The reactionary attitude displayed in your last comment (quite exemplary for certain sectors of Thai society) is possibly the best explanation for the emergence of the Red Shirt movement and the biggest reason why Thai society presently goes through very similar developments that Germany, Austria-Hungary and quite a few other European countries experienced at the turn from the 19th to the 20th century.
The only question here is if Thailand will have to go through similar pains many European societies did in the past on their way to modernization, or if Thailand can manage to learn from our mistakes.
How it must annoy hi-so Thais that Yingluk speaks better English, is more “Chinese looking”, has whiter skin, is better educated, and has far more money than they do. Even more galling to them is the fact that the overwhelming majority of Thais voted for her, an achievement that still eludes them.
Vichai, you represent all that is most embarrassing about your ilk.
Just because Vichai knows a few words of English, “he /she” thinks “he/she” is better than the average or rather most Thais. Vichai is probably a he, so I will use that assumption. In his believe of superiority, he is sadly mistaken.
If one hates the brother, it is easy understand why that person will also despise his sister. What makes this person’s heart full with anger is the fact that both brother and sister are adored by millions of people.
Nick I could not agree with you more. Khun Vichai appears to despise Yingluck so much that he never misses the opportunity to put the boot in….
I ran some of Khun Vichai’s comments past Vietnamese women I am working with on a project in Vietnam and then they viewed Yingluck in Davos and because they are not biased or prejudiced against Thai PM’s (one might so unusual given Thailand’s role in the past in Indochina) they listed carefully to Yingluck’s arguments and they resonated with them. They are aware of the linkages between rural poverty and paid sex work in its various guises and accept there are no easy solutions to this livelihood issue. Yingluck did not sound like a fully-fledged GAD specialist but if you listen more carefully to what she had to say and more importantly what she says in Thai she does have a pretty good understanding of gender empowerment issues.
As they pointed out Vietnam’s own PM and General-Secretary don’t speak much English but as for Yingluck being a bimbo they categorically said Khun Vichai must be a bit of a sexist and Vietnamese women know quite a bit about sexism themselves.
It may be comical to Nostitz & Europeans, but Yingluck@Davos ‘prostitution commentary’ in primitive English was humiliating to thin-skinned Thais.
But after Nostitz explanation, I begin to perhaps to understand why so many Europeans marry near-illiterate Thai women (many met at environments specifically addressed by Yingluck@Davos) . . . whose fractured English were just as ‘good’ as Yingluck’s.
Not enough study has been made of Thai society, overall. Not by Thais nor non-Thais. There is so much criticism, so much to be critical of, and so much polarization. Where did all this come from?
In part the concept or mantra of unity in Thailand finds its roots in a regimented society that forces relationships and minimizes free upward mobility. The regimentation is well-entrenched and not well-designed. Thus, given modern opportunities for education, exposure to non-doctrinated concepts, personal experience with life being lived another way, personal empowerment of the mind and so on, it is no wonder that what is being called divisiveness comes into being. If Thai society were less stratified, less regimented there would be no, perhaps…need, for divisiveness. But Thai society seems to have come to another crossroads in its development where Thais in Thailand are telling one another to mind their own business, to leave them alone, to allow things to be said that have always been cited as bad things or un-Thai things. Of course the groupings and activists who support status quo or no-change are screaming about divisiveness. The need for it, though, is overshadowed by colors and very Thai-like hatred and violence. Thai society has always been violent – and not alone in this in the world – but does not appreciate its laundry hanging out on the line.
It is always quite comical what some in Thailand believe would “embarrass the whole nation”, which often is in contradiction what actually does embarrass Thailand internationally.
I have been for the past two months in Germany. When people hear that i live in Thailand, comments i hear quite often (more regularly even nowadays than the old prostitution comments, but still less than that the weather must be warm in Thailand) are astonishment and disgust that in Thailand people who criticize the monarchy receive draconian prison sentences.
