The situation in Thailand
I was a bit worried about commenting on the situation in Thailand, in particular Bangkok. Although I lived there for two years and worked as a journalist, I mainly did lifestyle pieces, interviews, and reviews. Shallow stuff to be precise.
So I got in an expert. Mrs Wordofward to be precise. Here is what she has to say on the matter:
“The class clash is a big problem in Thailand, though it’s not the problem that ignited this protest. Nonetheless, it has become an effective tool used by the protest leaders. You cannot blame people who have been promised a better life and pursue any chance they have to get this. But frankly, it’s hard to see how this protest is going to benefit the poor, rather than the specific group of people. No one can deny that the class gap is still big in Thailand and people suffer from this. Although, this problem is not easily fixed by giving villages cash, but it needs a long term solution of providing an education and opportunity. There’s no easy way out.
The clash is not a clash between the government and innocent people. There’s a violent group amongst the protestors who cause problems for people that are not involved, burning their stores and stealing things. This is the group that the government, with support from people in Bangkok, is trying to crack down on.
The real problem is too complex and is not as dramatic or romantic as the problem of ‘people against the government’ which fits the western news style in portraying a third world country.
Most Thais are now trying to restore the country. The other day, around 5000 people got together to clean Bangkok. These are people that are not on any side. They just want peace and a more effective solution toward the country’s problem. For me this group of people represent quite a big part of the whole population.”
So there you go. Hope you found it helpful. The press here has been shocking.
