US lawyer and Fox News presenter Greta Van Susteren did not show tact. Her insults denigrating Thailand as a whole, slinging mud at the entire country, were over the top. But then, they were meant to be. How else does one generate publicity?
She’s a lawyer and a media personality. Of course she knows how to tug and pull. In tugging and pulling, she’s quite successful. She’s good at it, this tugging and pulling thing.
Personally, I don’t mind. It is rather entertaining, gratifying in a way, to be tugged and pulled. But underneath the tawdry theatrics, she isn’t far off.
The Royal Thai Air Force did take 10 days to come up with important radar data on the missing Malaysia Airlines fight. They deserve criticism.
She talked of official incompetence. Well, everyone in Thailand has horror stories about that to share. Don’t we?
Fox News host Greta Van Susteren. Harsh comments, but not far off the truth, says Voranai. (AP file photo)
The core issue here is that the world often complains that Thailand just can’t get its act together, so much potential but such a ridiculous level of incompetence.
They may complain tactfully and constructively, or they may rant and rave like a bipolar, attention-craving, middle-age person going through a mid-life crisis, forgetting to take his or her meds. But they do because they care, and there’s a grain of truth to it.
Thailand is at a strange crossroad. We have a 21st century yearning, well some of us anyway. However, the institution that drives this country is still very much in the 19th century. Meanwhile, the people who thrive in such an institution would probably also feel much at home even in the 18th century.
Add them all up and incompetence is usually the sum. The problem lies first not with the individuals, but with the institution that fosters outdated thinking and action.
The term ‘’ra-bob racha-karn’’ or the ‘’bureaucratic system’’ is well used in Thailand. People utter it in exasperation and hopelessness when faced with backward thinking, incompetence or inefficiency and corruption.
We may examine the structure, and hence nature, of our institution and see why. The Thai bureaucracy has a steep hierarchical organisational structure built upon the ladder of the patronage network. Organisational relationship is based on seniority, and hence a heavy reliance placed on form and ceremony.
This naturally gives much weight to an image and to what is considered appropriate behaviour. The primary preoccupation of the institution then is to maintain and upkeep the structure. It is rigid, inward looking and inflexible. It’s tribal and feudalistic.
As such, it doesn’t excel in forward thinking or have precision efficiency. We are like a mummy wrapped in bureaucratic red tape.
The word ‘’honour’’ doesn’t apply to an honest day’s work or a job well done. It signifies the title held and respect owed. The word ‘’duty’’ does not describe job dedication, but rather obedience and conformity, personal and tribal loyalty.
If all of this sounds rather familiar it is because you have experienced the typical Thai bureaucracy in one form or another. Mind you, this isn’t just a Thai problem. We are not that special.
It is worldwide, but especially in developing countries, and even more especially in developing countries with strong feudalistic, ritualistic and superstitious traditions such as Thailand.
Take the military, the police force, the various government bureaucracies, state enterprises, many public and private companies and others. The exasperated ‘’ra-bob racha-karn’’ expression applies all too often.
We can install wi-fi internet and mobile apps, but if institutionally we’re still in the 19th century, we’re still outdated. What of the capable or brilliant people?
The institution swallows them up and spits them out. Otherwise, they struggle under the weight of bureaucracy. So, in Thailand it is as it has always been, and will continue to be without institutional reform.
Of course there are progressive organisations that foster the capable and brilliant. At the moment, they are far and few between.
Take a look at the social media sites and we find so many Gretas. People are rather emotional about Thailand. We’re irresistible like that. We’re like the hot girls or cool dudes who just can’t fulfill their potential and too often disappoint. It’s frustrating for the Gretas of the world.
The real Greta may have taken the persona of a character from the American reality TV show ‘’Bad Girls Club’’ in telling us about it. But the essence of the content isn’t far off.
Thailand shouldn’t worry about the cheap shots, but instead be progressive and reform the institution. Prove them wrong through action, rather than just throw tantrums or file lawsuits whenever someone hits a nerve.
The world isn’t going to wait for Thailand, and we have a quite a distance to catch up.
And if I’m a bit over the top about Greta, I humbly apologise. We’re just tugging and pulling, friendly like.