British envoy puts record straight on Thai image

**manned-rake** · 23rd October 2009 12:43

^I'll take your word for it on the puppets and their origins, although I don't recall such technical Platonisms substantiating his prejudices; like I said, it's been a long time.

Agree with the "When a lefty says it, it's cool, but when a rightwinger does, it ain't" assessment. My own take is that they're all much of a muchness on this issue and they bore me. Probably why I'm happy to be a liberal now and celebrate the offerings of Consumer Capitalism.

**daneel** · 23rd October 2009 13:07

That is Pagan Platonism thank you.

Also don't you think it is laughable that the right wing Christians adored him to a point although he was more interested in secularising rationality?

**manned-rake** · 23rd October 2009 13:19

^Sure. And if they'd had a clue about his "alternative lifestyle" (no doubt Bloom is spinning in his
Givenchy-accented casket as I type this) they'd've been scratching their little heads (if not outright pulling).

**Rocksteady** · 23rd October 2009 14:02

Originally Posted by Neil S

Not suprised he likes it. Living in a plush condo in BKK on 70,000 Baht a week would be nice.

And not having to do your job and protect your citizens from abuse by the locals. He's on a real winner - fun in the sun. 'God bless the tax-payer' is his motto

Originally Posted by robitusson

All culture, like music, is of equal value everywhere? No one is better than another, just different?

Grant you that the music of today doesn't have a lot going for it but equal in the mid-sixties? Not then, mate. The British invasion of the musical world had begun - The Rolling Stones and The Beatles to name but two groups who shook the whole world up.

Originally Posted by WilliamBlake

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/radio4/tr...ny-Rumbold.pdf

Actually, I agreed with the whole thing, especially the hideous interior decoration.

Me too - even the golf obsession is still here!

Originally Posted by Cyrille

^^ Interesting post russ.

But I still think the 'Why did he come here if he didn't want to appreciate the place' argument is pretty clueless when referring to an ambassadorial post in the 1960s.

We're not talking about a 'Rough Guide' contributor here.

Exactly. Anyway, the yellow bible hadn't been written yet.

It is also noteworthy that he was following standard procedure once his stewardship was over - to write his candid views as opposed to the sugar coated views of the present incumbant who has to live with everything he says about Thailand.

Perhaps, being a class A amabassador is why he doesn't come to the aid of Brits in shit out here. He doesn't want to compromise his working relationships

**Cyrille** · 23rd October 2009 18:00

QQ is an Albion fan.

Lay off.

**robitusson** · 23rd October 2009 21:40

Originally Posted by Rocksteady

Grant you that the music of today doesn't have a lot going for it but equal in the mid-sixties? Not then, mate. The British invasion of the musical world had begun - The Rolling Stones and The Beatles to name but two groups who shook the whole world up.

Exactly. It wasn't just different to other culture's music at the time, it was some of the best stuff in the world, better, not different, to lots of other cultures' music then.

Same for painting, that the ambassador mentioned. There's no comparison to European painting anywhere in the world. Thailand is no exception.

**Cyrille** · 23rd October 2009 22:10

Originally Posted by robitusson

There's no comparison to European painting anywhere in the world. Thailand is no exception.

Which is why millions flock every year to the Uffizi, Prado, London National etc. of course

What are the numbers for the Thai equivalents, I wonder?

Can anyone even name them? The national museum? hmm. I remember it had quite a nice century old barge.

Thai art of the last 100 years in particular is just embarrassing.

They do have some capable artisans.

**daneel** · 23rd October 2009 23:09

So I am guessing Robi is not going to read Bloom then.

**robitusson** · 23rd October 2009 23:21

I liked the quote a lot and a review of it elsewhere looked good but m-r's assessment of his views put me off a bit.

I'm sure there are other better reads on the subject. Dick Dawkins is a big proponent of the idea as well, albeit in relation to science though of course.

**lemmax** · 24th October 2009 15:50

Originally Posted by DaveyG

Sir Anthony Rumbold, British ambassador to Thailand from 1965 and 1967, said of Thai society: "They have no literature, no painting and only a very odd kind of music; their sculpture, ceramics and dancing are borrowed from others, and their architecture is monotonous and interior decoration hideous.

But they do have pussy.

Good old Rumbold told the truth. There are lots of nice things about Thailand, but no one comes here for the arts.