Most don’t really care much who the Prime Minister in Thailand is, and what that Prime Minister said in Davos – there are anyhow Prime Minsters, Chancellors, Presidents and Foreign Ministers of many countries whose command of English is much worse than Yingluck’s, such as the German Foreign Minster Westerwelle (and Germany still functions…).
And if you look at real international embarrassments than i would suggest to have a look at the former Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi…
It’s kind of fun to see what outsiders think or look at Thais or Thailand. I admit that we are Thais not perfact in many ways – majority Thai people can not speak or write English, majority people are poor and not educated. I think this is the result of the phrase that some old Thai elites like to say to Thai people “we should be proud of being Thai and speaking Thai”.
I agree the reflection from the show. I think Thai government should be serious and focus more on education. (Ying Luck has an experience from being criticized about her English). Thai government have talked about how to improve the Thai kids’ education but they give laptops to the students instead (for playing a game or for educational perpose!?!?). I see many kids are addicted to the online games instead of using computer for school works.
Why the anger and outburst at an article? You could be a little more civil and constructive in commenting on the article, like what Gaik Cheng has done. It seems to me you have a bone to pick with the writer, hence you not only tear the article to pieces, you hit at the writer as well.
That is not a very nice thing to do. Please repent before you meet your maker. How do you like that?
Thank you for your lengthy response. And please do not for one minute believe that my intention is to try to make anyone look better. Be it the Thai Royals, the UDD leadership or any of the sides elites.
I am not part in this binary infection and have friends in both camps. I know there are good people in both and don’t want harm caused to any of them.
When I cried “The UDD leadership don’t deserve respect” I didn’t allow them any credit for the good things they were trying to accomplish. Therefore I belittled the efforts of improvement of their followers. And naturally any follower of the UDD would therefore feel hurt by such a statement.
What I should have cried out is “The UDD leadership shouldn’t allow hatred and anger to command their followers” or “They shouldn’t be silent and should promote peaceful solutions”. Just like I think you should cry “Thai Royals should take a public stand against death threats against the Nitirat.” Points I think we both agree on, and I guess any one would agree on after about 10 seconds of thinking.
My bottom line is: “Are our actions/words creating understanding between people – or division?”
Because division can lead to serious violence in Thailand.
And I think that wordings like “they don’t deserve respect” contribute to division.
Anytime a Thai PM embarrasses herself/himself internationally by making herself/himself look like a bimbo and/or a fool (Yingluck did just that at Yingluck@Davos video clip), she embarrasses the whole Thai nation.
And Nick Nostitz et al should stop making excuses for Yingluck S., the sitting Thai PM. Her education includes a masters at Kentucky U., her pedigree includes being sister and sister-in-law to two former Thai PM (Thaksin and Somchai), she’s immensely wealthy, and was the top executive of huge Thai companies.
Nepotism brought Yingluck to top of Thailand’s business world. Nepotism also brought Yingluck to inherit the Pheau Thai Party from her disgraced brother Thaksin . . . then the Thai premiership she now currently holds. But all Yingluck possesses is her well coiffed but intellectually vacuous head.
There are cartoon books on the king’s life already. They are promoted by Se-ed books with the slogan “Books everybody must read” (if I remember correctly).
Facebook 
Twitter 
Soundcloud 
Youtube 
Rss
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
“Vichai N”:
The reactionary attitude displayed in your last comment (quite exemplary for certain sectors of Thai society) is possibly the best explanation for the emergence of the Red Shirt movement and the biggest reason why Thai society presently goes through very similar developments that Germany, Austria-Hungary and quite a few other European countries experienced at the turn from the 19th to the 20th century.
The only question here is if Thailand will have to go through similar pains many European societies did in the past on their way to modernization, or if Thailand can manage to learn from our mistakes.
Another review of King Bhumibol’s life
Jesse,
Stop talking to Mandala people that way! they do read fact! they don’t like fiction, rumour, gossip etc. etc.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
How it must annoy hi-so Thais that Yingluk speaks better English, is more “Chinese looking”, has whiter skin, is better educated, and has far more money than they do. Even more galling to them is the fact that the overwhelming majority of Thais voted for her, an achievement that still eludes them.
