In my first installment on this unpleasant subject [1], I examined the relationship between imperialism, hypermasculinity, and the problem of rape concerning a young woman and an American soldier in South Korea. Having examined the issue from a particular incident from the point of view of the South Korean authorities dealing with an American soldier, I would like to look at a different incident now, this time in Thailand, and view how the military’s leadership (in this case, Thai army boss Prayuth Chan-ocha) looks at cases of rape by its soldiers. In it we see a sort of stereotypical and abusive portrayal of rape victims that only increases the difficulties in recovering from such trauma.

About three years ago, a viral video of an apparent rape of a possibly autistic young woman by six Thai soldiers was videotaped by a seventh soldier and became a viral hit. The story was recently posted in the Bangkok post, where comments were disabled because the story was deeply unsettling [2] [3]. Now, one would think that the gang rape of a possibly mentally disabled young woman would prompt some serious response about how people should seek to protect rather than exploit and take advantage of the weak, how young men should learn that the power they have as soldiers is the power to serve and protect and not exploit and abuse the people. After all, that is how a civilized people would respond to such brutal and unacceptable conduct, but that is not the sort of lesson that has been drawn from this case at all by Thai army brass.

Instead, the chief of Thailand’s army has chosen to conduct a disreputable attack on the virtue of the woman and on political enemies rather than to face up to the severe problems of abuse present in the military that is under his own watch. For one, General Prayuth is denying that the incident was in fact a rape. He also denies that the young woman in question was autistic. He claims that it may not have been illegal (but that the soldiers have been disciplined and are no longer in the army anyway). He blames the woman for giving in to seven armed soldiers, and claims that she wanted attention, even though it was the soldiers who did the photographing, apparently proud of how many brave men it takes to rape an unarmed and possibly disabled young women. Such brave men it is who take advantage of the weak. In addition, General Prayuth blames the knowledge of this incident to political enemies who wish to discredit the army rather than offering any sort of increased discipline and training so that soldiers respect the populace rather than abuse them.

Here we see denials, stonewalling, and false accusations instead of honest admissions and a desire to do better. We see blaming the victim and attitudes of celebrating and pardoning and excusing the abusive behavior of immature young men with weapons. It is those who want to talk about the wrong that are attacked rather than those who actually committed the wrong. This behavior is typical, even stereotypical, of abusive systems. An army that cares more about protecting its own reputation than the people that it serves, particularly one that has a troubling recent history of overthrowing civilian governments, is an army that is out of control that requires sharp discipline on the parts of those people in charge. It does not appear that this will be forthcoming from the army’s current leadership, however.

How an army views its people, and how it views offenses committed against others, is emblematic of its military culture as a whole. To give an example, the United States military is a particularly imperial army, with many foreign operations where often poorly educated soldiers are brought into close contact with foreign military personnel and civilians. When the United States military is charged with atrocities (and rape is an atrocity), the response is a caution to let the facts judge the case and a promise to investigate quickly and thoroughly. When mistakes are found, perpetrators are punished severely and according to standards of military justice, and apologies are given to those offended and wronged.

This is done not because the United States military is perfect (by no means is that true), but because even with the problems of cultural miscommunication and imperialism abroad, the United States military springs from an ethos of citizen soldiery with a high degree of mutual respect and concern between the soldiers and the body of citizens as a whole as well as a tradition of respect and obedience to civilian authority. So long as these traditions of respect for both citizens as a whole and civilian leadership hold, the United States military is not likely to be a threat to its citizens. After all, the United States military (through the National Guard and Coast Guard) are known for helping to rescue civilians in times of disaster rather than raping and murdering them, and as a result the American people generally have a genuine love for the military even where there is strong disagreement about the foreign operations they are engaged in.

This is an area that Thai military could stand to improve in. Serving the people and the leaders chosen by the people would lead to attitudes of citizen soldiering and protecting and serving among the military rather than an unaccountable and heavily armed elite that uses its strength to bully and abuse the common people. If and when this development occurs in Thailand (and other nations), militaries may be seen as praiseworthy rather than as threats to the well-being and freedoms of the people. How an army is seen by the people is very closely connected to what an army is being seen doing by the people. An army that abuses its power to rape is a sign that something is deeply wrong in elite and military culture, where the rights and dignity of the people is not respected, and these are elements to harshly root out of an army, rather than excuse them away by blaming the victim. Will Thai military leadership get the memo and start training their soldiers to act like civilized servants of the people rather than brutal armed thugs? Time will tell.

[1] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/rape-and-the-military-culture/

[2] http://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/army-sex-and-plots/

[3] http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/293263/sex-scandal-in-army