Such concerns as TMMT’s can be credited as legitimate if wrongheaded like the wife of the minister for elephants. I doubt it if he was trying to cover the carcass of the elephant with a goat’s hide (hsin thay go hsake yay nè hpone).
I can only refer back to the big picture superbly painted by Ohn Khin (is that you?) you kindly provided.
RM33 million an hour! RM800million a day. Malaysia Chronicle: “For the first decade… Malaysia has lost a staggering RM1.08 trillion (US$338 billion = RM800million a day) in illicit outflows which is the fourth highest in the developing world…The Global Financial Integrity (GFI) reported in January that RM930 billion flowed out of Malaysia from 2000 to 2008. An economist at Morgan Stanley in Singapore as saying that the Malaysia might have lost as much as US$100 billion since the early 1980s to corruption (RM300 billion = 300,000 million).
Alan Newman, NZ.
Prof Suchada Kirananda, President of Chula University Council: So, in your new post, why the deafening silence? I stand to be corrected, but as far aas I am aware this is the biggest and most disturbing academic fraud scandal ever to hit Chula, and you have nothing to say?
Because the university failed to take the complaint seriously from the start, the case now threatens not just Chula’s own coveted global rankings, but also the reputation of Thailand’s educational system. Does the Little Tyrant of NIA hold such an evil grip of influence over you that you cower in his presence?
So, Prof Suchada, for the sake of Thailand, and out of respect and love for the learned H.M. King Rama V who founded this noble university – revoke this fraudulent degree now, or tell us why not.
Ordinary Malaysians who wanted to peacefully express their legitimate rights walked into an BN/UMNO trap.
I’m not too concerned about how Pakatan Rakyat will do in the next general elections.
I am concerned that this is a government without any principles or morals – that would cheat and trap its own citizens, that would maliciously deceive its own citizens, that would beat and humiliate them – just to remain in power.
That for all its talks about reforms, about respecting the rights of all Malaysians, of making Malaysia a world class democracy, UMNO at the end of the day is no better than a petty thief.
I am confident that Malaysians will know what to do. Its just a matter of time.
Suu Kyi probably thought long and hard about the strategy and consequences of this action.
Sometimes, the structure is rotten enough from the inside that it just takes a strong shove on a seemingly unrelated matter for the big changes to start happening… it was the case in Eastern Europe when communism fell.
Perhaps it won’t work this time, but perhaps it was still good to try and test the boundaries.
Unfortunately I also came to that conclusion but about the state of people’s current yearnings and have posted it before.
hsin lee khway hmyaw
(Dog yearning for the elephant’s meaty organ. Drooling but never getting it.)
Apt and true.
I was simply referring your description of U Tin Maung Maung Than’s concern as “legitimate”. Again it would be if there are really two defferent factions as the popular assumption (it is assumption, right?) goes. But not, if they are both serving the same master to their damnest and doing well and luck has favoured them , thus far.
With international governmental and organizational agitations along with willingness of the decision making elite (here the military and the opposition are united) to “prosper” at all cost quickly (blank cheque – the investment law- to the multinationals, Asian or otherwise, even though Thein Sein going to Japan imitates Aung San) with no thought or plan to protect the poor and the disadvantaged showing no regard to environment and social structure, the oft commented “Way to Cambodia” is the road Burma is on now.
Unlikely any amount of Mahout’s picks will help as the ship is so far off course.
In a way the 2015 elections are like the bitch giving a forlorn look at the elephant’s big swinging d**k (hsin lee khway hmyaw thalo pa), if you’ll pardon my French…er, Burmese.
On a slight tangent from the focus of this article – which I found fascinating and insightful:
I followed the link to the UNESCO site and noted that in the film of cultural performances, there were what I think of as circle dances. Some were of groups of men or women with hands on the shoulders of those in front of them, but several were of mixed groups holding hands, facing center, swinging arms and dancing in a circle. This particularly struck me because the Lisu of northern Thailand also dance in this way for New Year’s. Many Lahu dances are similar as well. Then, when I visited Lijiang in the mid-1990s, our research group was entertained by a ‘traditional’ Naxi dance troupe who did similar dances. I danced with them, and the music and the steps were the same I’d learning among Lisu in Thailand, except that they were much more vigorous (faster, with grand arm swinging).
