PattayaMale Posted March 1, 2009 Posted March 1, 2009 I read the print version of Bangkok Post using Press Reader which does not give me a link to post so I cut and pasted this article which I feel is well written. GAME THEORY; GAY REALITY Three men walked into a hotel and asked the receptionist for a room. The price was $30 and they paid $10 each. Later, the receptionist realised that the room actually cost $25. She gave the bellboy five $1 notes to give back to the three men. The bellboy couldn’t figure out how to divide five single dollar notes between three men. So he kept $2 as a tip and returned $3, $1 to each man, telling them that the cost of the room was $27. Dilemma: We started with $30. The three men received $1 each back, so they ended up paying $9 each, for a total of $27. The bellboy kept $2. 27 + 2 = 29. There’s a missing dollar. What happened? Take your time; think about it, I’ll wait . . . A common mistake that most people would make is trying to find the missing dollar — to get back to the initial $30. So one would rack one’s brain trying to add up to 30. That’s the wrong way of tackling the game. This is game theory. The game started with $30. But along the way, the game changed because the room turned out to be $25, not $30. So forget about starting from $30, instead start from the $25. The premise has changed, hence the game has changed and thus your perspective must also change with it. The room cost $25. The three men, each received $1 back, and ended up paying $9 each for a total of $27. The hotel got $25 and the thrifty bellboy kept $2. It adds up, there’s no missing dollar. Forget the $30. When the game changes, you give up the old premise and embrace the new one. Game theory can apply to everyday life, analysing and understanding issues in politics and society, or whatever, in order to plan and act accordingly for maximum yields. For example, here’s an age-old premise: Homosexuality is unnatural. It’s shameful. It’s sinful. This had been the traditional premise in Thailand and many countries around the world. Problem: Operating under said premise, the red-shirt Thaksin supporters up in Chiang Mai abused and terrorised the homosexual community to the point that the Gay Pride Parade had to be cancelled. If this was 30 years ago, society might have applauded the action. More people may even flock to the Thaksin banner. They would have been commended for standing up for tradition and moral decency. The twist in this game is: This is 2009, not pre-historic times when dinosaurs roam the earth. Perhaps no one had told the red shirts the riddle about three men who rented one room at a hotel. Perhaps because that riddle in and of itself sounds rather gay. But that’s neither here nor there. The point is: The red-shirt people, operating under an outdated premise that has already changed, ended up committing an act of narrow-minded bigotry that resulted in condemnation by society and the alienation of millions and millions of Thai homosexuals. This is 2009, the premise of the gay issue has changed. Reality: There is arguably no country in the world gayer than Thailand. San Francisco looks at Bangkok with envy. If all 300 Spartans knew about modern Thailand, they would snap their fingers, twirl their necks, roll their eyes and screech: ‘‘You go, girls!’’ In every office, every classroom, every nook and cranny of this country, you’ll find a gay guy and a guy that looks gay, but perhaps he may or may not be (metrosexuality can be quite confusing). Indeed, the gay population in modern Thailand is numerous, prosperous and is accepted by modern society. They are so numerous that a straight Thai guy can have a wife, two mia noi (mistresses) and three gigs (flirt playmates). This is socially acceptable, because there are just too many females in the Kingdom and not enough heterosexual males to spread around. Yes, that’s how gay Thailand is. No longer a small group of people hiding in the closet, but a large segment of the population letting it all hang out, fabulously so. The modern premise is: Gay is trendy. Gay is fashionable. Gay is absolutely fabulous, and definitely numerous. Trust me, I know — my girlfriend made me go to the Kylie Minogue concert at Impact Arena. The premise has changed. Hence the game has changed. Thus the perspective must also change. Furthermore, without the gay population, not only our dreams of ‘‘Bangkok Fashion City’’ would never be realised, we wouldn’t even have a fashion industry, or an entertainment industry, or many other wonderful contributions that the gay population have made to Thailand. The red-shirt movement is stuck with an old, outdated premise, not realising, understanding or acknowledging that the game has long since changed. To succeed in their goals of getting rid of the current government and bringing Thaksin Shinawatra back to power, the red-shirt movement needs the blessing and support from as many Thais as possible. They instead committed an act of bigotry and caused a scandal, and perhaps made enemies of millions and millions of homosexuals. Their rallies at Government House lasted for only three days because not enough people showed up — well, that is rather embarrassing. If, for instance, they had substantial gay support, then it would have been an absolute party up on Ratchadamnoen Avenue. Not to mention the red shirts that they wore would be much more fashionable. This commentary is not a moral analysis of the relationship between homosexuality and a society based on the ideals of human rights. No. Rather, it uses the simple logic of game theory applied to current issues to help us think better, act smarter and accomplish our goals. To get rid of the Democrats and bring back Thaksin, the red shirts need to garner more support, not make more enemies. They thought poorly, acted stupidly and compromised their goals. Game theory, it should be taught in schools. Quote
