ASSIGNMENT 2: ARTICLE ANALYSIS

[Kwae Hoo]

Thailand has become a refuge for those escaping the turmoil in Myanmar, providing asylum along the Thai-Myanmar boarder. This humanitarian and politically motivated effort, however, comes with the restrictions for the refugees. their living conditions within the camps pose additional challenges, including space limitations and food shortages. Despite these challenges, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of education. Despite these challenges, there is a glimmer of hope bin the form of education. They receive educational opportunities within the camps, aimed to assisting them both in short-term surveil and long-term development.
As someone who grow up in urban Minnesota, I am surrounded by individuals who were either born in refugee camps or whose parents escaped from Myanmar or Laos and were placed in refugee camps in Thailand. Additionally, I have friends who volunteer as teachers at these camps. Visiting these camps in Thailand is also a personal goal of mine. Moreover, I am interested in observing the different education systems, include the refugee camps.
https://scalar.usc.edu/works/current-issues-in-refugee-education/refugee-in-thailand

[Kwae Hoo]

Hi Joshua, Thank you for sharing! I believe it is crucial to learn how to show repeat when traveling to new places. I already knew about the high respect for monks in Thailand, but I had no idea about giving up your seats on the buses. It is interesting that saying “no” is uncommon, and a “yes” may not always mean a definite agreement in Thai culture. This article is really helping me prepare for my trip, making me more aware and knowledgeable about Thai culture. Safe travels!

[Drew Robinson]

Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29628191
Lese-majeste is a special law in Thailand that makes it illegal to say or write anything disrespectful about the king, queen, or royal family. All who break this law can and will be met with a harsh punishment of jail time of up to 15 years. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-och expresses that the Lese-majeste law is an important piece of legislation needed to “protect the royals”. Meanwhile, in recent years, Thailand has seen an increase in prosecution with only “4% of those charged in 2016 being acquitted”. Offenses can range from text messages to online activities, causing concerns about freedom of expression and misuse of the law to silence opposition. A few examples of these offenders include a “grandfather who sent text messages deemed insulting to the queen”, a “Swiss national who drunkenly spray-painted posters of the late king”, and even some for the act of “clicking the “like” button on Facebook on posts deemed offensive.” Numerous human rights groups protest that the government uses the lese-majeste law to suppress critical speech. In 2017, a UN rapporteur, David Kaye, advocated for the repeal of the lese-majeste law, stating that it has no place in a “democratic country”.

While the enforcement of lese-majeste shows Thailand’s commitment to protecting the monarchy’s honor and respect, it has also led to discussions about whether it limits people’s freedom to speak freely. The loosely written law lese-majeste grants police considerable liberties in interpreting it for the prosecution of potential offenders, creating cause for concern, especially for those accustomed to nearly unrestricted free speech. For an American such as myself, who seeks to live and work in a country where any form of criticism toward the government can lead to substantial jail time, the very idea feels constraining for open discussion. This leads to increased caution in word choice, whereas such an open exchange of ideas and discussions is commonplace in the United States.

[Samuel Bishop]

Poppy I really find this post to be impactful and insightful. This is a topic which is very dear to myself, and animal welfare is something that needs to be taken very seriously, especially by institutions that profit from showcasing different animals as their means of income- the health and treatment should be at the forefront of their work. I will consider in future researching any sanctuaries and sites before visiting to ensure they meet the necessary standards, so thank-you for highlighting this.

[Lucy Banks]

Hi Madeline, this is such a good review of an interesting article. It is great to hear how Thailand is moving towards more inclusive legislation. It is interesting that Thailand is more accepting of LGBT+ people than many of its neighbouring countries. It would be fascinating to know what historical forces led to these differing outlooks.

[Lucy Banks]

Article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/29/history-fades-as-rising-sea-levels-slowly-destroy-thailands-temple-murals

This article discusses how global warming is causing damage to some of Thailand’s ancient temple murals, as rising sea levels lead to greater salt water intrusion. Low-lying coastal areas such as Nonthaburi are most vulnerable to damage. Salt water moisture causes gradual but serious damage to the murals and Thailand’s Fine Art Department say this is the biggest threat to the murals. These paintings date from the Ayutthaya era, around 400-600 years ago. They show scenes of urban life as well as depictions of the life of the Buddha, making them important as historic sources as well as religious art. The erosion of these temple murals are only one facet of the many issues caused by rising sea levels in this region: salt water can also destroy crops and render tap water unsafe to drink, endangering the livelihoods and health of people in the region.

It is important to recognise the impacts climate change has on Thailand, and the ways in which their experience might be different to that of other countries – e.g. in the case of the damage to these temple murals. As someone going to teach in Thailand, I think this is a crucial topic to be aware of. Global warming does not just threaten the environment and economy, but also nations’ history and culture.

[Drew Robinson]

Reply to Jeshin Murugiah.
It’s cool to see the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) gearing up for 2024 with a solid plan. The push for fairer revenue distribution, making Thailand accessible to everyone, and directing tourists to lesser-known spots seems like a good move. The extra budget and talk of travel vouchers for offbeat cities are a nice touch, offering visitors something different. The focus on ‘tourism security’ is smart, preparing for any bumps in the road. As a tourist, the idea of checking out more hidden gems is pretty exciting. Overall, this plan could make the Thai experience even better and boost the country’s economy.

[Jaime Saucedo]

I find it interesting that global warming does play a significant role in Thailand. I was aware of rising sea levels causing issues for agriculture as well as endangering the livelihood of those living in certain regions. I was not aware of the issues global warming is causing for ancient temples and murals in Thailand. It is unfortunate that the world is suffering due to global warming. As someone who is moving to Thailand to teach this does concern me. After learning from the modules of culture route Thailand has a rich culture that is very diverse. Allot of the history is displayed through ancient temples, murals, etc… It would be a shame if a country’s history slowly be erased due to global warming. This is a sign that global warming should be taken serious and greater efforts should be made to reduce it. Great article Lucy.