Do you know anything about the tradition of this type of dancing? I find it fascinating that such dances would extend across broad and diverse region. What is known of the origins of this dancing?
I think she may have made a mistake. If she now decides to swear, the government could say that the only parliamentary official able to conduct the ceremony has (after staying nobly at his post through the election period) gone on pre-scheduled vacation for four weeks.
So NLD would be hanging around outside parliament, looking pretty silly, for four weeks.
If anyone asks the government to be reasonable and appoint someone else to conduct the ceremony, they will say that it is very flighty of ASSK to change her mind so quickly, and that she’d be better off spending the four weeks thinking deeply about whether she really wants to swear.
Regarding the fraudulent plagiarized Ph.D thesis submitted by Supachai Lorlowhakarn, (at present still the Director of the Thailand’s National Innovation Agency), which was accepted and is astonishingly still recognized by Chula, the TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION published an article about this shocking and shameful situation on April 19, 2012:
It seems clear that if Chula does not at the very least rescind Supachai Lorlowhakarn’s Ph.D., it not only undermines their own rapidly dwindling credibility as a legitimate university but also degrades the credentials of all the other scholars who have been granted Ph.D’s by Chula.
Beats me how Ohn came to the conclusion that I was seconding TMMT.
Allow me to carry on with elephant analogies:
a. ASSK, the graceful she elephant, is now as far as the govt is concerned well and truly trapped inside the stockade of ‘disciplined democracy’ (hsin-ma yin-tha, jounthwin htarbi). Their elephant cunning (hsin jan, jan da) has paid off.
b. The govt evidently believes where the elephant (the powerful) goes it clears a path – to carry on and steamroller down their roadmap (hsin thwar yin, laan hpyit).
c. TMMT recommends giving a charging elephant a wide berth (hsin hway, yan shoun). Don’t rock the boat. Beware of the bogeyman hardliners.
d. We’ll soon join the new world order, and the rich will get exponentially richer, the poor will benefit from ‘trickle down’ like a handful of sesame thrown into the elephant’s mouth (hsin basup hnun petthalo).
e. The family and crony monopolies, even in the face of new competition after lifting the sanctions, will continue to do very well, thank you – a skinny elephant will still be as big as a stout buffalo (hsin bain hla, jwè wa thalouk shi-thay).
f. ASSK/NLD would do well to heed the old adage – caution for a scout, brains for trenches, know-how for a mahout’s pick to guide the elephant (thadi taman, nyan myegadoke, pannya-zoon choon gètho oak).
So I reckon, Ohn, my view is as clear as an elephant making its way across a paddy field (lebyin hsin thwar thalo htinshar ba de), isn’t it?
re Ohn: Sadly, politics is filled with politicians attempting clever tactics while people suffer. In the U.S., Republicans and Democrats dawdle over passing a budget while the economy worsens and people suffer.
Another point to raise from Thaksin’s Cambodia (and Laos) sojourn(s) is the weight he still carries regionally. It’s extraordinary to see a country cock a snook at a more powerful neighbour in this way – or at least give the middle finger to the the more shadowy elements in Thailand’s dual state. Hun Sen likely has bitter memories of the succour the Thai military/elites gave to the KR in the 80s and 90s.
While some would argue that Hun Sen is hardly a role model figure for democracy and social justice, Thaksin’s acceptance by all Thailand’s ASEAN partners increasingly isolates those who stand against him in Bangkok. Not only has Thaksin proven his electoral mandate in Thailand he also seems to be able to call on some powerful friends in the region with most of them obviously considering the Ratchadaphisek case as pure politics.
But I’m not sure Thaksin’s weight carries much beyond that and it is interesting to compare that to his visit to the UK which is happening right now.
I know that there were some reasonably well-established plans for him to hold a party here and conduct some press yet both were cancelled at the last moment.
We do know he is here to watch the Man Utd v Man City (he still owns a VIP box and shares at city) game tonight and to conduct some business meetings.
