State media still unsure if women should be blamed for violence

[webfact]

State media still unsure if women should be blamed for violence
By Todd Ruiz



BANGKOK: -- When Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha apologized for his backward remarks about women risking violence by wearing swimwear, it was respectably unqualified. He said "I'm sorry" instead of the usual "I'm sorry that you misunderstood."

However the state media apparatus, likely more concerned with image-polishing than the substance of his comments, managed to completely turn the apology on its head.

A National News Bureau release headlined "PM regrets upsetting foreigners with comments on Brits’ murder" (certainly no loyal subjects would object to blaming women) starts out reasonably enough:

After his previous remarks citing foreigners’ wearing of bikinis on the beach as a possible cause of crimes similar to the recent slaying of two British visitors to Koh Tao, Gen Prayuth said he would like to offer his apology to anyone who might have been disturbed by his words.

Then, like a newspaper correction that just repeats the same mistake, NNT's explanation goes off the rails, completely invalidating the apology. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/09/19/state-media-still-unsure-if-women-should-be-blamed-violence


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-09-19

[khwaibah]

Thainess at its finest.

[robblok]

Thainess at its finest.

Yes but not by the general. I commented that he was a dinosaur before for these remarks. But with saying sorry he regained some of my respect. Its not often a Thai really says he is sorry.

[NeverSure]

Crazy thinking. A man is never excused from rape because it's a decision he makes. It's just too crazy.

[shirtless]

no bikinis on Thai beaches, will equate to zero female tourists, Muslims use this excuse in Australia its really a sad reflection on Thais if they cannot control themselves .

[Thai at Heart]

no bikinis on Thai beaches, will equate to zero female tourists, Muslims use this excuse in Australia its really a sad reflection on Thais if they cannot control themselves .

This is what they are trying to reconcile now.

They have unwittingly told every western female tourist that Thailand is unsafe if they wear a bikini on the beach.

Which apparently it is. Ooooops.

[Cloggie]

Time to wear burkas...

[Mister Fixit]

Time to wear burkas...

That should have the tourists flocking back ...

[chainarong]

At the end of the day someone interviewed from the resort on Oz TV said it all, that they were worried that this murder would affect tourism , not one mention of sympathy for the families concerned, it seemed as this was just a hinderance and if one should be murdered, do it somewhere else.

[jonclark]

Time to wear burkas...

Or get the men to wear bikinis !!

[jonclark]

At the end of the day someone interviewed from the resort on Oz TV said it all, that they were worried that this murder would affect tourism , not one mention of sympathy for the families concerned, it seemed as this was just a hinderance and if one should be murdered, do it somewhere else.

Very good point

[Nickymaster]

Crazy thinking. A man is never excused from rape because it's a decision he makes. It's just too crazy.

Doesn't really excuse the man.It is all about sharing blame. Something that is common in Thailand. Even in courts. Very difficult to grasp for "others". Thais seem to understand it a bit better.

[jucel]

She wasn't even dressed provocatively <deleted>.

Then look how the girls dress in the bars up and down the country,but that's ok because they are working!

Pot, kettle, black !

[eeworldwide]

Staggering.

So - let me get this right. By NOT apologising for the ridiculous statement and it's content, What was actually being suggested, is that Thailand IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE - especially if you are on a beach wearing a bikini and especially if you are on a beach wearing a bikini AND beautiful?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a better comment have been along the lines of " We are so sorry that the 2 British holidaymaker's have suffered such a tragic end, and we will do everything we can to assist their families and the authorities in their efforts to bring the perpetrators of this terrible crime to justice. Thailand is a wonderful place for millions of holidaymakers to come and relax on our wonderful and welcoming beaches, and we are sickened that this tragedy has happened on what is usually a very safe place for locals and tourists alike."

But NO!

A reckless and ill-thought out and flippant remark, which once again plops Thailand atop the comedy throne in world politics.

We have had the laughable lady in power for the last few years, and now, in the midst of potentially "credible change" the whole thing comes crumbling down, revealing the unfathomable depth of utter stupidity at the heart of this desperately confused and uneducated country.

Words fail me.

[monkeycountry]

Well, some scandinavian newspapers have picked up on it, and their headlines are (translated):

"Thai PM: Only ugly women are safe in Thailand"

[DrTuner]

Nice photo. I guess it should be explained: romantic holidays in Thailand have the extra feature of being smashed on the head with a hoe.

