In the clutter of posters now on Bangkok streets, two campaigns stand out as different and distinctive: the “Don’t let animals into parliament” campaign for a no vote; and Chuvit, because of his unique pitch and because of his posters’ visual excitement.
Two preliminaries.
After a misspent youth, Chuvit Kamolvisit took a degree in business management in the US, and then applied two basic principles of modern mass marketing to retailing sex. First, he created megastores, selling various products (karaoke, massage, etc) on a large scale. Second he invested in standout advertising, featuring massive blowups of blonde women. It made him very rich. He uses the same professional approach to presenting himself in politics.
Yak or yaksa are legendary giants or monsters that appear in dance dramas and as wat guardians. In a typical dance pose they stand with knees crooked, often stamping alternate feet, glaring at the audience, perhaps with teeth bared. People think Chuvit looks like a yak. Perhaps it’s the square face. He exaggerates his yak look by baring his teeth and staring fiercely at the viewer. Yak are fierce but protective rather than threatening.
Alone among all the hopefuls on the street, Chuvit is not aiming to become part of government and is not offering policies. His unique pitch is “Please let me be in opposition.”
Chuvit heads a list of eleven candidates for the Rak prathet thai party (which he curiously semi-translates as the Rak Thailand Party). Almost nobody knows or cares who is number two on the list. In earlier elections, a party had to win 5 percent of votes cast to win seats on the party list. That cut-off has been removed. He will need about 250,000 votes to get in. Early polls suggest he might make it.
Chuvit understands first mover advantage. He was one of the first parties to have posters up on the streets in Bangkok. Indeed he had them printed before he even had his candidate number. He pasted the number 5 onto the posters later (see top left on first shot below).
Almost all his early posters are still standing. With very heavy rains in the past week, many posters have been destroyed, especially those made with the cheaper material (rubberized sheet as against polystyrene board). For instance, virtually all of Purachai’s first run have disappeared. I wondered how Chuvit’s had survived. Simple. His have two to three times the number of staples fixing the sheet to the frame. Experience.
Unlike all the other faces on the street, Chuvit leaps out of the poster and grabs us by the throat. He has more animation than all of the rest put together. Partly that is a result of production quality. The photos are well lit. The printing is full color and high resolution. He looks real, not a 2-D cutout.
But partly it’s because Chuvit is radiating emotion like a sun. He’s upset. He’s angry. He’s concerned. He grimaces. His head aches. His skin shines from the sweat oozing out of his pores. In the first (and best) of the poster series, his hand holds his aching head, and his lip lifts slightly to show a yak’s tooth. In another, he points at us while his wide, appalled eyes alert us to danger. In another he holds his head in both hands and looks as if he might throw up. Unlike all the other candidates who are lined up along the street like a parade of dolls, Chuvit cares.
He cares about corruption. He has admitted giving the police cartloads of money when he was running his sex business, so he qualifies as some kind of expert in this area.
In his first wave of posters, he took the unique pose of the anti-politician politician. One read: “Bored with politics but… have to vote. Let me be in opposition to fight corruption.” Another: “When politicians use the word ‘honest’ how can the people be happy? Let me be in the opposition.”
In the second wave, he introduced a prop, a car’s steering wheel detached from the steering column and looking like a spare from a breaker’s yard. The posters are themed on steering the car of state in the right direction. One reads: “Not left nor right but straight(forward). Drive Thailand ahead.” Another simply has Chuvit holding his steering wheel with the simple pitch: “Choose Chuvit as opposition to fight corruption.”
Another appears in three slight variants, perhaps because the first versions did not quite work. “Where are you going? Government+Interest.” “Getting lost again. Policy+Interest of political parties.” “Said already, don’t turn back. Policy+Conflict of Interest.”
In the last couple of days, a third wave has started. The steering wheel has disappeared and Chuvit is no longer frantic with worry but solid and serious (and more yak-like than ever). The copy reads: “If you love Thailand, wrong is wrong and right is right. Clear ideology. Straightforward. Choose Chuvit in every constituency nationwide.” This poster does not have his pitch about joining the opposition. Is he becoming more ambitious?
Also in the last few days, a poster has appeared with no picture of Chuvit and all the copy in English. So far I’ve seen it only along Sukumwit. It’s difficult to guess what is the point of this.
