Sorry, I was completely wrong in my previous post. These pictures were published here http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/2857 in October last year. I just hadn’t seen them. But obviously they need wider publication because the truth is still elusive. And still needs to be known if any real reconciliation can happen.
Compared to many, many years ago working conditions for most workers (including the migrant workers like Burmese) in Thailand have improved tremendously.
I have my own (on the ground) experience of how free-wheeling capitalism (aka) market economy promotes fierce competition and that competition has gradually and eventually brought along better working conditions for workers without militant unions and socialist parties and disrupting labor strikes.
30 years ago I used to work for a BOI-sponsored Anglo-Indian wire-rope factory in Navanakhorn Industrial estate (at that time the biggest industrial estate in Thailand) on the outskirts of Bangkok.
Our factory was the dirtiest one and paying the lowest wage in the estate, but at the beginning we had no problems attracting unskilled workers (non-English speaking) especially from Esarn (Dirt-poor NE part of Thailand).
But the wages and working conditions from other factories (especially the Japanese ones) in the same estate were so good, once they had the grasp of workable English they just moved to those better and cleaner factories.
The Jap factory managers even joked that our factory was a training camp for their workers since most of their workers were from our factory.
So we had to keep on raising the wages and provide other perks like free rice and coca-cola for lunch and rent-subsidies to attract even the most unskilled workers from Esarn villages.
I still remember the initial monthly wage of about 2000-3000 bahts in mid 1980s was to be jacked up to almost 5000-6000 bahts by the end of 1980s.
And we had had no union and no labor strike at all. If a worker don’t like his or her wage and working conditions he or she would just move to another factory as the demand for skilled-labor and the factories’ competition to get them was unbelievably fierce.
I hope and wish Burma will follow the Thai’s way of letting the markets take care of the welfare of their workers!
Cambodia and the world needs more brave spirits like Chut Wutty…may his energy and actions not go to waste…even in death he is an inspiration to others…where one Chut Wutty falls may a thousand and more brave spirits rise to continue the work that engaged his life…Peace
Thanks for the recent comments. Regarding the term “wildcat”, I understand it to mean a strike decided on and carried out by workers at the point-of-production irrespective of the existence of a union bureaucracy. Others, like Dennis Arnold, have also referred to migrant strikes in Mae Sot as “wildcats”.
Regarding “satisfaction” with the wage, I didn’t say the workers should be satisfied with this wage or that they’ll remain satisfied, but for the moment those I spoke to said “сА▒сААсА║сАФсАХсА╣сАРсАЪсА╣” and I see no other way of translating it. There is, of course, the argument that worker dissatisfaction and workplace conflict will repeatedly emerge under capitalist relations of production irrespective of wage levels due to the degradation of work and the internal division of labour between order givers (bosses) and order takers (workers), in which case wage increases are ultimately not the solution.
Part of the reason I think it’s important to document these actions is because their content (rank-and-file control, workplace solidarity, self-organisation) presents a compelling alternative to the sluggish trade union bureaucracies that have been on the decline globally for the past 30 years.
You seem to be pretty familiar with Thailand. Union organization in Thailand is probably less than 5% of the workforce with stronger unions being in the public sector. Thailand’s State Enterprise Workers Relations Confederation (SERC) has been very supportive of migrant worker issues.
Unfortunately, there generally tends to be a great amount of distrust between Thai and Burmese workers and it is difficult to get the two groups to work together in job actions and/or workplace solidarity. While Burmese workers can be union members, Thai labour law prohibits foreign workers from serving as union officers. Another barrier.
If there is truly reform happening in Burma, then Thein Sein should demand equal treatment of Burmese migrant workers. Since Thailand imports nearly all of its natural gas from Burma, there is a lot of economic leverage. However, I already saw a news article that Thailand is developing contingency plans to use migrant labour from Vietnam and Bangladesh in anticipation that the Burmese will be returning home. It seems that there is always a source of a disposable workforce.
As for the union movement globally, it seems like it is almost in its death throes. Workers can no longer afford to play by the rules and expect to win. Class solidarity is the only choice and hopefully non-violent civil disobedience can be an effective tool.
The continued exploitation of migrant workers in Thailand is a substantial drag on Thai workers’ ability to improve their standard of living. One would think that they could connect the dots and stand together.
