His Majesty’s approach vs the junta’s approach
The multitude of articles about His Majesty Rama IX’s approach to helping underprivileged Thais reveal that our beloved King and national father focused on a) local input, gathered first-hand from ordinary Thais, and b) solutions that were tailored for the local culture and traditions. His Majesty persuaded others by being a role model, walking the walk as well as talking the talk.
For example, he listened intensely to local farmers, first asking them why they grew opium despite its dangers for society. He then oversaw planting of new species suited to local conditions that would yield higher incomes than opium, using methods the locals could apply. He led the way, cultivating the plants he recommended. No wonder he was successful and generated commitment from others.
Contrast that with actions such as Deputy Prime Minister Prawit’s directive that “You can think, but don’t express your thoughts”, or PM Prayut’s order to frog-march a youngster off to “attitude adjustment” for daring to suggest students should be taught the rationale for Prayut’s 12 Values, or our one-size-fits-all approach to educational reform nationwide. Nor does this government lead by example in embodying each of the 12 Values, preferring instead to simply issue orders.
Rather than merely giving lip service to HM’s wisdom, we should show our deep love for him through emulating his approach and actions.
Burin Kantabutra
