In the name of freedom and democracy

Published: 7 Feb 2013 at 08.51
Online news: Opinion

Sex tourism? The country's image? Baa-hum-bug! The fact of life is, if we don't take care of our own daughters, then some old, hairy foreigner will. For that matter, if we don't take care of our own daughters, then some old, hairless Thai will. There are two sides - at least - to every coin.

Better yet, why not equip our daughters with the skills and opportunities to take care of themselves?

That said, I do like the "Saturday Night Live" skit that mocked sex tourism in Thailand. Not only did it have me laugh and laugh and laugh, certainly it would also help to boost Thailand’s sex tourism – from which many people would stand to benefit.

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tharua
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Discussion 20 : 12 Feb 2013 at 08.3320
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Post Publishing produces the BP and the Thai language newspaper 'Post Today', I would love to know whether Voranai's pieces go into the 'Post Today' or not. As it is very easy to produce stuff like this for foreigners who are used to insightful and thought provoking articles and Thais versed with English sufficiently to understand complex ideas in a second language, but to put this in Thai and challenge the Thai readership would be truly worthwhile. I would be greatly impressed if this was to appear unchanged in 'Post Today', as this type of piece is only preaching to the converted, only BP readers see it and almost makes it pointless.
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nui
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Discussion 19 : 09 Feb 2013 at 06.0619
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The sex entertainment for Farangs makes up for about 20 percent of all sex trade in Thailand. 80 percent are massage parlors and karaoke bars reserved mostly for Thai men in big cities and also upcountry. A high percentage of Thai men still have girlfriends or Mia Nois outside of their marriage. A high percentage of young Thai women have children from Thai men, who run away from their responsibilities and leave girlfriend and child behind without support. School children jump over school fences and sell sex for money to Thai men.Hypocrisy as its best.
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1man1vote
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Discussion 18 : 08 Feb 2013 at 01.0518
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I know only one world. If you don't want people to talk about your dark side, clean it up. Is it time that the Thai general public be informed and demanding that the government act to clean this and other bad images of Thailand? Don't need to tell other to shut up. Just clean up your house.
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drsmith
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Discussion 17 : 07 Feb 2013 at 23.0417
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The main truth about Thailand is everything revolves around money. Politicians know their time in office will be limited so they rape the nations coffers. Families sell daughters, police are involved in a high % of all the crimes. The military foolishness with billions wasted on useless technology. Each Thai bows down to money. An elephant, pink in color, 40' feet tall, made of concrete by local men in Nakhon Nayok, rakes in 100's million of baht per year from Thai's talking to a concrete mouse. Wishing for more money, while donating what little they actually have. Never realizing they will never get rich; for concrete cannot hear prayers.
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genii
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Discussion 16 : 07 Feb 2013 at 20.4416
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Obtaining democracy and understanding it's rights and freedoms has it teething pains.
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jpk
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Discussion 15 : 07 Feb 2013 at 20.3115
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I have to applaud the BK Post for putting a link to the Youtube link. The spoof was funny only because it was making fun of the hairy farang who come here for sex more than making fun of Thais.

Nice editorial.
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gdf
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Discussion 14 : 07 Feb 2013 at 20.0014
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I really enjoy the “Parables” and sometimes “Fables” that make up the opinion pages of BP. Well done. We only need to find people in authority wise enough to unravel and act upon them and we will be making real progress here in Thailand.
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felixqui
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Discussion 13 : 07 Feb 2013 at 19.1613
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And of the two sides to every coin, one is often false and other true - they cannot both be true.
One is typically immoral and the other moral. Two opposite moral views cannot both be right.
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felixqui
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Discussion 12 : 07 Feb 2013 at 19.1612
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"New World values will triumph over Old World values. This is not however a matter of good triumphing over evil, metaphysics have nothing to do with it. This is not because the cry of freedom and democracy is somehow inherently righteous and is the universal truth. No, no."

Yes, yes, yes.
It is very much the triumph of good over evil. Of true over false opinion.
Old World values are inherently inferior to modern values. There has been immense progress since the latest Western enlightenment, as much in morals as in the science that has propelled the West and its democratic values favouring progress to pre-eminence globally.
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ronniec
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Discussion 11 : 07 Feb 2013 at 19.0711
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D9 waters:
"and don't employ violence to control their citizens" Oh yes they do! All governments do.
Do you think that police arrest, prison, financial penalties, deportation, etc. are not acts of violence?

We are primitive until we can get past the need for any form of violence.

I think you'll find that all politicians have an ego - why else would they want to have that kind of influence?
Corruption is everywhere. Scandals abound. Look at the news.
All economies are driven by the need for infinite growth, which, apart from being impossible, needs and breeds greed.

Thailand is worse than many, but they are all dramatically flawed
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In the name of freedom and democracy | Bangkok Post: opinion