Opinion | Misogyny runs rampant in Thai politics

The political crisis in Thailand has overshadowed an even more serious and dangerous war: the war on women. As the world keeps watch on the country's unfolding political calamity, UN Women, the United Nations agency responsible for women's empowerment, issued a statement condemning misogynist attacks in Thai politics.

Thailand's first female and youngest prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, is no stranger to the everyday political attacks that plague her country. Perhaps she has also become used to the abuse from her opponents, who seem to have serious misgivings about women.

Being disliked for being a woman is not acceptable in modern-day Thailand, or in any democracy.

The no-holds-barred misogynist attacks are truly foul - calling Yingluck a "stupid bitch" and a "slut", and making crude references to sanitary pads and vaginal repair surgery.

Many have written about the blatant sexist abuse, but it's not enough. In fact, these disgusting displays of ignorance and hate have been played down in the news. It is unfortunate, for example, that the Bangkok Post changed the "stupid bitch" hate speech by a former prime minister to "stupid woman". Maybe the otherwise respected newspaper thought it too embarrassing to quote a former leader using that sort of language and displaying that sort of ignorance. But, inadvertently, it has now made "bitch" synonymous with "woman", and, by extension, bigotry acceptable as political dissent.

The state of Thailand's democracy has been examined extensively given that, curiously, the anti-government movement is all about suspending democracy in the name of democracy. Digging that mine of ironies is certainly exhausting.