Lived in Thailand for 12 years and it was magical, but the majority of Thai people have by and large fully bought into the monarchy (with a tiny minority of those who don’t), which was difficult to swallow as someone who greatly values critical thinking and individualism. It was also easy to see why with the overwhelming propaganda, not to mention the laws ensuring compliance with the monarchical system, has resulted in a massively unequal society and that this subservience of the majority underclass has made it easy corrupt military cabal to literally get away with murder and theft, environmental destruction, and anything else you can think of (I was there for two coups, but there have been around 20 in the last 100 years). As much as I loved life in paradise, I couldn’t take it anymore by the end.
11
Does Thailand sound like America or does America sound like Thailand? Seeing that most Americans are ill informed when it comes to world current affairs, and forever tabloid hungry, I say it’s the latter.
2
I visited Thailand a few years ago and was struck by how conservative and backwards the people were. Portraits of the King and Queen were omnipresent the same way temples were. Museums were neglected while temples were bursting at the seams with tourists and locals alike. In one popular temple in Chiangmai, we saw a monk in one of the chambers whose job was posing like a Buddha in a robe while people threw cash at him, all day long! All the Buddhas were smeared with gold leaf and money flying everywhere around them. Our guide, a lovely petite woman, practically starting every sentence praising the king, Queen or Buddha.
We were wondering if it’s mandatory or just her?
What does this say about a country? Repression? deprivation?
9
"The king has owned a number of pet poodles, one of which was granted the military rank of air chief marshal."
The king appears to be about the right age to have been subliminally imprinted with the 1966 pop hit "Snoopy vs The Red Baron" - which he may have heard in Germany.
6
Very Trumpian
3
They almost got rid of the monarchy in 1932, but gradually under the previous king it revived, in large part because the conflicts in Thai society made it a symbol of unity and a mediating force. It is incredibly medieval in form and law. In more recent years the monarchy sided with (or was used by) certain elite forces who have reinforced the lese majeste laws. Sadly, it also sucks the life out of private philanthropy, since so much is mediated through the monarchical charities. It is remains useful to Thailand but at a high cost, and its future is highly questionable. Imagine, of the king's children, 4 have abandoned Thailand and royal titles altogether.
3
I have been to Thailand many times.
Love the country, it's people and it's food.
Nothing we say here will change the minds of most Thai - King does no wrong.
While not wishing anybody bad - but this could be headed the Nepal way where fratricide, patricide etc first literally killed off king and his family.
And then the fellow who followed his brother - convinced Nepalis that they could do without a king or any royalty.
This is news!?
Even with our dolt in office I'm ecstatic that we threw the monarchy away.
Trump is so envious.
1
30 billions? That was in the 90ies that Forbes listed the house of Chakri with 30 billions. That edition of the Forbes magazine was forbidden in Thailand and not for sale. Today the king may be worth 300 billions considering that huge areas of Bangkok and the rest of the kingdom belong to the Thai king and the land is just leased for use to famous hotels, shopping centers, etc.
1
Is this autocrat following Trump’s playbook? It will not get him far before there is a violent revolution.
I think that after the general populous has seen more than enough of what tyrants can and do do, with the help of Trump, Putin, Xi and Kim, the people of Thailand will no longer stand for such corruption.
Listen well, Donald. Your time has come too.
2
Aides to Thailand's newest king,
on a catapult do swing.
If they give him any grief,
he knows how to get relief --
sends them shooting off to space
(just to save a little face.)
And outside of old Siam
other despots play that scam.
I can think of one right here;
a Goldilocks that most folk fear.
But I very much exult
in his end by catapult!
7
This reminds me of the Great Duchess of Geroldstein operetta by Offenbach
1
Behavior like this is why the French and the Russians were so right in extirpating royalty during their revolutions. The concept of monarchy is anathema to modern humanity.
4
Sounds like something from Tudor England.
