What exactly are Thai standards?

It fits hand in glove with the editorial of the same day.

The average man or woman in Thailand has a hard time understanding what “Thai standards” means exactly. When the German courts had to resort to drastic measures to recoup a bill Thailand owed, by confiscating the Prince’s jet, the initial reaction by the chest puffing Thai officials quickly made it apparent what Thai Standards meant. To their credit, they quietly paid the bill and moved away from an already embarrassing story that left self-applied egg on the national face.

When the 16-year-old who was texting and driving and who did not have a license killed nine people in Bangkok last year, there was the usual amount of money exchanged but no jail for this socialite. What standards were applied?

When a prominent government official’s son was alleged to have killed a policeman, and remained free, what standards were applied?

Thailand is now run by a convicted criminal living outside the country. Most Cabinet officials have zero experience in their posts. A good example would be the foreign minister, who just days ago chided America for not “consulting” with him before issuing a travel alert. What profound naivete! What substandard job performance. As it turns out, indeed large bomb-making materials were found and people arrested. More egg.

Still, as is currently witnessed in the reshuffling of the Cabinet and the transfer of the trillion baht Thai national debt, Thai standards are being manipulated to serve the best interests of those who need those standards to be flexible, not rigid – which may explain why so many people run red lights: no one really cares as long as they don’t get caught.

Nalinee Taveesin should have been scrutinised a little more closely before she was appointed to her current position. It clearly shows to the outside world that Thailand has egg on its face over and over again, but the government is so busy in its beehive of activity to outfox the opposition party, to see it. Remember the absurd Thai contribution to the Haiti earthquake relief fund – $20,000 was it? Whereas Thailand received hundreds of millions of global dollars (a large percentage from the US) when the tragic tsunami struck in Phuket. I never did hear a “please don’t interfere in our affairs” comment then.

Thai standards will always be on a tightrope, until the standards in place are enforced equally across the board to all members of Thai society, be they political, environmental or social. Until then, do not pull away too fast at a green light.

Arnie de Marco

Bangkok