As the tip of 2020 nears, one can confidently say that Covid-19 has in all probability had the most important influence on exacerbating social points within the nation.
The financial shocks because of the pandemic have considerably elevated the dangers of violence, exploitation, and abuse for people, households, and communities as they wrestle to maintain a livelihood and address future financial uncertainty inside the short-term constraints imposed by measures to mitigate the unfold of the virus.
Whereas there have been quite a few instances in 2020 mirroring the social ills in Thai society, Life examines the highest 4 information tales this 12 months that finest encapsulate deep-rooted points inside society that have to be addressed.
A press convention concerning the mysterious dying of Nong Chompoo in October. Picture: Apichit Jinakul
Mysterious dying case of Nong Chompoo
The alleged homicide of two-year-old toddler Nong Chompoo in Mukdahan province in Could deeply disturbed the Thai public. The suspicious dying of the little woman, whose bare physique was present in an elevated forested space attracted public consideration at a feverish stage, with reporters combing the world 24/7.
The high-profile case led to a handful of press conferences by police through which it introduced forth new witnesses and proof which may assist crack the case and result in the arrest of the perpetrators. Nevertheless, the toddler’s demise underneath doubtful circumstances in her village within the Dong Luang district of Mukdahan turned a nationwide fixation within the following weeks and months after her lifeless physique was discovered by a search staff comprised of villagers.
The media frenzy that ensued after the preliminary few weeks of updates started to turn into more and more dramatised in what gave the impression to be a useless try to rake in viewers. A number of TV information programmes and speak reveals additionally took it upon themselves to turn into beginner investigators, unscrupulously invading the privateness of the lifeless woman’s household and neighbours for interviews that had turn into a each day incidence.
Protection by two Thai digital TV channels, Thai Rath and Amarin, finally obtained criticism by the general public and investigators for his or her in depth protection of the crime which frequently had reporters bringing character witnesses that had no explicit bearing on the case.
In truth, each channels confronted criticism for treating the dying of the younger woman inappropriately to spice up viewer rankings. These channels have been additionally slammed by many Thai netizens for portraying the murdered toddler’s uncle as a misunderstood harmless man whereas he was the truth is the primary suspect on this case.
The general public, nonetheless, discovered themselves divided on which aspect to take as some considered this form of protection as a quest for justice largely as a result of an absence of religion in legislation enforcement to do their job correctly.
Scholar uniforms hold in entrance of the Ministry of Training as a part of a scholar motion to name for freedom to put on private apparel to class. Picture: Pornprom Satrabhaya
Abolishing Thai scholar uniforms
Ditching college uniforms for regular plainclothes was a hotly contested difficulty when the “Dangerous College students” protest group posted an attraction on Twitter calling on college students to put on what they need.
Their reasoning was easy: allow us to try it and decide if carrying outfits of our selection can cut back inequality.
Their message resounded a much-suppressed want to discard their out of date uniforms and have the liberty to put on private apparel. There was even a shout out to all college students to throw away their uniforms on Dec 1 and gown within the method they like to go to high school. The hashtag #saygoodbyetouniforms just about summed it up.
Additionally, since anti-government protests commenced in mid-July, college students have been railing in opposition to the Training Ministry, to not point out the broader administration of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. From their handful of petitions, this was in all probability one of the eyebrow-raising moments for a lot of within the public.
A Bangkok Put up report stated the decision had additionally been taken up by fellow activists within the northeastern province of Khon Kaen. The Pakee College students KKC group took to Fb to induce college students to ditch their uniforms.
The general response from faculties leaned extra in the direction of: “When you want to behave in line with the principles exterior of the varsity campus, it’s your prerogative however the college has its personal guidelines.”
Amporn Pinasa from the Workplace of Fundamental Training Fee stated college students refusing to put on their uniforms have been in breach of faculty rules.
On-line hate speech, pretend information creates a better divide
Given the closely divided political panorama, revered tutorial and peace advocate Chaiwat Satha-anand warned the general public that violence attributable to variations in political ideologies will worsen due to hate speech and faux information.
Because of the unstable nature of politics, he stated there’s a excessive chance for individuals to show violent earlier than including his concern that Thai society has arrived at some extent of extended battle.
“Battle will proceed though governments, together with the military-engineered Prayut Chan-o-cha administration, have tried to reconcile rival teams,” he stated.
A number of the elements that deepen the battle, in line with Prof Chaiwat, is on-line hate speech and faux information posted on social media.
Chaiwat stated makes an attempt to coach society to recheck “information” posted on social media have been wanted nevertheless it was nonetheless not sufficient.
“The rationale behind hate is essentially associated to or solved by schooling,” he remarked, including that the household and upbringing even have a pivotal position to play in remedying the issue.
“Hate speech is nothing new to Thailand. The nation has witnessed hate speech for nearly a decade, albeit with out all the time breaking into violence.”
Prof Pirongrong Ramasoota, vice-president of Chulalongkorn College for Social Outreach and International Engagement, stated pretend information has turn into a strong instrument to stoke hate and worry and {that a} combo of pretend information and hate speech is a recipe to fire up violence.
“My concern is that individuals simply imagine what they see or learn with out checking whether or not it’s true or not. I’d recommend individuals turn into educated about what the media does.”
Vorayuth Yoovidhya. Picture: Somchai Poomlard
Retrial of Boss Vorayuth?
Pink Bull scion Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, the suspect in a brutal hit-and-run case through which a police officer was killed, gave authorities the slip in 2017 leaving for the UK simply days earlier than he was as a result of reply prices over a 2012 incident the place Pol Snr Sg Maj Wichian Klanprasert was killed.
Authorized proceedings to indict the grandson of the late founding father of Pink Bull have dragged on since then, typically hampered by excuses and delays.
From the very begin, many critics had little religion within the final result of a case which they claimed highlights the privilege loved by Thailand’s rich elite or so-called “hi-so” households. Allow us to not neglect Vorayuth’s father is Thailand’s fourth-richest billionaire, in line with studies.
Whereas an effort was made by involved events to carry the suspect again to Thailand, nothing truly got here out of it and it was not till September of this 12 months that information of prosecutors indicting the suspect on cocaine and reckless driving prices as soon as once more surfaced.
These new prices have been led to by new proof two months in spite of everything different prices have been dropped. Shocked? Do not be because the wealthy do not surrender with out a struggle.
A working group on the Workplace of the Lawyer-Basic (OAG) introduced the prosecutors’ resolution shortly after authorities “unexpectedly” dropped the case, sparking public outrage and a sequence of investigations that pointed to widespread flaws in a justice system that appears tilted in favour of the wealthy and related.
We additionally realized {that a} new investigation within the case discovered that the suspect, Boss, had taken cocaine in the course of the time of the accident. No authorized motion had been taken in opposition to him beforehand on the drug cost.
Furthermore, there was additionally recent proof and key witnesses who might show the reckless driving cost to court docket.
It was additionally reported that earlier, a deputy attorney-general and an appearing police chief determined to not arraign him on reckless driving prices inflicting dying.
Simply whenever you thought there was lastly a breakthrough on this case, we heard studies this month about how public prosecutors are actually insisting they can not proceed with the indictment of Pink Bull scion on drug prices for allegedly having cocaine in his system throughout hit-and-run, saying they’re duty-bound to attend till police truly arrest him and produce him to trial.
So, the ready recreation continues and so does the next query: what if Vorayuth was not the Pink Bull scion however the son of a mechanic? Would he not have been prosecuted at a lightning tempo and duly incarcerated if discovered responsible?
