<p>Acharn Thongchai <a href="http://sydney.edu.au/southeast-asia-centre/thai-studies-2014/speakers.shtml">Winichakul</a> was butchering more sacred cows this week at the opening of Thammasat University’s Southeast Asian Studies Institute, as <a href="http://prachatai.com/english/node/3649">reported on this website</a>. &nbsp;</p> <p>A parochial focus on a ‘royal nationalism’ to the neglect of neighbouring cultures and societies not only makes for some appalling history teaching in the Thai education system, he argued, but also distorts the Thais’ view of themselves vis-à-vis the rest of the world.&nbsp; From it flow such comforting fictions as this thing called Thainess, where you have to be it to get it.&nbsp; So only Thais can understand Thais and the rest of the world is automatically inferior because they can’t.</p> <p></p>

<p>I would hate anyone to think this column was kicking a man when he is down, but the administrators of Chulalongkorn University (‘we’re number one in pink’) have once again shown a tenuous grasp of what might constitute education.</p> <p></p>

<p>Nothing matches the outrage of the privileged middle class when they think they have a grievance.&nbsp;</p> <p>Can’t cash in your frequent flyer miles for the trip you fancy?&nbsp; A violation of fundamental human rights.&nbsp; No English-language soundtrack for the Thai TV broadcast of the sports programme you’ve been waiting for?&nbsp; Blatant discrimination against the linguistically challenged.&nbsp; All strings pulled and the munchkin still can’t get into the primary school of choice?&nbsp; The end of civilization as we know it.&nbsp;</p> <p></p>

<p>The story is that Somebody Who Shall Be Nameless spread the word that whistleblower Edward Snowden had escaped the transit lounge of Sheremetyevo Airport on board the air force jet used by Bolivian President Evo Morales as a presidential plane. Morales was on his way home from the 2^nd Gas Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, also attended by such US-friendly states as Iran and Venezuela.</p> <p></p>

<p>Chulalongkorn University has sleepwalked its way into an unfortunate muddle. Five final-year students have just discovered that they failed a first-year course and should no longer be students. By the rules of the university they should have been thrown out 2 years ago.</p> <p></p>

<p>They’re taking over.</p> <p>Let’s just take yesterday’s paper as an example.&nbsp; The headline was the rice mortgage scheme and a second article (of four on the front page) was about the SET.&nbsp; The inside pages have 2 more stories on domestic business matters, one on the maybe-they-will-maybe-they-won’t asbestos ban and another on the luxury car tax fraud.&nbsp; The op-ed page has one piece on the financing of the water management and flood prevention programme, another, subtitled ‘Economics’, questioning Thailand’s claims to be greening the economy and a third on Japan’s ‘Abenomics’ economic revival plan.</p> <p></p>

<p>This website recently reported <a href="http://prachatai.com/english/node/3617">the outstanding work of Rangers Task Force 45 of the 4th Army Region</a>. Based in Ra-ngae District of Narathiwat Province, or smack dab in the middle of bang-bang shoot-shoot territory, this intrepid band of soldiers have made their name not in combatting the insurgency with patrols and checkpoints, nor in hearts-and-minds strategies to win the allegiance of the local population.</p> <p></p>

<p>So the Thai education system&nbsp;has earned itself some international publicity of the exactly the kind the Ministry of Education doesn’t want.</p> <p>Thomas Fuller of the New York Times got insideNawaminthrachinuthit&nbsp;Triam&nbsp;Udomsewuksa&nbsp;Pattanakarn&nbsp;inPaknam&nbsp;to produce an article ‘In Thailand’s Schools, Vestiges of Military Rule’</p> <p></p>

<p>My experience of Thai courtrooms is, mercifully, not extensive but as far as I can recall, they all have a notice facing the public seats telling you to turn off your mobile.</p> <p>And fair enough.&nbsp; Other entertainment venues, like cinemas and theatres, also expect you to turn them off.&nbsp; Why should the courts of justice be any different?</p> <p></p>

<p>Memo</p> <p>To: Central Politburo, Thai Spring</p> <p>From: Acting Temporary Director, Foreign Relations Section</p> <p>Re: International Reaction</p> <p>In response to&nbsp;our Dear Leaders’&nbsp;wise and far-seeingcommand to&nbsp;report on the response in foreign countries to our Dear Leaders’ moving and eloquent&nbsp;Open Letter from Concerned Thai Citizens,&nbsp;it is&nbsp;with&nbsp;undying love and loyalty for our Dear Leaders&nbsp;that&nbsp;we&nbsp;respectfully report the following.</p> <p></p>

<p>Right, I’ve had enough. I’m sick up to here with this mindless ‘if you don’t like it here, then go and live somewhere else’ garbage.</p> <p>So what about you? If you don’t like reading this stuff, why don’t you go and live somewhere else where they don’t write like this? Never thought of that, did you, eh?</p> <p></p>

<p>Dear me, I can hardly keep up.&nbsp; A Prime Minister talks about democracy in something more than platitudes, and in front of foreigners.&nbsp; And comes home to a chorus of boos from those whose recent contributions to democracy have included coups, live fire zones, and mass censorship of the internet.&nbsp; How dare she mention the word ‘democracy’ 27 times in a speech at a forum on democracy!</p>