politicians were not trusted" What makes him think we trust politician's in our own country?

Exactly. Politicians throughout the world are mostly $35 street whores. What country has noble politicians anymore? Finland? There may be a few. But most are totally corrupt. Bought and paid for by lobbyists (in the case of the completely compromised whores in the US - think Obama, the senate, and the congress), or directly by business interests (Thailand and elsewhere). So, few people have any respect for these money grabbers.

Spidermike

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It requires critical thinking, a skill not taught in Thai schools, nor will it ever be in the near future as the ruling classes want to keep the masses ignorant.

Easier to persuade them to be happy with their lot.

One can hope that now that that ruling class is gone the new one will improve the education system.

They have all ready taking a giant step towards that getting rid of the pads and deciding on a smart class room instead. I don't agree with introducing some of the classes but then again it is far better than nothing. On the other hand maybe the new classes will teach the Thais that they did not invent the wheel or fire.

I know there are the doubters out there who will say all they are is talk. Well ask that of the people doing the back to back border runs. Ask that of the farmers they said they would pay and did pay.

A peace expert?

Who studies peace and what qualifies you as a peace expert?

Your number of John Lennon albums and how many spliffs you smoke a day?

----------------------------

Thank you.

You just provided a perfect example of what he was saying in the original post.

And, I guess anyhow, also showing that problem of not learning to listen respectfully to those who have different opinions from yours is not limited to Thais.

He bills himself as a "peace expert" and the Thai press gobbles it up.

Thailand unfortunatly has the same attitude as its drivers "me first" untill that attitude changes nothing else will.

Ignorance is bliss

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A peace expert?

Who studies peace and what qualifies you as a peace expert?

Your number of John Lennon albums and how many spliffs you smoke a day?

I think it's the retro, peaceful looking shirt he's wearing.

shame so few attendees

This is true but unfortunately in Thailand the Thai military is the epitome of unilateral thinking and decision making. There is no questioning if a decision is wrong. So they can all be merrily sailing toward Niagara falls with no one able to confront the navigator. Reach for the crash helmet and lifejacket!

"Thais 'need to learn"

Funny stuff

One can hope that now that that ruling class is gone the new one will improve the education system.

Oh, thanks for the best laugh I've had today.

Are you really that naive?

Conflict Resolution is a respected BA -- and involves studying ways to find common ground between opposing sides. Mediators, good ones, are highly valuable and valued. People with this degree study psychology, history, sociology, statistics and often studies granting insights into people with differing viewpoints like world religious studies.

Of course, people who cannot study laugh at learning -- ignorance is a great shield.

An inflammatory post has been removed.

A big problem is the inability to accept criticism - a process that should give you a chance to ponder another person's opinion of your actions or thoughts in a calm and rational manner (rather than attempt to kill them for causing you, the all important you who can do no wrong, to lose face). There's way too much false pride in this country, and subservience and brown-nosing - no help to the social development and co-existence that Gothom desires. Thailand is not an "all for one" kind of community, it is a "selfie" society. Until more people, especially in the military and "elite", can stand in self-judgement, there'll be no social progress.

Good post

Now you have 48 hours to report to the dear leader for a reeducation