Great news about the boy soccer players.

[Oliver2]

It's not often I find articles in The Guardian to my taste now that it's sold -out to the Right but this is an exception. Worth a read.....

https://www.theguardian.com/news/sho...al-saman-kunan

[frequent]

It's not often I find articles in The Guardian to my taste now that it's sold -out to the Right ...

Any chance of a greater exposition of this fabulous conspiracy theory?

[Oliver2]

Read the article instead. It's more interesting and pertinent to the subject than my widely-shared views as a Guardian reader of forty years. Jonathon Jones has, in my view, sensed something very deep in Thai culture which those of us who love a Thai (or Thais) will recognise.

[frequent]

Read the article instead. It's more interesting and pertinent to the subject than my widely-shared views as a Guardian reader of forty years. Jonathon Jones has, in my view, sensed something very deep in Thai culture which those of us who love a Thai (or Thais) will recognise.

A complete load of tosh, Oliver - the writer is discussing universal human values, nothing uniquely Thai whatsoever

[sglad]

Read the article instead. It's more interesting and pertinent to the subject than my widely-shared views as a Guardian reader of forty years. Jonathon Jones has, in my view, sensed something very deep in Thai culture which those of us who love a Thai (or Thais) will recognise.

Jonathan Jones must be a rookie journalist if he doesn't realise that all these pics have been carefully stage-managed by the state PR machinery. The one used in his article is a very familiar pose that we've seen many times before - only the photo being held is of you-know-who, past and present. Same with the notes being exchanged while the boys were still in the cave - the extremely charitable forgiveness of the parents towards the coach - dream on if you think they weren't 'guided' by counsellors and state minders as to what to say. And probably for good reason too as there's no point in fanning the flames and creating an atmosphere of hysteria which could have complicated the rescue process. The fact that these boys are "nobodies" within the social hierarchy - quite a few are hilltribe and/or stateless - has made it much easier to contain and manage the whole situation.

[frequent]

Jonathan Jones must be a rookie journalist if he doesn't realise that all these pics have been carefully stage-managed by the state PR machinery. The one used in his article is a very familiar pose that we've seen many times before - only the photo being held is of you-know-who, past and present. Same with the notes being exchanged while the boys were still in the cave - the extremely charitable forgiveness of the parents towards the coach - dream on if you think they weren't 'guided' by counsellors and state minders as to what to say. And probably for good reason too as there's no point in fanning the flames and creating an atmosphere of hysteria which could have complicated the rescue process. The fact that these boys are "nobodies" within the social hierarchy - quite a few are hilltribe and/or stateless - has made it much easier to contain and manage the whole situation.

Agree 100%. Sadly Oliver's attention span didn't let him get beyond the first paragraph or two and realise that the message of the writer was in the last couple of sentences, not the first few

[frequent]

... my widely-shared views as a Guardian reader of forty years.

I had a word with Polly, Oliver, and she asks if replacing the letter R in the masthead with a red star would help?

[gerefan2]

The boys are just about to be paraded live on Thai TV.....I hope the paparazzi don’t fuck up.

[lonelywombat]

I have my tv on now . have seen trailers for the last 2 hours. Of course they cannot bar one speak english
Hope they have a translator

[gerefan2]

Excellent live coverage now on Channel 24 on my Thai TV. With simultaneous translation. Channel News Asia, I think.