Some of our readers occasionally mistake quotation for endorsement. Appreciating the fact that hatred of the hard-left is strong, both in Thailand and in quarters of the web (as in many other places, I might add), I am once again cautiously drawing attention to communist commentary on Thai politics. Back in August I quoted Pierre Rousset, a member of the executive committee of the Fourth International. He has now returned to my attention; his new article about Thailand’s ongoing crisis is co-written with Danielle Saba├п. The full article, which doesn’t pull many of its punches, is available here.

As has become my habit I have opted to extract one of the more interesting stanzas:

Stuck in the past, incapable of self reform, the traditional elites remain powerful. Tokyo and the Western capitals have been careful not to denounce the violations of democracy and human rights committed by Bangkok. But the social immobilism of the élites nonetheless worries international business circles.

What do New Mandala readers think? Are “international business circles” genuinely worried about Thailand’s current condition and future prospects? Or, to invert this question, would they be far more worried if the more leftist Reds looked like they were developing seriously revolutionary potential?