Treat us as your equal, not as a child

In fact, his comment recalls the speech given by then-US president George W Bush before he ordered an attack on Iraq a decade ago. It was powerful, convincing and sweet-sounding.

The problem with Western countries today is their over-eagerness to place the blame on smaller countries for their own gain. Accusations such as a lack of concern for human rights, or a primitive grasp of democracy are often just a convenient pretext for self-interested behaviour. This kind of posturing must stop – or these countries will lose both their credibility and their friends.

We Thais have fought against bullying dictators several times over the course of our history. We are still fighting today. Our motivation for fighting this war is the simple reason that each nation should strive to stand on its own feet eventually.

We want to be treated as your equal, not your little brother.

We don’t need your patronising attitude – not any more.

Vint Chavala