The roadmap to the “Unity in Diversity”

   The political crisis in the Kingdom of Thailand has become a nightmare for many foreigners who settle down in Thailand, some pessimistic people even think about a civil war, which will set brother against brother, and friend against friend. We should use this crisis to mobilize our wisdom and help to overcome this national dilemma. The Thai Prime Minister, who was a classmate of David Cameron in Eton and Oxford, proposes a reconciliation road map to solve the economic disparity and inequality. These classmates share the common talent of euphemism. The British conservative leader may use a word “social justice” to help the upper class people by axing the inheritance tax while the Thai prime minister will use a word “sacredness of the law” by denying the dissolution of the parliament for the new election.    

   Nature creates everything in diversity. Many powerful countries are enriched by the diverse backgrounds of people like the USA, UK, Russia  or even the most peaceful and neutral country like Switzerland.

   Thai people are proud of their unity and independence during the colonization period.  If you read the book Paknam Incident, you will know that the weapon King Ram V used against the French gunboats was only wisdom and tolerance, to find equilibrium amongst all super powers. The peaceful abolishment of slavery by King Rama V was accomplished without a civil war.

   The domino theory during the cold war, predicting that Thailand would fall like neighboring countries was beaten by our Majesty the King, who unified the diverse ideology of all subjects under his shelter. The doctrine of sufficiency economy is the weapon to beat the absolute poverty. We can say that the Kingdom of Thailand has never suffered from famine. The economic wealth is not only valued by the monetary means but also the happiness (Gross Domestic Happiness).

   In the globalization era, the Kingdom of Thailand, like other developing countries, is intruded by the advocates of the consumption driven economy who worship money.  The economic wealth was judged by the consumption index. The consumption pattern is used to identify the social class and wealth. The number of the nouvelle poor from relative poverty increases in rural areas. The agrarian way of live is more dependent on money. Food, cloths, shelter and medicine are not enough. They need mobile phones and pickup trucks. Many are dominated by the gluttony and become indebted just to enjoy the conspicuous consumption.

   Many peasantries who lost their farm lands migrate to the urban areas. These marginalized people suffer from the emerging social class by the economic criteria.  

   Our former prime minister, Anand Punyarachun who graduated from Oxford, said many years ago that many countries suffered the partition from their political or cultural difference. But the partition of Thailand would probably come from the wealth and poverty of people.

   In the Kingdom of Cambodia, a slogan “Education beats poverty” is shown in most public schools. It can be proven that charity cannot beat poverty. 

   The social class of Thai people is distinguished by a consumption pattern or life style. The upper class will spend all their incomes to buy an expensive car on credit. Thai people separate their social class and become prejudiced to each other. They identify their social class by these conspicuous consumption patterns.

   A prejudice is a prejudgment, i.e., preconceived belief, opinion or judgment made without ascertaining the facts of the case.

   The prejudice between people in the rural and urban areas is widely spread in various forms and patterns. If you have a red neck, you will probably be considered as a lower class because you work outdoor. Many professional golf players may have this problem. By these superficial criteria, most Thai Chinese people look rich because they have light skin. It can totally become “racism” in the worst case scenario if people are more discriminated by these superficial criteria.

   People who belong to the same social class and consumption pattern always join together with the cronyism or nepotism. Many prestigious schools or working places privilege these upper class people by ignoring the meritocracy.

   The social and economic disparity leads to different voting pattern. The regionalism develops into the political affiliation. The politico who declares the war against this social disparity and injustice will always control the ballot.

   The stereotype or prejudice of the red shirts or yellow shirts in Bangkok is always provoked by the spin doctors of each side for their political gains. The generalized conception that red shirts are paid for coming to Bangkok or the yellow shits are all privileged elites who are untouchable, will definitely lead us to the road of perdition. Many media in Thailand are polarized by these political groups. Many of them even use hate speech which is illegal in many countries.

   We cannot ignore the people who are really hungry for justice. They should not be generalized by the prejudice from our ignorance.    

   Many countries enacted the Anti Discrimination law referring to the law on people’s right to be treated equally, to guarantee an equal basis, regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality and religious or political affiliation.

   The UK enacted the Equality Act 2006 to unify people with diverse political ideas and voting patterns. They can vote either for the well experienced Mr. Taxman, Gordon Brown who has never used the euphemist speech for his tax policy to save the HMRC or David Camera who will convince the wealthy British not to move their fortunes out of the UK or Nick Clegg who becomes the real power broker.

   The Kingdom of Thailand adopts the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights of the United Nations to uphold the dignity of all human beings in this land regardless of their diverse backgrounds.

   “All are equal before the law and are entitled, without any discrimination, to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination”

   The Human Rights Commissioner has been established but still remains passive in the tower of ivory. 

   The prejudice itself is not a punishable crime in many countries.  However, if you are a public figure like Glen Huddle who said that the handicapped were being punished for sins, you will be punished by social etiquette.

   If the prejudice develops into the act of discrimination, the punishment under the criminal law should be imposed by ascertaining the consequence. Many hate crimes are provoked by the hate speech.

   For England, Wales and Scotland, the British Crime and Disorder Act 1998 makes hateful behavior towards a victim’s membership in a racial group or a religious group an aggravation in sentencing for specified crimes. 

   The Kingdom of Thailand still lacks this legal framework. The insulting act is a pretty offence under Section 393 of the Penal Code of Thailand.

   “Whoever insults a person in his presence, or publication shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding one moth or fine exceeding one thousand baht, or both”

   Thai people should reverse this political crisis to be an opportunity to declare the holy war against the prejudice in whatever manners to unify the diversity of ideas. The Kingdom of Thailand will become the land of tolerance for all subjects under the shelter of his Majesty the King.

   To develop these laws, all of us who are commoner will have to search for the truth by our purified minds which are free from any prejudice and convey the crystallized ideas to the politicians.

   Please check if you understand the value of justice by asking yourself if the double price for foreigners is a common and acceptable practice. 

   Abraham Lincoln said that the misery from the American civil war could not be compared with the pain of all slaves for each stroke of our cane.

   How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry? The answer should not be blowing in the wind of our prejudice.