The following article is the Midweek Rant which features in Thaivisa News. It is always well-written and thought provoking. Whilst the views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Buriram Times, it is hard to disagree with much of what is said.
Every time a story hits the news about a mob attack in Thailand, the keyboard warriors spring into action.
Thaivisa forum is no different to any other site where Thai stories are viewed.
Though not always without justification, they attack the mentality that sees cowardly locals ganging up ten on one on security guards or defenseless members of the public.
An unpleasant attack on a handicapped guard in Bang Saen this week is a case in point.
Ok, fair enough it is despicable behaviour and the guilty parties need to be jailed.
But the matter never ends there.
The very same people who scream to anyone who will listen that this is standard Thai behaviour are themselves just the same kind of gutless bullies.
They will pick on virtually anyone – always weaker than them, always outnumbering them.
If it was just the angst shown against some Thais who hunt in packs it might be tolerable – but it never stops there.
Firstly they cast all Thai men with the same brush, calling them weak and scared. Every one of the keyboard warriors would see them off in a fair, bare knuckle fistfight, one on one. Hmm.
But then they take it to the next level – a level that shows who they really are – just bullies.
The keyboard warriors themselves, be it on internet forums, social media or in the comments section on news sites then gang up on sub groups in Thai society. They often don’t even realize what they are doing.
They feel right is on their side as they agree with each other in attacking all manner of people in Thailand.
They have now become the pack themselves.
So who do they target?
I shall pick just three groups.
The first are lady boys.
Despite this group of people representing a significant minority in Thailand they are all tarred with the same brush according to the internet pack.
They are thieving good-for-nothings who should all be jailed without so much as a trial. Get them off our righteous streets, they yell indignantly.
Might this be that many of the warriors are Pattaya based and have yet been unable to broaden their horizons in any significant capacity?
I don’t know – what I do know is that it is totally unfair to pick on lady boys and associate them with those in their group who might break the law.
Even in Pattaya.
Law abiding lady boys are not responsible for the actions of a small minority.
Then there are gays.
A recent very happy story about a gay wedding in Thailand between a Brit and his male spouse also featured a swathe of homophobic comments – once again, here were the self-proclaimed “full blooded males”, as they probably see themselves, ganging up ten on one at least.
Sure, some used the story to bang on about dowries but many used it for veiled if not direct homophobia. And before they deny it saying it was just a “bit of banter”, that is not the way some gays who commented on Thaivisa saw that reaction.
One was moved to thank a Sunday columnist for standing up to the bigoted bashers.
Is it right that people in our community should feel threatened for a lifestyle that is a little different to the “norm”.
Of course it is not, everyone deserves respect and the right to lead their lives as they see fit within the law.
My third “disadvantaged” group is the innocent.
The pack online is never more vociferous than when a suspect has been arrested for a crime.
These weedy warriors are convinced of their guilt just because the story is in the papers or online and like a pack of baying hounds they turn on the suspect with their gnashers drooling spit as they spout their interminable nonsense about “hanging them high” and “rightful retribution” awaiting in the shower rooms of Thai prisons.
Not for them the courts, the pack have decided.
Amid all the attacks it is noticeable that it is invariably Thai men who seem to be the root cause of society’s ills as the warriors complain of their “childishness” and “laziness”.
With so few Thais on a forum like Thaivisa or commenting on the popular expat social media groups, there are hardly any to speak up for them as the pack descends. And of course if people defend them, they are condemned as “apologists”.
Absurd.
But interestingly, these abject bullies hardly ever seem to turn on Thai women.
Maybe they are scared that their strong Thai wives might be looking over their shoulders as they type.
Bullies always fear strength, don’t they ?
Footnote: The contents of this article reinforce the policy of the Buriram Times to abstain from introducing a forum. There are enough of them and we see little need for providing another outlet for personal attacks and insults. Which is a pity, because many people have interesting and sensible views on many topics.