Good servants are hard to find

If the censure debate was televised worldwide, with subtitles in all the languages, the world would watch in horror and exclaim, "Oh my, I feel so sorry for those people" and then shrug, "Oh well, at least they have nice beaches."

When Chuwit Kamolvisuth brought out a holy statue and challenged Chalerm Yubamrung to stake his honesty and integrity by swearing on the holy of holies, my jaw dropped. 

When Mr Chalerm, affronted, cried that he would swear on all the holies, not just one holy, and cursed by the holies that all those who accuse him wrongly should suffer ruination, my heart skipped, not one, but three beats.  

Now, we Thais are a superstitious people that I understand. Though I was half expecting some MPs to don the white Brahman robe, burn joss sticks and cast spells right in the middle of parliament floor. Thank to the holy of holies it didn't happen, even if many would likely have done so the night before the debate.  

Every time Sathit Wongnongtoey stood up to say anything, I recoiled in my seat and cringed as if what to come next was the howling of a werewolf on a full-moon night, and I don't even own a red hood. 

When Prasit Chaisrisa rhetorically asked Rangsima Rodrassami what she would say if he had a dream of sleeping with her, I thought: are dreams the only way he can have a sexual experience with a woman? 

Now we Thais of late have become quite a belligerent and combative people, that I realise. But I was half expecting the MPs to leap from their seats and start slapping each other. Thank to the holy of holies they didn't… well, wait a second; they already did that, in the last censure debate. 

Also, if we followed the twitters, instagrams and facebook updates of our representatives in parliament, we would realise that the plot is playing out more like one of those reality TV shows with a cast of misfits competing for airtime and publicity by displaying the most pugnacious words and actions. 

Or perhaps it's like the popular primetime soap opera filled with screeching and slapping jezebels, Rang Ngao, the suit-and-tie version, but without the sexy looks and the come-hither sways.  

I did not specify the political party of the aforementioned MPs on purpose. This is because, for the sake of this commentary, let's set aside the political divide and look at the issue from the people versus the MPs point of view. 

First, as embarrassing and shameful as many (not all) of our representatives in parliament may be, this should be the battle ground where wars are fought in a democracy. Not at Suvarnabhumi airport, not in the middle of Ratchaprasong district and not on the way to Royal Plaza, but on the parliament floor.  

Second, the war can be fought with conflicting information, made-up statistics, half-truths, blatant lies and scripted answers that have little to do with the questions – with the usual swearing, black magic, offensive remarks and perhaps a few slaps – but keep them in the floor of parliament. 

It should not be fought with tear gas, barb-wire fences or sticks and stones in the streets. After all, we the people selected and hired this bunch to do the dirty work, while we enjoy shopping at Siam, partying at Thong Lor and watching Rang Ngao.

Third, we the people may get involved through education, civic movements, campaigns propaganda, peaceful demonstrations, the voting booths and other constructive and democratic ways, but leave the ill behaviour to the MPs. 

They are simply the hired help, the servants, after all. While we who are the bosses, the lords and masters, ought to conduct ourselves better than our employees.   

And here lies the gist of this article. We the people have not been conducting ourselves any better, so what can we expect of our employees? We the people have led by bad examples, so how can we expect any better of our paid workers? 

From the past through the present, the behaviour displayed by our political representatives is but a reflection of us as a people and a nation. If they disgust us, then we should be disgusted with ourselves. If they bring shame upon us, then we should be ashamed of ourselves. If the world looks down upon them, then the world looks down upon us. 

It doesn't matter who we voted for, or didn't vote for, or if we didn't vote at all. Nor does it matter which side of the political divide, or colour shirt. In the end, there's only but one parliament that passes laws on our behalf and impacts all our lives. 

As such there's a need for a collective national responsibility, a united social consciousness to demand better of ourselves and of our hired help. I would burn joss sticks, invoke the spirits, perhaps even dance naked, and swear to the holy of holies that this is the best way forward for the country. 

Related search: opinion, voranai, censure, parliament

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Source: http://www.news.thethailandlinks.com/2012/11/29/good-servants-are-hard-to-find/