webfact Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 THAI TALKPolitical reform can't succeed without a sense of humourSuthichai YoonThe NationBANGKOK: -- Premier Prayut Chan-oh-cha told reporters last week that he was in fact a "funny guy" and that if he at times had looked miffed and frustrated over the questions posed by the scribes, he was only pretending. I assume he was suggesting that he in fact had a sense of humour that might not be apparent to the Thai people in general.When in an appropriate mood, the premier can even manage amusing self-deprecating statements. They aren't exactly hilarious but the jokes can be interpreted as the sign of a personal and more human side to his otherwise tough-talking personality.If that's true, then the police and military personnel trying to block "politically sensitive" banners carried by Thammasat University students last Saturday at the football match with Chulalongkorn were acting beyond the call of duty.The blatant attempt at censorship of the traditional political satire at the annual event between the country's most prestigious universities was not funny at all, and the prime minister might want to inquire into who gave the orders to create an unnecessary scene that could only undermine the premier's stance on returning the country to democracy.Some police officers reportedly rushed to close the stadium gates after spotting "inappropriate words" on some of the Thammasat banners. Then came an awkward stand-off between students and plainclothes police.What were those "offending words"? The police wouldn't say. The students pressed on. The police relented but some of the banners were confiscated. But then, what escaped the authorities' intervention was enough to display the students' political thinking of the day.Why the apparent paranoia? What's so "subversive" about the students making fun of the government's "12 Core Values" for the Thai people? What's so bad about mocking the PM's "Return Happiness to the Thai People" television programme, when even General Prayut himself has apologised to viewers whose pleasure might have been disrupted by his talk show?If the country's leaders insist they aren't dictatorial and are determined to put the country back on a democratic track, what's "politically sensitive" about flash-card displays calling for the return of democracy and condemning dictatorship?Another flash-card display declared: "We want democracy. When will you return it to us?" That, to me, is a perfectly fair question. What's so "provocative" or "subversive" about asking for democracy after all?In fact, when compared with what you can read on the social media, the messages of mockery carried by the floats were mild.If the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) insists that it is progressing according to its road map and that a general election will be held as scheduled next year, then why the fuss about students posing what should be a harmless question?The country is supposed to be going through a national reform process, and if the authorities are serious about designing a new "democratic model" as they claim, then one of the most important steps to be taken is to embrace the ideas of the young people whose future is being determined today by the NCPO's so-called road map.If our students can't even express their opinions about what's going on in the country openly at a traditional inter-university sports event, how can we expect their more serious and direct ideas for reshaping their social and political future environment to be heard at all?Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Political-reform-cant-succeed-without-a-sense-of-h-30253864.html-- The Nation 2015-02-12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post chooka Posted February 11, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 11, 2015 Oh yea he is absolutely hilarious. I along with others have been saying since he sized the country he should give up politics and go into stand up. His not a politician but a truly gifted comedian. The Melbourne comedy festival is on with the best comedians from around the world attending and I would love to see the Uncle Too show live, he will bring the house down. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty123 Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Happiness Council Leader: Oh, great General. We have good news again! The Big G: Really? What is it? Hapiness Council Leader: Our latest poll by community leaders show that 96.5% of the participants think you should stay in power for as long as you wish. Only 3.5% disagree with you being in power. What more could you ask for? The Big G: Their names. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowboat Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Censorship is a weapon a government uses against its own people. Not sure how you bring happiness to the people while desperately trying to shut them up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chainarong Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Just to be in Thailand requires a sense of humour otherwise how could you manage , there is not a day that goes by where the patience isn't stretched and when you see the antics being carried out by the so called leaders of Thailand you begin to think that the 3 Stooges weren't far off the mark after all. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoePai Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Next time he "seems" to get angry we should all laugh at him ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbthailand Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 yeah, as a general, he makes for an absolutely comical 'prime minister' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mca Posted February 12, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 12, 2015 " Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Take my mother in law....for attitude adjustment" 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabothai Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Honestly I do not know of Thai humour. Have you ever seen a Thai laughing (tearful) his head off. Does Thailand have comedians? (Other than the silly guys on the TV shows). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupatria Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Political reform can't succeed without a sense of humor - but don't you dare to laugh about the wrong people! Too bad, here the only representative of the nation where the philosophy of democracy was born and therefor should have profound knowledge and the ability to raise understanding is: Costas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooka Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Next time he "seems" to get angry we should all laugh at him ?I wet my pants with laughter everytime I see his pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mca Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) " An Englishman, Irishman, Scotsman, midget, vicar and a rabbi walk into a pub......and were immediately arrested under Thai Martial Law banning gatherings of more than 5 people." Hmm... not exactly Bill Hicks material Edited February 12, 2015 by mca 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickirs Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 General Prayuth is such a jokester he will bring the House down - literally. The Thai economy will be in ruins with only Prayuths 12 Values to comfort the people. Thank you Gen. Prayuth for the fun times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilSA1 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Oh yea he is absolutely hilarious. I along with others have been saying since he sized the country he should give up politics and go into stand up. His not a politician but a truly gifted comedian. The Melbourne comedy festival is on with the best comedians from around the world attending and I would love to see the Uncle Too show live, he will bring the house down. Well, why don't you come and live in Thailand and then you can see the PM's show live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldiablo Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 As soon as I read that he said he was a funny guy and was only pretending I couldn't get up from the floor from laughing so hard therefore I was not able to continue reading the bs article. Thanks for making my day General. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty123 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 " An Englishman, Irishman, Scotsman, midget, vicar and a rabbi walk into a pub......and were immediately arrested under Thai Martial Law banning gatherings of more than 5 people." Hmm... not exactly Bill Hicks material Yep. It's all slapstick and kazoos (with a bit of blacking up and 'roll out the spastics' thrown in). If Thailand had a Bill Hicks (and it probably has had somewhere along the way, just not on stage), then he would almost certainly be in jail for life. Can you imagine a Hicks' style rant about the Thai elite? His feet wouldn't touch the ground from stage to prison. So, that's probably why Thailand doesn't have such characters (on stage anyway). Interestingly, I read this week that Myanmar does have such a character (perhaps not as extreme of course). Times a changing. Even Myanmar's Junta are seeing that. Thailand however... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooka Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Oh yea he is absolutely hilarious. I along with others have been saying since he sized the country he should give up politics and go into stand up. His not a politician but a truly gifted comedian. The Melbourne comedy festival is on with the best comedians from around the world attending and I would love to see the Uncle Too show live, he will bring the house down. Well, why don't you come and live in Thailand and then you can see the PM's show live. Actually been in Thailand for 10 years, son born in Chiangmai and built and own a home for 8 yrs. I have watched the Friday night live comedy show on Thai Television hard not to as it takes over every chanel and people are forced fed. Thank god for our satellite dish.My appologies for going on a family holiday to Australia and I beg for your forgiveness. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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