Comments on: The Low Down on the Trouble in Thailand http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/ Nomadic Matt's Travel Site Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:25:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: Sam http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-7025 Sam Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:45:03 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-7025 I do not feel too sorry for Thailand - the country's elite and military rulers have chosen to keep power and money in the hands of the few. Even the aid that came in to benefit Tsunami victims in 2004 mostly went to the rich elite and army. Democracy doesn't work here because the elite do not want the ordinary people to have a say. In the words of a learned Thai friend of mine - they just want to keep the population 'stupid'. When they are not happy, they just "have another coup". My friend works in a hospital and whenever the government makes a disbursement to them, the management find ever-increasing ways to redirect it into their pockets, rather to where it is intended. The local school, on open days, has a car park of Mercedes Benz, whilst at the same time children do not have adequate supplies of learning materials. Matt, you mention people losing faith in H.M. The King because he is doing nothing. I'm not sure I would quite agree with that. Everyone I know here is completely unquestioning of the King. He simply cannot do any wrong. Still, one has to say that, otherwise one would be arrested and put away in jail for several years, on Lese Majeste charges! Thailand will not change until the government invests properly in education, bringing the stupid uneducated population out of the dark ages and into the 21st century. Until then, the country will continue to be held to ransom by corrupt military and Bangkok Elite. I do not feel too sorry for Thailand – the country’s elite and military rulers have chosen to keep power and money in the hands of the few. Even the aid that came in to benefit Tsunami victims in 2004 mostly went to the rich elite and army.

Democracy doesn’t work here because the elite do not want the ordinary people to have a say. In the words of a learned Thai friend of mine – they just want to keep the population ’stupid’. When they are not happy, they just “have another coup”.

My friend works in a hospital and whenever the government makes a disbursement to them, the management find ever-increasing ways to redirect it into their pockets, rather to where it is intended.

The local school, on open days, has a car park of Mercedes Benz, whilst at the same time children do not have adequate supplies of learning materials.

Matt, you mention people losing faith in H.M. The King because he is doing nothing. I’m not sure I would quite agree with that. Everyone I know here is completely unquestioning of the King. He simply cannot do any wrong. Still, one has to say that, otherwise one would be arrested and put away in jail for several years, on Lese Majeste charges!

Thailand will not change until the government invests properly in education, bringing the stupid uneducated population out of the dark ages and into the 21st century. Until then, the country will continue to be held to ransom by corrupt military and Bangkok Elite.

]]> By: Lis - -travel for the over 30s http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6938 Lis - -travel for the over 30s Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:48:48 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6938 What seems to be lost on the Western media is that this has been an entirely peaceful protest over an internal political problem. I'd get on a flight to Thailand tomorrow if I didn't have other plans! And the rubbish about Australians being stuck in Thailand for days is unbelievable in the Oz media! I mean hello - its only an overnight bus/train trip to Phuket or you u can make an international connection from Chiang Mai or Koh Samui or even as far away as KL. If the airlines haven't been offering these options its because it costs the airlines money to do so! And the passenger are too sheep-like to insist! Lis What seems to be lost on the Western media is that this has been an entirely peaceful protest over an internal political problem. I’d get on a flight to Thailand tomorrow if I didn’t have other plans! And the rubbish about Australians being stuck in Thailand for days is unbelievable in the Oz media! I mean hello – its only an overnight bus/train trip to Phuket or you u can make an international connection from Chiang Mai or Koh Samui or even as far away as KL. If the airlines haven’t been offering these options its because it costs the airlines money to do so! And the passenger are too sheep-like to insist!
Lis

]]> By: James in Thailand http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6882 James in Thailand Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:14:51 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6882 I have to agree with Mark H above - leave the King alone, he is not as sprightly as he used to be, and what if he chose a "side"? what if this caused more problems than it solved? The King's point is that democracy should have nothing to do with him, and everything to do with people power. What I don't understand is why the government opposition do not try and court the powerful rural vote during election time too... or is that just not palatable? P.s. Good site Matt, I hope you find another job soon, I know I'll lose my job here due to the financial crisis soon :'( I have to agree with Mark H above – leave the King alone, he is not as sprightly as he used to be, and what if he chose a “side”? what if this caused more problems than it solved? The King’s point is that democracy should have nothing to do with him, and everything to do with people power. What I don’t understand is why the government opposition do not try and court the powerful rural vote during election time too… or is that just not palatable? P.s. Good site Matt, I hope you find another job soon, I know I’ll lose my job here due to the financial crisis soon :’(

]]> By: Mark H http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6869 Mark H Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:11:21 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6869 I've been to Thailand many times and was really saddened to hear of this event. Sadly, countries spend many years to build up their tourism industry and that can be hurt in a quick hurry. I suspect India will cop the same with the horrid events in Mumbai. So many local people get hurt by this that rely on tourism - they are the ones who are really punished. And this on top of the monsoon that only occurred a couple of years ago which hurt the SE Asian countries too. Let's hope that it all gets sorted quickly and smoothly. Your point re the king is interesting. Maybe his age is starting to count against him - revered but simply no longer the capacity to make the key differences that he this grand man has been able to manage over so many years. I’ve been to Thailand many times and was really saddened to hear of this event. Sadly, countries spend many years to build up their tourism industry and that can be hurt in a quick hurry. I suspect India will cop the same with the horrid events in Mumbai. So many local people get hurt by this that rely on tourism – they are the ones who are really punished. And this on top of the monsoon that only occurred a couple of years ago which hurt the SE Asian countries too. Let’s hope that it all gets sorted quickly and smoothly.

