Slaves in fatigues

Thailand's military conscripts being used as "servants" at the generals' homes could be inscribed in the Guinness Book of World Records (Editorial, July 19).

It's just inconceivable that any other country in the world would allow this inhuman practice to exist.

May I submit the following proposals:

1. Submit questions to the military generals whether they would allow their own "sons", as conscripts, to be used as "servants" in other generals' home.

2. Conduct the poll and submit the same question to the Thai public.

I've a high respect for our military establishment. But this "conscripts/servants" issue has left a big black hole on its image and caused uncountable damage to the country.

It must be annulled.

The conscripts are drafted to serve the "nation", not the "generals".

CK
'Thai-ness' faux pas?

The notion of "Thainess" has crept back into public discourse recently, particularly in association with the cave rescue operation. The term should be abandoned because it is inherently divisive and xenophobic, and, that if it must be used, let it simply be equated to the practice of metta or loving-kindness, (something well understood and aspired to in this Buddhist nation).

Looking at it from a realistic perspective, "Thainess" could rationally be associated with a myriad of qualities as evidenced by readily available metrics.

Some relevant national rankings to consider: road fatalities (No.2 in the world), human trafficking and slavery (147 out of 167), educational test results (PISA 54 of 70), firearms murder rate (No.3 in the world), corruption index (101 out of 176), carbon emissions (192 out of 216), black market risk (73 out of 93), use of chemicals in agriculture (No.1 in the world), coups d'etat (No.1 in the world), creativity (82 out of 139), danger to tourists (118 out of 139), democracy (100 out of 167), economic inequality (3rd worst in the world), English proficiency (53 out of 80), plastic waste (186 out of 192), fish, mammal and plant species threatened (203 out of 215, 205 out of 214, 189 out of 215), freedom (156 out of 210), innovation (45 out of 50), press freedom (140 out of 180), prison population rate (7th highest in the world), traffic congestion (Bangkok ranks 2nd worst in the world), university rankings (no universities in the top 200).

Though there are no rankings for the following I think the implications are quite clear as to Thailand's performance in these areas: freedom of expression, enforced disappearances, rule of law, torture, secret detention, political freedom, treatment of activists, whistleblowers, refugees, migrant workers and asylum seekers. One might also consider the continuing separatist conflict in the South as it reflects on the national character.

In Singapore, which is a world leader in many of the above metrics, one never hears the term "Singaporean-ness". Should not "Thainess" also be relegated to the dust bin of linguistic faux pas?

Michael Setter

The right British stuff

What more is there to say about the Chiang Rai cave rescue? Surely it has all been covered in the endless repetitions of the TV current affairs shows and news web sites. Now it's mission accomplished, a great success, despite the sad loss of a life. The Wild Boars and their coach are safe and well, the rescue team have dispersed, and a Hollywood production company have already sent researchers to Chiang Rai to start work on a movie.

But I'd like to add something that I haven't seen in the media coverage. It's something that I believe says a lot about the way our view of real-life events has been affected by what we see on TV. So let's go back to the moment when the British "A-Team" of cave dive experts arrived in Thailand. This was obviously a big moment for the Thai media. They sent camera crews to record the arrival of the three foreigners at the airport, then at the caves. It was hot news on TV, as public interest in the plight of the Wild Boars began to consume the country.

From what I heard from friends and acquaintances, not everyone was impressed by what they saw. Many seemed distinctly underwhelmed by the news footage. In fact, I detected a general air of disappointment. Because the three men arriving at the airport in Chiang Rai, the foreign saviours who would rescue the boys, did not look like what people had expected. They did not look like the kind of action hero who would be able to battle through the flooded caves and pluck the boys from their underground prison.

So who did we expect to turn up ready for mission impossible? Maybe we expected screen tough guys, men who were more like the action heroes who appear daily in the American movies and TV series that dominate much of the Thai media. In this fictional world the Navy Seals, Swat teams, and Special Ops are all straight from central casting. You'd recognise the look: 30-something, chiselled features, biceps and shoulder muscles rippling under their military gear, and regulation six-packs on view whenever the tee-shirts come off.

But the three men who we saw arriving at the scene looked nothing like that. More than one Thai friend commented that they looked old -- maybe too old for the job. And yes, when we checked we found their ages were 47, 56 and 70. In fact these experts looked like any other average guy who you'd meet in an English high street, or down the pub. They were, in a word, understated. They lacked the can-do attitude, the piercing gaze, the tough-guy swagger. They were just three ordinary looking middle-aged men.

It turned out that they were all hobbyists turned world experts, in the long tradition of British adventurers. They all had day-jobs, and had learned their skills close to home -- in the caves of Derbyshire, Wales and the English West Country. They had become the world's best at what they did, leading dangerous cave rescue missions all over the globe. But the screen images showed none of this.

