Monday, June 9, 2014

Pretty face, ugly words

For people who are not too familiar with Thai politics: The people of Thailand are all too familiar with coup d'etats. There have been at least 18 actual and attempted military takeovers since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. The last one was in 2006 when the military sent tanks onto the streets before ousting then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the brother of Yingluck, who is now living in exile to avoid a corruption conviction he claims is politically motivated.

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Well certainly not all elites everywhere feel that the working class should be finished and done with.


However it is fair to state that the reaction of Welluree Ditsayabut towards peasants is typical. A real grass-roots democracy will presumably disturb the social order, dominated at present by people such as the forty ladies pictured below.

Elites only condone voting and elections because not to do so would seem vaguely feudal and that is not good for self-image. This they truly believe- benevolent feudalism is the best deal for the down-trodden.

 

BTW for people who feel (justifiably) that South Asians are held back due to philosophical deficiencies in Hinduism and/or Islam should spare a thought about how (and why) Thailand, a prosperous, Theravada-Buddhist country, is basically a millitary thug-o-cracy (much more so than Pakistan for example). 

This much is apparent. Thais (the yellow-shirts) actually would prefer that the beloved king rules with an iron hand so that poor people (the red-shirts) do not get uppity. But the king is old and not fit for purpose. The good old days will never come back.

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Miss Universe Thailand has renounced her title over remarks she made on social media including one that redshirt activists – supporters of ousted prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra – should all be executed.

Last month's military coup was the latest convulsion in a decade-long conflict between the Bangkok-based royalist establishment and the rural-based supporters of Yingluck and her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Weluree Ditsayabut, 22, was crowned Miss Universe Thailand last month but comments she made months earlier soon surfaced, including one on her Facebook account, referring to the redshirts, which said: "I am so angry at all these evil activists. They should all be executed."

A tearful Weluree told reporters that she could not handle the vitriol directed at her on Twitter and Facebook. "I felt under pressure. I tried to improve myself but what I could not stand was to see my mother stressed," Weluree said.

"I have decided to sacrifice my status as Miss Universe Thailand."

The beauty queen also hit back at comments on her looks. "Actually I'm fat, you animal!" read one post on her Twitter account, which has since been deleted.
It was unclear whether the first runner-up, Pimbongkod Chankaew, would replace Weluree as Thailand's representative at the global competition, Miss Universe 2014.
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Link: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/09/thai-miss-universe-weluree-ditsayabut-twitter-yingluck-execute

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regards

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