Chuvit is spending quite a bit of money on this campaign. In three areas of Bangkok I visited, he has as many posters as the major parties. I drove 200 kms out of Bangkok last week, and there were sporadic clusters of his posters along the highway.
He also has a new one in which he appears grinning and shaking hands with a bull terrier. After all the other grimaces, seeing Chuwit grinning is oddly dicncerting.
I’ve only seen it in passing, so I’m not sure what the text says.
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Absolutely love Chuvit. He’s a Bangkok institution. Met him briefly during the last election. Funny, funny man and very passionate about Thai politics and social issues.
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Thank Chris. This is the most interesting post in your series. The previous two campaign posts are not so exciting because they are mostly the same old thing that we have seen before in the past.
BTW, if Chuvit get elected again this time, it indicates that when voting for an MP personality carries more weight than policy for Thais. As far as I know, this is the only recent personality campaign which has a chance of wining. Though other candidates emphasizes that they are smart, good, honest, sincere, ect. at some degree, they do have a clear policy or proposal. Chuvit seems to have only one single vague aim — fighting corruption. I don’t know whether I can call this a policy as he hasn’t describe how he will implement it.
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Have to agree with Chris Baker, these are the most interesting campaign posters in Bangkok although I can’t support either the ideas in one or the person in the other.
The single animal posters, (animal in suit on yellow background), are outstanding although they would make me want to vote for the candidate rather than not vote. Attitudes are changing and although the water monitor’s name is till an insult, nobody bothers them in the area where I live. It will be a shame if the BMA removes the posters as is being threatened, although I would obviously prefer people to vote Democrat here than not vote.
Chuwit has made a bigger visual splash on the roads in Bangkok than any other candidate. (He does well on TV too.) Even so it should be remembered he isn’t a very nice guy. If you have been paying off the police the chances are you are crook and he certainly doesn’t seem to have many scruples if you look at the land-clearing of what is now Chuvit Park.
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I have a Thai language lesson using election campaign posters on my blog TweetYourselfThai (link above). Today’s post looks at the posters Chuwit has published on his Facebook page.
JL I have included the translations for the two posters featuring the En,glish Bull Terrier too.
Previous lessons look at slogans from PT and Dems – more to come as the campaign progress.
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It says a lot about Thai politics that the nutter who admits his past activities in prostitution and bribery is widely perceived as the most honest candidate thereby.
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Khun Chuvit has some new posters up in my neighborhood (On Nut) that I noticed just last night on the commute home. They are a simple picture of him and his pooch, a bull terrier. Spuds McKenzie worked for Budweiser back in the 1980s, so why not politicians? Much less in your face than his older posters.
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If the election is about most interesting posters, Chuwit wins handsdown!
Thanks for the pics
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Love his posters but Chuwit looks like he needs a Xanax.
A lot of people write him off because of his eccentricities but with the Dems and PT looking so similar now – populist policies, war on drugs, etc. – I wouldn’t be surprised if he does get a seat in Parliament. A number of my friends (late 20s, urbanites, fed up with politics) have said they will vote for him (although whether that will happen come election day…)
@ LesAbbey – Even so it should be remembered he isn’t a very nice guy. If you have been paying off the police the chances are you are crook…
I remember when was running for governer of BKK and punched that interviewer (whose name escapes me) for saying he wasn’t manly, but that second statement is ridiculous. Most businesses pay off the police, regardless or whether they are operating in the legal grey area or not; even my barber pays the police 4,000/month for [protection?]…
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WLH #6 we’ve had those who dabbles in the same profession as ministers in the current government. It’s nothing news worthy anymore.
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“It says a lot about Thai politics that the nutter who admits his past activities in prostitution and bribery is widely perceived as the most honest candidate thereby.”
Presumably that is because he IS amongst the most honest. Can’t say I exactly find that half-baked act particularly inspiring, however. It will be decades, if ever, before a mature election campaign is possible here. And judging by recent electoral fiascos in the USA and the UK, there is precious little even half-baked democracy in the wider ‘modern’ world anyway.
