Albert Camus’ La Peste (1947), The Plague in English translation, is one of the most prominent modern literatures as it manifests human conditions—be it happiness, suffering, solidarity, or absurdity of life—and profoundly invites us to a realm of existentialism. It is, undoubtedly, the novel that paved his way to the Nobel Prize of Literature in 1957.
Not sure whether it is appropriate to use the phrase, “thanks to”; however, this canon has regained its popularity due to the global spreading of COVID-19. Also, it is inevitable not to bring what seems to identify with the current situation of humankind to everyone’s mind; thus, there is no such a perfect time better for people to re-examine or start their new journey through this novel, and to reflect to our lives.
Despite its favourable reputation for the international readers, it can be argued that, in Thailand, a number of people who have read this novel are still limited, specifically in the literary and philosophical sphere and those who are bibliophiles. (And if you haven’t read it, I extremely suggest you read it.)
Although the novel has been noticed as its story is about the plague, it would be disregarded not to read in other contexts which is Camus’ intention on writing this novel. This article aims to explore Le Peste in literary and socio-political contexts using an analogy between Oran’s plague and Thailand’s—which seems to be worse than the first one.
From Oran to Thailand
To contextualise the plagues, as far as I am concerned, it is important to examine the characteristics of the place and its people of both Oran and Thailand.
Camus considerably gives details of how the Oran and its population are. He introduces, “…Oran is an ordinary town” and “A convenient way of getting to know a town is to find out how people work there, how they love and how they die.” If you read the novel, it seems like they just live their lives. They only care about themselves. They have been indifferent to each other until the plague comes.
Interestingly, how do Thai people live, love, work, and die? Are we “enjoy simple pleasures” and do we have a quotidian routine lifestyle as they do?
We might.
“Thai people are so easy-going, friendly, and laid back,” that is what most of us always describe ourselves, or at least that’s what we heard of.
In winter, we celebrate the cold weather while complaining about the wildfire, PM2.5, and the death count for the New Year season.
In summer, we sweat as the temperature hits the new high while enjoying our Songkran Festival.
When it rains, we face a massive flood. We blame the government for their pathetic project to help prevent the flood. We satirically post a picture of Bangkok slogan, “Bangkok…City of Life.”
We condemn those wrecked, old-fashioned, almost-40-year-old busses. We criticise the BTS fee as it is actively rising.
And one thing, I think it is the most outstanding trait, that we cannot deny is that we have always got a coup d’état routine. If Taylor Swift sings, “We never go out of style”, then Thailand would “never go out of coup.”
I do not know how we could tolerate such things for years…like we never learn anything from the past.
The Allegorical and Actual Plagues
I could not agree more on the prologue of the novel given by Daniel Defoe,
It is as reasonable to represent one kind of imprisonment by another, as it is to represent anything that really exists by that which exists not.
— The Plague translated by Robin Buss
As many people have agreed on this allegory, the plague in Camus’ novel is a symbol of Nazi occupation in France and Algeria, Oran specifically, during the Second World War, which could be said that this plague emerged from the external power.
However, for Thailand, it is obvious that this political plague is rather emerged by the internal power itself. To juxtapose this recent plague, it has derived from the coming of the coup d’état executed by the military junta Prayuth Chan-o-cha and his powers in 2014. Since then, it is as if Thailand has been dragged back to the old age in which there were authoritarian eras. Additionally, even Prayuth was nicknamed as ‘Little Sarit’, another notorious military junta.
Moreover, unfortunately, since early 2020, Thailand has faced another plague—this time is an actual plague—of Coronavirus or COVID-19. How lucky we Thai people are that we have got two plagues at the same time!
Living with the Plagues
For Oran population, in the last chapter of the novel, the situation of the pandemic is alleviated, not to mention that, “…perhaps the day will come when, for the instruction or misfortune of mankind, the plague will rouse its rats and send them to die in some well-contented city.” (The last sentence of the novel) Hopefully, they have learnt some valuable lesson and there’d be no more plague.
Back in Thailand, if you think Thai people get used to this political plague and know how to prevent it, you are wrong. We somehow seem to have Alzheimer’s. There wouldn’t have been so many coups like this. (FYI: Prayuth’s coup d’état is the 13th successful coup happened in this country!)
Even if in 2019 he managed to be Thailand’s Prime Minister by his own legitimate-so-called constitution, as he and his alliances have always claimed, many people can feel that the effects of the latest coup d’état still last—for one cannot tell when our time of crisis is going to end—and even lead to the consensus of thousands of people to reform the country.
Moreover, after the number of infected patients has been low for months, Thai people have to struggle for COVID-19 as there is a new wave of COVID-19 in Samut Sakhon.
For those who think we can endure or can live with other upcoming/unforeseeable catastrophe, I think you are way too absurdly optimistic.
We have been in the plagues for years—politically and virally. And I think it is time for us to re-examine everything has ever happened in this country and to come up with lessons, for we wouldn’t have to struggle for any plague, or at least we could effectively deal with it if it comes.
We Will Not Surrender
It might be wrong to overstate that Thailand is hopeless. Since 2020, the number of people who have acknowledged the political plague and its effects is increasing incrementally. There were lots of demonstrations, calls for the country’s reformation, etc. to resolve almost every long-accumulated problems. There are more and more Rieux and Tarrou!
There is still a light in the darkness.
Honestly, I don’t know how the plagues are going to end, especially the political one. But I know for sure that they will…because we will not surrender.