I did speak to a couple of his UK supporters and they expressed disappointment and annoyance that he didn’t make himself available to meet them.
For my part I was hoping to grab a quick interview with him for my blog. Unfortunately it didn’t happen. (Contrary to popular rumour/myth/folklore I’ve never met him, spoke to him or taken money from him For the record I’ve spent more time with Dem Party people than PT….. )
My view is that Thaksin was originally going to stage some kind of “event” here but I wouldn’t be surprised that the UK authorities attached conditions to his visa – “no press, no events, yes you can come and do business here”.
Be interesting to see in the future if Thaksin makes London more of a base for his activities while he remains outside of Thailand.
For those prone to conspiracy theory there was a further twist to Thaksin’s visit.
Former Dem Finance Minister Korn was also in London this weekend. I’ve met/interviewed Korn a couple of times and he previously told me that Thaksin had tried to recruit him back in the day. I took from his tone that it was a close run thing – that was just my reading of his body language etc.” I’m still curious as to why Korn is so supportive of Abhisit. A politician – even a colleague – in Korn’s position would’ve stabbed his boss in the front/back months ago. But who’d want to be the Dem Party leader now?
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The elephant and Myanmar politics
Ohn,
Such concerns as TMMT’s can be credited as legitimate if wrongheaded like the wife of the minister for elephants. I doubt it if he was trying to cover the carcass of the elephant with a goat’s hide (hsin thay go hsake yay nè hpone).
I can only refer back to the big picture superbly painted by Ohn Khin (is that you?) you kindly provided.
Bersih 3.0 – What next Mr. Najib Razak?
RM33 million an hour! RM800million a day. Malaysia Chronicle: “For the first decade… Malaysia has lost a staggering RM1.08 trillion (US$338 billion = RM800million a day) in illicit outflows which is the fourth highest in the developing world…The Global Financial Integrity (GFI) reported in January that RM930 billion flowed out of Malaysia from 2000 to 2008. An economist at Morgan Stanley in Singapore as saying that the Malaysia might have lost as much as US$100 billion since the early 1980s to corruption (RM300 billion = 300,000 million).
Alan Newman, NZ.
University rankings from Chula’s perspective
Rather than revoking it to honor a dead king, how about doing it because academic honesty demands it?
University rankings from Chula’s perspective
Prof Suchada Kirananda, President of Chula University Council: So, in your new post, why the deafening silence? I stand to be corrected, but as far aas I am aware this is the biggest and most disturbing academic fraud scandal ever to hit Chula, and you have nothing to say?
Because the university failed to take the complaint seriously from the start, the case now threatens not just Chula’s own coveted global rankings, but also the reputation of Thailand’s educational system. Does the Little Tyrant of NIA hold such an evil grip of influence over you that you cower in his presence?
So, Prof Suchada, for the sake of Thailand, and out of respect and love for the learned H.M. King Rama V who founded this noble university – revoke this fraudulent degree now, or tell us why not.
Bersih 3.0 – UMNO needs a game change
[…] Bersih 3.0 – UMNO needs a game change (asiapacific.anu.edu.au) Like this:LikeBe the first to like this post. […]
Bersih 3.0 – UMNO needs a game change
David Teoh, the coordinator of Global Bersih 3.0 and I, analyse Bersih 3.0 on The Wire.
Chiranuch Premchaiporn verdict (not) today
#5
What?
Bersih 3.0 – What next Mr. Najib Razak?
Very true Nobi,
Ordinary Malaysians who wanted to peacefully express their legitimate rights walked into an BN/UMNO trap.
I’m not too concerned about how Pakatan Rakyat will do in the next general elections.
I am concerned that this is a government without any principles or morals – that would cheat and trap its own citizens, that would maliciously deceive its own citizens, that would beat and humiliate them – just to remain in power.
That for all its talks about reforms, about respecting the rights of all Malaysians, of making Malaysia a world class democracy, UMNO at the end of the day is no better than a petty thief.
I am confident that Malaysians will know what to do. Its just a matter of time.
When not to swear in public
Suu Kyi probably thought long and hard about the strategy and consequences of this action.