And of course, soon after they took on the leadership of the rescue team, we all found out that they were exactly the right people for the job. They did indeed have the right stuff. Within days, two of them had penetrated the cave system and found the boys and their coach. They then helped set up the rescue mission -- and the rest is history.

Now the movie industry is taking the first steps in making a blockbuster feature film about what happened in Chiang Rai. I wonder who they will cast in the roles of the real-life "A-Team"? Three unassuming ordinary blokes? Or muscular tough-guys with the standard action hero look? We'll see soon enough.

So what might we learn from all this? As I write this piece I am left wondering how much our view of the world is shaped by the screen versions of reality that fill our lives. How often do we dismiss what we see around us, or in the mirror, because it does not live up to some ideal look? Someone is too fat, too thin, too old, too young, too ordinary to fit the role. But real heroes will probably not look like Hollywood's version of superman and superwoman. The people who show true courage and resilience, who face great peril and succeed against all the odds, will most likely look, well, just ordinary. Like the Chiang Rai "A-Team". Our lived experience, the real world, is far more subtle and unexpected than the "reality" we see on our screens.

And that's one lesson from the Tham Luang cave rescue story that I reckon is well worth learning.

Alan Hancock
Anti-Chinese bias?

Re: "Watery graves", (PostBag, July 10).

The above makes a good point, showing that he does indeed have a sense of fairness. While it is great that the boys were rescued from the Thai cave, the fact remains that there was limited media coverage on the deaths of the 40 or so Chinese tourists at sea. Yet we were inunduated with images about the boys on almost a constant basis for about two weeks. Why the discrepancy? Are the lives of some people more important than others?

PaulKhon Kaen
Gotta love the lads

In the Bangkok Post's July 18 front page picture and accompanying interview, the rescued Thai children appear to be humble, self-effacing youngsters expressing their gratitude to all those who had saved them. Their innocence and team spirit was writ large on their faces and their respectful behaviour. I do hope they will fulfil their aspirations of becoming professional footballers, Navy Seal divers and serving society.

Rajendra Aneja
Teachers must strike

The debate about education has gone on for what seems like eons. Nothing has changed, nothing will. So it goes in Thailand. The debate about low teachers' salaries is also a debate which has gone on for what seems like an eternity. No one seems to give a damn. The status quo will continue forever as well. There is only a one sure-fire solution. The teachers union or unions must call a strike to simultaneously hit the entire country at the same time, and not give in to promises unless salaries are substantially increased and guaranteed by the Ministry of Education and the prime minister.

The moment parents figure out that local schools are not babysitting facilities that parents depend on while they go to work, things will immediately change. It worked in New York City, which has one of the largest school systems in the US. It worked in San Francisco. It worked in Toronto. It will work here as well. As long as teachers hold fast, are not cowed by threats, etc they will get their increases.

Jack Gilead
Stop bashing America

Re: "Trump's id unleashed", (PostBag, July 17).

I have been residing in and out of Thailand since 1971. I served with the Royal Thai Army and Ministry of Defence several times during my military and civilian careers. I am very aware of strong Thai-American relationships over the years. I personally witnessed the positive development of the institution of democracy over the years here in this great country of Thailand.

I was very upset to read the comments regarding the president of the United States and the disparaging description of the American people, which is an insult. The US is a country that has supported Thailand through its development since World War II. Thailand first recorded contact with the US came in 1818 when an American ship captain visited the country, bearing a letter from then-president James Monroe to Phrabat Somdet Phra Paramenthra Maha Mongkut (Rama IV).

Jeffery Stringfield
Trump the saboteur

How ironic that after accusing Andy Phillips (Postbag, July 18) of not using facts, John Tilton claims that Donald Trump was elected by a majority of the American people. "Mr Facts" are you aware that Hillary Clinton got nearly 3 million more votes than Donald Trump? So how did he win a "majority" of the votes?

We now know that on the same day Mr Trump asked the Russians to find Hillary Clinton's emails they hacked into the computers in her private office.

The 2016 election was hijacked by Trump and he has no right to be president of the United States. And those are the facts!

Eric Bahrt
Paradise all white

Cycling along the highways and byways of Thailand and enjoying the food, countryside and people with newspapers filled with positive news about the cave rescue makes me happy to be part of the Thai landscape.

The harsh reality hits me, though, as when sheltering from a monsoonal shower in a bus shelter I am joined by some Myanmar migrant workers. Very soon after that a black BMW pulls up and a smartly dressed government official joins our little group.

Ignoring my bedraggled appearance, he then proceeds to take the passports and wads of money from these desperate workers.

Yes, corruption is still alive and well in Thailand!

Rod Grierson

CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING 136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 Fax: +02 6164000 email:
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