Madness! Mindless attacks across Thailand
Madness!
Like many in Thailand I woke up on Friday morning very sad to hear about the latest wave of senseless bombings across the country. Mindless and with no regard for humanity – innocent men, women and children maimed and fatally injured. The people – and I use the word loosely, that planted these devices are really big and brave aren’t they? They deserve to die a slow and painful death like that that they have inflicted upon so many others.
13 bombs, 4 incendiary devices in Hua Hin, Trang, Phuket, Surat Thani, Phangan, Krabi and Nakhon si Thammarat. The deputy police chief of Thailand has described them as acts of sabotage not terrorism but I believe that they are both. As a farang in Thailand I do not profess to understand Thai politics in any way and as someone involved in the media I am very careful to ensure that my opinions and that of my editorial contributors, my magazines and websites are asexual, apolitical and naturally pro monarchy.
I am a monarchist anyway and I recognise the value of the British royal family but as a temporary citizen and guest in Thailand I share the same reverence for the Thai royal family. More importantly I respect the admiration and deep love that the Thai people feel towards their King and Queen and their heirs. I think that it is pretty much accepted that the latest round of atrocities were created due to political unrest, sectarianism and perhaps as a result of last weeks referendum – which I certainly don’t understand, and with respect I don’t believe that many Thai people do either.
Being British I am often ashamed at the way that our elected politicians behave in the House of Commons – heckling, waving ballot papers and shouting down the speaker, baying like wild animals. I often feel that our politicians should behave with a degree of decorum. However in a country that is currently in recession the current spate of attacks were obviously directed at one of the only growth industries in Thailand – tourism, and this will obviously, yet again, damage the economy and reputation of this lovely country all across the world. No country is safe nowadays with the rise of terrorism – interracial, intercultural, religious, political – the list goes on. It seems that the loonies don’t need an excuse anymore.
I am a great believer in ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ and firmly believe that, when it can be proved conclusively, beyond any doubt that someone is responsible, especially for the loss of life – don’t waste the time, money and facilities in locking them up and feeding them for evermore. Strap them in the chair or stick a needle in their arm and say a prayer. We don’t need filth like that. The animal kingdom wouldn’t accept it and that’s after all where we all evolve from, so why should we? General Prayut has already announced that there will be a democratic election in 2017 so what were these mindless individuals that were responsible for these attacks trying to prove.
All that they have succeeded in, yet again – and forgive me for saying that it seems cyclical in Thailand – every two years the country or the Thai people shoot themselves in the foot and it is beamed across the world reminding people that Thailand though an emerging power still has third world country origins. As I am involved in the tourism industry. Our readers are ‘Ambassadors for Thailand’ in that they have a constant stream of affluent friends, family and business guests coming to Thailand where they act as unofficial tour guides. They send them to the top hotels and restaurants, attractions and hospitals I am obviously saddened that once again my adopted country’s reputation has been sullied. I do hope though that the perpetrators will be found and severely punished so that it will make others thinking on the same path before they act.
My heart goes out to those that have lost their lives and the families that will have to care for the many injured.
