PostBag
With inevitable, cyclical regularity the university students of Thailand have been at the forefront of popular movements to oust corrupt regimes and install a more trustworthy alternative, in pursuit of an actual embodiment of government of the people, by the people, for the people.
Can I ask where they are this time around? Their parents are the ones manning the barricades in an effort to raise public awareness of what this puppet government really amounts to.
Is the present generation of university students so frustrated with their parents' inability to alter the corrupt gene pool that produces the inevitable corrupt offspring that constitutes this and every preceding generation of politician?
Or is it that they are so apathetic and insular that they will not be moved to deflect their attention away from the pursuit of gold medals at the University Synchronised Cheerleading Championships, or updating their personal profile on Hi5 or other social networking sites?
What hope is there for genuine change when this generation of university students is so detached from politics?
GUILT GLAND
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Let there be anarchy
This government under Samak has done nothing during its time in office to benefit Thailand. Samak has reinstated Duangchalerm Yubamrung to the police; granted favours to deposed, disgraced politicians; tried to obstruct justice in favour of his master Thaksin, and much more - not to mention hiding in a public toilet from the press.
This country is run by a bunch of inept clowns and is in such political shambles that it is the laughing stock of the free world. If the PAD will cause anarchy, so be it. Perhaps, out of the ashes a phoenix might yet arise.
YANKELEH
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Polarised, like America
Many Thais, perhaps half the voters, are anti-Thaksin but they cannot get the others to be anti-Thaksin, so everyone is at each other's throats.
It is time to celebrate, Thailand! Pat yourselves on the back and congratulate each other because you all wanted to emulate US politics and you have done it, complete with the permanently polarised electorate.
This is something you can all agree upon, so keep up the good work and keep chopping each other to bits, just like the true Americans you always wanted to be - and you deserve it because you asked for it!
READER FROM HELL
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Muslim education in need of reform
It is with a great sense of hope that I read Dr Surin Pitsuwan has called for the reform of Muslim education in Thailand (Bangkok Post, Aug 24). In fact, it is long overdue that the Thai Muslim religious educational institutions combine religious learning with science and technology and social sciences. The non-reform of this system has been the main cause for the lack of Thai Muslims in the professional, academic, technical and civil service arenas.
The larger Muslim world underwent educational reform with the rise of Islamic Modernism in 19th century led by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in India, founder of the Aligarh Muslim University; Jamaluddin Afghani (in Iran and Turkey) and Muhammad Abduh in Egypt, and the recent Islamisation of Knowledge project.
This influence did reach Indonesia and Malaysia but not Thailand, except in a few pockets. Thai Muslims have preferred to follow the Saudi Arabian or Egyptian Azhari models of traditional Islamic religious education. For they are more concerned about maintaining their religious identity, which they fear will erode if they adopt educational reform.
At present, it seems the forces of traditional Muslim education in Thailand - which emphasises rote learning of subjects like religious jurisprudence, Muslim theology, Arabic and Malay languages - will resist reform, as they have done successfully for several decades in the name of religion.
It is a very difficult task, which a statesman like Surin Pitsuwan cannot accomplish on his own, nor does he have the time for it. Rather, it needs the full support of various sections of the Thai Muslim community, which still need to be philosophically convinced about the urgent need for Muslim educational reform in Thailand.
DR IMTIYAZ YUSUF
Assumption University
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