[Jaime Saucedo]

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/japan-automakers-invest-150-billion-baht-thailand-over-five-years-thai

This article is in regards to Japanese auto manufactures investing $5.75 billion dollars in Thailand over the next five years. The reason for this investment is to transition to electric vehicles (EV’s). Companies like Honda, Toyota, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi will be responsible for this investment plan. One reason for such a huge investment by Japan is due to China also making large investments in the region. The goal is to support the Thai’s government policy of transitioning from combustion engines to EV’s.

Thailand has set a goal of 2.5 million EV’s by 2030. The Thai government is also setting incentives like tax cuts and subsidies to encourage EV manufacturing. Chinese carmakers are set to invest $1.4 billion in new production facilities in Thailand. The reason this article is important I think is due to the pollution currently in Thailand, global warming, and influences from other countries. As we learned from our culture route course Thailand has fended off communism previously but with the growing influence of China it seems that the struggle for democracy is at a all time high. This will impact everyone in the region. Including myself as a teacher living in Thailand.

[Elin Roberts]

Celebrating the Thai female heroes you probably didn’t know about

This important article touches on the treatment of women over the years, starting in the year 1865, where women were unfortunately treated like ‘animals’, and not viewed as human, despite the amazing moves they made within their communities. This article shines light on the stand out female characters, who would’ve widely gone unnoticed if not for the vast steps in the women’s rights movement throughout the globe, and who without, women like myself, would not be able to stand as tall and shine as bright. These women paved the way for other women so they would be able to achieve success and respect in their lives, instead of having to fight as hard for a voice and for the rights to a life.

It starts with a woman named Amdaeng Muean. Born in a village in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand, her life was destined to be that of a house wife, with no reading or writing skills, and no equal rights or allowance to live her life as she saw fit. This article shows her important stand against a patriarchal society, and through her fight we see the women of Siam reaping those benefits today. Thanks to Amdaeng and her sacrifice, it is now illegal to sell a daughter and it is illegal to sell a wife.

This is only one of the many stories of the women in Thailand who hit back against the standards of the societies in which they lived. This relates heavily to myself as a woman, as I would not have been shown the respect that an equal demands if these important women hadn’t have paved the way for me, and many others.

Overall, this incredibly important article showcases the hardiness of the human condition, especially when under immense amounts of pressure to act in a certain type of way. This article also shows the bravery and the intrinsic need to fight when your privilege is taken away, or when it is non-existent to begin with – for these women to adapt and overcome in the ways they had to, shows how many leagues ahead of time we have come to fight for the right of equality and the right to be treated as nothing less than human.

[Elin Roberts]

A very interesting take, and also interesting to compare South Africa and Thailand in regards to teaching – I wasn’t aware of the similarities! Definitely a good article to read as someone who’s going to be teaching abroad, with important statistics and a clear stance on their educational views, and a show of how much effort goes into educating the future of today.

[Phumlani Shabangu]

The science behind the land of smiles https://www.thailandnow.in.th/arts-culture/the-science-behind-the-land-of-smiles/#:~:text=Thai%20culture%20is%20very%20open,and%20makes%20Thai%20culture%20unique. Smiling creates a chemical reaction in the brain which in turn makes people smile, so in other words smiling tricks your brain into happiness especially when you feel stressed and even intense, smiling is basically a remedy or therapy for the brain.

Best part about Thailand is that it is known as the “land of smiles” from airport officials to store clerks to public transport staff and for the past few decades, the Thai “smile” has been widely used in promotional campaigns to attract foreign tourists, and it is not used as a marketing tool for promotional purposes but very much part of the cultural identity of Thailand, reflecting the “Thais” unique characteristics, friendliness, care, helpfulness, kindness and thoughtfulness.

As someone living in Thailand, being able to adopt and cultivate such a wonderful quality not only helps to show interest in the Thai culture but also promotes unity and peace, making it easier for myself to feel at home and continue to spread love

[Jenny Tom]

I concur with you when we travel to Thailand as tourist, we contribute to the economy of this nation. The plan for the government to increase tourist must also consider redistribution of wealth between urban and rural areas.

[Ruby Greensides]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-66577725
This article expounds the complexity of Thai politics. Thaksin, a political hero for the rural Thai poor population is allowed to return to Thailand, arriving at Bangkok airport, but there are conditions on his welcome back. Shown in the article is the reverence Thaksin is given, illustrating the communal society that makes up Thailand, the reverence shown to elders and respected politicians and the intricate under the surface machinations that allow the country to run
I find this a fascinating glimpse of Thai culture and politics, making me want to read more about thaksin and why he is such a hero for poor rural Thai people

[Hannah Auger]

https://tozome.com/articles/10-interesting-facts-about-thai-ladyboys/
This article explores many facts surrounding the infamous ladyboys of Thailand. They explain the fact that the community has its unique name, as well as their own language. Buddhists believe that gender identity can be determined by past-life karma, which explains why some people identify as different from their sex at birth. In particular, ladyboys may be born as a consequence of sexual misbehavior in a past life due to their inability to fulfill obligations. Although Thailand is very accepting of the community, unfortunately, in Thailand, ladyboys are not able to identify as women, and all their documents are presented as male. Though there is still a long way to go before this group in Thai society is fully accepted, as more people become aware of this dynamic but frequently disregarded part of the community, everyday advancements are being made. As someone who is part of the LGBTQ community, it was very reassuring for me to know before traveling that Thailand is mostly safe for members of our community, as it wouldn’t be the case in many countries around the world.

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