National morals council is a bad idea
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The proposal to set up a body to assess the ethics of public figures is not worthy of serious consideration
When the country’s policy makers began to believe their own fantasy and see themselves as holier than thou, that’s when you know people are losing their marbles.
And we’re not talking about the glass or metal balls that children like to play with.
The National Reform Council (NRC) thinks they have the moral authority to define and dictate morality. And Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is not exactly out of the loop as much of the ongoing campaign to promote so-called core Thai values are being done under his name and with his blessing.
The NRC wants to set up another special body to screen public figures’ moral values. If this so-called special body becomes reality, it could be the start of a wild goose chase at best and the beginning of a wicked witch-hunt with no end in sight.
As for the immediate task at hand, one has to wonder if such a policy has a place Thailand’s political and social context.
But sadly, the recent trend has been somewhat worrying. Just before New Year, the government announced that it would spread moral messages via customised figure icons on the online chat messaging service LINE. It was billed as a gift to the people from PM Prayut. LINE is very popular application among Thai mobile-phone users.
The LINE icons reflect the 12 core values that Prayut has been trying to promote among Thais. This sticker project, along with short promotional films, has cost taxpayers several million baht.
These values include “obedience to seniority in society” and a “correct understanding of democracy”. Ironically, it is coming from a group of military men who ousted a democratically elected government via a coup.
Prior to that, there was the push to make morality, along with history and civic duties, part of the school curriculum. Teaching and debating ethics is one thing, but cramming such values down people’s throats is something else – indoctrination.
And who can forget that short film with Adolf Hitler in it?
The latest idea makes one wonder if reformers in the NRC actually believe that moral standards can be set in stone and be arbitrated by a single office? Temples, churches, mosques, schools, civil clubs are some of the forums where moral issues are already discussed.
Needless to say, a national morals council is unnecessary and out of touch with today’s reality. There are other institutions in our society that can and do work on these very issues. They do not need to be in the realm of legislation.
Prayut needs to be careful that he doesn’t make the same mistake as Thaksin Shinawatra, the fugitive former prime minister who thought he was high and mighty in just about every aspect of the word. Thaksin seemed to think his victories at the ballot box gave him the green light to do whatever he wants.
Prayut risks being seen in a similar way – like the famous fable – a foolish emperor who thinks he is wearing the finest clothes but is in fact naked, with nobody around him daring to tell him the truth and, worse, choosing only to voice admiration at his new outfit.
It’s not too late to remind the current crop of rulers and self-proclaimed reformists that they are barking up the wrong tree, regardless of their legal means to silence critics.
What they the government does today will affect all of us. We should not have to wait until a law is passed before we raise a stink about it.
