Teen Singer's Critical Tweets Spark Nationalist Backlash

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

Singer Suthida ‘Image’ Chanachaisuwan, 19. Photo: ImageSwift13 / Instagram

 

BANGKOK — A singer’s hard-truth tweets about the underdeveloped state of Thailand has sparked debate online Thursday along predictable fault lines.

 

Suthida “Image” Chanachaisuwan, 19, tweeted Wednesday a series of now-deleted tweets about Thailand and its underdeveloped transportation system.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/culture/net/2017/08/03/teen-singers-critical-tweets-spark-nationalist-backlash/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-8-3

How I wish we could all go back to the time when we have to pay tens of thousands baht and waited a few years for a land phone line...

 

Only those who went through the real hardship would appreciate the progress we have achieved...even if it's snail slow.

 

A lesson, my dear, to use compliments to achieve your same goal.

Edited August 3, 20178 yr by trogers

11 minutes ago, trogers said:

How I wish we could all go back to the time when we have to pay tens of thousands baht and waited a few years for a land phone line...

 

Only those who went through the real hardship would appreciate the progress we have achieved...even if it's snail slow.

Wow so that is what is was like in the 1970's huh cool.   You must have some memories.

an excerpt from the referenced article: "Her comments invited a fierce backlash from nationalists with a firm conviction in Thai exceptionalism.";

hmmmm; blind insecure,conservatives who have never been anywhere else ?

Quote

In the past, people died so we wouldn’t be colonized. 

 

Bwaahahahahhahahhhahaaa

5 minutes ago, Dobredin Ghusputin said:

 

Bwaahahahahhahahhhahaaa

In Thailand?

How many more sacrifices before the bus can arrive on time?

Thailand is perfect as it is...................if you're rich and have zero morals.

 

As for the poor, doesn't matter where you live - a life without money sucks. 

 

Thailand needs to learn to criticise itself. Nothing will change otherwise. 

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

Wow so that is what is was like in the 1970's huh cool.   You must have some memories.

2003 I paid 3000 Baht for a landline number in Roi-Et and the Internet was non existent . That's not too long ago.

Edited August 3, 20178 yr by hanuman2543

Thailand underdeveloped. No, no, no, no, no. Well not for for the rich it isn't. Paradoxically this is why Thailand IS underdeveloped and always will be. CORRUPTION.

2 hours ago, trogers said:

How I wish we could all go back to the time when we have to pay tens of thousands baht and waited a few years for a land phone line...

 

Only those who went through the real hardship would appreciate the progress we have achieved...even if it's snail slow.

 

A lesson, my dear, to use compliments to achieve your same goal.

My  friend waited 11 years. In 1963 I applied for a land line and never got one before I left in 1965!

On reading her comments I concluded she must obviously be a TV member.

Singer ignites a Twitterstorm with scathing comments critical of Thailand

By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- ANGRY, critical tweets by a popular teenage idol have apparently backfired on her carefully cultivated image.

 

Criticism of 19-year-old Suthita Chanachaisuwan, who is better known as “Image The Voice”, has been under so much pressure now that she has hidden herself from public view on the social media that is so crucial for young celebrities. 

 

Her Twitter account has been set as “protected” after her scathing comments about having to wait for a long time for public transport on Tuesday backfired. 

 

On her Twitter account S Finn @imageswift13, she tweeted on Tuesday:

 

 

“Frankly, you can’t even make sure buses and vans arrive on time on all routes. So how can you expect the country to prosper? Ridiculous.”

 

Who she was referring to as “you” was not explicitly identified.

 

She then wrote: “I am willing to work hard and pay more taxes if welfare in daily life improves.” 

 

Her tweets then became even more controversial as she wrote: “The sucking country. Even 50 years or 1,000 years from now, it won’t get better. Shoot me.”

 

As netizens re-tweeted her posts, however, it was not the poor public-transport system that garnered the most criticism as many deemed Suthita’s comments to be inappropriate. 

 

Belatedly aware that she may have harmed her image, Suthita deleted the scathing tweets – but apparently not in time. 

 

A large number of social media users had already seen the comments and expressed their own opinions that Suthita should have not attacked her homeland. 

 

Many people have written that Suthita should have thought about how she could help make things better in the country rather than venting her anger. 

 

Her critics have included high-profile figures such as actors Pasut “Art” Banyam and Pharunyoo Rojanawuttitham. 

