Bitter lesson for life coach, Joe's Darwinian slip, Grab tales

Sorry for putting you down

Pol Capt Benz

Outspoken life coach Seethit Aumthanom, also known as Pol Capt Benz, has apologised after criticising lockdown-hit Thais who fail to make the most of the Covid-19 “opportunity” by bettering themselves.

Critics rounded on the former cop turned life coach for belittling those who, through no fault of their own, are unable to turn to new ways of making a living to help make ends meet.

In a clip posted to his FB, Pol Capt Benz said many people have experienced financial hardship during the lockdown because they don’t know how to adapt and are too ready to ask others for help.

“Many people, rather than thinking about how to make the best of it, cling to old ways, are negative, lazy and fanciful, and consume content which brings out the worst in them. They also ask others to take responsibility rather than taking charge themselves,” he grumbled in trademark street language.

“I would rather they ask whether their lives are so bad because of the Covid-19 crisis, or because of their own lack of discipline?” He said Thais who really wanted to help themselves could find an income by turning to sell goods online, cooking food for delivery, taking in washing and ironing, or applying for work as Grab delivery drivers.

The resulting furore propelled Pol Capt Benz to the top of the Thai Twitter rankings. Critics said his comments, while intended to inspire, nonetheless disparaged those too poor or bereft of support to help themselves.

On this theme, SNOOK Kind wrote: “People have different life chances and capital behind them. Don’t go thinking people who have none are trash.”

Netizen Papin Papin chimed in: “Sometimes trying to inspire people by putting them down doesn’t work. How do you know they are not putting up a fight? Some people work much harder than you do. Talking is easy!”

Critic Byz K was blunter: “I have never liked this guy...sounds like a philosopher in a drinking circle.”

Others cited remarks by children’s author J K Rowling, who is recovering from a bout with Covid-19 and had noticed life coaches like Pol Capt Benz offering advice to people stuck at home.

JK Rowling said some coaches were “implying people are losers if they aren’t learning a new skill” while on lockdown. They were not truly motivating people, but shaming them. “People have challenges you know nothing about. Sometimes getting through something is more than enough,” she wrote.

For some, the debate raised questions about the value of motivational speakers. They asked what life coaches achieved other than living off the dreams and hopes of others. “The truth is no one reaches success by having someone else coach them, it’s just the coaches who end up wealthy,” one wrote.

Pol Capt Benz, 34, who has 2.65 million followers on Facebook, gave up his job as a deputy inspector in the police force a couple years ago after discovering he could make more money in the private sector.

The career change came after he started making police Line stickers. From there he opened an online course in how to make Line stickers, and encouraged by his success, offered courses in leadership and marketing skills, before finally quitting the force for life as an “entrepreneur”.

After enduring a social media onslaught, by mid-week Pol Capt Benz had had enough. He apologised for any hurt feelings, and taking a leaf from his own handbook as a motivational coach, said he’d take people’s comments to heart as he tried to improve himself.

Virus channels Darwin

Joe Nuvo

Rocker Joe Nuvo is threatening legal action after netizens objected to his argument that Covid-19 was advancing Charles Darwin’s natural selection theory by culling the weak and ensuring only the strong would survive.

Joe Nuvo, or Jirayut “Joe” Wattanasin, known for his outspoken comments on social media in which he often takes a strong pro-government line, defended his remarks as nothing out of the ordinary, and said they had been taken out of context by critics.

He made the comments after a long-term fan, letting off steam on his FB site, complained about her lot as a typical lockdown-affected Thai — unable to leave home, unable to work, and finding it tough to make ends meet.

“I am desperate. I can’t work, can’t sell anything; grassroots people will die en masse,” wrote Thitirat Thaksin.

 “Criteria for the state’s cash help scheme are unfair. How can they choose between eligible groups at a time when everyone is struggling? I have just a little saved but we have to eat and spend every day. If the government can’t get help to everyone, people will kill themselves to escape their plight,” she predicted.

Joe’s response was blunt. “If you are going to die, go ahead and die. You have to help yourself. Nature is selecting those who survive. The country is advancing Charles Darwin’s theory,” he said.

After netizens complained his remarks were out of line, Joe said it’s normal for posters to complain they have fallen on tough times, but some seemed to think he represents the government. 

Critics who took his remarks out of context to attack him would answer for their deeds in court. 

“Even I am not that comfortable, but I understand the situation. We eat to survive. Normally I can go out to work but now I am stuck at home with no income. My staff at the boxing camp and music label have nothing to eat as a result. I have to divide up whatever I have to provide for almost 10 staff. But we have to help each other,” he said.

Ms Thitirat said she was shocked by his response. She was a long-term fan who often commented at his FB on various issues and normally he replied in a good-natured way. 

“I know that when he talks about politics, he takes an extreme position in favour of the government, and many dramas follow. But I didn’t think it would be so abrupt, because what I said wasn’t really that bad,” adding she wasn’t criticising the regime. 

“I make a living like anyone else and am not lazy. I will stop following him on social media, but wish him the best,” she said.

GrabFood guys get a boost

GrabFood delivery guy

Netizens are praising the generosity of a woman who shouted a GrabFood delivery guy a meal to say thanks for keeping Thais fed during the lockdown.

Deliveryman Siriphat Pimkhunthong, 24, says he was impressed by the woman’s gesture. 

She asked him to order a 217 baht meal on her behalf but while he was waiting for the order made contact again to say the food was actually for him. The heartwarming gesture comes after a spate of recent incidences in which trapped-at-home Thais have been teasing delivery guys by placing fake orders.

Mr Siriphat said his customer contacted GrabFood on Tuesday, asking him to order a drink and a meal. He was waiting for the order when she sent a message saying she had already eaten and the food was actually for him and his family.

 “At first I wondered if she was having me on,” he said. He called back and she confirmed she wanted to give him the food to say thanks on behalf of the public for helping keep Thais going during the Covid-19 crisis.

Mr Siriphat, who has a young family, says he was moved by her generosity. He was also proud to help Thais get through the pandemic. Previously customers had given him hand gel and face masks, but no one had taken the trouble to shout him a meal. Netizens praised the woman’s act as generous and kind.

Meanwhile, Amarin TV reports GrabBike guys are being duped into picking up customers who declare they want sex. It comes after earlier publicised cases in which GrabFood delivery guys were asked to deliver food but when they arrived found customers who asked them to stay for a meal or give them a massage.

On April 8 a customer ordered a GrabBike to pick her up at a temple in the Phahon Yothin area and take her to Kamphaeng Petch Road in Chatuchak. 

When the rider, Nong Man, 18, turned up she failed to show. She identified herself via chat as a ladyboy, aged 21 and declared she was waiting in the toilets. She told Man via Grab’s chat app that he must be punished for arriving 10 minutes late by providing oral sex.

Man went in search of her but couldn’t find her. He wanted her to cancel the job as he would suffer a loss in “trustworthiness” as a rider under Grab’s rules if he had to cancel himself. 

A similar case at the temple was reported the same day, though in this case the driver said he did not dare go in looking for the customer. Speaking later, the young men asked customers not to tease them as everyone is struggling to survive the lockdown.