1
I’ve long avoided visiting Thailand for several reasons, including matters relating to their monarchy, and extending on through their poor record on humans rights, their egregious acceptance of child prostitution, and right on down into their horrific record on animal abuse. But when I talk to family and friends who have spent time there — both as long term residents and as tourists — all they have to say about the country is that the beaches are great, the diving is fair, the food is wonderful and the Thai people are nice. Younger visitors talk about the “awesome” partying. I’ve never understood how anyone can travel abroad and make no effort to learn about the country they are visiting. And then, once there, they close their eyes to the obviously questionable practices they witness. Just get that selfie of your ride and an abused, wild-caught elephant and post it on Instagram! Pay to walk under the juvenile elephant that has been taken from its mom to stand on a busy Bangkok corner. Ignore the fact that it is swaying from stress and excreting tears from the gland near its eyes (a sing of anguish). Get a picture! Go visit the “Long Neck tribe” (Kayan) and ignore the fact that girls have those deforming rings placed on their necks at age 5. Appreciating culture! And don’t forget to visit the drugged tigers these “Buddhist monks” at the Tiger Temple breed for the tiger-parts market in China. Oh, too,late. They were busted for having piles of dead tiger cubs in the freezer.
15
@Passion for Peaches
All true! And many, many stories you could tell. But then I have yet to find a country with fewer stories. If I look at my home country I could tell you a lot about the homeless children… If I look at the country where I live now there are also plenty of stories to tell. No offense!
4
The new King's photos make him look like a dictator-strongman wanna-be. I'm sure his father lamented both raising him this way and having him as a successor.
1
And here I was, thinking American politics was a really bad made-for-latenight-tv burlesque show.
1
I'm sure this is painful for the Thai people, but it sounds like a joke.
2
I live here. There is no Real representation for most people. Thailand is mostly poor. The expectation is It will have big growth. I Doubt that. Not enough innovation to create more good jobs. An enormous bureaucracy of paper pushes, police, military that are not productive . It’s a beautiful country and Thai culture makes for easy living and Mai pen rai,but the modern world and consumerism are here to stay and Thailand is part of the modern world. The monarchy is the pageantry of Thailand just like England. There are probably all sought of different problems in these institutions throughout the world. Remember the government is run by an “elected official and the Parliament . They have the last word. Thailand is not going to fall by the wayside but with 70 million people to take care of the government ha a tough road to hoe.
6
Thailand is still a feudal society in some respects. There is a distinct social hierarchy. Every Thai is aware of their place in the hierarchy and can recognize the position of others. Those at the top want to maintain their privileged position. They use the monarchy and the army as tools to maintain the status quo. There have been 12 military coups since 1932. The last two popularly elected prime ministers were deposed by the army because they threatened the status quo. The head of the army is effectively running the country. Will Thailand ever be free ?
7
The Thai people deserve better. It’s a fairytale come to life, replace the step mother for the son. Life was far from perfect with the last king, he turned a blind eye to the questionable actions of the military but he seemed to care about the the people and he gave them hope.
A transactional monarch combined with the junta is a nightmare scenario for Thailand.
A few years ago I was at the most expensive restaurants in Thailand and night after night the designer threads were always outnumbered 2-1 by military attire. Unfortunately the have nots will become the have nothing and the have more will become the have everything.
I will also have to think twice about going back after I submit my comment, as I would face a prison time under the lèse-majesté.
88
A poodle promoted to air chief marshal, I guess there is hope for Donald jr. !
29
Tough to respect his majesty when he parades around in belly shirts made for 13 y/o girls. That guy has need of a battery of mental health workers.
9
Why is monarchy still a thing?
7
Another dictator. Great. Just what the world needs. One more evil old man to make the world a worse place.
'King Nothing' by Metallica comes to mind.
3
A multi-married dictator who serially removes people who displease or disagree with him - glad we don't have that problem!
26
I had the pleasure and honour, during an official visit to Bangkok, to meet, and pet at length, the distinguished Air Chief Marshal Poodle.