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Ricardo – D. – 9
Most businesses pay off the police, regardless or whether they are operating in the legal grey area or not; even my barber pays the police 4,000/month for [protection?]…
Ricardo I have been in business here in Thailand for many years. Always I have found that bribes are paid because of some infringement of rules or laws, or because a businessman want the police to do something for them, (like their job;-)
If you barber is paying protection money, as in if he doesn’t pay he gets hurt, then that is very bad. More likely you will find he is doing something that isn’t strictly legal and the police are taking their share.
The shame is the reform of the Thai police force hasn’t happened as promised and this I suspect shows their power in politics.
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leeyiankun #10″
“we’ve had those who dabbles in the same profession as ministers in the current government.”
True, but they don’t make it part of their pitch!
Actually, I am wrong about my first point: Purachai is perceived as the most honest candidate now.
The saint and the scoundrel, both marginalized by the power game that requires its players to act like the one while pretending to be the other.
That’s the real tragedy. Chuwit and Purachai are the only candidates that aren’t naked hypocrites.
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@LesAbbey, #12
bribes are paid because of some infringement of rules or laws, or because a businessman want the police to do something for them, (like their job;-)
While it is often the case that people bribe the police to look the other way, no one should have to pay off the police to do their job (enforce the law). That’s the worst about our culture of corruption. It’s not necessarily the threat of violence. Why should one have to bribe an offical to assert one’s legal rights, protect one’s interests and live in peace? And that’s Chuwit’s appeal: he not only acknowledges the existence of corruption, but admits to having taken part in it, unlike every other politician… it’s always someone else.
(Although you may be right about my barber. I have long suspected him of selling counterfeit haircuts.)
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Ricardo D. – 14
(Although you may be right about my barber. I have long suspected him of selling counterfeit haircuts.)
Now in some countries the barber is the place to go to obtain something or some service which isn’t really legal. Maybe ask him if he is up to no good, apart from the haircuts that is. 🙂
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My take on Chuwit is that he paid his bribes (taxes) regularly and faithfully -almost honestly – and when he had his little bit of trouble when the beerbars in Sukhumwit Soi 10 were demolished, he didn’t get the protection he paid for and that’s why he got upset.
Having said that he never came through with the names, ranks and serial numbers of those he’d paid. As he promised and still promises to do. Like so many of his former employees, he’s just a little tease.
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@ Les Abbey -15
My daughter’s school is paying police to regulate traffic at a nearby intersection in the morning and afternoon rush hours. I understand this is normal for schools in busy neighborhoods…
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Can anyone provide a videolink of Chuvit beating up a TV reporter for “inappropriate questioning” at the last election ?
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Shan – 17
My daughter’s school is paying police to regulate traffic…
Yes Shan, a couple of times I have found myself paying money to get the police to do a job that they were already paid to do. Then again I don’t have a very high opinion of the Thai police force… or ex-Thai policemen come to think of it.
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“Rachel”:
He may not have been convicted for the charges of underaged prostitutes available in his massage parlours, but it is not even a secret that anything was available there.
Don’t forget please the way how he got rid of the tenants of Sukhumvit Square back in 2003, in which he paid one of the most heinous underworld figures in Bangkok for the nightly raid.
Please ask some journalists what was offered after they finished their interviews and photos with him back then…
Passionate on social issues? Hardly.
Good in marketing? Definitely!
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And Sukhumvit Square contained – apart for the bars – a number of really nice antiques shops, including one that sold exquisite stuff from Nepal. They (and all the antiques, I assume) were completely destroyed in the raid.
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Here’s a link to a very detailed account and description of Chuvit’s brutal and heartless midnight destruction of Sukhumvit Square and the shops, homes and lives of the ordinary Thai’s living and working there, a very graphic example of the total impunity and lack of any rule of law or impartial justice that exists in Thailand:
http://bangkokeyes.com/2003feb01.html
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On Sukhumvit Square, as most would know, after the use of MIB to clear it, Chuwit had the site boarded up for a long time, vacant. Now it is Chuwit Park, open to the public in the mornings and late afternoons. One of Chuwit’s inscriptions has it being built for the glory of the Christian god. Anyone know anything about this reference?
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Perhaps he thinks that Forgiveness of Sins is a better bet than Karma? In his particular case.