Shwe Phou Phou,
I bow to your greater knowledge in Asia. However, Trades unions are being fought all over the so called free world. During recessions they are the first to be savagely attacked. Unfortunately the Thai govt likes to talk big but always fails to deliver for the workers. YL’s govt being a totally capitalist party with a smattering of red shirts will fail the workers again. I know some of the organised trades unions here are full of corruption by their leaders. In Britain there are trades councils in each town representing the workers. Do such organisations happen here?
Solidarity is the only answer to attacks on workers rights.
Suspect many governments would be quietly envious of these type of laws and how they can be applied. As the march to a Fascist Utopia in the West progresses unabated, perhaps similar laws against Bankers will suddenly appear on the books. 15 years in jail would soon sort out the Anti-Wall St Fraud protestors, save on mace to boot.
He’d have to do something rather extreme to get a Nobel Peace Prize.
Consider – 101 people have been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.
How many times has it ever been given to anyone who opposed the United States politically? Once? Maybe twice? And Thein Sein isn’t exactly an enemy of the United States, but he’s no friend, either. Burma will have to become yet another western puppet state before they award the Nobel Peace Prize to any Burmese person who isn’t named Aung San Suu Kyi.
No argument that Burmese migrant workers are treated like scum as are the migrant workers from Laos and Cambodia. However, I have seen situations like the one at Mae Sot garment factory play out over and over again. The final chapter will be the sacking of the strike leaders and their supporters and the imposition of the same wages and working conditions that existed before.
There has to be a concerted effort by all workers in the garment sector (or any other enterprise for that matter) to make such actions truly formidable and ones which the Thai government can no longer ignore.
Who is pinning false hopes on this? Seems to be a lot of balanced comment here.
I for one don’t think much will happen but getting lese majeste on the record in the UK government is notable. It further diminishes the law’s credibility and undermines those who defend it. Because of this law Thailand’s international reputation is slowly being undermined. No longer can wealthy, privileged Thais swan around the world pretending to be “liberal”. And let’s face it, it is not only the law that is an issue but the failure to conduct proper evidence-based, fair trials; to have a punishment that actually fits the crime; the appalling treatment of prisoners once convicted.
The questions also put the UK’s Bangkok Embassy on the spot as they might be failing to inform their own government as to what is going on.
And you’re right to raise the issue of British nationals in Thailand. I wrote a long story about the matter for the Independent on Sunday several years ago. http://ind.pn/34evD7.
Now we are in for 2 important anniversaries to be kept as low profile as possible – 20 years bloody May and 2 years Ratchaprasong – there is no change in their mindset.
I don’t see any point in pinning false hopes on an earth shattering reaction from the British government on a matter that, while tragic, is solely to do with Thailand’s internal affairs.
Why should the British government be expected to make a fuss about the treatment of a Thai in the Thai justice system and prisons when it couldn’t care less about its own nationals caught up in the Thai “justice” system? Even when prisoners are repatriated to the UK under treaty the British government does its utmost to treat them as inhumanely as possible, compared to other Western nations that recognize that draconian Thai sentences are a multiple of tariffs for the same offences in their own countries and release their repatriated prisoners as quickly as possible.
Even British tourists and expat workers are routinely allowed by the Embassy to die for lack of medical care or callously left shackled naked and starving to the bars in Thai police cells. British Embassies have become nothing but trade and tourism missions and I would be surprised if more than a couple of lines about Ah Kong’s case have been sent to the Southeast Asian desk in London.
I do mean the capitalists and the co-opted governments are one layer across the globe including the countries in this part of the world. And the workers, same.
If Foxconn decides to move the Brazil shops to Vietnam there is no stopping.
Of course the “royalist” red shirts will win the day. The movement is extremely broad with only a tiny proportion of intellectuals, former communists and farangs wearing sandals with socks on the extreme left wing who want to get rid of Section 112 and even the monarchy itself. In the middle is the vast majority of the membership who just want a better economic deal in life. They are easily bought off with unsustainable hand outs that actually worsen their lot in the long run and don’t really have strong feelings fore or against LM laws. The extreme right wing of the movement which also happens to be its head comprises people who have absolutely no real interest in any kind of social, economic or legal reform. They are interested exclusively in money and power and the best way for them to achieve their ends is to keep ordinary Thais poor, uneducated and in terror of a draconian, corrupt legal system that can be used as a tool by those in power. The influence of the monarchy is something they would like to co-opt and manipulate, rather than diminish.