And I can attest, based upon my considerable and worldwide poodle experience, that this poodle is one of the most capable, fearless, yet humble, poodles I have ever encountered. I assure you that no other poodle can command a fighter fleet with anything approaching the uncanny level of ability that this particular poodle can. Air Chief Marshal Poodle is truly a credit to the esteemed poodle breed, and Thais should feel a sense of pride and comfort that Air Chief Marshal Poodle and his charges are taking to the skies daily to protect them from malevolent airborne invaders, especially those of the sinister feline persuasion.
I join the Thai people and all those who visit and otherwise admire Thailand in praise of and congratulations to the newly crowned King Maha Vajiralongkorn, his many, many wonderful children, his past, present and future consorts, his eminent cousin/ex-wife and all the other poodles of rank that will help take Thailand bravely forward into a future defined by prosperity, opportunity and quality kibble.
26
To paraphrase Bill Murray in the film "Tootsie": "This is one nutty country."
27
Years ago there was great concern that this guy rather than his much adored sister was in line for the throne. I guess they were right.
10
How long till Trump openly gets to this level of farce? Trump is an authoritarian and well on the way to changing democracy in the US. Judges he placed, puppet attorney general, defying coequal branch of government, using office for personal gain, stuffing government with family members and incompetent yes-men. Constant propaganda through state TV and his WH spokespersons. GOP serving him, not Constitution.
The country has changed so much you wouldn’t recognize it if you looked at its current state from eyes in 2015. But Trump and GOP are feeding it to us so gradually that by the time we realize where it is going, we’ll be where Thailand is. Ok, if that’s an exaggeration, Hungary isn’t. Cautionary example.
11
@Ildiko Duckor OMG! I was thinking, this is Trump's ultimate fantasy. The guy raided a fund giving him immense wealth. No dissent allowed or you go to jail! I can't believe the Donald has not invited him to Mar A Lago yet! LOL!
1
So disappointing. His father was a model modern monarch.
9
Is there anyone left in a role of leadership that isn’t corrupt these days?
5
The soul of Louis XIV lives on in Thailand. Well, the Thai king has a similar ego to the Sun King, without the artistic embellishments. And while Louis actually achieved some great triumphs during his reign, the ludicrous Thai king makes a laughingstock of himself and his country’s form of government and justice system. Multiple women; unchallenged power; laws preventing the slightest criticism. Trump must be enviously taking notes.
10
It seems that it is what Trump wants for himself and his family. Start a new monarchy. The best arguments against monarchy were presented by the prophet Samuel when he tried to explain to the Israelites that monarchy is a fast route to tyranny from which they had just liberated themselves. Samuel had no choice but to make concessions, either go back to Egypt and be slaves or give them something short of ideal with the potential for future desirable outcomes. They still wanted a king, he was forced to mitigate his options. Monarchies are an anachronism which has lingered far too long into the present. They should all be dissolved. The Thai monarchy is an obstacle to the progress and well-being of the citizens of Thailand. No human should ever be placed above any other human and should never be deified. We are still stuck in ancient models from which we haven't progressed very much. By choosing reason over faith and religion we may still have a better future.
31
Another despot that Trump can embrace. Maybe he can do quid pro quo on his Chinese trade war by trading deals to Thailand, in exchange for getting dirt on Xi.
By the way, it is true that if you criticize the king, it is a 15 year jail sentence; even for foreigners. Some foreign journalists have been jailed for writing articles, similar to this one, in the past. For a Constitutional Monarchy, Thailand is more autocratic than democratic.
24
I was sent to Thailand in 1966. On my very first day in country I visited the Temple of the Emerald Buddha on the first day of winter in the Thai calendar. On that day, the king came to drape the Buddha in a ceremonial cape. I was thrilled to find myself in the "right place at the right time" so I squeezed in among the Thais who surrounded the temple to get closer to the much loved old King.
