In the past week we have seen two incidents that have reflected the ostrich-like mentality of those in the military-run government -- of refusing to confront the issues that face them, whatever they may be. And both times they chose to shoot the messenger.
The first move was a decision by the Ministry of Culture to ban the screening of Arbat, a film about a Buddhist novice who commits monastic misconduct. The other was the rush to ban media reports about the ongoing rift between two powerful four-star army generals -- both members of the ruling National Council for Peace and Order.
The film ban by the Office of Culture Promotion's censorship board was made on the grounds that Arbat is blasphemous, with its content accused of of violating Section 29 of the Film and Video Act 2008, which could lead to conflicts in society and upset the order and morality of people.
What is wrong with the plot of Arbat (or Breach in English)?
It tells the story of a young boy who is forced into the monkhood and then falls in love with a girl in the village. The novice monk also witnesses acts of misconduct by a senior monk.
Somchai Surachatree, spokesman of the National Office of Buddhism, said the majority of the censorship board agreed that the movie does not uphold the principles of dhamma or established values in Thai society, citing several provocative scenes such as the novice kissing the girl and a young monk putting a Buddha head on the ground.
Haven't we already heard in the media about worse misconduct by monks of all ages -- from peddling drugs to disguising themselves as laymen to have sex with women?
Or was the 4-2 censorship decision made for a political reason after claims by Buddhist groups last month that the film-maker has an ulterior motive of targeting Buddhism?
Let's be serious. As an old Thai saying goes, an iron bar is worn away by rust from the inside out. So no external force can effectively destroy Buddhism in Thailand without malpractice by Buddhist laymen and monks first.
Instead of burying their heads in the sand, and closing their eyes and ears so they can't see the genuine misconduct of monks reflected on the silver screen, those Buddhist activists should run a campaign to find ways to clean up the monasteries and reform the ruling Sangha Council.
Sahamongkol Film, the producer of Arbat, should stand its ground on freedom of expression and screen the whole film without any editing, meeting the demands of more than 60,000 people who signed a petition on www.change.org to urge Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the ministry to allow the film to be shown without being cut.
As for the second ostrich-like move, the desperate effort at damage control over the long-simmering rift between new army chief Theerachai Nakvanich and his predecessor Gen Udomdej Sitabutr, most media outlets, including the Bangkok Post, started running the story last week. It involves the escalating conflict between the two men who have long had a personality conflict though they were classmates at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.
Gen Theerachai was reportedly backed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy Prawit Wongsuwon for the top army post. Gen Udomdej was said to prefer Gen Preecha Chan-o-cha, the younger brother of the prime minister, for the position, but had to follow the orders of the two military strongmen.
Despite a public display of friendliness and assurances from Gen Prawit, also defence minister and so-called "big brother", that there is nothing amiss between Gen Theerachai and his predecessor Gen Udomdej, scepticism within the army remains.
A week after the Theerachai-Udomdej rift report was run in the Post -- in print and on the website, the Bangkok Post server host received a request seeking "cooperation" from the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to take down the article, saying it could "instigate domestic unrest".
This marks the first time the junta has asked the Post to do this since it toppled the elected civilian government in May last year.
So from Tuesday, the story disappeared from the website.
This short-term solution may have satisfied some military personnel working for the prime minister and other generals, but it won't stop the tension and more news reports may emerge soon.
Here's my message to the military: shooting the messengers will not bring an end to our conflicts.
Nopporn Wong-Anan is deputy editor, Bangkok Post.