THERE are surely few periods in Thailand’s history when the country was beset by so many problems as it faces today. In the past, those problems could be swept under the carpet or given a spin so confusing that the truth was kept out of sight. But thanks to the awesome power of the Internet, that’s no longer the case. Social media is proving supremely effective in highlighting whatever ails the nation. And right now there’s plenty of that. Politicians with their fingers in the trough can run but they can’t hide. We all know what they’re up to, be it huge ‘backhanders’ for government projects, dodgy rice schemes that enrich their administrators or the smuggling of luxury cars to avoid taxes. Also, thanks to the new media, we’ve seen wayward monks with designer gear on a private jet, as well as alternative news reports that question ‘official’ explanations of high profile murders. And it’s largely due to the Internet that the multitude of deadly scams now going on in Phuket has prompted a call by no less than 18 foreign ambassadors in Thailand for the authorities to take some remedial action. It’s wake-up time for those who are wrecking and ransacking this country. The eyes of the world are on you.
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