Shwe Phou Phou, Firstly I agree with your definition of a “wild cat strike” As for the minimum wage rates they are useless whilst the government refuses to enforce the law. Unfortunately this Government and all previous governments treat all workers from SE Asia like scum allowing employers to get away with bad pay and terrible conditions. Yes this govt asked the foreign workers to return here after the floods of last year but to return to the same reppressive employers? Just a trip to Immigration offices and there are literally dozens of Burmese waiting for work permits.
The strike at SD fashion was a sign of the confidence of Burmese workers to fight back. Not winning everything they wanted still gives them a very strong feeling that solidarity in action works. They will have further opportunities to better their wages and conditions. From experience I can tell you that in the UK there is a special team that looks at employers who do not pay the minimum wage and several prosecutions have successfully been made against recalciitrant employers.
Ohn, I agree with most of what you say but you missed out the Asian capitalist countries, India, China et all, who treat employees as near slaves. A capitalist in Europe is like a capitalist in the rest of the world. Anything for a quick profit and stuff the consequences of damage caused to the environment.
As far as Malaysia goes maybe a better word is neo-fuedalistic. But this is the paradigm people in Malaysia work under which patterns and directs thinking, even policy. Micro-entrepreneurs expect a handout before they venture into business – this haas become part of the culture for bumiputra entrepreneurs, at least in the rural North of Malaysia.
From my perspective 2015 is a myth. Thailand is yet to determine how it is going to govern itself. malaysia is totally wrapped up in its own domestic politics, Vietnam still bureaucratic, Burma still working on internal reforms, etc. The freedom of labour after 2015 is still a boogyman for countries such as Thailand. This is preventing border crossings using only ICs etc. ASEAN still has so far to go and is so neglected by governments in the region as a body that can achive things.
As far as internal policies, malaysia at this moment is tending to make up policy on the run. Its amazing what they dont have a policy for. There is yet still no bio-diesel policy in the nation, etc. Malaysia’s 5 year plans have become more an academic and document of dogma rather than a working document. Now that PEMANDU is taking over the writing of plans and feasibility studies most documetns tend to be the rectric of MBA wizz kids. This is ironic as malaysia once had one of the best public services and planning mechanisms in the region. Malaysia’s central planning is better than Vietnam’s.
In Thailand the public service with or without elected govt seems to be making up policy and there is one in place. They arent doing too bad on the ground. Their approach is very different than malaysia, more bottom up (initiatives at tambun level) than top-down (all from Putra jaya) as it is in Malaysia.
As far as reading about these policies, most are online, i.e, 10th malaysian plan etc. Proper review articles few because nobody in Malaysia likes to criticise. At any local conference most speakers in agriculture and biotchnology are actually from govt agencies speaking about policy and objectives. In Thailand a lot is in Thai, so diificult for non-Thai readers.
These are just some random thoughts and personal opinions (rightly or wrongly) on your comment above.
Nick #7 “It is actually nowadays the other way around – you will have a hard time to still find royalists especially under grassroots Red Shirts. There is a whole catalog of coded names for members of the royal family, which on grass roots level stages and in community radio stations are used with increasing openness
Vichai N #8 I was under the impression that the ‘hatred’ propaganda by UDD leaders include encouraging anti-monarchy sentiments from its followers. Wasn’t that what UDD hatred leaders Arisman/Nattawut were at when they encouraged their followers to tote one-petrol-bottle each during their Bangkok march, AND, include Sririraj Hotel (where HMK was recuperating) as a target?
There is a connection between these two statements. The UDD propaganda machine is someday going to reap what they have sown and it is not going to be pretty. Do you think there is a reason so much of the UDD publications have in the past been dedicated to the bloody end of various monarchies?
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Who killed Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi?
Sorry, I was completely wrong in my previous post. These pictures were published here http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/2857 in October last year. I just hadn’t seen them. But obviously they need wider publication because the truth is still elusive. And still needs to be known if any real reconciliation can happen.
Anatomy of a Burmese migrant strike
Compared to many, many years ago working conditions for most workers (including the migrant workers like Burmese) in Thailand have improved tremendously.
I have my own (on the ground) experience of how free-wheeling capitalism (aka) market economy promotes fierce competition and that competition has gradually and eventually brought along better working conditions for workers without militant unions and socialist parties and disrupting labor strikes.
30 years ago I used to work for a BOI-sponsored Anglo-Indian wire-rope factory in Navanakhorn Industrial estate (at that time the biggest industrial estate in Thailand) on the outskirts of Bangkok.
