Thailand unlikely to escape criticism

Kavi Chongkittavorn’s recent column isn’t off the mark, but it could use a bit of coherence itself. For starters, why does the title jump out in full capitalisation on the first four words before returning to normal?

Second, nowhere does the writer’s name appear anywhere on it (at least online) – only his photo above it in the revolving door style teaser/header on the Opinion page that rotates several stories in tandem.

This phrase, however, is spot-on: “In addition, the long-delayed annual US State Department report on human rights will be released later this week that could put Thailand in a hard place again due to increased rights violations both before and after the lifting of martial law.” 

The US, EU, UN and other nations, non-governmental organisations and rights groups have requirements that must be met before they endorse governments and political leaders. China has almost no such requirements, since it rarely expresses concern over individual freedoms, given its own repression of dissenters, media freedom and religious groups. If Thailand’s leadership dismisses China’s horrific human-rights record and/or fails to hold political leaders in other nations to a high standard for its own expediency, that’s its option. But there are plenty of others entities that won’t.

I wouldn’t expect the current spotlight on several Thai trafficking and rights issues, such as the recent discovery of mass graves of Rohingya migrants and the arrest of complicit officials, to dim, no matter the outcome of the US presidential election. Deal with it. If the mango fits, wear it.

Niels Jeffreys