March 25, 201115 yr It would be 'inappropriate' to allow outside involvement in the poll, which is due in June or July and comes after deadly street protests last year, said Suthep Thaugsuban Well, not only does he consider foreign observers for the General Election “inappropriate”, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep added yesterday "I don't respect farangs" http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_648749.html No doubt Mr. Suthep is concerned less at ensuring the fairness of what will probably be the most corrupt election on the country’s history, this is the official who, let’s not forget, was heavily involved in a major land corruption scandal in 1995, was accused in 2009 of violating the Constitution by holding equity in a media firm that had received concessions from the government, and whose family is one of the handful which controls the palm oil business in the south. And that’s not all. Who was recently asked by the Prime Minister to lead the investigation onto the surprising palm oil shortage? Surprise! Surprise! None other than he who dislikes farang – Deputy Prime Minister Suthep. If ever there was a time for foreign observers, I'd suggest this is it!
March 25, 201115 yr "I don't respect farangs" this is quite a linguistic can of worms you and the Straits Times have opened here. To quote more fully from the article: 'I don't respect 'farangs'. We do not have to surrender to them,' [suthep] said, using the Thai word for 'Westerners'. this perhaps needs to be cross-linked to all the discussions asking is 'falung' a neutral or derogatory term - and I would love to hear the opinion of the Straits Times translator/linguistic advisor on this! this I think is a classic example of using the term in a "non-neutral" or derogatory way - a member of an institution like the Thai Parliment should not be using the term "falung" to refer to "Westerners" or "foreigners" in any official staement! this is the official who, let
March 25, 201115 yr Well, I'll be . . . ! I will clearly (sic) have to pay a visit to the Eye Hospital to get my prescription checked, for I felt certain I saw the word corruption in there somewhere. Then again, perhaps it was merely a nasty smell I picked up as I read it. As a point of fact, the original quote seems to have been picked up by the Straits Times and a host of other media from an original AFP story. So I assume AFP is responsible for the translation.
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