ASSIGNMENT 2: ARTICLE ANALYSIS

[Eric Belanger]

Thailand’s election of the century

This is an interesting article from May 2023 detailing how the May 14th general election may be the most consequential since the 1970s when a pro-democracy government was established thereby ending the military regime up until that point. This is particularly noteworthy as the country has been living under a military regime since the coup in 2014. The winner of the election was the MFP (Move Forward Party) which won 151 of the 500 seats in the lower house and won 32 of the 33 districts in Bangkok. The party’s platform is one of reform, which is specifically focused on dismantling the power of the current military regime. The party itself is led by Pita Limjaroenrat (42) who is poised to be the youngest prime minister in Thailand’s history. The MFP has created a coalition with the Populist Party of Pheu Thai and several others securing 313 sets in the house, but in order for Mr. Limjaroenrat to become the next prime minister and form a new government, his coalition will need to win at least 376 of the 750 bicameral seats in the senate when it convenes in July to ratify a new government. This is expected to prove to be very difficult as the MFP’s position of weakening the military and rolling back Article 112 (aka Lese Majeste) are not popular within the existing government, even though they appear to be endorsed by the majority of the electorate. At this point, only time will tell if the MFP will be able to form a new government as there is still the possibility of court action being taken against them, another military coup, or Pheu Thai’s party breaking away and trying to create their own populist government.

I found this article to be particularly interesting as an American watching a nation struggling to definitively achieve a democratic government actually led by the people (not the military) and the citizens enjoy the freedoms I have in my own country. I will be cautiously watching to see what happens next. It also serves as a stark reminder that the freedoms I have in my own country are not guaranteed everywhere and that it is extremely important to always be mindful of where you are and what laws/rules are applicable there.

[Mahika Tulsyan]

Article: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2607668/phuket-aims-to-become-safest-city
There are efforts being made to make Phuket the safest city considering the several incidents that took place with tourists. These include different situations such as knife wounding due to hotel booking refund policies, various kinds of scams targeted at tourists and even an attempt to remove the dual pricing policy (charging a higher price for tourists when compared to Thai locals for services- as it upsets the tourists). Danai Sunantarod, deputy governor of the southern tourist province, aims to make safety measures strict in order to enforce the law.
Due to the beautiful beaches, variety of food and unique culture, Phuket is a highly visited destination getting local and international recognition. In 2022 Phuket welcomed 5.6 million tourists, which brought about 200 million Bhat to the resort island and aims to reach a target of 10 million by next year.
This will allow more development within the economy due to the large number of tourist visits and tourist spending.

[Mahika Tulsyan]

Hi Kate!
I definitely agree with this. More advanced resources and technologies can be used to make education more effective and fun.
Especially coming to Thailand as a foreign teacher can also benefit us, in making it easier to teach students and enhance their learning experience.

[Ronan McCluskey]

The article highlights the role of beer and brewing in Thailand’s recent political changes. It begins by describing the grand opening of the United Peoples Brewery, a beer collective founded by Supapong Pruenglampoo. The progressive Move Forward Party’s landslide victory in the recent election is seen as a catalyst for change, particularly for small business owners and brewers like Supapong. The article explains that Thailand’s beer market has been monopolised by major players, making it difficult for small breweries to enter the industry. However, the popularity of beer and home brewing has continued to grow, leading to a desire for liberalisation and fair competition.

The article further discusses the oppressive alcohol control laws in Thailand, which have resulted in fines for individuals who post about beer on social media. These penalties have sparked outrage and a call for reform, with people like Thanakorn Tuamsa-ngiam, co-founder of Prachachon Beer, facing significant fines for promoting beer-related content. The article also highlights the struggle of Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, a renegade home brewer and Move Forward parliamentarian, who has been fighting for reform and the liberalisation of the market.

The article concludes by stating that the election results indicate a growing desire for change and fairness in Thai society. If Move Forward forms a government, there is hope for legalising home brewing and addressing issues such as advertising laws. The author believes that in the next five years, the Thai beer market could see significant changes, with the rise of craft breweries and a more competitive landscape.

As someone traveling to Thailand, this article highlights the political significance of beer and brewing in the country. It sheds light on the monopolistic nature of the beer market and the challenges faced by small brewers. The article also emphasises the desire for change and fair competition among brewers and consumers alike. Understanding these dynamics can provide insights into the broader social and economic context of Thailand and its evolving political landscape.

