Salim (Thai slang) explained

In contemporary Thai politics, salim (Thai: สลิ่ม, in Thai pronounced as /sā.lìm/) is a Thai slang referring to people who are sceptics of democracy and supports the military's involvement in politics.[1] Politicist Surachart Bamrungsuk saw salims as representatives of right wing middle class.[2] The term initially referred to the "multicoloured shirts" as a reference to the colourful Thai dessert sarim and was considered by some as a pejorative.[3] It later included other people outside the "multicoloured shirts" as well.[4] [5] The term has been used on mainstream media by 2011.[6] In late February 2020, the term gained popularity following the Thai Constitutional Court's order to disband the pro-democracy Future Forward Party. Students, seeing the order as a political abuse, began to use hashtags including the term salim as their online activism against the ruling.

Origin

Thailand in 2005-2010 saw two main political sides either supporting or opposing then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The two identified themselves by their shirt colours, nominally; the yellow shirts (anti-Thaksin) and the red shirts (pro-Thaksin). In 2010, a new political group Network of Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land was formed[7] and identified as the "multicoloured shirts" to distinguish it from the aforementioned two.[8] Some netizens later called the group salim after Thai dessert sarim which is known for its colourfulness. The term is believed to be first used on Thai web-board Pantip.com.[9]

Definition

The term has always been a topic of various definitions and studies socially, politically, philosophically, and economically.[10]

In 2010, Thatsana Thirawatphirom wrote that some shared traits in definitions of salim include ultra-royalism, religiosity (specifically Buddhism), being educated but uncritically believing the curricula, being broadly skeptical but gullible towards people who are seemingly knowledgeable, being a strong follower of political news and seeing Thaksin Shinawatra as a long-time threat to Thai politics, being bourgeois and trend-setters, and being highly hypocritical.

In 2011, Faris Yothasamuth describe the identifying qualities of salim as being the Thaksin-haters, monarchists, pro-military, democracy skeptics, who lacked reasoning and had a holier-than-thou attitude.[11]

Since the 2020 Thai protests, the term has turned derogatory.[12] [13] It has since been used to refer to those who are ultraconservative, ultra-royalist,[14] and pro-Prayut cabinet.[15] [16]

Usages

Prior to 2020 protests, the term was sparsely used by some writers, journalists, and academics including Nidhi Eoseewong[17] and Kham Phaka.[18]

