Sickening betrayal
I find it pretty despicable that this government sees no problem in accepting, even welcoming, a woman who is helping a minister cheat on -- and betray -- his wife.
I guess that next to serving time in a foreign prison for a drugs offence this is no big thing, but the arrogance and flaunting of it in public sickens me.
I understand that among men who are insecure about their sexuality, taking one or more mistresses is pretty common here, but is being unfaithful and betraying one's wife and family the kind of behaviour that this government condones? Is this the kind of shameless behaviour the government wants you and your children to accept?
No wonder so many students are sick of this government.
Disgusted
A spineless industry
Although the mainly man-made tourism crisis confirms the rightness of my decision to leave Thailand, it is heartbreaking to observe from the UK how poorly the tourism industries, and their associations, are lobbying for their survival.
They remind me of the proverbial "rabbit in the spotlight", in this case paralysed by the government's executive branch full of would-be experts, vengeful politicians and by Thais using Covid as cover for anti-foreigner sentiment.
How many tourists will accept that holidaying in Thailand now demands cumbersome conditions e.g. at least 500,000 baht in savings; health insurance coverage of at least US$100,000; outpatient insurance of 40,000 baht and 14-day quarantine (at their own expense) on arrival?
But if tens of thousands of students can effectively express their opinions, why can't the 3-4 million tourism employees use a similar mode of expression to (peacefully) highlight their present calamitous situation and the hardship brought upon their families?
Is it because the students are "tigers", joining forces democratically, while the associations are mainly governed by "fat cat" authoritarians?
Dr Bert van Walbeek
Nothing is sacred
Re: "France's failings a lesson for Thailand", (Editorial, Nov 15).
France is absolutely right to protect speech that mocks religions and motley other sacred cows, whether that bovinity be Islam, Christianity, Pastafarianism, Communism, Nazism, Olympianism, or some other kooky and morally suspect ideology that deems itself infallible, perfect and generally gospel truth, all perfectly fake claims most truly worthy of being mocked in a choice cartoon or other work of art.
Every purely human institution and ideal should be open to mockery. If it can't withstand some healthy critical abuse, it's not worth respecting. The US presidency does perfectly well while being mocked daily. Obama did not shrivel up and die because of some biting cartoons.
The absolute righteousness of the gay pride movement protected it from the mocking barbs of unholy traditionalists. The ideal of democracy has no need to hit back at mocking critics with draconian criminal sentences when it is laughed at.
Thailand has much to learn from France. In Thailand, too many absurd claims of being sacred, what the hell that even means, are taken to be sacred claims that may not be ridiculed. Ridiculous!
Felix Qui
A load of 'Boss' bull
Has anyone noticed how the Red Bull extradition proceedings have once again been relegated to the back burner and has become another forgotten issue? The whole thing is a farce, from beginning to end, and we all know how it will end.
No one seems to be proceeding with any will, and truthfully, no one from the PM down really cares.
449900
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