Vichai, you represent all that is most embarrassing about your ilk.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
Just because Vichai knows a few words of English, “he /she” thinks “he/she” is better than the average or rather most Thais. Vichai is probably a he, so I will use that assumption. In his believe of superiority, he is sadly mistaken.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s house
I wish I took more photos of the compound. Surprisingly, everybody I meet seems really curious about her house. Maybe next time.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
If one hates the brother, it is easy understand why that person will also despise his sister. What makes this person’s heart full with anger is the fact that both brother and sister are adored by millions of people.
1Contradiction: Malaysia’s handbags
C’mon Curtin… Even Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II wore yellow and had yellow roses when meeting with PM and his wife…. go find out why…
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
Nick I could not agree with you more. Khun Vichai appears to despise Yingluck so much that he never misses the opportunity to put the boot in….
I ran some of Khun Vichai’s comments past Vietnamese women I am working with on a project in Vietnam and then they viewed Yingluck in Davos and because they are not biased or prejudiced against Thai PM’s (one might so unusual given Thailand’s role in the past in Indochina) they listed carefully to Yingluck’s arguments and they resonated with them. They are aware of the linkages between rural poverty and paid sex work in its various guises and accept there are no easy solutions to this livelihood issue. Yingluck did not sound like a fully-fledged GAD specialist but if you listen more carefully to what she had to say and more importantly what she says in Thai she does have a pretty good understanding of gender empowerment issues.
As they pointed out Vietnam’s own PM and General-Secretary don’t speak much English but as for Yingluck being a bimbo they categorically said Khun Vichai must be a bit of a sexist and Vietnamese women know quite a bit about sexism themselves.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
It may be comical to Nostitz & Europeans, but Yingluck@Davos ‘prostitution commentary’ in primitive English was humiliating to thin-skinned Thais.
But after Nostitz explanation, I begin to perhaps to understand why so many Europeans marry near-illiterate Thai women (many met at environments specifically addressed by Yingluck@Davos) . . . whose fractured English were just as ‘good’ as Yingluck’s.
Another review of King Bhumibol’s life
“If only the book had been published in cartoon form….. just about every Thai could have read it”
Except western academics. Too complicated for them to understand !
A catalogue of threats against the Khana Nitirat
Not enough study has been made of Thai society, overall. Not by Thais nor non-Thais. There is so much criticism, so much to be critical of, and so much polarization. Where did all this come from?
In part the concept or mantra of unity in Thailand finds its roots in a regimented society that forces relationships and minimizes free upward mobility. The regimentation is well-entrenched and not well-designed. Thus, given modern opportunities for education, exposure to non-doctrinated concepts, personal experience with life being lived another way, personal empowerment of the mind and so on, it is no wonder that what is being called divisiveness comes into being. If Thai society were less stratified, less regimented there would be no, perhaps…need, for divisiveness. But Thai society seems to have come to another crossroads in its development where Thais in Thailand are telling one another to mind their own business, to leave them alone, to allow things to be said that have always been cited as bad things or un-Thai things. Of course the groupings and activists who support status quo or no-change are screaming about divisiveness. The need for it, though, is overshadowed by colors and very Thai-like hatred and violence. Thai society has always been violent – and not alone in this in the world – but does not appreciate its laundry hanging out on the line.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
“Vichai N”:
It is always quite comical what some in Thailand believe would “embarrass the whole nation”, which often is in contradiction what actually does embarrass Thailand internationally.
I have been for the past two months in Germany. When people hear that i live in Thailand, comments i hear quite often (more regularly even nowadays than the old prostitution comments, but still less than that the weather must be warm in Thailand) are astonishment and disgust that in Thailand people who criticize the monarchy receive draconian prison sentences.
