Thailand: Take Heart

The Assistant Editor, Sanitsuda Ekachai, of the Bangkok Post reflects on the October 7 crackdown by the Thailand government. She reports that the country has been making progress in comparison to an incident that happened in 1976, when newsman Sanpasit Viriyasiri made attempts to broadcast the storm of police and militia on Thammasat University and was immediately fired for doing so. Therefore, unlike in the past, residents in Thailand are now able to watch events like October 7 unfold in their living rooms. Ekachai claims that Thailand is now much more open society and that this is a quality which is mandatory in order to have a democracy.

Ekachai disagrees with the amount of violence being used by the government, having tear-gassed peaceful protesters, along with some protesters wielding guns and sharp weapons.

Ekachai writes, "You may wonder why I am talking about positive changes when our country seems to be on the brink of anarchy. It is because staying positive and being firm in our belief in non-violent change is the only way to prevent ourselves from being engulfed by the seemingly hopeless political situation.

One interesting thing to note is that the author cites Buddhism teachings in this article. She writes, "Buddhism teaches us that change and inter-connectedness is the universal law that prevails for all. So if we want to initiate change, we must put the required factors in place."
This shows one major difference between American and Thai press in that American reporters tend to keep their religious beliefs out of their writings.

By: Allison Kershner