Sometimes, the structure is rotten enough from the inside that it just takes a strong shove on a seemingly unrelated matter for the big changes to start happening… it was the case in Eastern Europe when communism fell.
Perhaps it won’t work this time, but perhaps it was still good to try and test the boundaries.
The elephant and Myanmar politics
@4&6
Unfortunately I also came to that conclusion but about the state of people’s current yearnings and have posted it before.
hsin lee khway hmyaw
(Dog yearning for the elephant’s meaty organ. Drooling but never getting it.)
Apt and true.
I was simply referring your description of U Tin Maung Maung Than’s concern as “legitimate”. Again it would be if there are really two defferent factions as the popular assumption (it is assumption, right?) goes. But not, if they are both serving the same master to their damnest and doing well and luck has favoured them , thus far.
With international governmental and organizational agitations along with willingness of the decision making elite (here the military and the opposition are united) to “prosper” at all cost quickly (blank cheque – the investment law- to the multinationals, Asian or otherwise, even though Thein Sein going to Japan imitates Aung San) with no thought or plan to protect the poor and the disadvantaged showing no regard to environment and social structure, the oft commented “Way to Cambodia” is the road Burma is on now.
Unlikely any amount of Mahout’s picks will help as the ship is so far off course.
Chiranuch Premchaiporn verdict (not) today
I am reminded of a sports owner who endlessly fought the “injured reserve” system but finally gave up and exploited it to the end.
The elephant and Myanmar politics
In a way the 2015 elections are like the bitch giving a forlorn look at the elephant’s big swinging d**k (hsin lee khway hmyaw thalo pa), if you’ll pardon my French…er, Burmese.
Kam ‘big song’ down under
On a slight tangent from the focus of this article – which I found fascinating and insightful:
I followed the link to the UNESCO site and noted that in the film of cultural performances, there were what I think of as circle dances. Some were of groups of men or women with hands on the shoulders of those in front of them, but several were of mixed groups holding hands, facing center, swinging arms and dancing in a circle. This particularly struck me because the Lisu of northern Thailand also dance in this way for New Year’s. Many Lahu dances are similar as well. Then, when I visited Lijiang in the mid-1990s, our research group was entertained by a ‘traditional’ Naxi dance troupe who did similar dances. I danced with them, and the music and the steps were the same I’d learning among Lisu in Thailand, except that they were much more vigorous (faster, with grand arm swinging).
Do you know anything about the tradition of this type of dancing? I find it fascinating that such dances would extend across broad and diverse region. What is known of the origins of this dancing?
The elephant and Myanmar politics
At the end , the snake indeed is a ball.
By the way, the changing of constitution is like a Vegetable Burger Chain, right?
When not to swear in public
I think she may have made a mistake. If she now decides to swear, the government could say that the only parliamentary official able to conduct the ceremony has (after staying nobly at his post through the election period) gone on pre-scheduled vacation for four weeks.
So NLD would be hanging around outside parliament, looking pretty silly, for four weeks.
If anyone asks the government to be reasonable and appoint someone else to conduct the ceremony, they will say that it is very flighty of ASSK to change her mind so quickly, and that she’d be better off spending the four weeks thinking deeply about whether she really wants to swear.
She might have been outmanoeuvered already.
University rankings from Chula’s perspective
Regarding the fraudulent plagiarized Ph.D thesis submitted by Supachai Lorlowhakarn, (at present still the Director of the Thailand’s National Innovation Agency), which was accepted and is astonishingly still recognized by Chula, the TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION published an article about this shocking and shameful situation on April 19, 2012:
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=419680&c=1
Also another piece by Tom Touhy published on April 30, 2012, in the link below:
http://ramblingsofanurbancrazyman.blogspot.com/2012/04/when-it-looks-like-duck.html
It seems clear that if Chula does not at the very least rescind Supachai Lorlowhakarn’s Ph.D., it not only undermines their own rapidly dwindling credibility as a legitimate university but also degrades the credentials of all the other scholars who have been granted Ph.D’s by Chula.
The elephant and Myanmar politics
Beats me how Ohn came to the conclusion that I was seconding TMMT.
