They had rehearsed hard for six months, Color Guard Netherlands had invited them, but an important problem still remained: who will pay for that, sweet Dear Gerritje? So percussion group Max Percussion Theater of the Satriwitthaya school 2 asked chairman Tan Passakornnatee of the Ichitan Group to sponsor the trip abroad.
And he did: Tan lapped 3,1 million baht. The group left for the Netherlands and won first prize in the Marching World Class category. Not that difficult because the group was the only participant in that category, but the applause of the audience in Eindhoven was no less sincere. So far so good.
But when the group returned to Thailand on April 2, a cold shower awaited. An audio recording with a conversation of three people, including the director of the school, circulated on social media. The group would have blackmailed the company to win the sponsorship, the criticism was.
Yesterday, during a press conference organized by the alumni association of the school, the group members went deep into dust. They apologized for the "inappropriate" way they had raised funds for the trip.
"All group members would like to offer their sincere apologies," said coach Anusorn Porn-neramitre, a former student of the school. "We accept that we made a mistake. If we could go back in time, we wouldn't do it again. This has been an expensive lesson for us. We only had a dream to participate in the competition.'
Anusorn said he was grateful that Tan was willing to sponsor the trip, but would like to personally apologize to the soft drink magnate for the trouble the group has caused. "We're trying to contact him. Hopefully people will forgive us for what we did and understand why we did it.'
A member of the 54-pupil group says they never realized they could damage the reputation of the school because the group intended just the opposite. “If I had the choice again, I wouldn't have asked for the money. Every time I open my Facebook page, I cry. It looks like the group has committed a murder. I get scolded, it feels like I'm not Thai.'
(Source: Bangkok Post, Apr 8, 2014)
I don't understand this either:
– Maybe you have to be over 18 to accept money from someone else?
– Maybe they should have asked Thaksin for the money first?
– Maybe they shouldn't have been so enterprising?
– Maybe they should have said in advance that they would definitely win the 1st prize?
– Maybe they should have played on Suthep's stage first?
– Maybe they should have offered a travelogue to Thailandblog in advance?
- Maybe…………………..
“But when the band returned to Thailand on April 2, a cold shower awaited. An audio recording with a conversation of three people, including the director of the school, circulated on social media. The band would have blackmailed the company to win the sponsorship, the criticism was.
Has no one (yet) listened to that audio recording? I am curious about that because it is indicated that there would be blackmail.
M curious.
@Rob I did listen to it but I don't understand one iota of it, the link below is a quick copy and paste to youtube.
If I have understood correctly, this man was not really blackmailed, but one has played on his (Buddhist) feelings, if it would not cooperate with the donation, it would be bad for his Karma etc etc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1HyDrT11_4
Oops wrong link, must be this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cESUBf67hc0
If the band did not pressure Tan Passakornnatee of the Ichitan Group etc, why has no explanation been issued from his side or the side of the Ichitan Group?
If the director of the school has been shot in the wings because a class from his school develops its own initiatives and he speaks ill for that reason, why does this event continue to be underexposed?
If the band has nothing to blame, why are they making public apologies? Have they indeed acted 'inappropriately'?
The newspaper will probably explain why it is a problem (who, what, why, how much?)… Or the journalist will have to go back to school with sponsorship free…
@ Rob V, Cor Verhoef In all publications about the sponsorship I do not come across a speck of information about the alleged 'blackmail'. Thai readers may be able to read between the lines and understand how the students pressured the soda man. In that case, I find the journalistic omission understandable, but I do not condone it. BP should know that the newspaper is also read by expats, who ask an obvious question.
Strange story. How can a group of students blackmail a soft drink giant? With “if you don't come with the money, we'll never drink your soda again”, maybe? As is often the case, the BP is nice and complete (not).
So I wonder: how would that blackmail have worked, who participated in it, who claims that, what are the claims based on, what are other explanations for the sponsorship, how reliable are they, what do the various stakeholders?
I had to suppress a laugh of surprise (not mockery) from the boy who feels un-Thai. When I read the messages about politics, private and business, it is quite Thai to accuse others with the wildest unfounded speculations and therefore also to receive accusations when a loser or jealous competitor feels passed over. Thainess has been heavily ingrained, I would put it as feeling humiliated and therefore losing face, which doesn't make anyone, not even Thai, happy. We still don't know whether the accusations have any truth or whether our own initiative has been completely destroyed. But leaving the group or being thrown out does not fit the image that the powers that be as a “model Thai” are trying to portray, which explains the un-Thainess.
In short, I cannot yet draw any conclusions about the state of affairs, so let's hope that the students had a good time during their trip.
Ning, my wife, has just researched the Thai news and according to the Thai press, the point is this: the band in question had not placed first in the Thai preliminary rounds, where only Thai schools compete against each other. The Thai Ministry of Education has a budget for the eventual number 1 and they participate in the Netherlands, or wherever the final is held. The school - or rather, the band - took a short-cut to participate, but had to cough up the money themselves. They did that and not a word about any blackmail against the soft drink farmer. He has also said that he does not want the money back.
In other words; own initiative on the part of the students has been suppressed in a completely unique Thai way. Bravo Thailand!!