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“Hetero-phobic” treatment of sexual assault cases

Can’t afford another 19 April

What Americans hear about Thailand

Mental hysteria

Songkran and Buddhism

Raging Elephants

“Hetero-phobic” treatment of sexual assault cases

Dear Editor:

Some points need to be made regarding Pattaya Mail coverage of the recent case of the police officer who shot three people, killing two, because they allegedly took “sexual liberties” with his 16-year old daughter during the Songkran holiday.

The attitude of the reporter in the editorial “The tragedy of sanuk” seems to at least partially, if not fully, exonerate the crime of the officer: “The circumstances behind this tragedy make it difficult to distinguish the victims from the perpetrators,” according to the editorialist.

First, has it occurred to the editorialist that the officer may be embellishing the truth or even outright lying in order to protect himself? Two of the victims will not be able to challenge his version of the events.

Second, the editorial doesn’t even specify the nature or severity of the “sexual liberties” taken. The men may have barely touched the girl but the editorial is written so as to lead us to believe there was an attempt to rape the girl.

Third, has society become so sex-phobic that even in Thailand, a woman or girl who claims sexual assault, or a man who claims that he is defending a lady (his daughter or otherwise) from sexual transgression, can use this as an excuse to get away with whatever kind of violence?

Finally, I would like to address the hetero-phobic nature of treatment of this case and of the treatment of sexual assault cases in general. Why is it that people in the media and social work groups flip out when there are “sexual liberties” taken with a woman but the same transgressions are trivialized or ignored when men are the victims? Some will argue that men are rarely victims of sexual assault. Hardly. I see men groping other men all the time. I have been groped by men in Thailand, against my will. I am not happy about it but what police officer is going to take a complaint of sexual assault from a man seriously? So sex assault against men remains unstudied and out of the statistics.

I suppose some will argue that men aren’t harmed by sexual assault. Wrong again. Men (and boys) are not given the same “sexual assault awareness training” that girls and women are given, so they are not aware of the harm being done to them and they are not encouraged to fight back and express their displeasure. In other words, sexual assault programs are female-centered and heterophobic in nature. They assume that only women and girls have the right to protection from sexual assault and that gays have the right to take sexual liberties with their victims.

Sex laws must not be used merely to give special privileges to women and gays.

Signed,

Kevin Charlebois

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Can’t afford another 19 April

Dear Sir,

‘We should have seen it coming’, writes Daniel Dorothy in his moving Editorial on the dreadful events of 19th April, the concluding day of a period supposedly given over to joy and ‘sanuk’. It might be thought there was little more to say, but there is no attempt in his piece clearly to apportion blame. I believe it is vital that this should be done.

The tourists who lost their lives were just two in thousands; the policeman, a bit quick on the draw, no doubt and on the trigger too, was acting in defense of his own daughter and over-reacted, but can he really be blamed? If not, then who?

I blame City Hall, whose wooden-headed staff some years ago conceived the idea of moving Songkran day from its traditional date, and fitting it in with their own, purely local ‘Pattaya Festival’. Was this not the signal for a full week of debauchery, water throwing and general lawlessness, repeated annually ever since? I was here for just one such week, spent in misery and discomfort, and in subsequent years have made sure that I am absent from the resort.

The wooden-heads in question must have known what was happening unless they also ‘get the hell out of it’ for that week; I assume they read Pattaya Mail and so cannot be unaware of the regular letters that appear following the deluge. All are highly critical of the total breakdown of normal civilized life and most giving promises never to return. They have taken no heed; now they must.

It is pie-in-the sky to suggest that ‘water sports’ will take place in Pattaya on one day, Naklua on another, and so on; they are everywhere and all the time: there is no escape from ruined clothes, smarting eyes and inflamed skin. City hall is not likely to pay the bills or the hospital fees!

Who stands to benefit from the Pattaya Festival? - not for certain the shop keepers and other regular traders who suddenly find themselves with new competition interference with the traditional dates of Songkran, still adhered to almost nation wide. Do we, indeed really need a Pattaya Festival at all?

City Hall must accept the blame, and act. Songkran for just two days on the right dates, and if a Festival is really needed, which I doubt, it must be at a totally different time of year. Those who want to see the festival, events can be a renewed awareness of the true meaning of the festival, the use of lustral water, the paying of respect to elders (I am 77 and suffer just as much as anyone!), and it must be made very difficult and expensive to hire a pick-up truck with a water tank on board.

Pattaya cannot afford another ’19th April’.

Yours Faithfully,

John D. Blyth

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What Americans hear about Thailand

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you to tell you what we hear about Thailand on our local news. I am a Thai national living with my husband in America (soon to be a U.S.A. citizen). About all we ever hear about Thailand are bad things, such as prostitution, corruption, drugs and so on. There are many good things to hear about Thailand such as its beautiful people, mountains, beaches and everyday living.

