Teacher fear
Re: "Signs and symptoms of Thai stagnation", (Opinion, July 18).
I am trying to pinch my thin skin every time I read Dr Thitinan's column, searching for the purpose of the subject and who the readers are that he targets, especially on these domestic issues, written in English.
Dr Thitinan dares to expose, dares to be vocal and expressive, and honestly talks about the elite and juntas.
Everything he mentions is pinned on the untouchable elites of Thai politics, Thai juntas, incumbent technocrats, unethical and selfish Thai conglomerates with close ties to the government.
His targeted readers, I presume, are foreign diplomats in Thailand and elsewhere, and locally based foreign expats in the UN.
I really wonder if his article reaches those Thais who are behind this "Thai stagnation".
The root of the problem lies in us, our teachers, our schools, our parents, our upbringing in Thailand in Thai society.
Teachers in kindergarten and secondary schools are abusive, violent and discourage kids from asking questions, making toddlers scared and never making the subjects fun.
Our Thai parents do not encourage us to be brave, verbal and expressive.
We are forbidden to smile when we deserve to, we are forbidden to protest, forbidden to speak our minds. Our parents consistently remind us of possible arrest and imprisonment if we say or do what is considered to be "taboo", for example, talking about our constitutional rights or "right" and "wrong".
In colleges and universities, we are not given examples of Thai role models of scientists, environmentalists, social reformers, thinkers, philosophers or revolutionaries who dared to sacrifice their lives for freedom of speech, for fighting to protect forests, who fight against mafias and the powerful who encroach on public and forest land, except the role model of our revered late King Rama IX.
It all starts with the old maxim: "Everything begins at home."
Here, in Thailand, our parents, our neighbours, our friends' circles project rich and wealthy people as idols, no matter how their wealth is earned.
That education and teaching at a grassroots level until we graduate mould us as a specific type of species, where we reject compassion and patriotism.
I wish to read Dr Thitinan's opinions on these issues. Otherwise, we will keep on producing clans of Thaksins, Anutins and Chidchobs, who keep their personal interest as a priority.
Dr Thitinan, as a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University, is the right person to influence the Education Ministry to train teachers to teach students about the French Revolution, European Renaissance, the philosophy of the ancient Greeks like Plato and Aristotle, and the resilience of Nelson Mandela. These all continue to inspire modern-day statesmen and women.
I can end with the example of the People's Party, which was formerly known as Future Forward and the Move Forward Party. To me, over the past five or six decades, they seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel, giving hope to millions of youth. They routed red-shirt areas and strongholds. They also routed "blue" areas, earning the respect of middle-aged members of the middle and working class.
Yet, these progressive politicians lack "maturity" and political shrewdness, failing to understand the harsh reality and underlying power of the mighty elites in their olive and beige uniforms, who are really pulling the strings.
Their core leaders failed to mould leaders at the bottom of the ladder so they can remain as captains of an ice-cutting ship in the frozen Arctic and continue to sail.
These new leaders should be trained to steer the ship and dock at the port with the aim of mobilising people and students to create awareness, to leave the comfort of their homes and take to the streets, and to target parliament and stop those in power from destroying the nation.
Jayut Jayanandana
