Little migrant sympathy
A debate on Thailand’s role in solving the Rohingya crisis is buzzing in social media.
Many are not happy with the stateless people being a burden on Thailand.
Some expressed frustration with TV Channel 3 reporter Thapanee Ietsrichai, who has reported on the plight of Rohingya migrants, as “too emotional”.
Some internet users even called her “a drama queen” rather than a reporter.
Thapanee has been criticised for being oversensitive about the issue.
One Facebook user wrote in poetry, asking her to stop dramatising the plight of the migrants because these people are not the sole responsibility of Thailand.
They also complain there are millions of Thais who face an equally sad plight in their own country as they have never been provided basic needs by the government while the elderly are paid only a 600-baht monthly allowance.
“Some Thais don’t have houses and food, so you should stop inviting these Rohingya to share our budget,” the post said.
A Facebook user named Samart Tubsrinual said these migrants could end up as a long-term problem for our country after thousands of them were allowed to live in shelters.
Sadly, Samart said the government could only guarantee its people with a 300 baht minimum wage.
Some users were sarcastic, saying if Thapanee feels for these migrants so much, she should have adopted a dozen of them to live with her, to help ease their troubles.
Some social media users went even further as they attempted to find a country that should take the migrants in.
Netizen Jarinya Hall Saksiri agreed with journalist Plew Si Ngern, of the Thai Post newspaper, who suggested the United States should accept the migrants as there are only 33 Americans per every one square kilometre while 125 Thais share the same amount of space in their country.