As he processed around the temple I found myself just inches from him. Because I was in my uniform I did not believe that I could kneel in the king's presence as his subjects were doing. But his rifle-bearing, uniformed guard clearly had other ideas because I was pushed to the ground and one of them shouted "you best be getting down now!" As I tried to get back on my knees when one of the guard smashed his rifle butt on the arch of my right foot. I knew my foot was broken but I had no idea why.
As the king's party moved on I was confronted by a uniformed Thai officer who informed me that I had committed a grave personal offense against his majesty. That was when I learned that Thai's consider one's feet to be the lowest part of the body and to point one's foot at another person is a serious insult. Worse yet is to point the foot at the head - the seat of one's divinity.
During of our colloquy I was relieved to learn that I was not under arrest. I reported to my duty station and spent the rest of my tour being constantly amazed by the kindness and grace of the Thai people.
25
This is how absolute monarchy works. Or anarchy? It is for us who grew up with her, Pippi Longstocking on steroids for one adult: namely the King of Thailand! I can understand the Thai history, culture, customs but today all of this is not funny but dangerous considering the lese majeste laws! The Thai King stands clearly in the way of the free development of Thailand but Thailand all for him only. It is also said, it has been foreseen that with Rama X the royal house of Chakri will come to an end! Maybe so.
8
Sounds like he is qualified to run the United States.
41
@mac - that would naturally be as a Republican.
7
On some levels how is this different from what is happening in America?
79
@Linda - Much cooler names.
25
@Linda As one who lived in Thailand for 10 years, and who is fluent in the Thai language (without which one cannot know the people or the culture), I can tell you that the level of corruption at virtually every level of Thai society is orders of magnitude greater than that found practically anywhere else. That includes the royal family, which, with the military, runs a kleptocracy of colossal proportions. The king may be the richest person who ever was.
15
@Linda I was in Thailand a few years ago, we were in a private apartment with all Americans talking about politics. We actually felt uncomfortable using the real names of royals and used fake names because you never know who could be listening. That is the difference. I can say whatever I want about Donald Trump, publicly or privately, and not be thrown in jail. While what is happening in the US is undoubtedly extreme, its in a different ballpark than Thailand's problems.
14
Maybe Thailand needs this rude awakening to abolish monarchy.
Hereditary rule is always bad - even in democracies as India discovered. India's first Prime Minister Nehru so dominated his party and country that his daughter Indira Gandhi became PM; then her son Rajiv was PM and now his son Rahul was head of the Congress Party. The people handed the Congress party a big defeat in the last two elections to send an unmistakable message that family rule was not acceptable.
India's economic progress was achieved when effective "caretaker" prime ministers (Narashima Rao and Manmohan Singh) ruled India while the family heir apparent gained political experience. The people took note.
11
If the king can make his poodle an air marshal, why can't Putin make Trump a general?
101
Royals are simply privileged people. Some good some not. One becomes king because some ancestor took power. it wasn't give to them and they weren't elected.
7
so what is the role of a Queen if you have a consort as well?
5
@PeterH Male progeny.
4
@PeterH the question is what is the role of consorts? The answer, more women to have sex with.
8
purely western tradition. false king and false tradition
Kings and royalty aren’t western traditions. Kings, monarchs, emperors, or any name you choose have been found from the beginning of civilization in every region of the world.
22
Thais—
Come over to these shores and we'll show you "extremely evil" and "severely immoral" in national governance.
51
@srwdm Right. Here adultery does not even start the list...
2
The Trump of Thailand. But more evil.
12
@N The King is genuinely wealthy as Trump may be.
2
When they start to name their pets to military positions, you know it's "game over".
That 16-pound crown must have squashed his brain.
But that doesn't explain the weirdness of everyone else.
$30 BILLION?
He probably qualifies for a palace in Saudi Arabia.
Someone pack his bags for him.
43
@rosa Caligula-like. I guess the world is not as advanced as it likes to believe.
5
@john g
Horses. Dogs.
Good thing that Trump hates animals.... well, you know, except for "Mascot Mitch, the Wonder Dog!"
16
@rosa
And Go-fetch Graham.
