Thaksin phae mai pen


Thaksin phae mai pen kha mai tai (Taksin: neither defeat nor death) (2009) by Nongnut Singhadecha (ISBN: 9789740204282). The book chronicles the downfall of Thaksin Shinawatra and his political successors. This is an interesting example of popular political discussion that is commonly read in Thailand. It sells for 100 Baht at bookstores. The 136 pages are illustrated with some topical B&W photographs. The author expresses views which are often expressed in Southeast Asia, but would be difficult for some to accept. For example:

… р╣Бр╕Хр╣Ир╕гр╕▒р╕Рр╕Ър╕▓р╕ер╣Гр╕Фр╕Бр╣Зр╕Хр╕▓р╕бр╕лр╕▓р╕Бр╕Ыр╕гр╕▓р╕ир╕Ир╕▓р╕Бр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕кр╕Щр╕▒р╕Ър╕кр╕Щр╕╕р╕Щр╕Ир╕▓р╕Бр╕Бр╕нр╕Зр╕Чр╕▒р╕Юр╕вр╣Ир╕нр╕бр╣Др╕бр╣Ир╕кр╕▓р╕бр╕▓р╕гр╕Цр╕вр╕╖р╕Щр╕лр╕вр╕▒р╕Фр╕нр╕вр╕╣р╣Ир╣Др╕Фр╣Й р╣Ар╕Юр╕гр╕▓р╕░р╕нр╕вр╣Ир╕▓р╕ер╕╖р╕бр╕зр╣Ир╕▓р╕Щр╕╡р╣Йр╣Ар╕Ыр╣Зр╕Щр╕Шр╕гр╕гр╕бр╕Кр╕▓р╕Хр╕┤р╕Вр╕нр╕Зр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╕Кр╕▓р╕Шр╕┤р╕Ыр╣Др╕Хр╕вр╕Вр╕нр╕Зр╕Кр╕▓р╕Хр╕┤р╣Гр╕Щр╣Ар╕нр╣Ар╕Кр╕╡р╕вр╕Хр╕░р╕зр╕▒р╕Щр╕нр╕нр╕Бр╕Йр╕╡р╕вр╕Зр╣Гр╕Хр╣Йр╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Чр╕лр╕▓р╕гр╕вр╕▒р╕Зр╕Др╕Зр╣Ар╕Ыр╣Зр╕Щр╕Ьр╕╣р╣Йр╕бр╕╡р╕Ър╕Чр╕Ър╕▓р╕Чр╕кр╕│р╕Др╕▒р╕Нр╕Чр╕▓р╕Зр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╣Ар╕бр╕╖р╕нр╕Зр╣Бр╕бр╣Йр╣Др╕бр╣Ир╕Чр╕▓р╕Зр╕Хр╕гр╕Зр╕Бр╣Зр╕Чр╕▓р╕Зр╕нр╣Йр╕нр╕б

р╣Ар╕лр╕Хр╕╕р╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Чр╕лр╕▓р╕гр╣Гр╕Щр╣Ар╕нр╣Ар╕Кр╕╡р╕вр╕Хр╕░р╕зр╕▒р╕Щр╕нр╕нр╕Бр╣Ар╕Йр╕╡р╕вр╕Зр╣Гр╕Хр╣Йр╕вр╕▒р╕Зр╕бр╕╡р╕Ър╕Чр╕Ър╕▓р╕Чр╕Чр╕▓р╕Зр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╣Ар╕бр╕╖р╕нр╕Зр╕Щр╕▒р╣Йр╕Щр╕бр╕╡р╕Ыр╕бр╣Ар╕лр╕Хр╕╕р╕кр╕│р╕Др╕▒р╕Нр╕бр╕▓р╕Ир╕▓р╕Бр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Ьр╕╣р╣Йр╕Щр╕│р╕гр╕▒р╕Рр╕Ър╕▓р╕ер╕Вр╕нр╕Зр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╣Ар╕Чр╕ир╣Ар╕лр╕ер╣Ир╕▓р╕Щр╕╡р╣Йр╕бр╕╡р╕Ыр╕▒р╕Нр╕лр╕▓р╕Др╕нр╕гр╣Мр╕гр╕▒р╕Ыр╕Кр╕▒р╣Ир╕Щр╕нр╕вр╣Ир╕▓р╕Зр╕Бр╕зр╣Йр╕▓р╕Зр╕Вр╕зр╕▓р╕З (p. 134)

…government without military support would not be able to stay in power. Don’t forget that this is the nature of democracy in Southeast Asian nations, the military will always play a significant direct or indirect role in politics.

The military in Southeast Asian nations still play an important role in politics, the main reason is because leaders of these governments generally have the problem of corruption.

[This post is provided by the National Library of Australia as part of our Book Zone feature. For further information on the featured publications contact Saowapha Viravong at [email protected]]