[Edward Stanbury]

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna18831772
This article is about a cultural ritual in Thailand wherein, as a cure for addition, participants drink a potion that induces group vomiting, before experiencing a spiritual and physical cleansing shortly afterward. Reputedly, relapse rates are as low as 30% after taking part in the ritual.
Either way, this article highlights the importance and sanctity of rituals in Thailand, not just of those surrounded by religion and mysticism, such as a cure for addiction arriving in a monk’s dream, but the quotidian rituals too. For example, gift-giving, food-sharing and rituals surrounding Buddhism, are all important aspects of Thai culture. As a Westerner with no prior experience in Thailand, I believe it is important for me to not only respect these traditions, but to also embrace them as a way of immersing myself in Thai culture.

[Mansoon Tamang]

https://sevenpeakssoftware.com/digital-healthcare-industry-in-thailand/

This article describes the role and importance of the digitalisation of medical industries in thailand. With medicine evolving everyday, digitalising the healthcare systems in thailand has emphasised the need to enhance care provided to patients through the improvement of operational efficiency, helping to overcome the different challenges that are faced in this sector. The government has reacted to this initiative by developing different plans to boost this industry. Through the new Thailand 4.0 policy, the country has been able to develop and transform into a more digital economy. This has encouraged upcoming technologies such as AI, internet of things as well as data analysis to be implemented into the healthcare sector, improving the patient-centred care provided.

The growth of this has strengthened many startups in thailand, with many offering new, innovative methods to help the care industry, such as telemedicine and health monitoring devices. By having these innovations, patients have been able to consult with doctors and specialists remotely, easing physical barriers im visiting doctors and thus improving accessibility to healthcare, which has been instrumental for treatment in rural areas. However for this to remain stable, patient confidentiality is vital and must be protected and so the government has worked hard to hold strong guidelines to keep trust from patients in favour of the digital healthcare space.

As a whole, the article describes the potentials for digitalising healthcares in thailand for treating patients, whilst describing the huge part the government played to support new start ups for the adoption of telemedicine into everyday medical use. The healthcare industry for thailand looks bright, as the barriers currently in place look to be overcome through new and innovative digital technologies.

[Mansoon Tamang]

This is a very interesting article indeed and one that expresses the lengths people in thailand may go to overcome their drug addictions, as this is heavily frowned upon their cultures. I aagree with what you have said about the rituals; through the course we have learned that buddhism and its monasteries are held with huge respect and something that is strictly followed. Although the detox programme may appear outlandish and almost crazy to an ordinary westerners, this method seems to be respected through the amount of people that have been part of the detox, with it being successful in many cases. The article truly encompasses the huge passions and beliefs in not only the culture but religion and the methods that comes with it that the people of thailand have!

[Ka Wing Liu]

This article reminds me of the time I was in Hong Kong, mental health problem was not addressed and citizens treat mental health patients poorly and think they are crazy therefore they should stay at home or locked up in hospital. It is lucky that mental health education was implemented soon and Hongkongers now understands more about mental health issues. Truly hopes that the Thai government can see the importance and work on the issue soon. As English teachers, we will seek the possibility to include this topic in our curriculum, introducing mental illness and raise next generations’ awareness on the issue.

[Kamara Auguste]

Related Article: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20170123-where-people-dont-like-to-say-no
The article “Where people don’t like to say no” explores the attitudes within Thai culture and how they don’t like to say no.

The article begins with Laurel Tahoy (The author of the article) talking about her experience in Thailand when she arrived in 2013. Tahoy explains that “No” in Thai is “Mai Chai” however a `polite ending” was added to make the simple word no seem less final and more polite. Eventually “Mai Chai” was changed to “Mai Chai ka” is a woman is speaking and “mai chai krub” if a man is speaking which both translate to “Not yes”. The article goes onto explain that Thailand has a collective culture which has taught Thai people to be more concerned with what’s best for the collective rather than what suits them individually. The term Mai Chai ka/Mai Chai Krub- “Not yes” indicates their remorse at not being able to consent to what you’ve asked. Furthermore, when mai chai/mai chai krub is said, it’s often said with downcast eyes and a small bow called a wai or a hand waved in front of the face apologetically.