5
How come there was no mention of the video of the birthday party for the royal poodle which His Royal Highness celebrated with his princess, topless and in a thong, in front of genuflecting royal attendants, in Germany some years ago? That said everything about this King.
38
whoa, really? or were you kidding?
@Beijinger I know it is forbidden to write about or mention Winne the Poo bear in Beijing as well.
That says everything about Xi.
2
@PegLegPetesKid YouTube.
Megalomaniac King - Wake Up Thailand!
9
Monarchy would be best abolished everywhere, especially where the monarchs actually attempt to wield political and military power. I guess the cuter ones like England's, which feature funny hats and generations of amusingly inbred offspring, can remain as long as they produce net tourist dollars.
9
@Jim Reho - Britain's monarchy does not produce net tourist dollars, though, that's the thing. They sell a lot of cheap tat with their faces on it, sure, but nothing close to the actual cost of running the monarchy as it is currently funded. The Queen and the Prince of Wales receive over 120 million pounds sterling in cash disbursements annually, not to mention the extras they stick the taxpayer with - security mostly. And then there's the lost revenue from their palaces not being open all the time because that lot is living in them. Britain still funds the royals like it's 1799.
4
Monarchies are created by brutes, who seize control and then bequeath their countries to their sons. When we consider the cases of Haiti's Papa Doc and North Korea's Kim Jong-un, it is clear that hereditary succession makes no moral or political sense. Democracies, which do not fight wars against other democracies, provide the most stable and prosperous form of government.
Monarchy is implicitly based on the idea that a state is private property and thus passed on to succeeding generations. In other words, monarchy is inherently immoral.
Over 3,000 years ago, the Prophet Samuel knew that kings were a bad idea. "And ye shall cry out in that day, because of your king . . ." (1 Sam. 8:18).
29
Thailand was the only Asian country to not succumb to European colonial imperialism.
The gravest threat to Thailand was always Asian.
But Thailand clinging to a royal past puts it in league with Japan and the United Kingdom among living lingering anachronisms.
Generations of royal in-breeding didn't save Europe. Thailand?
8
My half-Thai daughter-in-law wants to take my son to Thailand to meet her family. I have advised against it. Lots of terrible things being done in what used to be a peaceful, friendly country. It's no wonder the Thai people were so devastated by the death of their beloved King, and not thrilled with the Prince, who had already proven himself to be an evil man.
22
@ChesBay Thailand continues to be a peaceful and gentle country. Your concerns are unfounded.
18
@ChesBay
What happens at court has noting to do with normal Thai life.
Thailand is a lovely country, perfectly safe for the average tourist, with amazing, cheap food, and excellent infrastructure.
I highly recommend it, at least to visit.
7
@Marybeth John -- 10's of thousands of Muslims will disagree with you.
2
Thai means free people, and the land of free people is the pride of Asia for remaining independent during the colonial period. The new king held a gun to his father's head and demanded he be the successor not his sister, a slight no Thai will ever forget. I'm sure most Thai households keep his father's photo on the wall above this cad who became king under the threat of murder.
10
I'm grateful that my travels in Thailand took place under the reign of the last king. He did so much for his country and was very popular. This included outlawing teak logging because of deforestation, and transforming the opium poppy crops there with government provided greenhouses/growing assistance in switching to food production.
How Thailand went from that monarch to this is very troubling. It seems that the beautiful world I've known for seventy years is suddenly lurching to an authoritarianism that my generation was trained to fear. This includes our current El Presidente Grande.
62
@Entera That's how monarchies work. The oldest son/heir gets the throne.
1
@Entera I feel after reading this that I want to go for one more and possibly final trip to that beautiful country. Wish the former king had changed things so his son could not take over. Certainly the king knew what his son is?
1
This is why we don’t have kings anymore.
37
@Don Detrich Instead we have Trump.
11
@RH Trump was elected by the people, and if the people don't like him he'll be gone in 2020.
@KM no he wasn’t. Hillary was elected by the people.
