In one and the same fire, clay grows hard and wax melts

It is a thought to ponder at the time of our national calamity that did not have to be.

It may be impractical to even think beyond the question of where the fetid flood waters are heading today. Among the citizens of Bangkok and elsewhere, confusion reigns, and hopelessness looms, as our government continues to fumble with its crisis management and every other responsibility. Thailand may not yet become a failed state, but it is clear we have a failed administration. 

But thinking ahead is still a valuable exercise, if nothing else, in order to keep our bearing and preserve our sanity.

To date, as far our collective national spirit is concerned, all indications do not point in the direction of clay. The waters have failed to create the national unity needed to weather the storm. Petty bickering among politicians, finger-pointing, shameful selfishness, shameless robbery by people who are supposed to serve the public, lack of discipline and a disregard for principles are all on full display.  

There are people who, tirelessly and with dedication, toil and give generously of their time for flood victims, to help alleviate their plight and better the dreadful situation. They do not make headlines, nor do they desire to be in them. They are ordinary people who have been doing what His Majesty the King has taught us – putting gold leaves on the back of the Buddha. These are people who do not want or expect fame, recognition, compensation, or even any word of thanks. They are the hope we can find in this hopeless place.

The only forward-looking mentality on display among the powers that be here these days is post-flood reconstruction. Already they are talking about a “new Thailand” as the budget pie is being divided among them at this very moment.  This pie will cost taxpayers’ billions of baht and we are likely to borrow more. This “new Thailand” will be created by these “filth of the earth” (the sediment from the floods is not what is meant here), and out of this filth will come more filth.

These people plan to stay put in their seats of power for a long time, to suck all the blood out of a nation that has been running backwards and in disarray.  Because of them, our country has been rotting from within. The livelihood of the country and our people occupies a much lower place on the totem pole of these political “octopi” than their own wealth. And all the while, we continue to address them as “Sir” and “Madame” and put our hands together in a wai gesture to pay respect when we greet them. 

In Thailand and many places elsewhere in the world today, democracy justifies, not rectifies. It legalises highway robbery. Stealing from the people is no longer a hideous crime that is punishable by laws. Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy is just one among the many that proves this point. 

When a nation is devastated by either natural or manmade disasters such as waether extremes or wars, there is more than material ruin that needs restoring. The social and cultural fabric is as important, if not more. The Khmer Rouge came to be because of the indiscriminate American bombing during the Lon Nol regime, which destroyed the invaluable social fabric that had held Cambodian society together. The American reconstruction era (1863-1877) after the Civil War was paid for with the life of one of the world’s great leaders, Abraham Lincoln. And yet, nearly all historians hold that that reconstruction ended in failure. “The slave went free: stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery” (WEB Dubois).

Long before the floods, Thailand was suffering from internal social, political and ideological rifts. Now, the divide may have reached an unbridgeable point. So far, the worst flooding in 50 years has failed to mend the splits or render a renewed unity. If anything, the fissures have become more glaring because of it.

The flooding and the post-flood disaster hardship of the affected areas and victims are at this point immeasurable. Due to the many flawed judgements of the government and the self-interest of political big-wigs who believe they are beyond reproach, our difficult reparation equation is now greatly exacerbated.  The lack of proclivity and dedication to public service among our public-service players makes it almost impossible to attain the optimum outcome.

National reconciliation and reconstruction in the best circumstances is a daunting task. It can only be successful and sustainable if our leadership is capable, incorruptible, visionary, creative, competent and truthful to the mission’s objective of working for the public good. Vested interests are imbued in politics, but they cannot be allowed to permanently prevail, as they have done.

The cost of rebuilding a nation – materially, socially and spiritually – is always high. But it’s up to us to make such a price worth paying, to ensure that every penny counts and every sacrifice does not go in vain and become a waste. Can we reclaim our inner peace, which has become a rarer commodity and a luxury in this country once called the “Land of Smiles’?  

As the Thai adage goes: a kite can only reach its mesa if the winds are strong. It’s up to all of us – not just a handful of ethically questionable nitwits with loud voices and long arms – to decide our common and collective fate.  It’s up to all of us to decide if we are made of clay or wax.  

The stake is our collective future. It’s win or lose, no draw.