 

 

A source close to Suthita has said the singer has felt very depressed because of the negative feedback her tweets generated. 

 

“She said she posted that out of anger. She had not thought carefully about it,” the source said. 

 

The source also said Suthita’s comments were not related to politics. 

 

Also on Tuesday, former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra delivered her closing statement at the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Position in the case in which she stands accused of negligence in the implementation of her government’s rice-pledging scheme. 

 

Some people have linked Suthita’s comments to politics given the timing. 

 

But not everyone disagreed with her comments. 

 

“It’s just that she may not know how to talk about problems. But aren’t the problems true?” another commentator asked. 

 

Netiwit Chotphatphaisal, a student activist, said people who spoke the truth in Thailand always had to pay a price. 

“We should be brave, just like Image,” Netiwit said. 

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30322717

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-04

 

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. 

What is it about locals' inability to self-analyse themselves, to introspect about their beautiful country without being attacked for not being a sheep?  

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

A large number of social media users had already seen the comments and expressed their own opinions that Suthita should have not attacked her homeland. 

Why not? It's her homeland. 

 

The perils of living in a Utopia.

There are none so blind as those who will not see...

11 hours ago, YetAnother said:

an excerpt from the referenced article: "Her comments invited a fierce backlash from nationalists with a firm conviction in Thai exceptionalism.";

hmmmm; blind insecure,conservatives who have never been anywhere else ?

Thai exceptional-ism does not apply to road safety or urban planning.  The young lady should stand by her words and be strong.  Thailand needs people to speak their mind and not cower. 

Sounds as though she was being honest.......but honestly is often forbidden in Thailand

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

What is it about locals' inability to self-analyse themselves, to introspect about their beautiful country without being attacked for not being a sheep?  

It is called insecurity

Real stars don't ride public transit.

 

If she was more famous they would let her drive over those people waiting for the bus. Then she would see how developed Thailand is, for some.

11 hours ago, Dobredin Ghusputin said:

How many more sacrifices before the bus can arrive on time?

They even can't buy new buses and also not letting them drive on time.

 

Now the new buses plan has vanished it seems, it's all about buying army material now.

Edited August 4, 20178 yr by Thian

12 hours ago, trogers said:

How I wish we could all go back to the time when we have to pay tens of thousands baht and waited a few years for a land phone line...

 

Only those who went through the real hardship would appreciate the progress we have achieved...even if it's snail slow.

 

A lesson, my dear, to use compliments to achieve your same goal.

Yes. well look at Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, S.Korea and Taiwan.  All have moved way ahead of Thailand because people there did not put up with less than functional services.  People complained.  

 

She has every right to complain about traffic in Thailand and not to be passive.  She may had wished to ask questions as apposed to making remarks. 

10 hours ago, hanuman2543 said:

2003 I paid 3000 Baht for a landline number in Roi-Et and the Internet was non existent . That's not too long ago.

Same for region in Phuket were I lived, May 2004 !  You're right!

2 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Yes. well look at Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, S.Korea and Taiwan.  All have moved way ahead of Thailand because people there did not put up with less than functional services.  People complained.  

 

She has every right to complain about traffic in Thailand and not to be passive.  She may had wished to ask questions as apposed to making remarks. 

All those countries you have mentioned found solutions that infringe on personal liberty to own a car.

 

Thailand is Land of Freedom, and will not sacrifice this great achievement even if all the people have to crawl between the gridlock traffic.

20 minutes ago, trogers said:

Thailand is Land of Freedom

tell that to those imprisoned for expressing themselves

1 minute ago, AGareth2 said:

tell that to those imprisoned for expressing themselves

You have full liberty in talking in your car...

Complaining about Thailand is a reserved occupation - reserved for farangs.

Totally agree with her: if you never complain, nothing improves.

27 minutes ago, trogers said:

All those countries you have mentioned found solutions that infringe on personal liberty to own a car.

 

Thailand is Land of Freedom, and will not sacrifice this great achievement even if all the people have to crawl between the gridlock traffic.

Your first statement is not accurate .  You can own a car in all of those places if you can afford to do so.

 

As for you second statement, we all know Thailand is not free.  It does not have a free press.  There is no freedom to gather to hold political rallies.  If you equate freedom with waiting on buses that never come and two to three hour taxi rides, then you are correct.  It is the freest country on earth.