When Bangkok was just a French fort

COMMENTARY

Published: 21 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The perception is that "them" _ the richer and more powerful _ manipulate, undermine and take from "us".

The game then is to take from them what we can, while giving them as little as we possibly can

On the Bangkok Post forum, a topic that arises from time to time is why Thailand is so open to foreign money, but so resistant to foreign ideas, influences and ownership.

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pjt
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Discussion 6 : 21 Oct 2012 at 08.196
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Khun Voranai - your points are well made - but the corrollary is that Thailand is not as different as it would like (at times) to believe. It faces the same problem as all nations of striking the right balance between engagement and protection of national identity. I wonder however if Thais lack confidence in their identity - precisely because they do not allowed it to be tested (for fear it might change) and found to be robust. The truth is that national identity is in the DNA and cannot be removed - actually it is a source of strength to be able to go out and engage with the rest of the world in a mutually productive way
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Aussie John
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Discussion 5 : 21 Oct 2012 at 07.225
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Giving constructive criticism to people who are discouraged to criticise is a big ask, yet reforming the education of Thai youth might give them the opportunity to think with an open mind and strengthen everything that is truly beautiful in Thai culture. Thai history in the 20th century is as important as in previous centuries. All Thais may be equal under the constitution but yet the imbalance in wealth is also a cultural phenomena stemming from one groups previous exclusion to citizenship to today being the wealthiest and most influential. Thailand's 20th century lords need to give the next generation the freedom to really be Thai.
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ggh
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Discussion 4 : 21 Oct 2012 at 06.404
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One topic of discussion has been missed in this article. Religion also plays a role in the general attitude of people. I am not trying to say any single religion is better than the next. It is simply a belief, normally learned at a very young age thru our families. Respect, kindness, and compassion for others. These basic human rights would go a long way in helping equal the disparity with the have and have not. You don’t need to compare with any foreign country or their people. You only need to look at the rich and powerful in Thailand to see this lack of basic human rights of which so many are victims of the rich and powerful.
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nns
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Discussion 3 : 21 Oct 2012 at 06.313
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Khun Voranai, your statement 'Nationalism, xenophobia, paranoia, fear, hate, mistrust and greed are not the monopoly of any race' is correct and undisputable. It comes down to a matter of degree. The degree of nationalism in particular seems to me to be inversely correlated to the progressiveness and modernism of the countries.
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faceless
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Discussion 2 : 21 Oct 2012 at 06.302
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It is much easier to change oneself than others. When we get caught up in continually seeing "problems" outside of ourselves and refuse to see what's going on within we have one big problem. Life can become rather embittered and frustrating.

So, the most constructive thing we can do to influence the society around us is to self reflect, make personal changes and demonstrate to others (family, friends, acquaintances) our perceived "good" way to live.

Choose to be respectful. Choose to be honest. Choose to be non-violent.

That is all we really have control over and mostly we choose not to control it but demand that others and society c
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bkkmatt
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Discussion 1 : 21 Oct 2012 at 06.191
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Nationalism, xenophobia, paranoia, fear, hate, mistrust and greed are also the very reason why this nation and it's people are easily brainwashed and manipulated. The rich and powerful use this to maintain the status quo.
Thailand is still many many years behind other countries because of their education (or lack of it) and their lack of knowledge.
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When Bangkok was just a French fort | Bangkok Post: opinion