3
I'd like to apply for the job of King of Siam/Thailand. Anybody know where I can get an application?
2
Almost like having a king is a fundamentally bad idea.
23
These days, it seems like good govt is in scarce supply around the world.
19
Time for the Thai people to get out the guillotine. Thailand is a military dictatorship with a royal figurehead who is a sociopath. His only redeeming quality is that his abuses may finally create a rebellion to abolish the monarchy and put the military high command on trial.
58
@AR It's more likely that when he becomes totally Caligula-like crazy (dog appointment brings him much closer), the generals will just get rid of him as an inconvenience and assume power directly.
12
Why does this article not mention the murder of Thai dissidents in exile in Laos whose disappearances coincided with the Thai king's visit to Vientiane earlier this year? They were found after being tortured and disemboweled. Their bodies were found in a river after being filled with cement. Or how about the other murders of dissidents that coincided with the king's birthday? These events have been reported elsewhere and there is no way the author isn't aware of them.
91
@Adam B It's sometimes too easy and off point to criticize the media for omissions, but, here, I feel like the "fluffier' details about the monarchy's excesses and court drama, for lack of a better term, are just more entertaining. They fit a familiar narrative that is satisfyingly critical while dismissive of actions like you describe.
11
There seems to be something seriously wrong with this man. He IS a man, not a deity, folks.
28
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
41
Some of this stuff sounds awfully familiar...too awfully familiar.
33
As a person of Thai origin, I must stay quiet, keeping my opinions to myself, for fear of legal repercussions.
54
The Philippines is headed in that direction, as well. My daughter was sent a warning to not criticize Duterte because he has roaming gangs of criminals who “silence” dissidents. And she is a 3rd generation Filipina-American! Here on the West Coast, I have noticed that my most outspoken friends—Filipino journalists, intellectuals, and activists—also are discreetly mum on the subject of Duterte. Scary!
13
@Eileen Eulick Try being in the same boat. It's hard to imagine if you live in the US and criticize your leaders freely (and deservedly). People have been silently murdered and families threatened for insulting the monarchy. Tons of Thais are living in exile for this reason. The sad truth is that no one will stand up for you either if that happens. Will the US? Will Europe? Will Japan? Doing business is more important.
7
@L I think it is a good time to keep your head down in Thailand, too. Enough said.
The Thai monarchy's lurch into authoritarianism mirrors that of its government, which until recently was a democracy but is now a military dictatorship (finished with a veneer of pseudo-democracy).
These two developments are no mere coincidence. One move supports the other, everyone at the top helps themselves to the spoils, and the Thai people languish in a mire of corruption and cynicism.
14
He gets a lot of flack, but I can relate here. I also had to let my official consort go, she was directly trying to usurp my wife’s position.
73
@John
But your dog is still the Chief of Police in Minneapolis, yes?
No need to be rash....
21
@ John Bravo, priceless comment!
8
@John LOLOLOLOL!
2
Once the King has consolidated his power he should use it to galvanize his country to implement dikes, pumps, and changes to agriculture to prevent the soon to materialize geographic devastation of rising sea levels. Bangkok will be flooded within a decade due to sea level rise and subsidence. Rice production will significantly decrease. These effects of climate change are the real threats to the monarchy. Not punishing people for writing that the princess dress was hideous.
9
Perhaps it's time for the people of Thailand to ask themselves what purpose the monarchy serves and whether propping up their soap opera and lavish lifestyle is a good use of their tax dollars.
34
Apparently the violence in the south of Thailand, the upheavals caused by the king, and memories of the coup attempt several years ago are having a severe economic effect.
The country is virtually empty of tourists...especially those from Europe and America. The hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, shopping malls and high end purveyors of goods are waiting in vain for customers.
Our favorite storekeepers are desolate. They bemoan the fact that “ circumstances” in their country have sent the tourists to Vietnam. And they wonder if they will ever return.
37
@It's About Time except... Thailand's tourism numbers have actually been going up?