Our factory was the dirtiest one and paying the lowest wage in the estate, but at the beginning we had no problems attracting unskilled workers (non-English speaking) especially from Esarn (Dirt-poor NE part of Thailand).
But the wages and working conditions from other factories (especially the Japanese ones) in the same estate were so good, once they had the grasp of workable English they just moved to those better and cleaner factories.
The Jap factory managers even joked that our factory was a training camp for their workers since most of their workers were from our factory.
So we had to keep on raising the wages and provide other perks like free rice and coca-cola for lunch and rent-subsidies to attract even the most unskilled workers from Esarn villages.
I still remember the initial monthly wage of about 2000-3000 bahts in mid 1980s was to be jacked up to almost 5000-6000 bahts by the end of 1980s.
And we had had no union and no labor strike at all. If a worker don’t like his or her wage and working conditions he or she would just move to another factory as the demand for skilled-labor and the factories’ competition to get them was unbelievably fierce.
I hope and wish Burma will follow the Thai’s way of letting the markets take care of the welfare of their workers!
Chut Wutty: Tragic casualty of Cambodia’s dirty war to save forests
Cambodia and the world needs more brave spirits like Chut Wutty…may his energy and actions not go to waste…even in death he is an inspiration to others…where one Chut Wutty falls may a thousand and more brave spirits rise to continue the work that engaged his life…Peace
Anatomy of a Burmese migrant strike
Thanks for the recent comments. Regarding the term “wildcat”, I understand it to mean a strike decided on and carried out by workers at the point-of-production irrespective of the existence of a union bureaucracy. Others, like Dennis Arnold, have also referred to migrant strikes in Mae Sot as “wildcats”.
Regarding “satisfaction” with the wage, I didn’t say the workers should be satisfied with this wage or that they’ll remain satisfied, but for the moment those I spoke to said “сА▒сААсА║сАФсАХсА╣сАРсАЪсА╣” and I see no other way of translating it. There is, of course, the argument that worker dissatisfaction and workplace conflict will repeatedly emerge under capitalist relations of production irrespective of wage levels due to the degradation of work and the internal division of labour between order givers (bosses) and order takers (workers), in which case wage increases are ultimately not the solution.
Part of the reason I think it’s important to document these actions is because their content (rank-and-file control, workplace solidarity, self-organisation) presents a compelling alternative to the sluggish trade union bureaucracies that have been on the decline globally for the past 30 years.
Who killed Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi?
There are several very clear photos here of the man who it seems stole Fabio’s camera as he lay dead or dying.
http://www.fabiopolenghi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76:who-is-this-man&catid=2:news&Itemid=2
I haven’t seen these photos before or seen them on this site. It would be nice to think that they could lead to some justice for him.
Anatomy of a Burmese migrant strike
Roy,
You seem to be pretty familiar with Thailand. Union organization in Thailand is probably less than 5% of the workforce with stronger unions being in the public sector. Thailand’s State Enterprise Workers Relations Confederation (SERC) has been very supportive of migrant worker issues.
Unfortunately, there generally tends to be a great amount of distrust between Thai and Burmese workers and it is difficult to get the two groups to work together in job actions and/or workplace solidarity. While Burmese workers can be union members, Thai labour law prohibits foreign workers from serving as union officers. Another barrier.
If there is truly reform happening in Burma, then Thein Sein should demand equal treatment of Burmese migrant workers. Since Thailand imports nearly all of its natural gas from Burma, there is a lot of economic leverage. However, I already saw a news article that Thailand is developing contingency plans to use migrant labour from Vietnam and Bangladesh in anticipation that the Burmese will be returning home. It seems that there is always a source of a disposable workforce.
As for the union movement globally, it seems like it is almost in its death throes. Workers can no longer afford to play by the rules and expect to win. Class solidarity is the only choice and hopefully non-violent civil disobedience can be an effective tool.
The continued exploitation of migrant workers in Thailand is a substantial drag on Thai workers’ ability to improve their standard of living. One would think that they could connect the dots and stand together.
Lese majeste makes it to UK parliament
Cassandra: Are there any geniuses on display in that documentary?
