From the back seat of a red taxi

COMMENTARY

Published: 20 Jan 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Last Tuesday evening, after being rejected by the shaking head and waving hands of one cabbie, a second took me in and I was ever appreciative. From Wat Phra Si Maha That temple in Bang Khen to my home in Lumpini, it was to be a long ride, but an educational one. There was silence at first, but after a few minutes the cabbie, an elderly yet robust man, turned on the radio. We caught the last few minutes of a talk show; the topic of discussion was the Bangkok governor race.

One caller lambasted the Democrat candidate as a corrupt member of the elite who knows nothing and does nothing. Another caller lamented on how her son, and others like him who live and work in Bangkok but are not residents of the capital could not vote - otherwise the Pheu Thai candidate would win for sure.

There were a couple livelier and more passionate callers invoking the need to vote Pheu Thai and win Bangkok for the sake of the people and true democracy. The host, also passionate and lively, wrapped up the show by saying Bangkok needs a good man as governor, a true man of democracy, and that man is the Pheu Thai candidate.

This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.

Forum

Your comments

OldThaiHand
Post : 637
Send message

Discussion 31 : 20 Jan 2013 at 18.3531
Post this to my Facebook
Disc 3. Ploydonut

Suriyothai, like your other historical references are largely myth as taught in Thai schools in order to give the Thais a manufactured, "perceived glorious history" that brainwashes them to think, as you say that Thailand is the "best country in the world today".

Nothing could be further from the truth. Unfortunately, Thais believe what they are told, without question because they are simply incapable of rational thought.
Like dislike 45 people liked / 13 people disliked this comment
kasper
Post : 602
Send message

Discussion 30 : 20 Jan 2013 at 18.3430
Post this to my Facebook
I know the red shirts are generally unintelligent, I did however not know it was this bad!

Anyway, I think this may be one of the reasons I like Thailand, the red shirts make me, an average guy, feel like Einstein :-)
Like dislike 45 people liked / 21 people disliked this comment
jwatch
Post : 689
Send message

Discussion 29 : 20 Jan 2013 at 17.1729
Post this to my Facebook
thai people believe in conspiracies too much
Like dislike 9 people liked / 17 people disliked this comment
musashi
Post : 444
Send message

Discussion 28 : 20 Jan 2013 at 17.0828
Post this to my Facebook
democrazy #17: The ideological concepts you spoke about is very much alive today, for the past few decades, and likely for the short term in the future.

You only need to look around Thailand for the imagery and socio programming carefully crafted to elevate the status and ideological authority of the few (who surprisingly are richer than the richest in oil rich Saudi Arabia).
Like dislike 25 people liked / 8 people disliked this comment
djay
Post : 217
Send message

Discussion 27 : 20 Jan 2013 at 15.2927
Post this to my Facebook
And the elite of Thailand just keep on smiling and laughing...
Like dislike 34 people liked / 5 people disliked this comment
dao
Post : 4,623
Send message

Discussion 26 : 20 Jan 2013 at 15.2926
Post this to my Facebook
Why not ask the redshirts where the for the rice scam and the tablets came from .I will give you hint it wasnt from Thaksin .It was from taxpayers .
Like dislike 42 people liked / 19 people disliked this comment
democrazy
Post : 517
Send message

Discussion 25 : 20 Jan 2013 at 14.5225
Post this to my Facebook
"The Italian Marxist thinker Antonio Gramsci, developed the concept of cultural hegemony: control people's minds, and their hearts and hands will follow. Gramsci explained how one dominant class can establish its control over others through ideological dominance. He showed how, once ideological authority is established, the use of overt violence to impose control can become superfluous (not neccessary)."
Is this the concept of the past or the future for Thailand ?
Like dislike 44 people liked / 7 people disliked this comment
christianl
Post : 113
Send message

Discussion 24 : 20 Jan 2013 at 14.3624
Post this to my Facebook
This cabbies paranoid musings explains exactly why some people could be so gullibe and plain stupid as to vote for PT..I would call it shocking, but sadly I can't, because I'm not.
Like dislike 44 people liked / 17 people disliked this comment
loong
Post : 474
Send message

Discussion 23 : 20 Jan 2013 at 14.1523
Post this to my Facebook
I think Por-Nhoom just hear what other say and never read any book. That is why he said Thailand has more oil than Saudi Arabia, OMG he learned that from the rad radio, that was the saddest part of conversation.
Like dislike 39 people liked / 13 people disliked this comment
jacksprat
Post : 2,443
Send message

Discussion 22 : 20 Jan 2013 at 12.5022
Post this to my Facebook
I rode with a cabbie playing a red shirt station the other day. I kept my mouth shut and listened to the passion with which callers spoke of the Man in Dubai as if he were the Second Coming of the Messiah. It reminded me of a scene out of 1984. All they needed was a "hate" session for Goldstein / Abhisit. How can there be unity with such "true believers" who are convinced everyone else is against them?
Like dislike 49 people liked / 20 people disliked this comment

First Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next Last

From the back seat of a red taxi | Bangkok Post: opinion