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Here’s a more direct link to the brutal midnight demolition of Sukhumvit Square in January 2003:
http://goo.gl/fxUBx
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In defence of the little ones in the Thai Police Force – the poor little Thai Policeman:
a couple of times I have found myself paying money to get the police to do a job that they were already paid to do. Then again I don’t have a very high opinion of the Thai police force… or ex-Thai policemen come to think of it.
He is poorly paid
He is provided with cheap home for his family, he lives with the knowledge that as soon as he gets himself killed or incapacitated in the line of duty, his widow and children will get kicked out of that home with whatever meager belongings they had.
He is expected to pay his immediate boss (who would have to pay his immediate boss) his share of monthly corruption collection. If you did not meet your monthly target, you get reassigned to more dangerous postings or much poorer postings. This is the reason why sometimes you get stopped by traffic police for no reason – it was a tough month with skinny pickings and the poor traffic police is desperate to meet targets.
In order to get promoted or moved to richer territories (easier to meet target and perhaps more) or less dangerous postings, one need to show their appreciation of their boss in a very generous manner.
Mid level police officers are not much better off except perhaps ‘safer’. Much of what they gets goes further upwards, in some circumstances to ensure their own path, in most situation to pretend their own slide back down. AKA – they get lots of bribes, but also have to pay lots of bribes.
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Nick (c20) and Foster (c22) – thanks for providing more background on Chuwit (particularly the link to the reports of what was done in Sukhumvit Square).
Not unnaturally, reading that information revises my opinion of Chuwit as being something akin to a “lovable old rogue” – even if there are many others in the Thai Parliament with similar skeletons in their closets.
Saying so at least enables Vichai_N to now go back to the endless repetition of his other customary mantras.
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“SteveCM”:
There are many godfather/mafia style politicians in all parties. The only good that can be said about them is that, regardless their skeletons in the closet, they do in their localities and areas of influence have an important function. They do, and have to, make sure that their activities do also benefit their communities. They often also function as a go-between a threatening state and its security forces (police, etc) and the people. They help solving conflicts. Their communities need them, and they need their communities.
All this cannot be said about Chuvit. In his activities the only community was his wallet, and whoever he paid off.
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Nick Nostitz – 28
The only good that can be said about them is that, regardless their skeletons in the closet, they do in their localities and areas of influence have an important function. They do, and have to, make sure that their activities do also benefit their communities.
You are too forgiving Nick. With the big guys, the short term benefits they bring to a town or region are overshadowed by the damage done. The corruption and control of illegal activities cost far more. That the local police and civil servants also end up under their control means there is no easy way out of this pit. (No, I don’t know the answer either, but I suspect the heads of these families have got to end up in prison to solve the problem.)
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I think there is a parallel between the Thai provincial godfathers and the old style southern (USA) sheriffs during the early 20th century. These people ruled their little fiefdoms through a combination of economic and physical intimidation. It was only when the South began a period of remarkable economic growth in the late 1960’s that these fiefdoms were broken up. Hopefully the same thing will happen in Thailand and you can already see the beginnings of it in the voting patterns of the provincial urban areas.
This has always been my problem with the UDD. It just seems like the main backers and local leaders tend to be the minions of these godfathers who in fact have the most to lose if the professed goals of the UDD are ever realized.
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Les,
it is not a question of being forgiving, but of being realistic. The way out of this situation is not easy, will take time and development.
There need to be equal opportunities, there needs to be a police force that gets proper budgets from the state so it does not depend on outside financing to budget for even the most basic services to the community, and it needs quality free education for all.
John,
you cannot just throw this problem at the UDD alone – it is the whole of Thai society. The PAD has had, when it was still a power, as many if not more of those figures – who incidentally are deeply allied with the Democrat Party, both in Bangkok, down South, and in the urban parts of Isarn and the North where they have support (look at the leaders of some of the Isarn chapters of the PAD and their professions. Many of them are money lenders, underground lottery figures, etc).
The area i am living in here in Bangkok, for example, is dominated by such a godfather – his family is long time Democrat ally, and his son is now a candidate for the Democrat Party.
Do i need to mention Nevin Chidchob (once with TRT and PPP, now in coalition with the Government)? Or Suthep Thaugsuban and his clan?