4
@It's About Time I am in Northern Thailand as I write and there are tourists everywhere. What are you talking about?
6
@It's About Time I am leaving in January for three months. Beats Florida.
Maybe his kingship will get a Whitehouse invite to visit our kingship.
120
@Neil I think the spread our kingship would put on would be considered too tacky.
4
@Neil - Trump received Malaysia's PM Razak at the White House even though he was implicated in the $700 million 1MDB scandal, so why not a Thai king? Trump likes to hang around with real billionaires because, deep down, he knows he's a fake billionaire.
6
None of the Thai restaurants I frequent have a picture of the king; only his father.
88
King Bhumiphol did so much to bring Thailand into the modern world during his long reign—he was deeply loved by his people. I’ve heard appalling things about the current king from one of my Thai friends who knows him.
19
@Alan Wright
I have witnessed the same thing. At venues where Thai people congregate in the United States, photos of the late King Bhumibol far outnumber those of the current Thai monarch.
5
The Thai people have endured Maha Vajialongkorn’s vicious, perverse, and paranoid behavior for decades but, due to Thai lèse-majesté laws, can say or do little about him. Rama IX (the widely and deeply loved late King Bhumibol Adulyadej) should have been succeeded by his far worthier daughter, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
115
For decades it was known that the crown prince would prove a disaster when he became king.
110
Er. This whole thing sounds crazy, even if published in the 12th century. And the elected Prime Minister standing in attention in front of the huge portrait of that King, doesn't make sense either.
Maybe someone from Thailand can throw some light on why the royalty is revered this way, in spite of what seems to be ridiculousness all over.
87
Parallels in the US shouldn’t be too hard to find
26
@Abhilash Humans are hard-wired for hierarchy. Where an elected government is widely disrespected, an unimpeachable monarchical authority serves a purpose. In many parts of the world, a real or imagined God carries this function.
15
@Abhilash As a person of Thai origin, I think it is this:
There is a strong hierarchical culture which lays the groundwork for acceptance. You always defer to seniors and your "betters" by things like age, money, status, etc. Respect is obviously necessary in any polite and good society, but Thai society is not merely about respect--it's about domination and it moves far beyond mere respect into power.
Then, more immediately, you had a good and very successful king in King Rama IX (the current king's father) who reigned for 70 years and navigated communism, post-colonialism, and the transition of a modern country.
Finally, you have the lese majeste law that stifles discussion (and even factual reporting), and a propaganda machine in schools, media, and posters everywhere that pushes the royalist agenda, with TONS of politicians, officials, and military general hanging on to take advantage of.
And viola, you have what we have today.
21
I grew up in the lovely country of Thailand with very sweet people. King Vajralongkorn's father, King Bhumipol, was a decent good man who cared for the poor, the disenfranchised and the rural folks. His son, even then, was considered uncouth, arrogant, uncultured, a playboy and a pampered man who did badly in school. People are not happy with the current King Vajralongkorn but are not saying anything due to fear, not respect. He is not respected like his father or his sisters. The crown should go to one of his dedicated sister who has done a lot of social work, that the people respect and trust. I wish Thailand the best. I love the country.
170
I'm very happy that I read this article all the way to the end, because otherwise I would never have known about the poodles!
40
My fave was poodle as air marshall!
2
The "noble consort" concept alongside pet poodles speaks ample volumes about monarchies.
On the other hand, life is short. Tell me more about the consort route to feudalism, sounds appealing. I'll research the poodle path.
17
Thailand is great in many ways-but the early am loudspeaker King praising is a sign that the kingdom desperately needs modernization. This king seems bound to provide an object lesson in why.
27
It’s no longer the national anthem?
2
Family get-togethers must be very interesting indeed!
Monarchy everywhere is becoming the grist of theme park aficionados, good for selling tickets but terrible in governance. America has Disney- it's way better than what Washington puts out these days.
25
@Victor Lacca It's not a theme park when you can get 15 years for criticizing Mickey Mouse.
18