Allow me to carry on with elephant analogies:
a. ASSK, the graceful she elephant, is now as far as the govt is concerned well and truly trapped inside the stockade of ‘disciplined democracy’ (hsin-ma yin-tha, jounthwin htarbi). Their elephant cunning (hsin jan, jan da) has paid off.
b. The govt evidently believes where the elephant (the powerful) goes it clears a path – to carry on and steamroller down their roadmap (hsin thwar yin, laan hpyit).
c. TMMT recommends giving a charging elephant a wide berth (hsin hway, yan shoun). Don’t rock the boat. Beware of the bogeyman hardliners.
d. We’ll soon join the new world order, and the rich will get exponentially richer, the poor will benefit from ‘trickle down’ like a handful of sesame thrown into the elephant’s mouth (hsin basup hnun petthalo).
e. The family and crony monopolies, even in the face of new competition after lifting the sanctions, will continue to do very well, thank you – a skinny elephant will still be as big as a stout buffalo (hsin bain hla, jwè wa thalouk shi-thay).
f. ASSK/NLD would do well to heed the old adage – caution for a scout, brains for trenches, know-how for a mahout’s pick to guide the elephant (thadi taman, nyan myegadoke, pannya-zoon choon gètho oak).
So I reckon, Ohn, my view is as clear as an elephant making its way across a paddy field (lebyin hsin thwar thalo htinshar ba de), isn’t it?
When not to swear in public
Looks like I spoke too soon. The NLD backed down.
re Ohn: Sadly, politics is filled with politicians attempting clever tactics while people suffer. In the U.S., Republicans and Democrats dawdle over passing a budget while the economy worsens and people suffer.
Bersih 3.0 – What next Mr. Najib Razak?
Bersih fell into the trap. Now it’s going down hill and Pakatan Rakyat will lose a lot!
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
Another point to raise from Thaksin’s Cambodia (and Laos) sojourn(s) is the weight he still carries regionally. It’s extraordinary to see a country cock a snook at a more powerful neighbour in this way – or at least give the middle finger to the the more shadowy elements in Thailand’s dual state. Hun Sen likely has bitter memories of the succour the Thai military/elites gave to the KR in the 80s and 90s.
While some would argue that Hun Sen is hardly a role model figure for democracy and social justice, Thaksin’s acceptance by all Thailand’s ASEAN partners increasingly isolates those who stand against him in Bangkok. Not only has Thaksin proven his electoral mandate in Thailand he also seems to be able to call on some powerful friends in the region with most of them obviously considering the Ratchadaphisek case as pure politics.
But I’m not sure Thaksin’s weight carries much beyond that and it is interesting to compare that to his visit to the UK which is happening right now.
I know that there were some reasonably well-established plans for him to hold a party here and conduct some press yet both were cancelled at the last moment.
We do know he is here to watch the Man Utd v Man City (he still owns a VIP box and shares at city) game tonight and to conduct some business meetings.
I did speak to a couple of his UK supporters and they expressed disappointment and annoyance that he didn’t make himself available to meet them.
For my part I was hoping to grab a quick interview with him for my blog. Unfortunately it didn’t happen. (Contrary to popular rumour/myth/folklore I’ve never met him, spoke to him or taken money from him For the record I’ve spent more time with Dem Party people than PT….. )
My view is that Thaksin was originally going to stage some kind of “event” here but I wouldn’t be surprised that the UK authorities attached conditions to his visa – “no press, no events, yes you can come and do business here”.
Be interesting to see in the future if Thaksin makes London more of a base for his activities while he remains outside of Thailand.
For those prone to conspiracy theory there was a further twist to Thaksin’s visit.
Former Dem Finance Minister Korn was also in London this weekend. I’ve met/interviewed Korn a couple of times and he previously told me that Thaksin had tried to recruit him back in the day. I took from his tone that it was a close run thing – that was just my reading of his body language etc.” I’m still curious as to why Korn is so supportive of Abhisit. A politician – even a colleague – in Korn’s position would’ve stabbed his boss in the front/back months ago. But who’d want to be the Dem Party leader now?