The ones you mentioned that are allied with the UDD are not stupid either – they know exactly that when/if the goals aims of the UDD are realized, they will not be able to continue this way. If you speak with some of them, you may be surprised – some of them are not averse to this idea either.
Thailand is not yet a developed society, but it is on the way to turn into one. Just give it time – Rome hasn’t been built in a day.
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Nick Nostitz – 31
it is not a question of being forgiving, but of being realistic. The way out of this situation is not easy, will take time and development.
There need to be equal opportunities, there needs to be a police force that gets proper budgets from the state so it does not depend on outside financing to budget for even the most basic services to the community, and it needs quality free education for all.
Even all the above will not solve the problem, but there is something that could move Thailand down the path. That is an independent judiciary. Each time we see glimpse of it, it gives me hope. Of course each time it shows itself to be corrupt some of that hope goes. Without an independent judiciary we end of with this recent cycle over the last twenty years of political corruption peaking and the army staging a coup.
I will give just one example of what could be possible. If the judiciary had powers similar to the Italian magistrates maybe we could solve the Saudi gems scandal because the police are certainly not going to. With those sort of powers maybe ministers or even prime ministers could find themselves in court even while still in power. It was heartening to see the Italian people vote in the recent referendum to continue with these magistrate powers.
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Nick,
Amazing that it is seems to be impossible to have a discussion on the UDD without one of their apologist putting forth the PAD red herring. You really need to get over this deep seated grudge you bear against the PAD. They are history and the fact that they couldn’t drum up any support for their latest campaign shows that. Your failure to use those same standards you use to judge the PAD for the UDD, shows you are not trying very hard to be objective about the UDD.
I am more then willing to wait for the natural progression of a developing country and for the emergence of a middle class that comes from that. Do you see any of that needed patience in the UDD? There are numerous other organizations that are truly trying to help the rural and urban poor, worth noting few if any, are willing to join the UDD umbrella, mostly because they are the ones that are the real threat to the godfathers.
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“John Smith”:
I find it rather amazing that when pointing out that Thailand’s problems are to be seen in a Thai context regardless of color and affiliation, one is automatically accused of being a “UDD apologist” and not being objective.
I would also suggest to read my comment again – i believe i have pointed out that the PAD is presently more or less irrelevant, but that said godfathers are found in the Democrat Party as well. May i remind you, that until you made the comment about the UDD, the discussion centered around Chuvit, and turned towards godfather politicians in Thai politics, meaning all political parties, not the UDD, which you were the first one to mention here. This was, amazingly, not a discussion about the UDD, until you managed to steer it that way. Boring, boring, boring – not all discussion on Thailand has to be discussion on the UDD.
But now you have it. Where do i fail to judge the UDD by the same standards? Already three years ago in one of my first articles on New Mandala i have mentioned that in the UDD are mafia style godfathers.
I was maybe the first photographer who has photographed a Red Shirt with a gun, in December 2008, and have published that picture in my first book (and i published images of PAD guards arrested with guns). I have never said that the Red Shirts are an entirely peaceful movement, and neither have i called the PAD such. Members of both movements have killed people – and i have always stated so.
I base my analyses also on political messages – when i hear on PAD stages speeches that large sectors of society should not be allowed to vote, for example, i can hardly call this movement a democratic movement. When powerful members of the Democrat Party and active soldiers have supported the PAD with money, people, and whatever else, then i have to point that out.
When i hear on UDD stages speeches on democracy, freedom of choosing their representatives without military interference, etc, than i will also point that out. I have also pointed out enormous support in the police force for the Red Shirts. If you read my books, you can see that i have also criticized the Red Shirts, and naturally, when i will publish my third book on last year’s mess – you will read criticism of both sides, also of the UDD. One point i will criticize is, for example, the occupation of Rajaprasong intersection.
What you get foremost from me is factual accounts of what happened, objectively, corroborated by my varied sources in both the protest movements and in the security forces.
Can you dispute any of the facts i presented with a different account? If not, i would suggest that you keep your ad hominem attacks against me to yourself.
Your question regarding the middle class. We have seen the emergence of a middle class in Thailand a long time ago – a quite varied middle class as well – from lower to upper middle classes, from urban to rural middle classes.