Anatomy of a Burmese migrant strike
Shwe Phou Phou,
I bow to your greater knowledge in Asia. However, Trades unions are being fought all over the so called free world. During recessions they are the first to be savagely attacked. Unfortunately the Thai govt likes to talk big but always fails to deliver for the workers. YL’s govt being a totally capitalist party with a smattering of red shirts will fail the workers again. I know some of the organised trades unions here are full of corruption by their leaders. In Britain there are trades councils in each town representing the workers. Do such organisations happen here?
Solidarity is the only answer to attacks on workers rights.
Lese majeste makes it to UK parliament
Suspect many governments would be quietly envious of these type of laws and how they can be applied. As the march to a Fascist Utopia in the West progresses unabated, perhaps similar laws against Bankers will suddenly appear on the books. 15 years in jail would soon sort out the Anti-Wall St Fraud protestors, save on mace to boot.
A Nobel Peace Prize for Thein Sein?
He’d have to do something rather extreme to get a Nobel Peace Prize.
Consider – 101 people have been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.
How many times has it ever been given to anyone who opposed the United States politically? Once? Maybe twice? And Thein Sein isn’t exactly an enemy of the United States, but he’s no friend, either. Burma will have to become yet another western puppet state before they award the Nobel Peace Prize to any Burmese person who isn’t named Aung San Suu Kyi.
Anatomy of a Burmese migrant strike
Roy,
No argument that Burmese migrant workers are treated like scum as are the migrant workers from Laos and Cambodia. However, I have seen situations like the one at Mae Sot garment factory play out over and over again. The final chapter will be the sacking of the strike leaders and their supporters and the imposition of the same wages and working conditions that existed before.
There has to be a concerted effort by all workers in the garment sector (or any other enterprise for that matter) to make such actions truly formidable and ones which the Thai government can no longer ignore.
Analysing Thailand’s détente
Pete S (Comment 4); thanks for the referral. That’s a very important, and at a quick read, objective commentary.
Lese majeste makes it to UK parliament
Lots of interesting comment here.
Marteau
Who is pinning false hopes on this? Seems to be a lot of balanced comment here.
I for one don’t think much will happen but getting lese majeste on the record in the UK government is notable. It further diminishes the law’s credibility and undermines those who defend it. Because of this law Thailand’s international reputation is slowly being undermined. No longer can wealthy, privileged Thais swan around the world pretending to be “liberal”. And let’s face it, it is not only the law that is an issue but the failure to conduct proper evidence-based, fair trials; to have a punishment that actually fits the crime; the appalling treatment of prisoners once convicted.
The questions also put the UK’s Bangkok Embassy on the spot as they might be failing to inform their own government as to what is going on.
And you’re right to raise the issue of British nationals in Thailand. I wrote a long story about the matter for the Independent on Sunday several years ago. http://ind.pn/34evD7.
Lese majeste makes it to UK parliament
# 13 : This interesting article was recently published about the Royal Thai Army and its secret plans.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/NE11Ae03.html
Now we are in for 2 important anniversaries to be kept as low profile as possible – 20 years bloody May and 2 years Ratchaprasong – there is no change in their mindset.
Lese majeste makes it to UK parliament
I don’t see any point in pinning false hopes on an earth shattering reaction from the British government on a matter that, while tragic, is solely to do with Thailand’s internal affairs.
Why should the British government be expected to make a fuss about the treatment of a Thai in the Thai justice system and prisons when it couldn’t care less about its own nationals caught up in the Thai “justice” system? Even when prisoners are repatriated to the UK under treaty the British government does its utmost to treat them as inhumanely as possible, compared to other Western nations that recognize that draconian Thai sentences are a multiple of tariffs for the same offences in their own countries and release their repatriated prisoners as quickly as possible.
Even British tourists and expat workers are routinely allowed by the Embassy to die for lack of medical care or callously left shackled naked and starving to the bars in Thai police cells. British Embassies have become nothing but trade and tourism missions and I would be surprised if more than a couple of lines about Ah Kong’s case have been sent to the Southeast Asian desk in London.
Anatomy of a Burmese migrant strike
Thanks Ron.
I do mean the capitalists and the co-opted governments are one layer across the globe including the countries in this part of the world. And the workers, same.
If Foxconn decides to move the Brazil shops to Vietnam there is no stopping.
We will see more and more of Detroit from now.