Gaybutton Posted March 1, 2009 Posted March 1, 2009 The link to that editorial is: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1252...ory-gay-reality That editorial brought out something I hadn't really thought of. The gay farang community was certainly upset over this, but how did the gay Thai population feel? Are they outraged over the few people responsible for the threats that shut down the parade or do they view the entire Red Shirt movement as supportive of this incident? Are Thai gays willing to speak out about it? You might be interested in the following: http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/SoHo/2009/02/28/entry-1 ____________________ Here is another editorial I found in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Rak Chiang Mai 51: A pride or a disgrace for Chiang Mai? by Veera Prateepchaikul Organisers of last Saturday’s Gay Pride parade in Chiang Mai are demanding an apology from the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group for what they described as an uncivilized action by some 30 red-shirt hooligans who broke up the parade with force and intimidation. There is not much that the organisers who comprise non-governmental organizations working on HIV/Aids problem can do towards the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group as they are too civilized. But they should have known better that even a verbal apology from the group would be impossible because the self-righteous group believes they are above the law and thus immune to any legal sanctions. According to news reports, some 30 red shirts went to Tawan Trendy Mall where a stage was built to welcome the Gay Pride parade which was due to kick off from Buddasathan, through the Night Bazaar and finally ending at the mall. Once there, the red shirts launched verbal attacks against the event claiming that it was unsuitable and would tarnish the city’s reputation. The gang then dismantled the stage and threatened to resort to violence if the parade was to be held, forcing the organisers to call off the event. This latest thuggish act by the red shirts associated with the Rak Chiang Mai 51 has not only shamed the northern capital well-known the world over for the friendliness and hospitality of its people but may turn away many would-be visitors. Several state agencies have avoided Chiang Mai as a venue of their seminars or meetings for fear that they will be disrupted by the red shirts. For those who may not have any memory about the notoriety of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group, the followings are some of the incidents perpetrated by the group’s red-shirts: A few days before the breakup of the Gay Pride parade last Saturday, dozens of red shirts went to Chiang Mai provincial hall where hundreds of corn farmers were protesting and demanding help from the government. The red shirts tried to intervene but they were rejected by the farmers who made clear they did not want politics to get mixed up with their protest. But the red-shirt leaders felt offended by the rejection and engaged in angry arguments with the farmers. Luckily, there was no violent incident. On January 23, a few hundred red shirts led by Mr Petchavak Wattanapongsirikul, self-appointed leader of Rak Chiang Mai 51 raided a branch monastery of the Santi Asoke sect in Chiang Mai under a false pretext that some illegal objects might be hidden in the premise. The red shirts’ blatant act stunned the Santi Asoke followers who are mostly children, women and the elderly. However, these people did not put up any resistance and allowed the red shirts to make the arbitrary searches which produced nothing illegal. A similar ugly incident occurred in Lampang province when some 300 Rak Chiang Mai 51 red shirts went to Lampang Regent Lodge hotel to make searches after it was reported that Chaiwat Sinsuwong, a People’s Alliance for Democracy leader, was due to attend a seminar organized by PAD’s Lampang chapter. And there was that shameful incident which happened at Chiang Mai University when one red-shirt protester slapped the face of a female lecturer who tried unsuccessfully to talk reasons with a group of red-shirt protesters who attempted to break up a get-together party of the university alumni in search of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban who was reported to attend the event as an alumnae. But the worst violent incident involving the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group was the red shirts’ raid last year of a community radio station of a PAD follower in the northern capital. The father of the station owner who was a very old man was allegedly beaten to death by the red-shirt protesters. Of all the violent incidents involving Chiang Mai’s red shirts, the Rak Chiang Mai 51 leaders have never made any apology or shown remorse for the death of the poor defendless old man beaten to death in a cowardly manner by the red shirts. The reluctance of the Chiang Mai police to take legal actions against the law breakers seems to have emboldened the Rak Chiang Mai 51 to the extent that they believe they can take law into their own hands and can escape scot free for all the violence perpetrated by their street thugs. Despite the notoriety of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 and the shame the group has brought on the northern capital, one may wonder aloud what has happened to the city and its people? How can they be so apathetic and so tolerable with such senselessness without uttering a voice of protest? Quote
KhorTose Posted March 1, 2009 Posted March 1, 2009 I read the print version of Bangkok Post using Press Reader which does not give me a link to post so I cut and pasted this article which I feel is well written. GAME THEORY; GAY REALITY Excellant article and great application of game Theory. This Voranai Vanijaka is an outstanding writer. Duhhh is this a male or female Thai name, not that it really matters. Quote