You are quite mistaken if you believe that the Red Shirts are about the “rural and urban poor”. Thailand is not a developing nation – the statistics on poverty are quite clear, and Thailand has only about 8.something percent below the absolute poverty line (and this sector is also under the Red Shirts just a fringe part).
Many of the organizations that deal with poverty are doing a good job, and others are a complete waste of time. Yet their situation regarding the Red Shirts are very complex. I would suggest to read Giles Ungpakorn’s papers and articles on the NGO’s and their political affiliations, ideology, etc.
These organizations being a “threat” to the godfathers? Hardly. This is not a cheap Hollywood movie.
The UDD though is far more about political empowerment, justice and system change than a fight about “poverty” (which is only one part of their agenda), as “poverty” is not anymore a foremost problem in Thailand. The “middle class” is nowadays as strongly represented in the UDD as in their opponents.
Can we now go back now to Chuvit, godfather politicians, police corruption and whatever else, and if we have to bring in the UDD, then in context?
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Nuomi 26
Interesting analysis of the police system from which Thaksin and Chalerm have emerged……..and the model for future system of government
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Nick,
The UDD apologist tag comes from your coverage of the upcountry UDD rallies held in the months before last years April/May Bangkok rally. Your descriptions and photos showing everyone having just a great time while completely ignoring what was being said on the stage was without a doubt intentional and at no point did you ever make any attempt to describe what the UDD leaders were telling the “folks”.
I have no problem confining the discussion to Chuvit, godfather politicians, and police corruption but it is hard to do so without bringing in the UDD and the role of some of the political godfathers and their support (or tolerance) of it.
Chuvit is not a political godfather, he is a gangster, albeit a self professed reformed one. I do hope he gets enough party list votes to get himself into Parliament. Watching him and Nattuwat go at it should be highly entertaining.
Yes, I have read Giles take on the NGO’s. What I have seen is nothing more then attacks filled with the usual half truths and rhetoric typical of Giles and his ilk. Along this same vein, but discussing the political godfathers, why is it Giles and others did not go after Sanoh (along with several other political godfathers not in the coalition) and his lack of support (and in some cases outright suppression) of the UDD in Sa Kaeo?
I have personal knowledge of the UDD canvassers in Sa Kaeo back in April 2010 trying to drum up people to go to Bangkok (going rate was 1,500 baht but you had to give your ID card) and getting virtually no support and eventually being [politely] told quit wasting their time (rumor has it there was mild confrontation near the Thienthong estate outside Khao Chakan).
What I have always wanted to see was a map showing the geographical areas of influence for the godfathers superimposed over the areas of UDD activity. Would make an interesting and telling story.
If the PTP form the next government, I anxiously await your reports of how the “political empowerment, justice and system change” is going….
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John Smith’s #36 posting does have some good points about Chuvit and the NGOs, and I would be interested in more elaboration about the extent of UDD payoffs in Sa Kaeo, but I reluctantly voted it “thumbs down” because the first and last paragraphs do contain what I regard as unwarranted ad hominem attacks on Nick Nostitz’s reportings. I want to second the motion stated elsewhere on New Mandala that Nick’s photojournalism is first rate, and he does a better job than most at maintaining objectivity in a very volatile environment. Because the MSM in Thailand are such cowards, it is a demonstrated fact that without his efforts we would be even more in the dark than we are about the politics of the PAD and the UDD. And don’t forget, he came very close to getting killed in Bangkok last year for simply doing his job.
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“John Smith”:
I reported that before the violence the protesters had a good time – because they simply had. During their tours through Bangkok they had a great reception. Anything else would be biased misreporting – which we have seen more than enough of in the Bangkok Post and in the Nation (apart from a minority of journalists that try to keep their professional ethics up).
I have also mentioned in my reporting the M79 grenades, and i have published photos of those, such as in my story on Saturday Red, Sunday Yellow. Nevertheless – i will not without one bit of supporting evidence blame the UDD leadership for those attacks, as many like to do. That would be libelous, and according to my investigations, a wrong accusation.
There were many hundreds if not thousands of speeches on stages. I can’t sit for 24 hours and record every speech. The vast majority of speeches were about injustice, many of course on Thaksin, and whatever not. Virulent Red Shirt opponents concentrate on two single speeches (out of all the speeches) – one by Nattawut, which, if you look at the video, has been edited (only part of the speech was shown, and i reserve my judgement there until i see the whole speech), and one by Arisaman (and in my book there will be some criticism of him regarding particular incidents, especially the parliament invasion).
