Leaders need history lesson

EDITORIAL

Published: 25 Jan 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

One of Thailand's greatest points of pride is that the country has never been controlled by Western colonial powers. Ask any Thai why that was the case, and they will cite the culture of openness and flexibility that enabled the country to learn from the outside world in order to readjust old ways and meet new challenges.

Being a predominantly Buddhist country, we Thais also believe that ours is a land of compassion and hospitality, especially toward visitors. This is reflected in the old Thai expression, "Whoever comes to our home, we must welcome them".

Thailand has benefited from this open culture both politically and economically. The modernisation process initiated by King Mongkut and King Chulalongkorn played an important role in keeping the country safe from the threat of Western colonisation. By embracing an influx of Chinese migrants during the early Rattanakosin period, Thailand was given a strong business sector which has helped the country succeed in a competitive global economy.

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nitnoi
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Discussion 18 : 27 Jan 2013 at 05.4918
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From 1939-1945 the whole world were at war, World War2. japan seized Thailand ,captured prisoners - Britishs, Australians, forced them to build the bridge so japan could use Thailand as the kitchen to feed its troops. After the war was over, ofcourse after it was bombed by the US it went back to its islands to lick its wounds. It was just a short period that Thailand didn't even think it was occupied . Thailand thought it won the war because it was part of allies. Siamese weren't mandated to learn japanese language,so where did occupation fit in here? Indochina were long occupied by french.Burma,Malasia by British.
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facts_only
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Discussion 17 : 26 Jan 2013 at 07.4817
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"The stateless Rohingya will now be charged with illegal entry and deported back to Myanmar." - above article, Jan 25, 2012

"Thailand will shelter the Royingya for six months and seek talks with Myanmar and other countries to settle the fate of the illegal migrants, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said on Friday." - BangkokPost, Jan 25, 2012
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snap
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Discussion 16 : 25 Jan 2013 at 20.0016
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I think it is wishful thinking and a case of rewriting history on behalf of the bangkok post editorial. Thailand never had very much to offer the colonial powers. The english had rubber in malaysia, so why bother with thailand. There was never any useful port or important area like singapore and georgetown for trade (guarding the straits of malacca) or hong kong and saigon. Of course the powers in europe were so powerful that if they had wished to invade and colonize thaland they could have done in a heartbeat. But there was nothing. In the end the country became a useful buffer between the french and the UK.
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jacksprat
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Discussion 15 : 25 Jan 2013 at 17.5115
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If Thailand was not considered worthy of colonisation, why did the French take Laos?
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Victor
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Discussion 14 : 25 Jan 2013 at 17.3614
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Never been under the control of the western colonial powers, yes, but being manipulated was also not that good either.
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ubuntu
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Discussion 13 : 25 Jan 2013 at 12.1413
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A good article and several good points in response.

Corruption and cheating in society likely does more damage than any colonization could.

"cheating and corruption in all levels of society; incompetence is the sum of our failures" Voranai Vanijaka

Chinese immigrants did indeed face discrimination and roadblocks.
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JusMe
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Discussion 12 : 25 Jan 2013 at 12.0112
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geoffo, #4

You've got it wrong: "an Asian power occupied Thailand. Thailand was an ally of Japan leading up to and including the second world war and Japan occupied and controlled Thailand ."

There was NEVER an occupation. Thailand maintained a fully armed and authorized military and police under a sovereign Thai government. That does not indicate occupation.

If you want to examine the difference between being an ally and occupied, look at Italy early and late 1943, or Hungary early and late 1944.
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felixqui
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Discussion 11 : 25 Jan 2013 at 11.2311
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It's elementary my dear Thai citizens. If an opposing opinion and contrary evidence cannot be stated, it cannot be rebutted. Therefore, every opinion held under censorship is unreasoned, uncritical, unfounded and necessarily worthless.
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Asian Hand
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Discussion 10 : 25 Jan 2013 at 10.2410
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In 1893 Thailand became embroiled in a boundary dispute with France. The French dispatched warships to Bangkok and forced the Thais to yield Cambodia and all of Laos east of the Mekong River. Additional Thai territory, situated west of the Mekong, was acquired by France in 1904 and 1907. Thailand gave up control over four states in the Malay Peninsula to Great Britain in 1909. In exchange, the British relinquished most of their extraterritorial rights in the rest of the kingdom. Prior to all this there were Burmese occupations and then there was Japan.
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Ian
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Discussion 9 : 25 Jan 2013 at 08.449
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" By embracing an influx of Chinese migrants during the early Rattanakosin period," said migrants then rapidly rising to the top in Thai society and then slamming the door to keep out any competition that might challenge them.
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Leaders need history lesson | Bangkok Post: opinion