In one and the same fire, clay hardens and wax melts
The title is a beautiful quote from Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626), a British philosopher and statesman, worth reflecting on now that there is a national disaster, which need not have been a disaster.
At the moment, people do not think beyond the question of how we can get rid of that stinking body of water. There is confusion and hopelessness among the citizens of Bangkok and elsewhere as our government continues to struggle with its crisis management and every other responsibility. Thailand may not yet have become a failed state, but it is clear that we have a failing government.
But thinking ahead is still at least a valuable exercise in setting our course and maintaining our sanity.
As far as our collective national mind is concerned there is as yet no indication whatsoever in the direction of the clay from the above statement. The excess water has failed to create the national unity needed to solve the problem. Instead, we see and hear the childish bickering of politicians among themselves, pointing fingers, outrageous selfishness, blatant theft by people who are supposed to serve the public, lack of discipline and disregard for principles.
But there are also people who tirelessly and with dedication devote their time to the victims of the floods, helping them in their plight and trying to alleviate the terrible situation. Unsuitable for a compelling headline, which those people wouldn't want anyway. It is ordinary people who do what His Majesty the King taught us: to place golden leaves on the back of the Buddha. These are people who do not want or expect fame, recognition, compensation, or even a word of thanks. They are the hope we still find in this otherwise hopeless country.
The only forward-looking sound that occasionally emerges is that of reconstruction after the Flood. Those voices are already talking about a “New Thailand”, as if they are already dividing the budget pie. This cake is going to cost the taxpayer billions of Baht and we will probably have to borrow money from abroad. This “New Thailand” will be created by our “dirt of the earth” (the sediment from the floods is not what is meant here) and out of this filth will come more filth.
These people will continue to occupy their seats of power for a long time, to suck all the blood from a country that has run backwards and where disorder reigns. Because of them, our country is rotting from the inside out. The standard of living of the country and our people occupies a much lower place on the totem pole of these political "octopi" than their own wealth. And all the while we continue to address them as “Sir” or “Madame” and fold our hands in a wai gesture to show respect when we greet them.
In Thailand, as well as elsewhere in the world today, democracy is there for justification and not for control and correction. It legalizes highway robbery, stealing from the people is no longer a heinous crime punishable by law. Italy's Prime Minister Berlusconi is just one of many examples proving this point.
When a country is devastated by natural or man-made disasters such as extreme weather or war, there is more than just material damage that needs to be repaired. The social and cultural bond is just as important. The Khmer Rouge came about because of the indiscriminate American bombings during the Lon Nol regime, which destroyed the valuable social bond of Cambodian society. The American period of construction (1863-1877) after the Civil War was paid for with the life of one of the great leaders of the world, Abraham Lincoln. And yet, almost all historians believe that construction ended in failure. “The slave became free: stood briefly in the sun, and slowly moved back towards slavery.”
Long before these floods, Thailand suffered from internal social, political and ideological rifts. Now those rifts might have reached an unbridgeable point. So far, the worst flooding in 50 years has failed to patch up those differences or create a totally new unity. All you see is that the cracks are becoming more and more visible as a result of the disaster.
The misery of the floods and what awaits the victims in the affected areas afterwards are immeasurable at the moment. Due to the many flawed statements of the government and the self-interest of the political bigwigs, who believe that they are beyond reproach, a successful recovery is difficult to imagine. The lack of interest and dedication of all public service players makes it almost impossible to achieve an optimal outcome.
National reconciliation and reconstruction in the best conditions is a difficult task. It can only be successful and sustainable if our leadership is able to be honest, visionary, creative, knowledgeable and honest about the mission's objective of working for the common good. Vested interests are imbued with politics, but they should not be allowed to permanently prevail, as has been the case up to now.
The cost of rebuilding a country – material, social and spiritual – is always high. But it is up to us to make paying such a price worthwhile and to ensure that every penny counts and is not wasted and every sacrifice will not be in vain. Can we return to our inner peace, which is now a rare commodity and luxury in this country that has been called the “Land of Smiles”?
A Thai proverb says: a kite can only reach its highest point if the wind is strong. It is up to each of us – not just a handful of ethically questionable nitwits with loud voices and long arms – to decide our common and collective destiny.
It is up to each of us to decide whether we are made of clay or wax.
The stake is our collective future. It is win or lose, there is no such thing as a draw.
Column by Pornpimol Kanchanalak in The Nation November 4, 2011. Translated by Gringo