PM Prayut blames lack of spirituality for country’s political turmoil

[webfact]

PM blames lack of spirituality for country’s political turmoil

By THE SUNDAY NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND’S democracy has never been fully fledged because the country has lacked spirituality, especially during the past 20 years of political turbulence, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says.

 

Addressing his weekly TV programme on Friday night, General Prayut said the country had faced a number of problems because of the absence of spirituality, which provides what he calls “a moral blanket” against ill practices.

 

The premier said he did not want to blame anyone, but was reminding everyone about this point so people would come to help one another and get out of this sticky situation.

 

Dharma-based democracy, he said, was something that people did not talk about much, but it was actually crucial because it is rational. Democracy without dharma, he said, would find no peace and stability. To achieve moral society, this principle should be taken into consideration. It was also the starting point for reconciliation, he said.

 

“I just want you to be thoughtful about the country a bit and have conscience enough to be able to think of some religious principles that we can apply to our present political problems,” he said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30321524

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-24

 

[Thechook]

I think it has more to do with with hiso's like Suthep,  his mates and the military turning against the people and constantly staging coups if their people don't win.

 

 “I just want you to be thoughtful about the country a bit and have conscience enough to be able to think of some religious principles that we can apply to our present political problems,” he said. 

 

Why doesn't prayuth listen to his own words?

[candide]

It is funny to see how easily people can blame others for lacking something they don't have themselves.....

[PatOngo]

No role models to follow!

 

"I just want you to be thoughtful about the country a bit and have conscience"

[BuckBee]

lack of honesty is the real issue ...

[Samui Bodoh]

46 minutes ago, webfact said:

THAILAND’S democracy has never been fully fledged because the country has lacked spirituality,

 

I would argue that Thailand's democracy has never been fully fledged because of coups.

 

look in the mirror, dude!

[Cadbury]

Here we go again. Now he is blaming the spirits. Blame anything or anybody except his government.

Anybody have a clue what he is talking about when he refers to spirituality? Is it something to so with the supernatural? 

I feel a poem coming on.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Cadbury

[PatOngo]

33 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Here we go again. Now he is blaming the spirits. Blame anything or anybody except his government.

Anybody have a clue what he is talking about when he refers to spirituality? Is it something to so with the supernatural? 

I feel a poem coming on.

 

Yes........The Holy Baht!

Edited July 23, 2017 by PatOngo

[z42]

Absolute pish as per, the biggest problem I see here is an oversized, over budgeted military whose brass don't and never have wanted to relinquish the fruits borne from being the biggest power broker in the country.. And also a military who in the last year especially have practically lost their reason for being.

This deluded fool Prayuth can point the finger wherever he likes, but by not admitting that the army itself being the biggest problem is demonstrating textbook denial. His coup has achieved almost nothing positive that the country can look back fondly on

[colinneil]

Lack of spirituality nonsense, lack of proper leadership is the problem.

How on earth can there be political peace/ harmony, when the boys with the guns stage coup after coup, when things dont go the way they want.

[inThailand]

Actually, he may have a point...if Thais adhered to their Buddhist principles then many problems would disappear. Maybe it can start at the top?

[JAG]

"Dharma based democracy", "transition to a better democracy", "reconciliation", "lack of spirituality"...

It's like an off the wall political science course.

A spade is a spade and this is a military junta, installed by a military coup to do the bidding of a small extremely wealthy group. They are now attempting to cement themselves into power.

 

 

[PatOngo]

10 minutes ago, inThailand said:

Actually, he may have a point...if Thais adhered to their Buddhist principles then many problems would disappear. Maybe it can start at the top?

 

The principles of Wat Dhammakayo maybe???

[inThailand]

43 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

 

The principles of Wat Dhammakayo maybe???

That's a great example of <deleted> Buddhist principles, Baht religion rules! 

[piersbeckett]

Not that I think it's a genuine appraisal but taken at its face value it is IMV, the wrong way round; too much spirituality is present at the expense of rational thinking due to lack of education and a reprehensible, unaccountable system.

 

Three years two months has been, again IMV, enough, if the political will had been present, to change that and I don't mean tinkering at the edges of it to give the impression that it needs donkeys' years to do.

 

Where can the populace go but into animism, quasi Buddhism, drinking, gambling and prostitution with such lack of prospects and confidence and how disappointed the more decent and politically aware must be in the travestying dished out to excuse proper reform.

[maewang99]

aha.. another of those things that is Only in Thailand.

everywhere else we would suspect this has something to do with... education... which is the conversational word for what we would otherwise, I guess, have to describe as a kind of "functional literacy" because for most folks in this world.... we take it for granted that the Number One favorite pastime.. reading books.... "is a given" (a little English L1 phrase roughly meaning "tamadah".... in Bangkok Thai).

now it can't be geographical..... so would someone please do a DNA study to explain this all. and no... "cultural" doesn't work for me either. 

it should be quite interesting.





 

Edited July 24, 2017 by maewang99

[metisdead]

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[klauskunkel]

Where is the turmoil? No marches, no demonstrations, no uprising. Nothing. Everyone has been castrated. Yingluck cried a bit last week. That's it.

Why does the man insist all the time that there is turmoil? What's he prepping for?

[The Teacher]

3 hours ago, BuckBee said:

lack of honesty is the real issue ...

A complete lack of brain matter between the ears more than anything, spirituality has got nothing to do with living in a country run by over jealous Military current rulers.......

[KIWIBATCH]

All hail the mighty Baht.....this is Thailands spiritual crux.....

[connda]

I thought it had to do with the democratic election genie being stuff back into a bottle, sealed, and thrown into the Chao Phraya river.  No doubt it will float to Myanmar and break open on the Burmese shores before dharma-based democracy flourishes here in the Land of Silliness.  When I see monks shopping in Robinsons, I know that dharma is all but dust in the wind.  No doubt the bastions of morality in the military will take their place in providing moral guidance to the unwashed masses.

Edited July 24, 2017 by connda

[Juan B Tong]

First Nero like poetry,  now who is he emulating?

 

I am beginning to think he is a time traveler from the past lost in a modern world he does not understand.

[wvavin]

Even if given for another 50 years, Thailand would still be the same. There are no other components that caused this. It is the brain, the mentality that makes this country so backward!

[anon467367354]

Why doesn't he blame the "legal" corruption like extortion from the police?

That would be a good place to start and maybe the easiest.

[Zack61]

4 hours ago, BuckBee said:

lack of honesty is the real issue ...

Not mention a lack of transparency, an over abundance of unfettered corruption and two sets of laws for rich and poor. 

Spirituality??? What a cop out. Blame it on the masses. 

Lets not forget a lack of leadership. 

[MaksimMislavsky]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Dharma-based democracy, he said, was something that people did not talk about much, but it was actually crucial because it is rational. Democracy without dharma, he said, would find no peace and stability.

Well, isn't drama is what democracy all about, after all?

[Lupatria]

This raises two questions:

 

Did he get the insight in "spiritual democracy" from a recently re-appeared jet-set monk in exchange for some amenities? 

 

Is he or one of his family members now in the amulet business or running an underfunded temple?

 

In a christian society it would be much easier for him saying: what you get, or what you lack of is god's will,- get used to it and pray.

Edited July 24, 2017 by Lupatria

[inThailand]

He just can't wave the section 44 wand to magically fix this problem?

[Khun Paul]

All the good Monks do, like Children, expensive jets, too much money, child sex, drinking, smoking..... YEA follow that and you will be OK

 

[morpho]

Everything and everybody are at blame...but me.