Your point re the king is interesting. Maybe his age is starting to count against him – revered but simply no longer the capacity to make the key differences that he this grand man has been able to manage over so many years.

]]> By: Wendy-escape ny http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6868 Wendy-escape ny Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:07:57 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6868 Matt, thanks for your insight. You'd make a good journalist. Matt,
thanks for your insight. You’d make a good journalist.

]]> By: Erica http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6864 Erica Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:18:28 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6864 Thanks for this informative post! I felt sorry for the Thai people when I heard about these troubles. Also for the tourists who got stranded on the airport and couldn't leave. This was truly a selfish act of the PAD and I hope the situation will improve for the better sooner rather than later. Thanks for this informative post!

I felt sorry for the Thai people when I heard about these troubles. Also for the tourists who got stranded on the airport and couldn’t leave. This was truly a selfish act of the PAD and I hope the situation will improve for the better sooner rather than later.

]]> By: lakshmi http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6862 lakshmi Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:15:02 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6862 Matt, its sad its come to this..in every crisis, its the civilians who are to suffer.. Maybe this is not the forum to say this, but am just replying to the comment u left on my blog wrt Mumbai terror and " cooperatg with Pak." its sad that the internatl community thinks that we need to cooperate with them, when it has to be the other way around..they are harbouring terrorists and not us and we do not believe in having negotiations with someone who is hell bent on destruction.. would u believe in cooperating or having discussions with the taliban ? This is a war against terrorism and many lives have been lost..i think the intl community shd stand by us now. Matt,

its sad its come to this..in every crisis, its the civilians who are to suffer..

Maybe this is not the forum to say this, but am just replying to the comment u left on my blog wrt Mumbai terror and ” cooperatg with Pak.” its sad that the internatl community thinks that we need to cooperate with them, when it has to be the other way around..they are harbouring terrorists and not us and we do not believe in having negotiations with someone who is hell bent on destruction.. would u believe in cooperating or having discussions with the taliban ? This is a war against terrorism and many lives have been lost..i think the intl community shd stand by us now.

]]> By: Chris A Travel Around The World http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6860 Chris A Travel Around The World Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:11:21 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6860 Hi Matt, thank for the insight of this awful situation which affected always the majority of the common people not part of that "elite". I don't want to sound selfish but should tourist really be worried about it? I am asking it since we have already arranged our flight to be in Thailand by February which was going to be the highlight of our trip much dreamt as always heard about the beauty of this country and its great welcoming and friendly people. We will start though our trip for the bottom up to Bangkok. From the media it seems there are also incidents in the south of Thailand and adviced tourist against heading in this part as well of course Bangkok. Since you have been living there for a while you are probably experiencing this in a different light and should people really avoid to visit Thailand in the short period? Are you fearing for your safety? Hi Matt, thank for the insight of this awful situation which affected always the majority of the common people not part of that “elite”.
I don’t want to sound selfish but should tourist really be worried about it? I am asking it since we have already arranged our flight to be in Thailand by February which was going to be the highlight of our trip much dreamt as always heard about the beauty of this country and its great welcoming and friendly people.
We will start though our trip for the bottom up to Bangkok. From the media it seems there are also incidents in the south of Thailand and adviced tourist against heading in this part as well of course Bangkok. Since you have been living there for a while you are probably experiencing this in a different light and should people really avoid to visit Thailand in the short period? Are you fearing for your safety?

]]> By: travelgal http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6852 travelgal Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:55:32 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6852 Thanks for concise summary and for mentioning the king's role (or non-role). I keep waiting to hear him step in, but he seems to be sitting this one out. It's really sad - Thailand is such a beautiful country with lovely people, it's terrible to see that it seems to be descending into chaos. Everyone loses if that happens. Good luck to you! Thanks for concise summary and for mentioning the king’s role (or non-role). I keep waiting to hear him step in, but he seems to be sitting this one out. It’s really sad – Thailand is such a beautiful country with lovely people, it’s terrible to see that it seems to be descending into chaos. Everyone loses if that happens. Good luck to you!

]]> By: Quickroute http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-low-down-on-the-trouble-in-thailand/#comment-6846 Quickroute Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:06:26 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=1599#comment-6846 As usual it's the poorer people who will suffer from this. Good on the ground coverage by the way As usual it’s the poorer people who will suffer from this.
Good on the ground coverage by the way

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