Most don’t really care much who the Prime Minister in Thailand is, and what that Prime Minister said in Davos – there are anyhow Prime Minsters, Chancellors, Presidents and Foreign Ministers of many countries whose command of English is much worse than Yingluck’s, such as the German Foreign Minster Westerwelle (and Germany still functions…).
And if you look at real international embarrassments than i would suggest to have a look at the former Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi…
For Singaporeans, Bangkok is the new Johor Bahru
I love this parody! really funny and true. I felt like I have seen this before in the 1980s in American show.
Oh I just realise that the New Mandala also features ‘entertainment’ in this blog.
For Singaporeans, Bangkok is the new Johor Bahru
Relac bro! Hahaha…. I’m just sharing interesting videos with New Mandala readers nia lah. You dun think the videos very funny meh?
Eh next time I go back Singapore you want to come out and lim kopi a not. Tell me next time we meet in Tampines lor. No problem one.
For Singaporeans, Bangkok is the new Johor Bahru
It’s kind of fun to see what outsiders think or look at Thais or Thailand. I admit that we are Thais not perfact in many ways – majority Thai people can not speak or write English, majority people are poor and not educated. I think this is the result of the phrase that some old Thai elites like to say to Thai people “we should be proud of being Thai and speaking Thai”.
I agree the reflection from the show. I think Thai government should be serious and focus more on education. (Ying Luck has an experience from being criticized about her English). Thai government have talked about how to improve the Thai kids’ education but they give laptops to the students instead (for playing a game or for educational perpose!?!?). I see many kids are addicted to the online games instead of using computer for school works.
┼╜i┼╛ek and social change in Malaysia – Part 1
Keith,
Why the anger and outburst at an article? You could be a little more civil and constructive in commenting on the article, like what Gaik Cheng has done. It seems to me you have a bone to pick with the writer, hence you not only tear the article to pieces, you hit at the writer as well.
That is not a very nice thing to do. Please repent before you meet your maker. How do you like that?
Sibeh Ah Beng returns
At least present a proper Singlish. It is obvious you have no knowledge of Singlish
A catalogue of threats against the Khana Nitirat
@CT
Thank you for your lengthy response. And please do not for one minute believe that my intention is to try to make anyone look better. Be it the Thai Royals, the UDD leadership or any of the sides elites.
I am not part in this binary infection and have friends in both camps. I know there are good people in both and don’t want harm caused to any of them.
When I cried “The UDD leadership don’t deserve respect” I didn’t allow them any credit for the good things they were trying to accomplish. Therefore I belittled the efforts of improvement of their followers. And naturally any follower of the UDD would therefore feel hurt by such a statement.
What I should have cried out is “The UDD leadership shouldn’t allow hatred and anger to command their followers” or “They shouldn’t be silent and should promote peaceful solutions”. Just like I think you should cry “Thai Royals should take a public stand against death threats against the Nitirat.” Points I think we both agree on, and I guess any one would agree on after about 10 seconds of thinking.
My bottom line is: “Are our actions/words creating understanding between people – or division?”
Because division can lead to serious violence in Thailand.
And I think that wordings like “they don’t deserve respect” contribute to division.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
Anytime a Thai PM embarrasses herself/himself internationally by making herself/himself look like a bimbo and/or a fool (Yingluck did just that at Yingluck@Davos video clip), she embarrasses the whole Thai nation.
And Nick Nostitz et al should stop making excuses for Yingluck S., the sitting Thai PM. Her education includes a masters at Kentucky U., her pedigree includes being sister and sister-in-law to two former Thai PM (Thaksin and Somchai), she’s immensely wealthy, and was the top executive of huge Thai companies.
Nepotism brought Yingluck to top of Thailand’s business world. Nepotism also brought Yingluck to inherit the Pheau Thai Party from her disgraced brother Thaksin . . . then the Thai premiership she now currently holds. But all Yingluck possesses is her well coiffed but intellectually vacuous head.
Another review of King Bhumibol’s life
# 20
There are cartoon books on the king’s life already. They are promoted by Se-ed books with the slogan “Books everybody must read” (if I remember correctly).