When a self-proclaimed patriot noticed a student did not stand up for the national anthem during a recent 6pm "flag down" ritual, she became so angry she hit the girl.
The violence which took place on last Wednesday at a train station in Ayutthaya was covered by most media outlets and triggered a wide debate. Or should I say wild?
Netizens are again divided over the untoward incident. On one side are those who sympathised with the hot-headed woman and raised funds to pay her fine as they believe her patriotism gave her a blank cheque to commit the criminal offence in the first place. The woman told the media she always stands up for the national anthem and always confronts anyone who fails to do likewise. (Nevertheless, she later professed repentance after the girl's family filed a complaint with the police).
On the other side are people who support the girl's right to sit during the music. In fact, it turned out that the girl had been ill at the time and could not stand even she had wanted to. It had nothing to do with ideology.
Those who have been in Thailand long enough should already know the country has a flag ritual twice a day, at 8am and 6pm in schools and certain open public areas, which is accompanied by the national anthem being played loudly. It was originally part of the National Culture Act, with violators punished with jail terms and a fine. However, after Wednesday's incident, some media outlets found that this archaic law had actually been revoked by the Abhisit Vejjajiva government in 2010.
Ayutthaya police who accepted the original complaint have now confirmed that not standing up is no longer an offence.
So all those who have been observing this tradition purely on the basis it was illegal may now consider it optional if they so wish.
I also hope the hot-headed woman reconsiders whether she should continue to confront strangers for exercising what turns out to be a legal right.
The media revelations have been an eye-opener for many who may previously have prepared a canned excuse, likely involving physical infirmity, to give if confronted over flouting the convention.
But it's too early to say I am relieved.
This is because I don't think this tradition will die out any time soon, especially at a time when government MPs frequently express concern that some people are not patriotic enough and patronise the demonstrators as being misguided souls in "need of knowing the truth" to behave.
Yet it is they who are oblivious to the truth that this ceremony is nothing but a shallow show of patriotism. I have to say I am lucky that I have never had to deal with anyone like that hot-headed woman. (Don't get me wrong, I willingly stand at sporting events when the flag flies). As with the recent furore over school uniforms and haircuts, it is just another example of the poor logic that discipline can only be instilled through needless collective shows of obedience.
The irony is, of course, that all the bad and corrupt leaders who politicise divisiveness grew up having to observe this tradition. How did all that time spent standing and reflecting on honour and patriotism not prevent them from committing misdeeds?
If such rituals worked, why would most countries, especially those in the West, have forsaken them long ago? Why do their governments not fear revolt or endure chronic strife as those in Thailand do?
Nevertheless, I expect the ultra-patriotic to continue to insist on the twice-daily ritual and scream in abhorrence at the idea we could live without it.
My message to them would be: Fear not that Thailand will crumble as the last note is played, and stand up instead to fight bad leadership and those powers-that-be who ignore the corruption under their noses.