As to NGOs – you are entitled to your views. As a journalist i often had to work with NGOs – and my experiences are a mixed bunch, and i am more than careful with anything that comes from NGOs. To much wrong information, to many selfserving agendas, too many attempts to instrumentalize me. Not saying that all are like this. But far too many.
As to your experiences on Sakeo. Give me evidence other than anecdotal “personal experience” by an anonymous bloke on the internet, without corroboration, and i will consider.
I do not doubt that there are quite a few not so nice people allied with the UDD (i am not naive) – but the accusations of protesters being “paid” has often neglected that protesters themselves have donated to the funds. Starting from village rallies were Red Shirts donated small amounts in donation boxes (i have many photos of that), up to rich businessmen donating substantial funds. Face it – no protest movement can function without money.
Quite interesting here in this context is why there was very little public investigations into who financed the PAD in 2006 and 2008…
Sanoh is a godfather. He was allied with Thaksin. The first time i photographed him was at the PAD stage in 2006, and recently i photographed him in Udon during a P.T. election campaign. Who knows which color he will don tomorrow, most likely the winning color.
If you hope that a ex-brothel owner in whose brothels “allegedly” some very underaged girls were available, and who hired one of the most brutal mafia figures to organize the raid on Sukhumvit square, then i can’t help you.
Whatever happens if and when the P.T. is in government we will see. Personally, i am mostly interested in street politics. If there are no street politics – i will not bother.
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“I reluctantly voted it “thumbs down” because the first and last paragraphs do contain what I regard as unwarranted ad hominem attacks on Nick Nostitz’s reportings”
Read Nick’s reports from before the April/May Bangkok rallies, then go to Youtube and see the video clips of the speeches that were being given at those rallies. Not much objectivity at that point or at least some very selective reporting.
I do think Nick learned something reporting on the riots, though he is struggling with how to deal with it and reconcile that with the peaceful demonstration he thought it was going to be.
In the areas outside Khao Chakan, the UDD got maybe two people to climb up on the truck and give up their ID cards. Most people did not pay them much attention. This was because the Kamnan was not on the truck and was not supporting the effort. Nor were the attempts by the UDD to setup a community radio station allowed.
Not sure I ever seen Sanoh say anything about the UDD. I think his hope was that the shootings would force the Abhisit government to resign (as has happened every other time such incidents occurred) and he would be the ideal candidate for a caretaker PM. I have little doubt he knew what the radicals were up to and saw right through the strategy so he stayed out it.
My guess is he is going to get a serious Cabinet position, likely, the Interior. Of course, Thaksin may screw him again, just like he did after the 2005 election.
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c38
“Quite interesting here in this context is why there was very little public investigations into who financed the PAD in 2006 and 2008…”
And now. Can it really be just collecting-box donations from the dwindling “crowdlet” of supporters that finances the ongoing if under-populated presence at Rachadaemnon? Or finances the truly massive “Vote No” poster campaign – a prize example of which can be seen here: http://twitpic.com/5c8jc4 ?
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“John Smith”:
You stated:
“I do think Nick learned something reporting on the riots, though he is struggling with how to deal with it and reconcile that with the peaceful demonstration he thought it was going to be.”
Don’t patronize me, and don’t presume, please.
After having been in the middle of most violent incidents of the past 5 years, i knew very well what to expect. And i have been running around since the military coup warning of such an incident, and been called mad, paranoid and similar niceties by people that have difficulties to accept Thailand’s realities.
I do not “struggle to deal with it”. I do not need to “reconcile” with anything. Things turned as i feared they will turn, and that’s it. I would have preferred to have been wrong. I wasn’t.
I have never called the Red Shirts an entirely peaceful movement, if you accuse of such a stupidity, then i ask you to find supporting evidence in my articles, books or interviews, or retract this accusation.
I have shown you here enough evidence that i have photographed and written about violence committed by Red Shirts, you have shown nothing other than empty and ill-mannered accusations.
