Politicians in this country are turning my stomach. While the rest of US struggle to make a living, strive to be honest, attempt to conform with the law and try to get on with things, politicians are making it clearer and clearer that they are exempt from any moral or legal restrictions which the rest of US adhere to. And that our votes are all they need from US to continue to suck this country dry with impunity.
I haven’t written a political editorial for quite a few months now, waiting for things to pan out a bit post coup government. But now, so many months on, the Samak Sundaravej government has had ample time to show US its stripes, so I thought it would be good for US to take a closer look at these stripes and see what our votes – though certainly not mine – have put into office.
Samak, how I abhor you, let me count the ways:
Samak angrily, and on national television, fields uncomfortable, though relevant, questions from the press with a question of his own, “who did you fornicate with last night,” he asked a blushing female reporter.
Samak, a la Marie Antoinette, tells US peasants to eat chicken if pork becomes too pricey and noodles if rice weighs too heavily on the pockets.
Samak astounds historians world wide with his insistence that only one person died ‘by accident’ during the October 1976 massacre. Even though Photoshop was then uninvented, I suppose all the pictures of corpses were doctored? And think of all those filthy lying eyewitnesses!
Though Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont apologised for the Tak Bai incident where 78 demonstrators were detained and smothered to death, Samak knew better and claimed that they, get this, fell on top of each other and suffocated, because their bodies were weak from Ramadan fasting.
Samak’s government obviously knows something that we don’t, and that is that politicians’ sons, nephews, nieces, grandparents, cousins and wives should all join in the family business, creating a unique government of relatives… familiocracy?
Samak admires the Burmese junta’s practice of merit making and meditation which elevates them in his estimation as good Buddhists…never mind the killings, torturing, false imprisonment and shocking inhumanity of post-cyclone ‘relief.
Samak followed Thaksin Shinawatra’s super idea of launching a war on drugs which killed nearly 3,000 people without justification or trial. After all, stealing billions from the country is no sin in comparison to that of a teenage meth addict.
Samak’s government has done more shuffling the past three months than in most Las Vegas casinos. Oddly, qualified people with years of experience are shuffled to the back of the deck and cousins, sisters, parents and wives of banned politicians – with no expertise further than the ability to be related to the right people — are brought to the fore.
Samak returned the honour of second-lieutenant back to a guy who, though acquitted, we all know is guilty of many sins. But then again, his father is very good at brown nosing the relevant person.
Samak’s government has spent a phenomenal amount of time and energy in trying to change a few clauses in the constitution – coincidentally, these crucial clauses will help strengthen the position of his Puppet-Master-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named.
Samak spat his dummy and created national headlines when he heard of a fortune teller (yes, one of those terribly important people in politics who read horoscopes) foreseeing the downfall of his government.
Samak found huge chunks of time to taste and critique food from the kindly folks all over Isaan, who cast him their votes, but only managed to squeeze in a short visit to the three strife- nidder southern provinces, whose votes were reserved for the better looking PM wannabe.
Let’s not be too harsh on Samak, after all, this list would be a lot longer if his master was at the helm. But then he is, isn’t he? Oh dear, it is all most confusing.
So while politicians are back stabbing and back slapping, the rest of us simply get on with it. It is US after all that makes this country tick. Let the boys play house and play war in the capital, we know that they are no help to any of us. So we work, we play, we live and we do our very best.
What else can we do?
Citylife this month:
Well on that depressing note, let’s cheer up with some more perky content. This month we bring you a fun travel piece by Kelty Moser on Koh Kood where Citylife’s staff spent a fantastic, fun-filled weekend recently. James Austin Farrell braves claws and paws at the Tiger Kingdom and lets you judge for yourself what you think of this latest ‘attraction’. He also writes what may prove to be a contentious piece titled Country for Old Men…we like stirring up the pot occasionally. And in typical Farrell style, he plunges US all into the dark and freaky world of Thailand’s black magic.