EDITORIAL
National morals council is a bad idea
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The proposal to set up a body to assess the ethics of public figures is not worthy of serious consideration

When the country's policy makers began to believe their own fantasy and see themselves as holier than thou, that's when you know people are losing their marbles.

And we're not talking about the glass or metal balls that children like to play with.

The National Reform Council (NRC) thinks they have the moral authority to define and dictate morality. And Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is not exactly out of the loop as much of the ongoing campaign to promote so-called core Thai values are being done under his name and with his blessing.

The NRC wants to set up another special body to screen public figures' moral values. If this so-called special body becomes reality, it could be the start of a wild goose chase at best and the beginning of a wicked witch-hunt with no end in sight.

As for the immediate task at hand, one has to wonder if such a policy has a place Thailand's political and social context.

But sadly, the recent trend has been somewhat worrying. Just before New Year, the government announced that it would spread moral messages via customised figure icons on the online chat messaging service LINE. It was billed as a gift to the people from PM Prayut. LINE is very popular application among Thai mobile-phone users.

The LINE icons reflect the 12 core values that Prayut has been trying to promote among Thais. This sticker project, along with short promotional films, has cost taxpayers several million baht.

These values include "obedience to seniority in society" and a "correct understanding of democracy". Ironically, it is coming from a group of military men who ousted a democratically elected government via a coup.

Prior to that, there was the push to make morality, along with history and civic duties, part of the school curriculum. Teaching and debating ethics is one thing, but cramming such values down people's throats is something else - indoctrination.

And who can forget that short film with Adolf Hitler in it?

The latest idea makes one wonder if reformers in the NRC actually believe that moral standards can be set in stone and be arbitrated by a single office? Temples, churches, mosques, schools, civil clubs are some of the forums where moral issues are already discussed.

Needless to say, a national morals council is unnecessary and out of touch with today's reality. There are other institutions in our society that can and do work on these very issues. They do not need to be in the realm of legislation.

Prayut needs to be careful that he doesn't make the same mistake as Thaksin Shinawatra, the fugitive former prime minister who thought he was high and mighty in just about every aspect of the word. Thaksin seemed to think his victories at the ballot box gave him the green light to do whatever he wants.

Prayut risks being seen in a similar way - like the famous fable - a foolish emperor who thinks he is wearing the finest clothes but is in fact naked, with nobody around him daring to tell him the truth and, worse, choosing only to voice admiration at his new outfit.

It's not too late to remind the current crop of rulers and self-proclaimed reformists that they are barking up the wrong tree, regardless of their legal means to silence critics.

What they the government does today will affect all of us. We should not have to wait until a law is passed before we raise a stink about it.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/National-morals-council-is-a-bad-idea-30251132.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-04

It is more and more like the backstory of some epic movie every day. No wonder they don't allow the three finger salute, or 1984.

Not only a bad idea, just a complete waste of time.

This country does not have any morals

There is already a school subject, ethics and morality.

In addition, the school syllabus in other subjects is packed full of this moral hectoring. However the children observe what the adults in their environment do and copy that instead.

So, it clearly does not work.

If you seriously want to improve the morals of Thai society, simply enforce the law. However this would push all those extremely profitable activities like unlicensed bars, prostitution, illegal gambling, smuggling, drug trafficking into the hands of those other than the military, police and politicians who traditionally control them and the revenue from them.

Like a fox looking in the mirror and saying "I will not eat a chicken I will not eat a chicken I will not eat a chicken".

Whoever thought up this little number is completely out in orbit , Thailand is slipping into a totalitarian state without Thaksin lifting a finger, more rules more B/S all for control, I'd keep an eye on Prayut-O and Co.

A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.

Socrates

I thought the Ministry of Culture was the moral watchdog.

It's a dumb as sh!t idea, but in Thailand dumb as sh!t ideas reign supreme.

This country does not have any morals

Then it is up to us to teach them...but they really don't take us seriously either. Too many farangs roaming around looking for the wild thing....makes us all look like bad apples.I did not set much of an example New Years Eve....

Anyways....I read something nice....at a sign on a temple.

Not word for word, but it did essentially say that...

"One need not worry at all about whether the man next to you has a bad heart...

It is only your own heart that you need to fix."

Ok..bad translation, but I got the idea. It is Buddhist Doctrine to look into your own heart. That goes for the leaders as well. It is not their job to fix problems in the hearts of others......if they have a black heart..so be it. Make sure yours is a good one.

