Anthaiclockwise

Forgive, I was dwelling upon the topic in the past, but now Thailand’s tattered reputation is reaching historic proportions. Not only have we become a textbook banana republic with a parliament again without an attending opposition – or an opposition preoccupied with quorum checks.

But the parliament is anyway no power center anymore. The once proud island of democracy in the midst of authoritarianism has again become a de facto dictatorial regime – with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva not much more than the handsome face of a loathsome behind. Thought we’ve seen those days?

Not only is Abhisit incapable of defying a military on the loose – Thailand’s armed forces are again a law onto themselves by ignoring orders of (the previous) elected governments and placing themselves – as the Rohingya affair beautifully shows – above the rule of law and common sense.

Accountability of the guardians of the nation? “We are not going to see the Abhisit government going after the military because it was instrumental in his assumption of office,” Reuters quotes Chula’s political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak.

“The military has substantial leverage. The Democrats have made a Faustian pact that Abhsit has to live with.” Expect the same lethargy regarding the occupiers of Bangkok’s airports.

Abhisit has many debts to pay, while personal rights and freedoms have to be curbed to reinforce the status quo he’s protecting.

The relaxed freedoms we all associate with living in Thailand once seemed God-given. Those freedoms seem no longer assured. If you don’t ask any questions and prefer to not question, then Thailand remains your paradise. Otherwise don’t trust anyone.

You can even accuse the foreign community of intentionally discrediting Thailand – and you won’t fall on deaf ears.

The current climate reminds me of the last days of the falling Soviet empire. People poured into theaters and read newspapers that didn’t call a spade a spade. A kind of language was developed that didn’t have to call a spade a spade – but everyone understood, and the language was intriguing.

Thai officials seem to be nevertheless aware that they have a certain explaining to do. Which is why the Justice Ministry wants to launch a campaign to teach foreigners about its strict monarchy protection laws, according to news reports.

Said an official, and I’m quoting: “The ministry has an idea to seek cooperation from the Foreign Ministry to ask all Thai embassies abroad to educate foreigners about lèse majesté laws.”

She said foreigners misunderstand the complicated laws, mistakenly believing the crime is not serious and carries a light sentence.

It seems only logical that arriving tourists will have to be warned by means of in-flight announcement about the laws – as you’re warned while approaching Singapore about the island state’s harsh drug laws.

I doubt it will have an effect on tourism, but who knows. The current anachronistic, reactionary tendencies only further tarnish the reputation of a nation once known for her openness and humanitarian tradition.

Even hardened long term resident friends who smiled at the last coup after so many other coups seem to get slightly uncomfortable.

The airport sieges were the turning point, demonstrating how far the one side is willing to go to defeat the other side in the name of sovereignty.

No price to pay seems to be too high. Add current keywords such as brainwashing, self-censorship, turning back the clock.

And be it at the expense of what they’re pretending to protect.

Who would have thought Thailand can turn into this.




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January 27, 2009 | Filed Under News & Media, Politics, Society, The Thai Mind 

Comments

One Response to “Anthaiclockwise”

  1. krid on January 28th, 2009 12.49 am

    Excellent post. Thai anxieties are simmering and are about to boil over, namely globalization + immigration, global economic meltdown and “the biggest issue of them all,” which might come to pass this year.

    The fundamental problem remains that there is no tradition of civilized exchange of ideas in Thailand, no tolerant and open discourse with “the enemy” is ever possible, everything immediately becomes a matter of life and death, be it Rohingyas, civilian activists, business competitors or wrong-colored shirts. This is rooted in the whole rotten patronage system instilled by rote in the atrocious education system. We might be in for dark times in Thailand and many might be better advised to pack their belongings and leave for now. With Abhisit showing himself to be a spineless sycophant that he is, it might be decades before Thailand can continue its democratic development started in the nineties.

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