mojorison Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 The irony within his statements is very rich indeed. Corrupt people don't really care if they are respected or not. And why should they Trololololol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickylies Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 The irony within his statements is very rich indeed. Corrupt people don't really care if they are respected or not. And why should they Trololololol. Respect in Thailand is a total farce anyway. My buddies will wai and crawl for some Pee Jai Clown ("big!") but as soon as he's gone they will spit on him. The country needs a moral revolution from within. As a farang i don't experience disadvantage with their feudal system. But it affects me when i see good local people, friends, subdueing themselves to some arrogant ego-inflated airhead who happens to have the right connections. Pathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCFC Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 He wants us to stop respecting the uber-rich elites? Is he a commie or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Thais are taught from the day they are born to subjugate themselves to people of higher authority, or are richer than them. Failure to do so can bring some nasty consequences - it is part of Thai culture, especialy krieng jai, to wai supposed superiors or they lose face. While General Prem is absolutely right, this very deep cultural issue needs to be overcome first. People who are more influential than you, or are richer than you, demand obeisance. Not wise to deny them, if you are Thai. My wife, from a very poor rural family, put herself through a good university and has risen above the subservient attitude. Since spending just under a year in NZ, she has had her eyes opened. For the two years we've been back in Thailand, she has been saying exactly what the OP is talking about. Often, when I get frustrated with something happening, she will simply state, mater of factly, "Darling, don't worry, Thais are stupid. They see a new car and think the owner has money, so he must be more powerful than themselves. I don't know why they admire a person with a new car who is rude and arrogant. They are stupid." She works at a school that employs about 100 teachers. The owners take a "bond" of a month's salary from all the teachers when they start work. That's 1,300,000 baht that sits in the owners bank account, that rarely gets paid back because of the employment contract that states that, not only one month's notice must be given, but if an employee wants to leave, they can only leave in March. Give a month's notice to leave in December...lose your deposit. Nobody argues with it. Nobody rocks the boat. One of the ways to battle corruption is unions. Far too many employers lord it over their employees, who are too ignorant or too used to just accepting things. Unions would work very well for teachers and for police. If these two professions had no fear of their bosses, they could do their jobs properly without fear of reprisal or sacking. City council workers too. Employers will fear unionised workers who can blow the whistle without fear of losing their jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickylies Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 ^^ 100% correct. Thailand hub of fear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucec64 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Does he mean corrupt people like those who use weapons to grant themselves power over other humans? No he doesn,t, Mathias ! If these what you call corrupted people had NOT stepped in and taken over, there would have surely been civil war and unimagineable numbers of deaths, all because of the greed of the people that you consider democratic and uncorrupt ! Gotcha. These guys are the "good" corrupt while the other guys are the "bad" corrupt. You actually fall squarely into a comment made in the article that people accept corruption if it benefits them. You overlook the corruption of the current government that you like because they got rid of the corrupt government you didn't like. Corruption is corruption. You can't sit on both sides of the fence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitawatWatawit Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 ^^^ Nice thoughts, seastallion, but the propensity for violence in this country, backed up by innumerable guns-for-hire, and an army that is only too willing to do the dirty work for the ruling elite mean union power is a bit of a dream. The state railway workers have a fairly powerful union, but the leaders are easily bought off, so I'm told. Same with Thai Airways. In other areas, unions are tolerated, just as long as they stay in place - no real leaders, though. A peasant's revolt would be a good idea, but no real leaders in sight, and again, easily put down with bloodshed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Deerhunter Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) Does he mean corrupt people like those who use weapons to grant themselves power over other humans? A very Deeeeeeeep and mysterious comment, that one!!!!!. He must have something on his mind. Perhaps he will give us a hint. Or perhaps it will be more fun for him to let us hang, knowing we are all just dying for enlightenment. Edited September 2, 2015 by The Deerhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayboy Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Why does he not just come out and name the people he has in mind? We all know anyway... Because he is an adviser to the king and they don't mess in the daily politics.....That he says that much is already a surprise. Quite correct.It is simply not possible that such a person should interfere in politics.Even the suggestion of such an unlikely scenario should give right thinking people the colly wobbles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retarius Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 What all corrupted people? All of them, irrespective of the hierarchy? Irrespective of their 'position, influence and power'. Irrespective of whether they wear a uniform? Surely not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKT Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Does he mean corrupt people like those who use weapons to grant themselves power over other humans? No he doesn,t, Mathias ! If these what you call corrupted people had NOT stepped in and taken over, there would have surely been civil war and unimagineable numbers of deaths, all because of the greed of the people that you consider democratic and uncorrupt ! Total bs. There was never any chance of civil war. The whole "have to take over" ploy was engineered by Suthep plotting, as he admitted on Television, for 2 years with unmentionables to treasonably overthrow the legitimately elected government. If you weren't here watching it all unfold before your eyes, with the unmentionables preventing the police from arresting the violent, armed and killing people, grenading the police, yellow demonstrators under the pay of Suthep; dont post such rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgordo38 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Why does he not just come out and name the people he has in mind? We all know anyway... That statement casts a pretty wide net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baboon Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Why does he not just come out and name the people he has in mind? We all know anyway...That statement casts a pretty wide net. Well, keep in mind the ongoing deshinawatrafication of the country by certain groups... Try saying that when you have had a few... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenchair Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Reminds me of the song. I'm looking at the man in the mirror. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonballs Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 policemen, politicians, teachers, found with their hand in the cookie jar => inactive post or transfert so it will never change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silent Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 "Populist policy has spoil some people to do nothing but just waiting to take. It has weakened the people and changed the people’s attitudes." How very true, so different to attitudes when I came first time in '91. For the longest time here I put it down as learned survival behavior. As of yesterday though it was almost more shocking than usual listening to my wife speak about a friend's "previous" sins, telling me that she needs to give more "boon" and sermon more to make it all right. Agreeably it's a serious attitude problem when hopefully things can get so hopelessly lost in sermon translation. But where can you begin correcting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeegee Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) A peasant's revolt would be a good idea, but no real leaders in sight, and again, easily put down with bloodshed. Indeed, there are some people who are lucky Thais are not French or they could lose more than their face. Still, whether it be through violent methods or otherwise change is inevitable after someone, for their sins, let the cat out of the ballot bag somewhere in Isaan. Edited September 2, 2015 by Squeegee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connda Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Like....whom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamer Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 "Populist policy has spoil some people to do nothing but just waiting to take. It has weakened the people and changed the people’s attitudes." How very true, so different to attitudes when I came first time in '91. True. Back then the peasants knew where they stood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai at Heart Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 ^^^ Nice thoughts, seastallion, but the propensity for violence in this country, backed up by innumerable guns-for-hire, and an army that is only too willing to do the dirty work for the ruling elite mean union power is a bit of a dream. The state railway workers have a fairly powerful union, but the leaders are easily bought off, so I'm told. Same with Thai Airways. In other areas, unions are tolerated, just as long as they stay in place - no real leaders, though. A peasant's revolt would be a good idea, but no real leaders in sight, and again, easily put down with bloodshed. One day, sometime, the people will realise they are being completely fooled all the time by this system. When it happens, it will be horrible for everyone because, people won't be controlled again. It starts in school and the people are hopelessly indoctrinated to believe they have to play this stupid game. The pee and nong, the pooyai and the praii. This man is terrified of that day because it is he and and his appointed cronies who have the most to lose. Problem is, this change will involve dismantling Thai culture as it is today. The subservient maid, cook, factory worker, student, wife, will just say "Why do it that way, how about we do it another way" and it will all come crashing down. Yes societies have structure, but Thailand today is in a dastardly mess, and some refuse point blank to let it change. Issuing missives from on top, without question, or criticism is horrible to listen to. What did he ever do to stop corruption? Support lots of coups and chase away thaksin because he kept winning elections. He is the very kingpin of the problem. And westerners actually think this man cares one jot about the country or the people? He is a dinosaur desperately trying to maintain the status quo. Yuck Yuck Yuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 "Populist policy has spoil some people to do nothing but just waiting to take. It has weakened the people and changed the people’s attitudes." How very true, so different to attitudes when I came first time in '91. Populist policies = liberalism & socialism. Eat the rich. Make them pay their "Fair Share". My Uncle refused to cash his US Social Security checks. He'd rip them up & toss 'em in the trash can. That's how I grew up. I do sway to the side of liberalism when it comes to topless beaches though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noitom Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 The only way to accomplish this is if the Thais bust their own corrupt Thai officials. They must say no to corruption with impunity and make high level busts, criminal trials, or pleas and long detentions for guilty Thais. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davehowden Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 In Great Britain it took two World Wars to level down the power of "those chosen by God to rule the country" and for the "workers" to have a voice. In Thailand's case it will not be World Wars but something a lot closer to home that breaks the mould and triggers the change. There is so much pent up anger and frustration behind the painted smiles and forelock tugging "workers" that I hope I am not here when it happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nidieunimaitre Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 In Great Britain it took two World Wars to level down the power of "those chosen by God to rule the country" and for the "workers" to have a voice. In Thailand's case it will not be World Wars but something a lot closer to home that breaks the mould and triggers the change. There is so much pent up anger and frustration behind the painted smiles and forelock tugging "workers" that I hope I am not here when it happens. I fully agree with you, but I would never have chosen the UK as an example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 In Great Britain it took two World Wars to level down the power of "those chosen by God to rule the country" and for the "workers" to have a voice. In Thailand's case it will not be World Wars but something a lot closer to home that breaks the mould and triggers the change. There is so much pent up anger and frustration behind the painted smiles and forelock tugging "workers" that I hope I am not here when it happens. I hope you're right....depending what that trigger actually is and how the reaction manifests. I have hopes that it will be ASEAN. It won't take too many Cambodian businessmen buying private schools and factories before change takes place. Thai businessmen will see competition, and Thai workers will be beholden to Cambodian bosses. There will be two ways to react to that unacceptable situation: Withdraw from ASEAN, or get the population properly educated. Either way, a greater number of middle to low class Thais will have woken up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangon04 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 It is a pity that the good General Prem has no influence or power in Thai society. Maybe he could actually do something about reforming the culture of corruption if he had any sway at all....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerojero Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Is the PM on the list? How exactly did he acquire his millions? I'm sure all above board! Yes indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borzandy Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Thais are taught at from the kindergarten to admire and respect corrupted people. How could they change now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamnutsak Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 This chap has been in power for ~ 35 (more like 55 years by some counts) years. And he's just now getting around to highlighting the "corruption" issue? Better to just to be honest and tell everyone who to admire/respect, and who should not be afforded respect. But this is classic Thai feudal behavior, with the poo yai "telling" everyone what they should do, think, feel, say. They should never think for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMartinHandyman Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 "He said they must be taught corruption is a serious incurable disease" Whew Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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