A sure win for TAT.

[petercool]

derogatory and vulgar post removed

[upena]

If you do a Google image search, you will see that the beach photo used by the Tourism Authority of Thailand is actually Jamaica.

[belg]

thailand, safest place on earth, if you are wearing a burka

[maxtingtong]

At this point I'm waiting for: "if they were at their home none of this would happens"

[catweazle]

Well, what else would you expect from mainstream media in Thailand?

[Emster23]

Just when you thought that the first stupid statement couldn't be topped, it gets topped. Maybe it was planned so General wouldn't look like such a horse's arse by comparison, but I highly doubt it.

[diehard60]

Thainess at its finest.

Yes but not by the general. I commented that he was a dinosaur before for these remarks. But with saying sorry he regained some of my respect. Its not often a Thai really says he is sorry.

They always say they are sorry to your face, but that does not mean anything. He meant what he said.

[swissie]

Staggering.

So - let me get this right. By NOT apologising for the ridiculous statement and it's content, What was actually being suggested, is that Thailand IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE - especially if you are on a beach wearing a bikini and especially if you are on a beach wearing a bikini AND beautiful?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a better comment have been along the lines of " We are so sorry that the 2 British holidaymaker's have suffered such a tragic end, and we will do everything we can to assist their families and the authorities in their efforts to bring the perpetrators of this terrible crime to justice. Thailand is a wonderful place for millions of holidaymakers to come and relax on our wonderful and welcoming beaches, and we are sickened that this tragedy has happened on what is usually a very safe place for locals and tourists alike."

But NO!

A reckless and ill-thought out and flippant remark, which once again plops Thailand atop the comedy throne in world politics.

We have had the laughable lady in power for the last few years, and now, in the midst of potentially "credible change" the whole thing comes crumbling down, revealing the unfathomable depth of utter stupidity at the heart of this desperately confused and uneducated country.

Words fail me.

We have had the laughable lady in power for the last few years, and now, in the midst of potentially "credible change" the whole thing comes crumbling down, revealing the unfathomable depth of utter stupidity at the heart of this desperately confused and uneducated country.

Words fail me.

Very true and very depressing. Is the current "Head of state" aware of the fact, that Go Go Dancers work in Bikinies and at some select places they work without any clothing at all?

Cheers.

[Lupatria]

Here are some links giving extra information about the societies mindset. Thainess and high moral values at its best:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/729811-13-percent-of-thai-women-between-15-to-49-tolerate-domestic-violence/page-3

http://www.refworld.org/docid/492faf42a.html

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1406716164&section=14&typecate=06

[RKASA]

Well, some scandinavian newspapers have picked up on it, and their headlines are (translated):

"Thai PM: Only ugly women are safe in Thailand"

Well! At least until last call - then off bets are off.

[cloudhopper]

If you do a Google image search, you will see that the beach photo used by the Tourism Authority of Thailand is actually Jamaica.

At least it wasn't stolen from a porn site.

[spambot]

The promotional advertising image above has been used to sell the idea to Brits - What Thailand ideally represents.

It shows an attractive female in a bikini with (presumable) her companion a male on a beach, both of similar age as the victims

This has been issued by Tourismthailand.co.uk (which resolves to and owned by url) www.tourismthailand.org/uk - which is the The official site of Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Why would the TOT promote the idea to young females in Bikinis from Britain to come to Thai beaches?

You can not ask something from someone and then when you get it from them - Blame them for doing it.

[DP25]

Every Thai person I've ever met has told me Thailand is a dangerous place. They think it is especially dangerous to walk around alone at night, or even with a friend, in a secluded area. A women doing so in a bikini on an empty beach is complete madness to the vast majority of Thai people, because they believe it is DANGEROUS.

The general is expressing the commonly held belief that Thailand is dangerous, it is not like European countries, and it is NOT safe to walk around a secluded beach at night. Taking a drunken stroll in a bikini at 3 am on a deserted beach is absolute lunacy to most Thai people, and they can not begin to understand how foreigners think this is safe. Thais know that there are plenty of lunatics like whoever did this out there, they read the stories in the Thai papers everyday.

Of course, this article is right, in that the advertisements never warn visitors that it is not as safe as advertised.

[mikemac]

Time to wear burkas...

I don't know about that Cloggie, it would only be a matter of time before they started to get you "going".