In late February 2020, the term gained popularity following the Thai Constitutional Court's order to disband the pro-democracy New Future Party. Students, seeing the order as a political abuse, began to use hashtags including the term salim as their online activism against the ruling. Some of them include "#BUกูไม่เอาสลิ่ม" (Bangkok University [BU] don't want salims), "#ราชภัฏอยากงัดกับสลิ่ม" (Rajabhat universities want to fight with salims),[19] "#KUไม่ใช่ขนมหวานราดกะทิ" (Kasetsart University [KU] is not salim).[20] In 29 February, a channel SalimVEVO released the parody song named du salim (ดูสลิ่ม,) with the lyrics beginning with "[''salims'' are those who] love the specially tailored laws" on YouTube.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: จุดติด-ไม่ติด : แฮชแท็กและการชุมนุมประท้วงของนิสิตนักศึกษาบอกอะไรเราบ้าง. The Momentum. 2020-02-26. 2020-03-02. th. 2020-11-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108024316/https://themomentum.co/students-protest-after-after-future-forward-party-disbanded/. live.
  2. Web site: จับพลังคนรุ่นใหม่ 'สุรชาติ' ชี้สูตรล้มอำนาจนิยม-ศึกชนชั้นกลาง 2 ขั้ว 'ปีกก้าวหน้า-ปีกสลิ่ม'. Voice TV. 2020-03-06. 2020-03-08. th. 2020-03-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20200322084553/http://voicetv.co.th/read/NLJokCFeT. live.
  3. Web site: บก.ลายจุดเห็นด้วย เลิกใช้คำว่า"สลิ่ม"ชี้เป็นอุปสรรค ไม่นำไปสู่เรียนรู้-เปลี่ยนแปลงใดๆ . . 2018-02-18 . Matichon . 2021-02-03 . 2020-11-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201125185639/https://www.matichon.co.th/politics/news_846599 . live .
  4. Web site: อะไรคือสลิ่ม? ว่าด้วยที่มา บริบทความหมาย และคุณลักษณะเฉพาะ . Faris . Yothasamuth . 2011-11-20 . 2020-03-02 .
  5. Web site: แท้จริงแล้วความหมายของคำว่า "สลิ่ม" คืออะไร ถอดความหมายจากผู้ชุมนุม #BUกูไม่เอาสลิ่ม . . 2020-02-28 . 2020-03-02 . Workpoint News . 2020-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200302081717/https://workpointnews.com/2020/02/28/political-terms-salim/ . live .
  6. Web site: คำท้าทายถึงชนชั้นกลาง . ใบตองแห้ง . 2011-05-23 . Prachatai . 2020-03-02 . 2020-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200302113623/https://prachatai.com/journal/2011/11/38001 . live .
  7. Web site: กลุ่มพิทักษ์สถาบัน ฯ ชุมนุมอยู่ที่อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ . มาลีรัตน์ . 2010-04-13 . พลังหญิง . 2020-03-02 . 2020-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200302090034/http://oknation.nationtv.tv/blog/maleerat/2010/04/13/entry-1 . live .
  8. Web site: "เสื้อหลากสี" แทรกสงครามการเมือง. . 2010-05-13. Positioning. 2020-03-02. 2020-03-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20200302091528/https://positioningmag.com/12747. live.
  9. Web site: สลิ่ม" ไม่ใช่เป็นได้ง่ายๆ นะ . ใบตองแห้ง . 2018-02-22 . Khaosod . 2020-03-02 . 2020-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200302081719/https://www.khaosod.co.th/politics/news_766939 . live .
  10. Web site: ข้อสังเกตบางประการในการทำความเข้าใจ "สลิ่ม". prachatai.com. th. 2021-11-29. 2021-08-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20210831111804/https://prachatai.com/journal/2010/09/31238. live.
  11. Web site: อะไรคือสลิ่ม? ว่าด้วยที่มา บริบทความหมาย และคุณลักษณะเฉพาะ. prachatai.com. th. 2021-11-29. 2021-02-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20210203104821/https://prachatai.com/journal/2011/11/37957. live.
  12. Web site: 2020-09-18. Thailand's protesters take on 'salim' as Bangkok prepares for rally. South China Morning Post. en. 2021-11-29. 2021-09-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20210906075327/https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3101992/thailand-its-protesters-versus-salim-bangkok-prepares-mass-rally. live.
  13. Web site: ที่มาและความหมายของคำว่า "สลิ่ม" ศัพท์การเมืองที่หลายคนรู้จัก. www.sanook.com/campus. 25 February 2020 . th. 2021-11-29. 2021-11-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20211112063129/https://www.sanook.com/campus/1399431/. live.
  14. Web site: Uni defends heartthrob Mario Maurer's pro-govt thesis. Nation Thailand. 16 September 2020. en-US.
  15. Web site: Welle (www.dw.com). Deutsche. Thailand protests reveal growing generational gap on political issues DW 27.10.2020. DW.COM. en-GB. 2021-11-29. 2021-05-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20210528084215/https://www.dw.com/en/thailand-protests-reveal-growing-generational-gap-on-political-issues/a-55410906. live.
  16. Web site: How Thailand's New Protest Movement Influences Dating. www.vice.com. 12 October 2020 . en. 2021-11-29. 2020-12-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20201205000916/https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3zanm/how-thailands-protest-movement-influences-dating. live.
  17. Web site: เอียวศรีวงศ์. นิธิ. 2017-02-23. นิธิ เอียวศรีวงศ์ : หากทรัมป์ยังอยู่. มติชนสุดสัปดาห์. th.
  18. Web site: ผกา. คำ. 2016-04-21. คำ ผกา : วังเวงในเบื้องหน้า. มติชนสุดสัปดาห์. th. 2021-11-29. 2021-02-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210208001534/https://www.matichonweekly.com/uncategorized/article_396. live.
  19. Web site: มหา'ลัยทั่วประเทศ แห่ตั้งชื่อแฮชแท็กต้านรัฐบาล ปมยุบพรรคอนาคตใหม่ . . 2020-02-25 . Manager Online . 2020-03-02 . 2020-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200302113629/https://mgronline.com/onlinesection/detail/9630000018810 . live .
  20. Web site: #KUไม่ใช่ขนมหวานราดกะทิ จากประท้วงที่ม.เกษตร สู่การประท้วงของนิสิตนักศึกษากว่า 10 สถาบัน . . 2020-02-24 . The Momentum . 2020-03-02 . 2020-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200302113625/https://themomentum.co/flash-mob-kasetsart-university/ . live .
  21. Web site: แชร์สนั่น เพลงสุดฮา! 'ดูสลิ่ม' แปลงจากวงดนตรีดัง แนะวิธีพิจารณา 'สลิ่ม' ในความหมายทางการเมือง . . Matichon . 2020-02-29 . 2020-03-02 . 2020-02-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200229214126/https://www.matichon.co.th/politics/news_2016163 . live .

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