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SteveCM’s question regarding PAD’s financing is relevant. One could also ask about Chuwit’s spending. He seems to have more posters in Bangkok than anyone else and has been swinging through the country. Yes, he made lots from sudsy baths, but why is he spending it all on becoming a small part of opposition (his campaign plea). Perhaps he believes he can recoup if he is part of a coalition government, if elected. But it does seem a huge investment….
Back to PAD. Their current campaigns are significant and they are seemingly well-funded. Having visited the PAD demonstration and march yesterday, from UNESCO and heading into the city on Sukhumvit, I think that any claim that PAD is irrelevant is premature.
What seems to be happening is a realignment of PAD and the usual factionalism of political movements. The New Politics Party is irrelevant, but not PAD and its feet on the street.
When I went to the rally yesterday (by chance, having been in a long PAD-induced traffic jam and deciding to see the rally), I expected the usual old ladies and Santi Asoke acolytes. There was a much more varied crowd, with many younger people including students. In the area they rallied it was difficult to get an estimate of the crowd, but it was perhaps 3000 to 5000. Interestingly, the rally was ostensibly about Cambodia and Thai territory but the real point was the Vote No campaign. Everyone seemed to be there for this campaign.
PAD are not irrelevant because a Pheu Thai election victory will re-energize PAD as an anti-Thaksin movement. It may not be exactly the Sondhi Lim PAD of the past, but it will be important for any movement to battle the “Thaksin regime.” Kaewsan and Tul working against Yingluck is just the beginning of this forthcoming struggle. The military and the Democrat Party may have taken much of the PAD ground in the sense of being self-proclaimed protectors of the monarchy and in opposing red shirts, but PAD – or its supporters, at least – are likely to be important in any strategy to undo a Pheu Thai election victory (if it gets to that).
I suspect that Prayuth’s attacks on ASTV and Sondhi are a part of the realignment and what might be a struggle for “ownership” of PAD. I’d simply say: don’t write them off yet. The military may be critical but I imagine that there is still much cooperation and funding going on. It seems that they will be useful again.
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Ralph Kramden – 42
… I think that any claim that PAD is irrelevant is premature.
I have to agree with Ralph here. Forget the nationalism about ancient Khmer temples and border demarcation, and even forget the pro-royalist slant, the PAD needs a Thaksin government to be relevant.
If Phue Thai win and stay in for a year or so, it will be interesting to see if some of the red-wearing left are clothed in yellow again. One can almost sense some embarrassment already. Red faces rather than red shirts.
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“and even forget the pro-royalist slant, the PAD needs a Thaksin government to be relevant.”
The PAD has been crippled since last year by infighting, and many have left the PAD for good. The PAD presently does not seem to get any support from the military anymore, and much what has been said during the past months on the stages against the Democrat Party and the military will prevent them from reshaping their previous alliance.
If you compare the scenery behind the stage of the PAD’s previous incarnations, with visitors of all powerful sectors of society, and today, where there is almost nobody behind the stage, is quite telling. As to financing – Sondhi has still money left, and Santi Asoke, which is the driving force behind the Thai Patriot Network, is a very wealthy sect, and quite capable of funding the posters, etc.
Don’t forget that nowadays many Red Shirts have installed and watch ASTV, to monitor the views of their ideological opponents. 😉
Times have moved on now. If there is another pro Thaksin government, the establishment has other ways set up already to deal with the issue – the PAD partnership was anyhow born more out of necessity than through real friendship. I would suggest to visit the PAD encampment, and spend some time talking with the people there – you may occasionally hear some surprising views, off the stage.
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I was down at Sanam Luang this lunchtime, and a ‘caravan’ of yellow-shirts went past. That area (the market along Atsadang) is a hot-spot of Red-shirts, so I was interested to see the reaction. Nothing; nobody even turned their head. It’s as though the whole yellow-shirt thing has become so irrelevant, they can’t be bothered.
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[…] 11 party-list candidates and won a sensational four-seat-mandate, mostly because of his unique straight-talking, no-nonsense, in-your-face style, but also partly thanks to protest votes – especially from the youth. Right from the onset, […]
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[…] 11 party-list candidates and won a sensational four-seat-mandate, mostly because of his unique straight-talking, no-nonsense, in-your-face style, but also partly thanks to protest votes – especially from the youth. Right from the onset, […]
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