Selfishness Ruins Everything
A year ago, an article posted by Morris K, the half Thai-American actor, was shared around 2,600 times, attracting a hundred comments and 6,000 likes. Its caption said that “Selfishness is the cancer of Thai society”.
This article has revealed the conversation between two foreigners which indicated how they feel when arriving in Thailand. The first word that came into their mind was ‘Nam Jai’ which means kindness. But now, it is not what they used to think of. It has turned into the excuse of selfish people. Thai’s selfishness is the downfall of this society.
Everyone seems to care only about their own interest or wants to help others when they can gain something for themselves from it. This is the causes of many problems between people in our society. After I was assigned to report any wrongdoing every week, I have found a lot of people who care only about themselves without realizing that they trouble someone. They only focus on how they can make the most profit for their own.
Especially in Bangkok, it is really easy to find a car parking on the footpath, a motorcycle driving on the sidewalk or a small cart selling food on the street. Some car drivers seem to view a footpath as a convenient space to park so that they don’t have to walk further from their destination. So, if we are walking on the sidewalk and the parked car are blocking our way, we have to wait for the car in the traffic to get past or we might risk getting killed. Some motorcyclists see the sidewalk as a free lane for them to drive as fast as they want to arrive their destination on time or they use the footpath as a way to avoid the traffic on the road.
As we all knew that Thailand has been one of the most popular street foods for a long time. We cannot deny that the street vendors are found all around the city. They provide a cheap and convenient alternative to buying food, clothes and small stuff. On the other hand, street vendors have completely blocked the sidewalks, causing people to walk on the roadway.
The first time that I had to report the case was so awkward because I have not done the assignment like this before. I had to take photos of them, call the officials to report and also follow up the case to make sure that the case has been processed.
I often felt guilty to report about poor people with no opportunities who sell food, clothing or trinkets on the sidewalk. They might do that to support themselves and their family. I cannot imagine what they have to go through if they are eradicated. However, what they have done was wrong anyway. As they were selling things on the street, they cause the obstruction on the sidewalks that people were walking. Also, street vendors have contributed to pollution through trash and fume.
Reporting wrongdoing was one of the new experiences for me to enhance the society to be a better place. Any wrongdoing has come from the ignorance of people in society. They excuse it away by claiming that ‘That’s ok. Everyone does it.” Does that’s supposed to make it acceptable?
It’s not. Every time we ignore or excuse for any wrongdoings, we become a part of the problem rather than the part of the solution. We all know that it is unacceptable, but we are waiting for someone to make the first move. Is this the way we choose to live our lives? Why don’t we start it from ourselves? Everything has the first step. Nothing would have changed if we don’t make one.
I started reporting the case about the cars driving against the right direction of traffic around my dormitory. The first year that I came to live here, I was shocked by the drivers’ behavior. They drive a car against the normal lane on Chiang Rak Road around the u-turn under the highway bridge. It happens almost every day since I have been here for 3 years now. We all get used to it. We look at it as a normal thing that everyone always does without realizing that the car drivers that drive against the lane can cause car accidents.
According to the Road Traffic Act, B.E. 2552 (1979) section 41, stated that on any road with traffic sign specified to be a one-way road, the driver shall follow the direction specified.
Also, section 43(8) stated that no driver shall drive without being aware of safety or troubles of others. And any person who violates this section shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine from two thousand Baht to ten thousand Baht, or to both.
I decided to report to the authorities by calling the Damrongtham Pathumthani. They asked me for sending them the evidence but they did not give me any updates. Everything’s still the same even the day that is raining.
Apart from that, I also reported about the street vendors near Ploenchit BTS station.
According to the Act on the Maintenance of the Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country, B.E. 2535 Section 20, stated that no one shall: (1) cook food, sell or distribute goods on the road or in public establishment; (2) use a sedan car or wheeled vehicle as a cooking place for selling or distributing to persons on the road or in the public establishment; (3) sell or distribute goods contained in a car, motorbike or wheeled vehicle on the road or in public establishment.
Even though I have seen the street vendors so many times, this case is the most unacceptable. The vendors placed their own cart right on the crosswalk. This is worse than selling on the footpath because it does not only block the pathway where people are walking but also the roadway where the cars driving past.
The officer who accepted the case was Mr.Vittaya who works for the City Law Enforcement Department. After I reported to them, he called me back to update the case saying that it happened every day. The officers always go to check around that area trying to solve the problem. If they saw those vendors on the crosswalk, they would fine around 3,000 baht.
Over again and again, nothing’s changed. Every time I drive past, I always see the food carts placed right in the same position which selling food for people who were crossing the street. Those vendors didn’t even care that they were blocking the traffic where the cars were always driving past. They didn’t realize that it would be dangerous for others and for themselves to get injured in anytime.
“When I go there, they did not seem to be scared of doing anything wrong. Sometimes, we would be in a fight also,” said Mr.Vittaya with his lively voice. “Today, we have a Red Cross Fair (งานกาชาด) in Bangkok. So, the officers who are responsible for that area are going to take care of where the fair at. You can come and join. There’s lots of food and activities here.”
I felt a little bit disappointed. We do have a law, and according to the law the officers can manipulate those street vendors, but they just do not put enough effort on their job.
I have once had a bad experience while I was reporting the case about the illegal immigrant. I called the same number as my friends did, but the response was different. They received my friends’ complaints but not mine.
“I will give you the number of another department that is responsible for this case,” said one of the officers at the Ministry of Labour.
I heard this kind of sentence all over again almost 8 times. They were trying to transfer the case to others by giving me the phone number of another department. Often, some who accepted the phone would transfer the phone line to another person, but some did not even answer the phone.
Until the last number that they gave me, I wish they had at least picked up the phone.
“Beep beep beep..” the call waiting sound continued beeping.
Of course, they hadn’t.
It’s been almost 3 months since I first started reporting wrongdoings. I am truly disappointed with the way public servants are working. It sucks. Everything is still the same. No improvement. Those authorities do nothing. They lack responsibilities of their careers. They do not care about others’ problem because it has nothing to do with them. Either they take the action on that case or not, they would earn the salary anyway.
People in society still ignore the law. They do illegal action without realizing that they would infringe other rights. They focus only on their own benefit.
No wonder why our country is still a developing country.
