The General and tourists "but can they be safe... unless they are not beautiful?"

[Up2u]

Perhaps a little sensitivity training and less victim bashing is in order.

 

http://asiancorrespondent.com/126776/thai-pm-after-koh-tao-murders-can-tourists-be-safe-in-bikinis/

[vinapu]

you are  correct about remarks being insensitive but he has a point generally speaking about looking at tourists behavior, sometimes watching in various countries  how tourists dress and behave I can't stop thinking that  they are asking  for a trouble.

 

Some people think if they have money they can do whatever they want and forget that they are still guests in other country.

 

 

My comments are general, not related to the case above. Only thing  which cause me to rise a eyelid was almost immediate suspicion by Thai police  that murder was job of migrant workers-some things are the same all around the world, blame outsiders.

[Up2u]

From the Nation. More flack about the bikini comments.

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thai-premier-causes-outrage-over-bikini-comment-30243549.html

[Up2u]

General now sorry.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29249656

[Guest]

What you have here is a slight difference in culture and some bloke in the army with no clue about political correctness.

 

The slight difference in culture?    Well in the west, many people wouldn't consider it acceptable for people to wear bikinis in the church, office or even most public settings.   However, on a beach, or near to a beach it's OK.

Perhaps Thai culture would traditionally draw the line in a different place.

[Alexx]

Personally, I'm much more concerned with the way the "police investigation" has been conducted thus far. I'm not surprised, mind you, but it does sadden me nonetheless. If I were the foreign press, I'd focus on that instead of wasting precious headlines debating the PM's remarks.

[bkkguy]

What you have here is a slight difference in culture and some bloke in the army with no clue about political correctness.

 

The slight difference in culture?    Well in the west, many people wouldn't consider it acceptable for people to wear bikinis in the church, office or even most public settings.   However, on a beach, or near to a beach it's OK.

Perhaps Thai culture would traditionally draw the line in a different place.

 

The General's comment was reported as "They think our country is beautiful and safe, and do whatever they want to do, walking around in bikinis. Do they think they will be safe in bikinis, except if they aren't beautiful?". The statement was met with outrage overseas but there was little or no reaction in Thailand and you want to claim this is about "slight difference in culture"  and "political correctness"? Rubbish!

 

in 2006, after a series of brutal rapes in Sydney a local Imam compared women who wear revealing clothing to meat left outside uncovered being attacked by cats - the uncovered meat was the problem, not the cats. The reaction in the local press was outrage but at least the local Muslim community did not hide behind a response of "slight difference in culture"  and "political correctness", their repose was the Imam's comments "lacks intelligence and common sense" and he "clearly has no understanding of the nature of sexual crime"

 

for a more recent and local example - Durex Thailand has just removed a facebook advertising campaign based on a claim that "28% of women who resist finally consent". This did at least cause some outrage in social media in Thailand but the company's initial response attributing the uproar to a "misunderstanding" was pathetic

 

from the editorial pages of the Bangkok Post today: No one asks to be raped

 

 

The value system that divides women into "good" and "bad" further punishes rape victims by blaming them for "asking for it" by drinking or dressing revealingly like "bad" girls. Many even think the victims deserve it.

 

Despite the severity of the problem, rape remains a non-issue due to deep-rooted cultural values that glorify male sexual aggressiveness and see women as passive sex objects.

 

If anything, Durex Thailand's rape ad reflects how the crime of rape is still dismissed in mainstream society. It actually reflects the rape culture that condones sexual violence. And if the company deserves condemnation, so do our other cultural, political, and judicial institutions that perpetuate the patriarchal values that view women as men's property.

 

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/433039/no-one-asks-to-be-raped

 

your suggestion that this is about "slight difference in culture"  and "political correctness" is I think crass and simplistic!

 

bkkguy

[Guest]

your suggestion that this is about "slight difference in culture"  and "political correctness" is I think crass and simplistic!

 

bkkguy

 

Crass and simplistic for someone who's unwilling to evaluate the argument. 

 

Anyhow, the comment made by Alexx regarding the way the police are investigating the incident is much more sensible than my comment or yours.

[Up2u]

...... The statement was met with outrage overseas but there was little or no reaction in Thailand.............

 

bkkguy

And why do you think that might be? Do you really believe the Thai press, academics, members of the NLA, etc. would dare speak out or criticize El General? Obviously one of his trusted advisors explained that he f*cked up and he had to make it right.

[Up2u]

Here is a short youtube clip of the general with subtitles. Note all the girls in the audience.

 

https://fbcdn-video-h-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-xap1/v/t43.1792-2/10652954_10152672980406154_348224011_n.mp4?oh=8d2c447dd4f158b3fd3b20a140ff88bb&oe=541C711E&__gda__=1411150291_d0515e7653031bfa38b88611fca57cdd

[Up2u]

From the General's diary as written by Kong Rithdee of the BP.

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/433232/it-really-best-when-you-say-nothing-at-all