Rural Thais are no longer ignorant; Klausner

[dave32]

Some fluff, opinion piece, but I like a lot of what he had to say and the way it was wrapped up at the conclusion.

Link

 

"Not everything is about red and yellow. One must be willing to have some sense of empathy. This will serve the Thai body politic well and will not be a zero-sum game," he said, making a plea that both rural and urban Thais try to understand each other. Klausner feared, however, that would take a generation to materialise.

 

"Why will it take a generation? Because you're going to change the value system and make inroads into a very hierarchical structure and change institutional mechanisms … checks and balances, rule of law, participation, in order to move toward a democratic society.

 

"There has to be change in education. There has to be change in administration, in governance, [guided by] referendums and public hearings. All this is going to take time."

 

He ended on a rather pessimistic note fearful about the country's future. "I am concerned that the spirit of reconciliation and compromise seems be in short supply and that 'third-force' civil society views are muted," he said.

[Flashermac]

Klausner knows what he is talking about. I have seen big changes since I came here in the early 1970s. Unfortunately, many of them are not for the better. As Klausner pointed out, villagers used to help each other. They also were far less materialistic and seemed content with a simple life (following the middle path). Now it seems everyone is driven by money - and unfortunately too many upcountry Thais seem to think it is the government's duty to give it to them. They love Takky because he did just that. But giving to the rural areas means taking from the cities. That is never going to go over well with urbanites, especially when it is only the middle class that pays taxes. The rich - including Thaksin - find ways to avoid paying taxes onn their income, and the burden falls heavily on those who have worked hard to improve their station in life.

 

 

[shygye]

... and import duties.

[Old Hippie]

"...especially when it is only the middle class that pays taxes. The rich - including Thaksin - find ways to avoid paying taxes onn their income, and the burden falls heavily on those who have worked hard to improve their station in life..."

 

 

You could just as easily apply that to the USA, or other countries.

[waerth]

The US and other countries have a lot larger middle class though!

[Guest]

"...especially when it is only the middle class that pays taxes. The rich - including Thaksin - find ways to avoid paying taxes onn their income, and the burden falls heavily on those who have worked hard to improve their station in life..."

 

 

You could just as easily apply that to the USA, or other countries.

 

Precisely!!!

[ThaiHome]

The divide in a political sense is artificial, created by the rural local faction leaders as part of the demagoguery that they use to get elected. Sure there is a social divide, but that is true in every country. In the US we refer to rednecks, hillbillies, etc. Huey Long ruled Louisiana for years using the same tactics. Until the power of these factions and there ability to provide blocks of votes on demand is broken the current political situation will continue. That power will only be broken through continued economic development and a further growth of the middle class, especially in the provincial urban areas.

TH