re: Blue Sky TV (owned/control by Thailand “Democrat” Party) and their Facebook attack/hate page against Nick Nostitz.
There are not only the 10,000 “likes” and 150 “shares”, if you read the 1,000 plus comments (apparently still up even at this point per link below), the level of hatred, bile, poison from these 1,000 “Democratic” Party Thailand supporters of Blue Sky is truly shocking, frightening when you think these 1,000 people commenting are probably relatively well-educated, middle class to hi-so, young Thais, the future of Thailand.
For me the attack on Nick encapsulates the malaise that is being acted out in the streets of Bangkok. On the one side, we have the under-educated reds who are gullible and see the only hope for their aspirations to be an absent patron and his proxy sister, both long past their use-by date.
On the other side we have the over-educated yellows, totally devoid of the ability to think critically, falling back on cant beliefs which they hold to be self-evident.
How would this audience that is Thailand, ever understand what people like Nick are offering to the world?
The venom directed at Nick from the anti-government mob is mirrored by the expat community on Thai Visa who, despite Nick’s contributions to journalism in Thailand and on that forum, continue to belittle him and insult him when he offers his insight and advice.
The incident yesterday was merely this mob showing their true colours; violence, dangerous and ultimately un-democratic in every sense.
You may think that 400,000 people are engaged in a demagogue-driven campaign of hate and you are entitled to your beliefs.
However this website is proported to be a news source publishing an objective account of the situation. If this is truly the conclusion of their reporting, then it’s no wonder why there are accusations of bias and reporters representing them will not be welcome.
I consider Nick Nostitz a friend. We have never met but we have exchanged comments on New Mandala and elsewhere. I hope he keeps reporting on what’s happening in Bangkok because he is by far the best journalist working here on the political scene. Simply the best.
I was not surprised that he was attacked after being singled out because there are a lot of “lizard brains” in the mob. That’s simply par for the course of what we know about the human psychology of mob behavior. At least no one tried to shoot him as they did in 2010. What did sicken and outrage me was that 9,000 people who follow the BLUE SKY CHANNEL on Facebook clicked “LIKE” on the hate speech against him. Sadly, I see that 6 of my Facebook friends are followers of the Blue Sky News. I will have to re-evaluate my continuing friendship with them. I at least intend to ask them some hard questions.
James, the connection is there and the 9000 Facebook “likes” are the proof of it. What began as a legitimate protest against the ill-considered amnesty is being turned into a demagogue-driven campaign of hate. The attack on Nick simply illustrates this.
That’s the thing, they are no longer just protestors, because they have crossed the line. Now that they are occupying the Finance Ministry they have become insurgents and revolutionaries. Look at the photo on the cover of today’s (November 26) Bangkok Post, and the students in that photo look just like the Iranian Revolutionary Guard did in 1979 when they occupied the US Embassy. Suthep’s (somewhat unrealistic) stated goal is to overthrow the government by cutting off its source of revenue. This is like the PAD seizing the airports in 2008. This is more than a peaceful protest, this is a grab for the reins of power.
Nick is only one casualty in this present attempt to take Thailand back to complete servitude. Fortunately nick did not suffer the same fate as the three police officers and I believe that one of them was hospitalised from the brutal kicking he got.
Many more will suffer at the hands of the fascist hoardes over the comming period.unfortunately there will always be idiots in large demonstrations and on both sides. Nick, you were lucky this time as remember the murders of two of your colleagues in 2010. No doubt you had a pint or two to relieve the pain. lol Get well quickly and keep on reporting.
I suppose that on reflection Nick would regard this as always a possible hazard of the job. His reporting over 20 years of both yellow and red protests and the drug war has been outstanding; fair-minded and, above all, brave. The 9000 Facebook “likes” only go to show how totally irrational this current demagogue-driven and hate-filled protest movement has become.
A lot of what happens in people interaction has to be read in the context of culture, the situation and the tone of the exchange. Unfortunately, that is not observed in the story relatd at the top. In the Australian environment that I know, a lot of “rude” things are said in good natured fun. It helps to understand the nature of the Aussie humour. It’s nothing personal, just our way of being funny and cheeky.
OK, occasionally, something like this happens and gets people upset and feel mistreated but hey, if you feel offended, you should speak up to the person. Tell him/her how you feel and how what he said made you comfortable. More often than not, you will find that he’s apologetic about how it made you feel. Don’t be afraid to speak up. This is Australia. Do it calmly and with reason. It will truly inspire respect and admiration that you stood up and be assertive on your belief.