Thailand should stick to what it does best. Push its sex trade. Morality was never in play in Thailand, why now?

A lot of what is said in this editorial rings absolutely true. How a man who staged a coup (justified or not) can even begin to lecture about democracy is sick.

This country for all its plus points is poisoned by the examples that officialdom sets, for example corrupt cops in plain sight, corruption taking place practically everywhere & being completely unchecked, and little if no respect shown for rules, property or life itself.

Quite how those who have gotten to their lofty positions in society by connections rather than their diligence and skill levels can purport to lecture others with less powerful connections about morality is as devoid of taste and common sense as it can get frankly.

Strangely Buddhism is also a factor in the whole lack of morals thing here too, buddhists believe that those in positions of power and influence have got there as their destiny / as a result of good karma and thus see that almost as justification for these people doing as they wish, being corrupt and basically living outside the confines of the law. More critical and rational folks see this more clearly as crooks robbing the state and its people blind & still getting rewarded for it

morals? Thailand?

...and hypocritical

Of course what they really mean by morals is: 'You little people behave and don't cause any trouble for us big people'.

Thailand should stick to what it does best. Push its sex trade. Morality was never in play in Thailand, why now?

I first thought W T F reading this, but then I thought about it, and there is little question that Thailand is the biggest brothel in the world, and it is endorsed by the leaders as it still goes on in the same fasion.

the only place you'll find morals in Thailand is in a dictionary.

More and more ideas on this and that all of which are a complete waste of time because CORRUPTION is the elephant in the room that no one is even making a feeble attempt at tackling. This country is going nowhere but backwards until they have a serious expunging of corruption with serious and rapid penalty, publication of such and a no tolerance policy towards it.

What is the point in telling children not to drink alcohol when all around them those in power are blind drunk and having a huge orgy. There is no way they will learn anything when the reality they see doesn't match the picture they are told is the way to live.

It is all so ignorant.

Maybe the good General is after immortality in the form of a statue being built and erected in 'Happiness Square' or something similar??

A dictator as moral keeper. Most silly, I have ever hear.

Agree 100%.

But let's not forget it's also the most dangerous as well as most silly.

If your morals don't match the dictators dictate, then off you go for some "attitude adjustment". Oh dear!

I think Thailand should call upon former US President...Bill Clinton...to manage the moral council...his experience in this area would be invaluable...

Maybe the good General is after immortality in the form of a statue being built and erected in 'Happiness Square' or something similar??

I think you may be on to something with that statement.

Perhaps if section of defamation law that allows lawsuit even when reporting the truth were ditched, then just maybe press could fulfill it's function of reporting what is really going on. Then the public could decide whether or not to keep those sociopath types in power via voting booth... oh, I forgot. This is Thailand.... this current proposal is so out of bounds it even boggles an old timers mind such as mine.

If they seriously did that we wouldn't have any public figures. I suppose Prayut would be exempt from scrutinization.

The ruling elite of this country are seriously out of touch with reality.

"We should not have to wait until a law is passed before we raise a stink about it."

Where is the stink?

The impression given by a seemingly relunctant and accommodating Thai public of the Junta's ever tightening control over the population is sadly encouraging the Junta to even further manipulation. The Junta is like a child who demands sweets and when given sweets, it demands even more. If the Thai people accept less freedom, they will get less - it is a downward spiraling cycle towards a totalitarian society.

The nation's political leaders express "concerns" about the Junta's governance of the nation but take no direct opposition - still hoping for their place in the sun of the new empire? The Junta is following the classic oligarchy governance of placating public activism with a combination of insignificant financial handouts and intimidation - "we give you a little and you give us a lot." The Thai people are proud of having never been made a colony nor conquered by a foreign power. But they have been subjugated to the same degree internally.

Only bravery and sacarfice can truly raise a stink. The future began yesterday. If you wait for tomorrow to change the future, it's already too late.

Morality and sexuality are two different things. Why not focus instead on nurturing world citizens and roll models? Trying to think of one now. Drawing a complete blank.

Where is the "morality" when you have a monk pull you to the side and show you pictures of pre-teen boys and girls, and let you know he can arrange one, or more, of them for you for the right price? And, yes, this happened with me some time back.

The irony here is finding out how much it would cost to become a member of said council and how much could you make out of it.