absolutelyBangkok archive · On our own
Originally published March 8, 2010
This is a blog. This is no newspaper. This site does not pretend to know the truth. And OMG it’s wrong so often. This site was born with the aim of sharing information, encouraging debate and enhancing dialog on Thai matters. This site does not know more than anyone else nor does it pretend to know better. Reading not only anti-yellow and pro-red stuff lately? Well hopefully so.
It’s all an opinion. This site is not written by martyrs and if you’re looking for ideological reactionary stuff you may find it in here or not. If you’re afraid Thai politics are a clear-cut game, if you want to cheer one party and denounce the other, then good night and please apply for the Nobel Prize in Physics as you just inverted basic laws of not only Thai nature.
This site may also criticize the truthful and praise the dishonest. This site may surprise and offend and offers left and right and center and way out-of-line news sources in its News Feed. Because this site trusts the reader is old enough to read and judge content. But guess what, this site is not unbiased. Red may look promising. Depending on the contextual light it looks unnatural the very next second.
I have to defend the reds just because of what again?They have a less than credible prime minister in waiting with more issues than only two difficult sons. And a Khun Jaran publicly defending the misery of a civil war. It’s time for Thailand to move on, but the situation is not that dire to call for a revolution. Look around. Be honest to yourself. People upcountry don’t have a harsher life than before under Thaksin. And I’m not going to bleed for anyone’s hero or demagogue for that. Thais being their own worst enemy, there’s only so much you as a foreigner can do.
Yes, his ouster was wrong. That doesn’t legitimate his abuses. Just don’t fool yourself. The current Thai resistance is much more about Thaksin than the instrumentalized poor. I share his vision, but not his means to an end. And you seriously think middle class life in Bangkok is sugar and honey? Bangkok is Isaan in a way.
Today’s main political force is envy. Or as a blogger says:
“Time for street revolutions have passed.”
What this site doesn’t want to be is to be arrogant. If you can live with an open mind, you’re most welcome. If you always know what you want to read before you read it, if you know exactly what you want to hear and if you’re absolutely sure what is right and what is wrong, then, well then this is a dreadful place for you. And no, bloggers are no machines and I’m no chronicler on alert 24/7. The blog’s a child of love and hate. And there’s the life. Yes, there are more important things to do sometimes.
Views expressed in here do not necessarily reflect the views of a majority or minority. If you’re running low on tolerance and can’t handle a maverick take please block this site in your browser for your own good. Your attacks are most welcome, as long as they’re not predictable. Good if you can stand the cold and the heat. And no, this site doesn’t make big money. With some luck it pays for the beer. Wanna swap?
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