The article quotes Rachawit Photiyarach, who is the intercultural communications professor at Bangkok’s Kasetsart University. Photiyarach states that “Thais avoid confrontation because they live in a group-orientated culture. Showing emotion is considered immature or rude, so many people value those who can handle situations calmly.” Tahoy outlines the contrast between Thai culture where the natives tend to avoid confrontations and emotion situations by sayingYeswhen they really mean Noand European cultures where people simply just say what they mean without heightened fear of confrontation or emotional situations. However, the difference in these attitudes between cultures can be seen as negative because from an outsider perspective as Tahoy explains that during her experience in Thailand she realised that communication can be hard at times if the local people are not saying what they mean which tends to lead to confusion and misunderstanding. The article goes on to say that because Thailand is a developing country where life can be difficult at times due to political and socio-economic issues. Thailand has built and maintained a strong sense of community by s maintaining good relationships and always sticking together and try to help each other. They hold a strong belief thatharmonious relationships take precedence over being right or wrong, over personal agreement or dissent, even over professional progresswhich is why they evade saying no to keep the peace. On the other hand, Apologies are uncommon in Thai. In many Asian countries, it is commonly believed thatTo say you are sorry is to admit you made a mistake and to lose face. In a collective culture, the opinion of the group is everything which is why Thais choose not to lose face in the first place by keeping a pleasant disposition at all times. However, if they do make a mistake, they may never acknowledge it.

The author concludes the article with her outlining that while she has lived in Thailand for a few years and had some difficulty to adjust to there culture and way of communication that was very different from her own she has learnt to be more accommodating and found the experience liberating as she adjusted to her life in Thailand.

Overall, this article provides a first-hand look at Thai culture through the eyes of someone coming from a Western background and having to adjust some aspects of her way of thinking to able to communicate and move within Thailand. This article relates to me as I am someone from the UK who is going to Thailand and will have to adjust to a very different culture from my own within a short space of time, As I will be working with children and assisting them to speak my native language and I will have no knowledge of their native language and way of expressing it. This article has outlined some of the challenges that I may face adjusting to there culture and way of language but also hopefully seeing the benefits of being in a different part of the world and hopefully bringing some of there culture back with me

• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Kamara Auguste.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Kamara Auguste.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Kamara Auguste.

[Kamara Auguste]

Hi Georgina,
I agree with your article outlining the expansion of electric tuk tuks as it can decrease air pollution especially within Bangkok and Chaing Mai and also how it has a range of positive advantages for the locals as well as visitors/tourists. However, I also find it really interesting how you indicated that even though this new development would seem to be going in the right direction of decreasing Thailands air pollution and bettering the lives and environment of the country it is very likely that this wont be the case as electric tuk-tuks alone wont be able to improve the situation because – as you have stated that the Thai power grid is not powered by a very high percentage of renewables and also the cost of buying an electric Tuk-Tuk would be more expensive than traditional one which may provide some challenges as Thailand is still considered a developing country and could provide issues within the country for those who cant afford it.

[Mia Baker]

Economic woes curtail domestic trips

6 July 2023

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2606373/economic-woes-curtail-domestic-trips

This article focuses on the effect created by the gap in domestic tourism in Thailand; it references Hua-Hin Cha-am. The article seemed relevant due to our initial orientation in Hua-Hin and showed some issues facing the economy, which we will visit and contribute to. The report compares pre-pandemic figures with what they are now, which shows that the current household debts acquiring 90.6% of GDP per household in Thailand, and the higher cost of living, are both factors contributing to the suffering of domestic tourism.

Udom Srimachachuta, vice president of the Thai Hotel Associations Western Chapter, notes that Hua-Hin and Cha-am tourism have been directly affected by increasing household debt, and 80% of tourists in these areas are local tourists. Small and medium-sized enterprises across all sectors facing high costs are being affected, with workers choosing to save instead of spending on tourism. Room rates are down 25% compared with pre-pandemic prices in Hua Hin and Cha-am, where hotels are reluctant to increase costs while consumer purchasing power is weak. Last month, occupancy rates for Hua Hin and Cha Am were 40%, projected to rise to 45% through July and August, mainly due to European tourism through the summer holidays.

The effect on local tourism, and directly in a place that we will be visiting, has been an important thing to learn and understand as a traveller, as it highlights the economic struggle across much of Thailand and the importance of local and foreign tourism.