Analysing Thailand’s détente
Of course the “royalist” red shirts will win the day. The movement is extremely broad with only a tiny proportion of intellectuals, former communists and farangs wearing sandals with socks on the extreme left wing who want to get rid of Section 112 and even the monarchy itself. In the middle is the vast majority of the membership who just want a better economic deal in life. They are easily bought off with unsustainable hand outs that actually worsen their lot in the long run and don’t really have strong feelings fore or against LM laws. The extreme right wing of the movement which also happens to be its head comprises people who have absolutely no real interest in any kind of social, economic or legal reform. They are interested exclusively in money and power and the best way for them to achieve their ends is to keep ordinary Thais poor, uneducated and in terror of a draconian, corrupt legal system that can be used as a tool by those in power. The influence of the monarchy is something they would like to co-opt and manipulate, rather than diminish.
Anatomy of a Burmese migrant strike
Shwe Phou Phou, Firstly I agree with your definition of a “wild cat strike” As for the minimum wage rates they are useless whilst the government refuses to enforce the law. Unfortunately this Government and all previous governments treat all workers from SE Asia like scum allowing employers to get away with bad pay and terrible conditions. Yes this govt asked the foreign workers to return here after the floods of last year but to return to the same reppressive employers? Just a trip to Immigration offices and there are literally dozens of Burmese waiting for work permits.
The strike at SD fashion was a sign of the confidence of Burmese workers to fight back. Not winning everything they wanted still gives them a very strong feeling that solidarity in action works. They will have further opportunities to better their wages and conditions. From experience I can tell you that in the UK there is a special team that looks at employers who do not pay the minimum wage and several prosecutions have successfully been made against recalciitrant employers.
Ohn, I agree with most of what you say but you missed out the Asian capitalist countries, India, China et all, who treat employees as near slaves. A capitalist in Europe is like a capitalist in the rest of the world. Anything for a quick profit and stuff the consequences of damage caused to the environment.
Agriculture in Malaysia’s economic and social transformation
JR,
As far as Malaysia goes maybe a better word is neo-fuedalistic. But this is the paradigm people in Malaysia work under which patterns and directs thinking, even policy. Micro-entrepreneurs expect a handout before they venture into business – this haas become part of the culture for bumiputra entrepreneurs, at least in the rural North of Malaysia.
From my perspective 2015 is a myth. Thailand is yet to determine how it is going to govern itself. malaysia is totally wrapped up in its own domestic politics, Vietnam still bureaucratic, Burma still working on internal reforms, etc. The freedom of labour after 2015 is still a boogyman for countries such as Thailand. This is preventing border crossings using only ICs etc. ASEAN still has so far to go and is so neglected by governments in the region as a body that can achive things.
As far as internal policies, malaysia at this moment is tending to make up policy on the run. Its amazing what they dont have a policy for. There is yet still no bio-diesel policy in the nation, etc. Malaysia’s 5 year plans have become more an academic and document of dogma rather than a working document. Now that PEMANDU is taking over the writing of plans and feasibility studies most documetns tend to be the rectric of MBA wizz kids. This is ironic as malaysia once had one of the best public services and planning mechanisms in the region. Malaysia’s central planning is better than Vietnam’s.
In Thailand the public service with or without elected govt seems to be making up policy and there is one in place. They arent doing too bad on the ground. Their approach is very different than malaysia, more bottom up (initiatives at tambun level) than top-down (all from Putra jaya) as it is in Malaysia.
As far as reading about these policies, most are online, i.e, 10th malaysian plan etc. Proper review articles few because nobody in Malaysia likes to criticise. At any local conference most speakers in agriculture and biotchnology are actually from govt agencies speaking about policy and objectives. In Thailand a lot is in Thai, so diificult for non-Thai readers.
These are just some random thoughts and personal opinions (rightly or wrongly) on your comment above.
Analysing Thailand’s détente
Nick #7
“It is actually nowadays the other way around – you will have a hard time to still find royalists especially under grassroots Red Shirts. There is a whole catalog of coded names for members of the royal family, which on grass roots level stages and in community radio stations are used with increasing openness
Vichai N #8
I was under the impression that the ‘hatred’ propaganda by UDD leaders include encouraging anti-monarchy sentiments from its followers. Wasn’t that what UDD hatred leaders Arisman/Nattawut were at when they encouraged their followers to tote one-petrol-bottle each during their Bangkok march, AND, include Sririraj Hotel (where HMK was recuperating) as a target?
There is a connection between these two statements. The UDD propaganda machine is someday going to reap what they have sown and it is not going to be pretty. Do you think there is a reason so much of the UDD publications have in the past been dedicated to the bloody end of various monarchies?