Additionally, I also think that being a member of a minority community, it is often all too easy for us to run to the safety of invoking rascism whenever things don’t go our way. It implies that we are victims of circumstances that we can’t change and it’s a weak position to take. Plus, how do you teach your children if one thinks like this – it just doesn’t help to cultivate a positive self-image.
The truly sinister rascististic(?) individuals do exist no doubt, but are so few and far between, I won’t worry too much about generalising them into a national epidemic. Instead I would recommend getting on with seeing the brighter side to things, having a good positive outlook and making ourselves useful in the community. A winning formula.
Does this make sense? Did I offend anyone? Happy to hear your thoughts.
I don’t always agree with Nick’s political views, but he is a fantastic reporter who isn’t afraid to jump into the middle of the situation. What happened to him is extremely disappointing and I hope that those responsible issue a public apology.
What happened to Nick is terrible, however the last few paragraphs in this article is a good example of why people believe that websites such as this one have a political bias.
You go directly from condemning the hatred towards Nick to casting the protesters in a very bad light. The only link there is an emotional one.
If you want your reporters to continue to have access to all sides then report equally and fairly.
I noticed on twitter that Khun Korn had responded very positively after a private appeal from the BBC’s Jonathan Head after the dreadful attack on Nick.Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone of Korn’s authority and, leaving politics to one side, innate decency made a public statement on this incident.
Nick Nostitz has shown empathy for the Red Shirts in his work of the past.
The other side does not intend to engage and debate anyone, but shout their political views and shut off and intimidate those who thinks differently… the traditional Thai style. If they cannot dismiss you as “uneducate buffalo” (misspelling intentional), they’ll simply shut you up.
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Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
Thanks Peter,
Appreciate that you pointed out the live Blue Sky TV Facebook page attacking Nick. My earlier link had gone dead.
There’s some very nasty stuff there, and I see that it keeps rolling in. There’s a spiteful comment every ten minutes. Sad.
Best wishes to all,
Nich
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
re: Blue Sky TV (owned/control by Thailand “Democrat” Party) and their Facebook attack/hate page against Nick Nostitz.
There are not only the 10,000 “likes” and 150 “shares”, if you read the 1,000 plus comments (apparently still up even at this point per link below), the level of hatred, bile, poison from these 1,000 “Democratic” Party Thailand supporters of Blue Sky is truly shocking, frightening when you think these 1,000 people commenting are probably relatively well-educated, middle class to hi-so, young Thais, the future of Thailand.
Link to Blue Sky TV Facebook Page attacking Nick Nostitz: https://www.facebook.com/BLUESKYChannel/posts/406698986099538
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
For me the attack on Nick encapsulates the malaise that is being acted out in the streets of Bangkok. On the one side, we have the under-educated reds who are gullible and see the only hope for their aspirations to be an absent patron and his proxy sister, both long past their use-by date.
On the other side we have the over-educated yellows, totally devoid of the ability to think critically, falling back on cant beliefs which they hold to be self-evident.
How would this audience that is Thailand, ever understand what people like Nick are offering to the world?
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
The venom directed at Nick from the anti-government mob is mirrored by the expat community on Thai Visa who, despite Nick’s contributions to journalism in Thailand and on that forum, continue to belittle him and insult him when he offers his insight and advice.
The incident yesterday was merely this mob showing their true colours; violence, dangerous and ultimately un-democratic in every sense.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
You may think that 400,000 people are engaged in a demagogue-driven campaign of hate and you are entitled to your beliefs.
However this website is proported to be a news source publishing an objective account of the situation. If this is truly the conclusion of their reporting, then it’s no wonder why there are accusations of bias and reporters representing them will not be welcome.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
I consider Nick Nostitz a friend. We have never met but we have exchanged comments on New Mandala and elsewhere. I hope he keeps reporting on what’s happening in Bangkok because he is by far the best journalist working here on the political scene. Simply the best.
I was not surprised that he was attacked after being singled out because there are a lot of “lizard brains” in the mob. That’s simply par for the course of what we know about the human psychology of mob behavior. At least no one tried to shoot him as they did in 2010. What did sicken and outrage me was that 9,000 people who follow the BLUE SKY CHANNEL on Facebook clicked “LIKE” on the hate speech against him. Sadly, I see that 6 of my Facebook friends are followers of the Blue Sky News. I will have to re-evaluate my continuing friendship with them. I at least intend to ask them some hard questions.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
James, the connection is there and the 9000 Facebook “likes” are the proof of it. What began as a legitimate protest against the ill-considered amnesty is being turned into a demagogue-driven campaign of hate. The attack on Nick simply illustrates this.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
That’s the thing, they are no longer just protestors, because they have crossed the line. Now that they are occupying the Finance Ministry they have become insurgents and revolutionaries. Look at the photo on the cover of today’s (November 26) Bangkok Post, and the students in that photo look just like the Iranian Revolutionary Guard did in 1979 when they occupied the US Embassy. Suthep’s (somewhat unrealistic) stated goal is to overthrow the government by cutting off its source of revenue. This is like the PAD seizing the airports in 2008. This is more than a peaceful protest, this is a grab for the reins of power.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
Nick is only one casualty in this present attempt to take Thailand back to complete servitude. Fortunately nick did not suffer the same fate as the three police officers and I believe that one of them was hospitalised from the brutal kicking he got.
