Bangkok radio stations to be shut after ex-Thai premier calls in

Link: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/276859/1/.html

By: --

Date: 18th May 2007

This article writes about the deposed Thailand PM Thaksin, being banned by the military government to speak to the people through the radio. Thaksin wanted to use the radio network to urge a "swift return to democracy", in an attempt to stir the people and gain support. However, this was quickly put down by the military government.

Former PM Thaksin is a good example of the cruel, fast-paced world we live in, in which politicians are made especially accountable to their actions. The media is a powerful tool, and can be used to blow up small issues into huge crimes. Thaksin made a mistake by selling Shin Corp for a personal profit, and the military used this opportunity to justify their staging a coup to overthrow him. Effectively, they ended a prospering democracy. Thaksin was a man known to have done many things for his country, establishing numerous policies that tackled various aspects like health and education. Thaksin was known to be sympathetic with the poor rural people in Thailand, which consist of the majority of the population. His policies have tackled their problems and helped them in many ways, thus their support of him in elections, letting him become the first Prime Minister to complete his term in office.

His attempts to use the radio network to broadcast his message to return to democracy was stopped before it went too far, and pro-Thaksin supporters quickly arrested by the military. This brings into focus the power of the military government. Using Thaksin's "mistake" as justification to stage a coup, they have toppled the democracy of Thailand, and effectively abolished elections. Thaksin's calls are quickly put down, and the present Prime Minister made use of the media to put his views across about Thaksin's 'plans' to gain support. The cut off of opposition helps the military government brainwash the people, and think of Thaksin as bad. The present Prime Minister claims that Thaksin is attempting to gather support to make another stand in Thailand. Why, we ask? What would a multi-billionaire want to do with politics? I feel that he only has his countries best interest at heart, and wants to make moves to change it back into a democracy rather than a military led puppet government.

The power of the military government is exhibited, when they can control the news that reaches the people. This power is further enhanced by the people's loss of voting power. As Thaksin supported and helped the poor rural people in the past, they are the ones who root for him. Now, they have no power to decide their government, and that might be what caused Thaksin's fall.

We must learn not to be like Thailand, allowing a coup to occur successfully without much opposition; we cannot put too much power into the military. A military government limits one's freedom of expression, and thus, we must make sure our government does not fall into the wrong hands by voting properly and responsibly in the elections.

(500 words)

A Fat, Fat Fad

Link:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/276921/1/.html
By: Felix Cheng
Date: 18th May 2007

This article talks about how movies nowadays are using the 'fat' appeal to make people laugh--because they make fun of people who are obese. The movie takings are surprisingly good, despite the absence of beautiful or handsome starlets, and the presence of these obese wonders inevitably make them a comedy. This brings light to the "obsession with thinness and the stigma of obesity".

The idea of beauty nowadays, is to be stick thin, and models around the world suffer from anorexia and bulimia, all for the sake of appearing beautiful on the runway. This disturbing trend even manifests itself in youths, who do not mind spending large amounts of money on plastic surgery to appear beautiful on the surface. With this obsession for being thin, comes the prejudice against fat people. These movies supposedly let people relax by making them laugh at fat people. However, how does this affect those that are obese? Jokes made in these movies are mostly aimed degradingly at fat people, and this might make fat people in the audience feel awkward and depressed. They might even go to extreme measures just to lose weight, like starving themselves. This brings me to my next point.

The importance of outward beauty has ballooned, and people nowadays forget the substance of a person as they judge by their physical beauty. Inner beauty is forgotten, and moral values start dropping. The times when money is paid for hard work has vanished, and instead, one just needs to be very beautiful to earn a job paying millions in Hollywood. To illustrate this point, sometimes, movies like these are without substance, but make use of the incongruity of fat people, and by making fun of them, achieve a top place in the ratings.

Some of these movies however, try to teach that beauty is not just skin-deep, and we should look into the inner person to determine his or her quality. But nowadays, who wants to have a fat and ugly girlfriend at their side as they go up to collect their prize? Sometimes, these movies will make people force themselves to become something that they are not, and people lose their essence as they try to go with the flow. Inner beauty is gradually morphed into physical beauty, that does not last and vanishes along with time.

Nowadays, movies are making a bigger impact around the world, with easier access. Thus, more teenagers watch movies, and are saturated with them in their daily lives, and thus they try to emulate things done in the movies. If fat people were to be made fun of in movies, teenagers all around the world will start being prejudiced against them.

In the course of beautifying oneself, people are losing their sense of inner beauty, and sometimes start losing themselves as they force themselves into being someone they are not. This obsession is causing the world to backslide, leaving out the fuel of fats it needs at times to drive it on.

(499 words)