A year of shocks, but Thailand endures
Listen to this article
Then-prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra performs a 'wai', as a public apology gesture on June 19 over a leaked telephone recording of a conversation she had with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen. Apichart Jinakul
The year 2025 is not just your typical annus horribilis. Some may say that an appropriate term to describe the year is "hell on earth," or narok bon din in Thai, when many bad things happen all at once.
Yet Thailand managed to survive. In retrospect, we might consider Lord Buddha, who offers a playbook for surviving in crisis mode. Patience helped us muddle through this arduous time. Like the Tom Yum Kung financial crisis of 1997, the country experienced every flavour at once -- sweet moments of survival, sour disappointments, sharp confrontations, and lingering uncertainty.
Meanwhile, critics, both at home and abroad, have often asked how Thailand managed to survive repeated shocks while tolerating political nincompoops.
The answer lies in the country's long history and deep-rooted instinct. The history of Thailand, once formally known as Siam, has always been a tale of resilient people who know how to adapt, improvise or weather storms.
Continue Reading on Bangkok Post
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.