Poet Phaitoon accused of sexism in Yingluck genital wordplay

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Poet Phaitoon accused of sexism in Yingluck genital wordplay

By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- WRITERS, ACADEMICS and other experts have criticised the national literary artist, Phaitoon Thanya, for a poem they say discriminated on the basis of gender against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, by mentioning Yingluck’s vagina through flipped words.

 

Phaitoon, whose real name is Thanya Sangkhaphanthanon, published the poem on his personal Facebook account last Friday, sparking a controversy on social media.

 

The poet was criticised for directly discriminating against Yingluck by attacking her gender. Almost 5,000 netizens signed up to a campaign calling for Thanya’s national artist title to be revoked.

 

 

His poem can be loosely translated into English as “This suspicious case is about ears, come and think bad ears is not good, using bad ears as an excuse to flee the country like your big brother, Khun Pi’s ears (once flipped, it means ‘Pu’s vagina’) are so evil.”

 

“Pu” is an affectionate nickname for Yingluck. The former premier fled the country last week before her scheduled Friday Supreme Court appearance to hear the judgment related to her former government’s controversial rice pledging case.

 

Literary expert Nattharavut Muangsuk wrote on his Facebook profile that many people had defended Thanya and his poem. It is a normal literary practice for poets to flip words to make erotic jokes and genital allusions.

 

Nattharavut pointed to “Sappaleehuan” as an example of a work of Southern literature that employs literary flipping.

The flipped erotic words in Sappaleehuan did not insult anyone and the poet’s intention in using the flipped erotic words in the poem was to harmlessly entertain the readers, wrote Nattharavut.

 

In contrast, by specifically targeting Yingluck, Thanya crossed the line. The poem is a direct insult to the ex-PM’s gender, clearly intended to attack Yingluck’s femininity, wrote Nattharuvut.

 

A petition calling for revoking Thanya’s title as a national artist garnered almost 5,000 signatures. The petition asserted that he defamed the reputation and honour of the national artist title.

 

Democratic Party deputy head and former Culture Minister Niphit Intarasombat said that the issue of annulling a title of national artist had previously been discussed and a decision made to refuse any future calls for revocation.

 

“The revocation of national artist should not be possible, because if we want the national artists to act like others, they cannot create great art, and I think the Culture Ministry should remain firm on this decision,” Niphit said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30325138

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-29

[Thechook]

If this was the other side he would be arrested for causing unrest, dividing and threatening national security.  I bet my 1st born nothing is done about this.

[BuaBS]

9 hours ago, Thechook said:

nothing is done about this.

Why should it ? It's a non event.

[nausea]

Grossly insulting, I would say, in a deeply conservative country like Thailand; and my impression is that it is deeply conservative, in public at least, that's why they get so worked up over public twerking and bikini parties, and girls wear underwear beneath their swimming costumes. Pattaya and the like, where public display is the norm, are anomalies. Of course, what happens in private is another matter - mia nois and all that.

[halloween]

Definitely insulting. "Pu" is not that sort of crabs. 

[sawadee1947]

42 years prison at least. Alternatively a 500 Baht fine.

[rkidlad]

When a foreign man marries a Thai lady here, how many documents does he need for his visa extensions?

 

When a foreign woman marries a Thai man, how many documents does she need?

 

There's a huge amount of sexism in this country. This is comparison is nothing. 

 

 

[chickenslegs]

Big hoo-ha about nothing.

Plenty of mucky references to female parts in Shakespeare, and his works are taught in schools.

(not that I'm comparing  Phaitoon to The Bard).

[Lupatria]

What about the thousands of women who suffer from a spontaneous ovulation while watching the weekly TV sermon on Friday at 8 PM?

Edited August 29, 2017 by Lupatria

[katana]

This is not the first time derogatory misogynistic remarks have been made about Yingluk by people in positions of power and reminds me of a previous incident back in 2013.
In fiery speeches at protests calling for her ouster (in 2013), Thailand’s first female Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was called ugly, stupid, a bitch, a slut and a whore.
A university professor recommended sending a large group of men to “sexually snare” her. A decorated doctor offered to give her vaginal repair surgery and to change her sanitary pads, and said she could become a nude model because she hasn’t yet reached menopause.
Continued:
http://blogs.reuters.com/the-human-impact/2014/01/23/the-din-of-misogyny-at-bangkok-protests/

[halloween]

I fondly remember the picture of her standing by the sign, apparently you had to be Thai to appreciate the joke.