From: godfrey@sscvx1.ssc.gov (LAURENCE GODFREY)
Subject: Re: Khunying Supatra on Internet
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 20:10:00 GMT

In article <1992Sep26.180635.2121@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>, fstawit@icomp01.lerc.nasa.gov (Tawit Chit writes...
>In article <9209240020.AA05474@ipied.tu.ac.th> 
>htk@munnari.oz.AU (Hugh Thaweesak Koanantakool) writes:
>> 
>>All ThaiSarn and Internet Users may now have a direct contact with
>>Khunying Supatra.  She will be having her Internet address soon.
>>In the mean time, please contact via M.R.Pongsvas Svasti, who is now
>>on study leave at Kennnedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA.
>>Khunying Aew is also in Cambridge, MA, though not at KSG.
>> 
> 
>Forgive my barbaricism, but who are K.Supatra and K. Aew? Lots of us
>who have been away from home as long as me and don't read 'Dichan' would 
>probably have the same difficulty identifying with these seemingly
>important figures.
> 
>>included message from MR.Ponvsvas:
>>................X
>> 
>>The following is her openning message to Thaisarn Users
>>
>>Sawasdee everyone who access to this network. I am here as a fellow at
>>The Center for International Affairs. The 1992 Presidential Election
>>is coming soon, I am very exciting to learn the campaign process esp.
>>mass communication political campaign in order to apply to a Thai
>>politics later on. 
> 
>But, dear Khunying, how could you? (Or rather, Why should you?)
>Such processes are natural results
>of competition between political parties in a free-for-all society. 
>I would admire you dearly if you instead said
>you would try to learn how to effectively and righteously use such /mass comm./
>so that fairness for all parties is achieved such that the rich will not
>always get richer (and the opposite direction for the poor.)
> 
>>..............................  I am confident that her contribution
>>as well as her determination to obtain the experiences at Harvard
>>will be as of benefit to our democratic system which in return yields
>>a better side of our society.
>>
>I hope so too. B U T, as I have been trying to say countless times already.
>We must not copy them wholesale. We must look at others only to widen
>our perspective and learn how to think by ourselves. We need not look down
>upon our own 'old' traditions either; in fact, we should re-apply many
>of our lost traditions back into our society and politics. We should also listen
>to our own 'real' intelligentsia like Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and Phra Dhebvedhi
>and AJarn Sulak, etc. The entire world (including those at Harvard) 
>are now listening to these people of ours, except us! We don't want to
>be a dog running everywhere searching for its own tail, do we?
> 
>-Tawit
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Once you catch up with all others, try catching up with yourself.
>------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entirely agreed.  It would be a disaster for Thailand if it tried to copy
the US, the UK or any other democracy.  I would hate it to lose its traditions
and culture, or sacrifice any of those things in the interests of trying
to emulate the US or whatever other western country.  It would just be
nice if Thailand were a genuine free democracy, instead of a corrupt and
polarised society in which the poor and not-so-poor are shamelessly exploited
by extravagantly rich and crooked men, many of whom are the politicians themselves.

Laurence