Thailand is basically known as a place to acquire cheap sex, where every thing goes for the right price (according to the U.S.A. news networks). But it doesn’t stop there. Los Angles is also known as another place to acquire cheap sex from Thai prostitutes. According to the media most of them are illegal immigrants who come from Thailand. As I am Thai, (I believe) it is time for the Thai government to be aware of its world wide reputation. Why is the Thai government always so quick to turn a blind eye to this problem or just flat out deny any knowledge or existence of any problems? If Thailand is ever going to have any reform it has to start with the government.

It is time for the government to start to set a good example. I’m not suggesting that we make a lot of new laws; I’m merely suggesting that we start to enforce the laws we have in place.

In closing I would like to say that Thailand is my country, and I am also very proud of my country, and proud to be Thai even though I live in America. I am just simply concerned about the future of my country. Thank you.

Wannaporn

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Mental hysteria

Dear Sir,

Much is regularly made of the fact that attempts are being made to woo more tourists to Pattaya, yet little seems to be attempted in trying to redress the bad press that Pattaya gets. A report in the Mail highlights Pattaya’s apathy in curbing excess in some quarters.

The 19th was indeed truly a wonderful day when no-one could really venture out and not expect to get wet. Few people, I am sure, have little sympathy for the farang who was ‘bottled’ in Soi 8 but he will no doubt take back to the UK his story that for merely partaking in an established ritual he was viciously assaulted by a local.

If anyone knows then please tell me where the sense lies in holding a week-long shopping and parade festival for people with nothing better to do than to stand by the roadside soaking everyone. Are the City ‘Fathers’ actually so dim they could not foresee that allotting 19th April for the ‘wetting’ instead of the earlier dates in other cities was a recipe for all the mentally challenged, Thai as well as farang, to start the mental hysteria early and end it late?

Tig

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Songkran and Buddhism

Editor,

I agree with most of the issues raised in the editorial article, “The Tragedy of Sanuk” that appeared in the Mail in issue 17 by Daniel M. Dorothy. The concept of Songkran representing paying respect to elders is also acknowledged. However, as I understand it the idea of the gift of life (or life as a gift) and any focus on a deity seems to conflict with what I understood to be the point of Buddhism. I have asked my wife (a Thai from Korat) and she supported my understanding. Is the basis of Songkran Hindu? As I understood it Buddhist teaching concentrates on breaking the cycle of life, not enjoying it and being thankful?

Any clarification would be appreciated. I thought I had found a sensible philosophy not another interpretation of the same old misconceptions.

Peter Ash

York, England

Editor replies: Firstly, Songkran is not a religious holiday; it is the celebration of the Thai New Year. Secondly, you are correct in your understanding of the point of “pure” Buddhism teaching, in part being that life is suffering and that through eliminating desire, building good karma and by making merit, one can eventually break the cycle of life, end the suffering and reach Nirvana. However, Thai religious beliefs mix in Hinduism, Brahmanism and Animism (i.e., nearly every structure in Thailand has a spirit house, which is definitely not Buddhist teaching; many Thais wear Buddhist amulets for protection and good luck, yet no-where in Buddhist canon is this practice ever mentioned). The Thai calendar has many strictly Buddhist holidays, i.e., Makha Bucha Day, Visakha Bucha Day, and many non-Buddhist holidays, i.e., Songkran and Loy Krathong. The traditions at non-Buddhist holidays tend sometimes to mix in influences from other religious beliefs.

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Raging Elephants

Dear Sir,

Having visited Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens on at least two occasions within the last year, I think we really must endeavour to keep things in perspective. There is no doubting that this incident was a real tragedy but let us not forget that in more than thirty years of animal entertainment this is the first time a fatality has occurred.

It has saddened me to read some negative reporting on this matter - especially from the Western media, implying that the elephants are poorly treated and that it was a disaster just waiting to happen. In my view this could not be further from the truth and I am sure the vast majority of tourists who have visited Nong Nooch would support this opinion. Elephants are essentially placid creatures but everyone is aware of their potential to wreak havoc if provoked. I have been led to believe that it was not just the extreme heat that may have lead to this enormously regretful incident. Apparently, a man was seen offering the elephant a banana and then repeatedly withdrawing it at the last moment and if this is the case, is it any wonder that the elephant lost its cool in the heat, having been repeatedly provoked?

There are no easy solutions to tragedies of this nature and my heart goes out to the innocent victims. I must just add, however, that I have had a truly wonderful time at Nong Nooch and I would not hesitate to return there.

Yours Most Sincerely,

Frank Weston

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