DON'T GET DISTRACTED and forget more important issues

This reminds me of the 2011 quake in Sendai, Japan, which claimed more than 13,000 lives. Many families lost members and for days, households survived without electricity, surrounded by huge piles of debris. People showed endurance as they queued up in front of convenience stores, knowing that by the time it was their turn, many items would be gone.

An ABC report spoke about Maki Habachi, 23, one of the residents who waited patiently for hours so she could get some baby food. With no fuel to drive her car, she had, after all, bicycled for two days just to find some nourishment. Even the ubiquitous vending machines were out of water and other drinks.

Yet, much like in the case of Nepal, international aid began pouring. Here in Bangkok, an official from Tokyo Electric Power thanked the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand for sending generators over to Japan.

Later that year, evidence of human nature was shown again in Thailand, when millions of households were hit by the great flood. Despite a war of words among the powers-that-be, ordinary people began extending help to those around them. Though nobody queued up at supermarkets for food as people had had the foresight to stock up, people still dipped into their food and water stores to share with others. Many joined volunteer campaigns to distribute aid, and after the waters receded, many helped restore public places, especially schools.

Generosity is often witnessed in times of disaster – be they natural or man-made – regardless of the place or nationality. It’s as if we suddenly find ourselves in another world, one that is vastly different from planet Earth, which is full of mean people waiting to snatch happiness from others.

Talking about snatching happiness, on the personal level, I have many neighbours who continue ignoring parking rules. It’s like they are oblivious of the difficulties they may be causing others. And for those who are affected by this “non-orderly parking”, it seems as if this is one of the biggest problems in their lives.

On the national level, citizens are full of demands, while those in power often say they cannot satisfy all these demands. Protests often follow and sometimes they turn violent.

On the international level, battles erupt due to differences in religion or ideology. Who can deny that the Islamic State was not born out of religious conflicts? Now, it is threatening the peace and well-being of several nations, spark?ing fighting across borders.

Last weekend, hundreds people, including survivors of the Jasenovac camp in Croatia, gathered for a multi-denominational service and wreath-laying ceremony at the campsite. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that 100,000 people were murdered there, mostly Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti-fascist Croatians – by the country’s pro-Nazi World War II regime.

“The horrors of Jasenovac warn us... not to allow discrimination and persecution based on national, religious, ideological or gender differences ever again,” Croatian parliamentary speaker Josip Leko said at the ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of an attempted escape by around 600 inmates.

Sadly, the ongoing atrocities are a great reminder that despite civilisation, human nature has not really changed much. In the beginning, humans had to fight for survival, but now the reason for survival has many underlying factors, ranging from patriotism and religion to ideological differences.

One is reminded of the battles of survival in Thailand, when thousands of students lost their lives in the fight for a constitution some 41 years ago. Some 100 people were killed just a few years ago in Bangkok for societal differences. And now the battle is between the group of people in charge of drafting the new charter and a group in charge of endorsing it. Wars of words between the two groups are getting louder and louder – probably why Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha can often be seen losing his temper.

Last weekend, when he was asked how conflicts on the draft charter can be sorted out, he said it wasn’t his problem but the duty of every Thai. He also called on the media to help the public understand the charter so people stop turning to him for solutions on everything.

“Are you a goldfish? They say goldfish have short memories, forgetting things within seconds. It seems my words are just as easily forgotten,” Prayut complained.

He has a point. While human memory may not be as bad as that of a goldfish, it is still quite short. Despite being told off, the reporters will soon be asking Prayut the same questions again. I just hope we don’t get distracted, so our good intentions to help quake victims in Nepal doesn’t evaporate.