[Kimi Uriu]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/2609048/a-vanishing-heritage
The Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine, though surrounded by metal fences now, is the history of the community, and is still used and worshipped today. The Property Management of Chulalongkorn University (PMCU) is taking legal action against the owner of the shrine because the lease expired in 2015. The Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine is located in Block 33, a mixed-use project adjacent to the campus and a commercial district and the PMCU are trying to relocate the shrine. Students, alumni and critics have cried foul over the university’s profiteering, and some are protesting the demolition of the Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine to make way for air-conditioned shopping malls and high-rise condominiums.

Although relocating the shrine to a more open place might be safer and more convenient, especially for the new project, I agree with an idea stated in the article by Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, that people are attached to places. Places like the Chao Mae Thap Shrine have generations of memories and stories attached to them and are the roots of who we are today. In this modern society where we have a habit of developing new things, I believe it is important that we conserve and maintain what our ancestors have created.

On the tropical island I grew up on, Many construction companies bought up the beaches and started building hotels. Not only did they take away nature but they also took away the memories attached to the place. We must maintain a balance between capitalising and preserving the culture in our modern society.

[Alec Baldwin]

Related article: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2609358/wild-boars-mark-cave-rescue-5-year-anniversary

The article marks 5 years since the Tham Luang Cave rescue in the Mae Sai District and the rescue efforts from local and national authorities to rescue them safely. The ‘Wild Boars’ youth football team revisited the cave in a mark of respect to those that risked their lives in order to free them. The group and their coach Ekkapol Chantawong revisited the cave that kept them trapped for 18 days where homage was paid to the ex governor Narongsak Osatanakorn – who was commended for his decisive response to the emergency. Additionally offerings were made to the princess Jao Mae Nang Nong, the spirit of the cave in which she died. The nation’s ability to gather strength through their faith is significantly evident. With over 94% of the population being Buddhist it is important to appreciate and understand the country’s faith and ethos of being a collective community. Throughout the tasking rescue response workers drew strength from her presence and evoked positivity in working to find the children. Time was also taken to dedicate the life of Saman Kunan, a Thai navy SEAL who died in the process of reaching the group. With the rescue being such a risk prone environment the bravery of the workers is important to mark. The combined efforts of nations globally highlighted the importance of strong diplomacy and communication between countries. Effective translators and a positive attitude towards understanding the Thai language was pivotal to success and an essential characteristic of being an effective teacher and volunteer whilst I stay in Thailand. For someone traveling to Thailand the article strongly underpins the Countries prioritization in protecting its citizens and staying true to their values and beliefs. The article can raise a traveler’s awareness for the respect required at religious sights as well as the importance of making an effort to show enthusiasm within a Thai society.

[Alec Baldwin]

This article does a very good job at looking at the differing aspects on digitisation of medical industries and how it is important to account for the patients and their confidence in its reliability. I think that it is crucial to balance the reliance upon digitizing medical industries as whilst it improves the efficiency of healthcare it stands as an ever-changing and improving field of expertise which must align with the high standards needed for medical welfare. The article pays particular attention towards the varying locations and lifestyles faced by many in the country and how digitisation must equally account for that.

[Eleny Hooijer]

Article: https://www.unicef.org/thailand/press-releases/alarming-poor-mental-health-trend-among-children-and-adolescents-thailand-requires

The article, ‘Alarming poor mental health trend among children and adolescents in Thailand requires urgent investment in services’, reviews the UNICEF-led study released in August 2022 around mental health in adolescents. A focus on mental health is extremely important in any culture, though with the article stating statistics of 1 in 7 of those aged 10-19 and 1 in 14 aged 5-9 having mental health disorders in Thailand, there is a clear need to bring attention to this within the nation. It is further alarming to find that suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents in Thailand. UNICEF Representative for Thailand, Kyungsun Kim, states that these adolescents suffer from stress, anxiety and uncertainty due to factors such as bullying, loneliness, uncertainty and COVID-19. This has a large impact on a child’s progress in life.

There are various factors that have led to the mental health decline, including inadequate budget, limited coordination among different service sectors and an insufficient skilled workforce. While it’s evident that there is plenty of work the government will need to do to fund the expansion of mental health services, there is still an impact I can have on a smaller scale. As a teacher in Thailand, it’s going to be extremely important for me to create a friendly, supportive and encouraging learning environment. I hope to be able to identify any bullying and inappropriate behaviour, turning this into kindness amongst peers instead. Thai people are known to avoid conflict, although, by creating an open and communicative atmosphere in and outside the classroom, I believe that adolescents will feel more comfortable to speak out about their feelings and struggles. I believe this will be an important first step in tackling the mental health issues evident throughout the country.

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