Many more will suffer at the hands of the fascist hoardes over the comming period.unfortunately there will always be idiots in large demonstrations and on both sides. Nick, you were lucky this time as remember the murders of two of your colleagues in 2010. No doubt you had a pint or two to relieve the pain. lol Get well quickly and keep on reporting.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
I suppose that on reflection Nick would regard this as always a possible hazard of the job. His reporting over 20 years of both yellow and red protests and the drug war has been outstanding; fair-minded and, above all, brave. The 9000 Facebook “likes” only go to show how totally irrational this current demagogue-driven and hate-filled protest movement has become.
Say what, cakap apa?
A lot of what happens in people interaction has to be read in the context of culture, the situation and the tone of the exchange. Unfortunately, that is not observed in the story relatd at the top. In the Australian environment that I know, a lot of “rude” things are said in good natured fun. It helps to understand the nature of the Aussie humour. It’s nothing personal, just our way of being funny and cheeky.
OK, occasionally, something like this happens and gets people upset and feel mistreated but hey, if you feel offended, you should speak up to the person. Tell him/her how you feel and how what he said made you comfortable. More often than not, you will find that he’s apologetic about how it made you feel. Don’t be afraid to speak up. This is Australia. Do it calmly and with reason. It will truly inspire respect and admiration that you stood up and be assertive on your belief.
Additionally, I also think that being a member of a minority community, it is often all too easy for us to run to the safety of invoking rascism whenever things don’t go our way. It implies that we are victims of circumstances that we can’t change and it’s a weak position to take. Plus, how do you teach your children if one thinks like this – it just doesn’t help to cultivate a positive self-image.
The truly sinister rascististic(?) individuals do exist no doubt, but are so few and far between, I won’t worry too much about generalising them into a national epidemic. Instead I would recommend getting on with seeing the brighter side to things, having a good positive outlook and making ourselves useful in the community. A winning formula.
Does this make sense? Did I offend anyone? Happy to hear your thoughts.
We’ve seen your theories…
>And that’s even before we get onto who actually burnt those few buildings down.
Probably the same people who flew the planes into the towers on 9/11.
When the truth is inconvenient, always suggest a shadowy outsider.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
I hope Nick stays safe. I also hope there are some people in Bangkok who can take action to help ensure his safety.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
I don’t always agree with Nick’s political views, but he is a fantastic reporter who isn’t afraid to jump into the middle of the situation. What happened to him is extremely disappointing and I hope that those responsible issue a public apology.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
What happened to Nick is terrible, however the last few paragraphs in this article is a good example of why people believe that websites such as this one have a political bias.
You go directly from condemning the hatred towards Nick to casting the protesters in a very bad light. The only link there is an emotional one.
If you want your reporters to continue to have access to all sides then report equally and fairly.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
I noticed on twitter that Khun Korn had responded very positively after a private appeal from the BBC’s Jonathan Head after the dreadful attack on Nick.Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone of Korn’s authority and, leaving politics to one side, innate decency made a public statement on this incident.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
Nick Nostitz has shown empathy for the Red Shirts in his work of the past.
The other side does not intend to engage and debate anyone, but shout their political views and shut off and intimidate those who thinks differently… the traditional Thai style. If they cannot dismiss you as “uneducate buffalo” (misspelling intentional), they’ll simply shut you up.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
Yes, I admit the comparison cheapen the Holocaust, which I apologize.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
Abhisit and Suthep and the Democrat Party leadership should be ashamed of themselves for the outrage upon Nick Nostitz’ person by their followers.
Those 9,000 “hate-internet-Facebook-posse” with their “likes” and spites are total absolute buffalos of the unthinking and dangerous kind.
Yesterday, tomorrow, Thailand
A dirty shame & very worrying.
Let the press do their job!
Even if he was a Red Shirt, why shouldn’t he be allowed to be there & report?
They got something to hide?
Keep up the good work, Nick!