” . . . you might want to remind your Isan friends that they are the ones who voted in the current Taksin (sorry Ynigluck) Government. . .”
I don’t think my Isan friends need reminding. But they confessed to me that their loyalties to the PTP party had been shattered the the patently inept handling of monster floods by Yingluck and her crew. The very unethical and openly dishonest handling of the flood relief . . . partcularly the sticking of Thaksin and PTP MP labels on donations had embarrassed my Isan friends. And yes they cringed at that item about the Red Shirts effectively taking over the FROC relief distribution and shooing out volunteers not willing to wear Red . . . as raised at the recent parliamentary debate.
But my Isan friends also deeply distrust the Democrats. But surprise surprise they were visibly moved by the soldiers (everywhere and everday) helping out during the flood, while their Red leaders were busy elsewhere sticking dishonest labels at donations.
BTW, with all those ‘distractions’ I mentioned above, is it no wonder that the Yingluck/FROC failed at just every flood control measures?
Why did Yingluck delay the release of water from the bursting dams for one month? That one month delay . . . was the reason the flood became the monster that Yingluck could NOT control.
kgg #176 Let me hold your hand there kgg and lead you through the
scary world of google.com. Part 3 is not yet released but if you wish to
read a rough draft it can be found on Andrew’s own web site at: http://www.zenjournalist.com/
Apart from the sentencing of people to long jail terms for speaking their thoughts, one of the worst results of LM legislation and the hysteria that its proponents have whipped up around commenting on it is the way in which public debate on the subject is thwarted, discouraged and deformed.
The Bangkok Post has listed as one of its “most viewed” articles this http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/267732/facebook-like-button-may-bring-lese-majeste-charge-against-users and, to their credit, have recently published an editorial and a commentary criticizing the latest use of the LM laws. But unlike other Bangkok Post articles there is no reader commentary on these articles. This is the “most viewed” article but readers cannot be trusted to talk about it. The Bangkok Post appears to have a policy of not allowing comments on LM articles just as during the election campaign they appeared to have a policy of not allowing any comment on any statement made by General Prayuth.
It would be good of the Bangkok Post to explicitly state the fact that they are not allowing comments and the reasons for this so that readers understand exactly what type of democracy Thailand is becoming.
I see the academic is from the Faculty of Culture, Environment, and Eco-tourism – not from the Faculty of Science, so different paradigms apply to her and John’s thinking. To try to have a discussion in such circumstances is a bit like me trying to talk to an evangelist. However by using such a source for their report The Nation is living up to the standard we have come to expect of them.
I wonder how much the long wait since the second part contributed to the lack of fanfare? The first two parts were pumped out pretty quickly, followed by quite a number of broken promises to watch this space “in the next few days”! I can speak for myself in giving up some weeks ago.
Rule #1 for a journalist, Andrew (and you should know this, as much as I do): If you’re going to promise to deliver on a deadline…then make sure you meet it.
I was wondering the same thing myself. I’ve just finished the 3rd part and it’s good. Much of focuses on the bad smell around the king’s role in the death of Ananda, and Andrew provides some very interesting insight into William Stevenson’s book “The Revolutionary King”. Like the first two parts, this latest tranche is less about giving us something new or ‘groundbreaking’ and more about providing a well-researched and intelligently written account of the more informed and independent debates to date. I hope Andrew turns all four parts into a book; there’s a space on my bookshelf for it.
I dont understand why you are so keen to pinpoint the flood as this government incompetency? yes I agree that the handle of the relieve effort is a bit sub-par but if you recalled, both Abhisit and Yingluck were literally swim to see their supporter during the voting season on June. Yes it was already flooded even before Yingluck took the office.
So glad Thailand manages to protect the public by jailing Offenders for twenty 20 years for maybe, possibly texting ( the fragile PM secretary something that no one knows …………….
Meanwhile uptown:
“Maj Gen Benja was detained by Khok Kram police and has been charged with attempted murder, carrying firearms in public without permission, and shooting a firearm in public without reasonable grounds. He was released on 300,000 baht bail.
Maj Gen Benja admitted to shooting Mr Pattanapong, police said.
Just a question: how come there is no fanfare over the release of Part 3? Everybody was jumping over themselves with the first two parts, but it has all gone very quiet.
#18 John – how dare you question a Thai academic, and a dean to boot! What were you thinking? It seems she treated your enquiry with the contempt she felt it deserved … shame on you!
The LM laws are self-fulfilling – one could argue that even talk of reform is, in itself, a violation of the law.
It has, of course, infiltrated and contaminated the entire education system – to the point where the more educated the person, seemingly the more stupid they become. As the succession draws ever closer, expect the situation to become worse, as Thailand tries to eat itself.
We may yet see Thai political refugees (if there is anybody left to think for themselves) seeking sanctuary in Burma …
” . . .Even if it is true that Ah Kong sent text messages to Ahbisit’s secretary how can it be offensive to the King and Queen. How would the King and Queen even know about it?”(#21)
Questions like Bitthick could be classed under (1) dumb; (2) dumber; or (3) dumbest.
Vichai, whilst I agree with most of what you say, you might want to remind your Isan friends that they are the ones who voted in the current Taksin (sorry Ynigluck) Government.
Lets hope they don’t make the same mistake next time.
Even if it is true that Ah Kong sent text messages to Ahbisit’s secretary how can it be offensive to the King and Queen. How would the King and Queen even know about it?
Of course the whole world knows about it now.
Here’s my blog post from a few months back taking a look at Kristie Kenney.
“Chicken on a stick or imprisoned US citizen Joe Gordon? US Ambassador Kenney’s difficult decision”
You’ll find links to plenty of her most vacuous tweets, including the one she made after Joe’s arrest and comment from former State Dept colleagues on her abilities.
While the Myanma Government releases thousands of political prisoners, the Thais put more innocent victims in jail. Nowhere on earth that a man who expresses his opinion can be put in jail for 20 years. Thailand is the only land in this whole world with such an outmoded and most undemocratic law. I can only think of sometime back a few hundreds years when this kind of uncivilized laws were being applied. As for those who still think Ampol deserves this punishment, wait until someone who are closed to them be put in jail with this uncivilized law.
This is really disgraceful. I don’t know why the masses don’t rise up as one and boot his majesty off the throne and abolish the royal family. They’re really strange people to put up with this nonsense any further. The government and military have done a masterful job of brainwashing them.
Thanks for that American Citizen. What is she thinking when she tweets? The sorority-like tweeting certainly gives the impression that U.S. citizen Joe Gordon can rot in jail while she celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas in her U.S. taxpayer-funded colonial bungalow with her elite buddies. And still, in its Disneyland fantasy of the fairy kingdom… er… Thailand, the U.S. State Department insists there are no political prisoners in Thailand. Maybe the fairies are at the end of the Embassy garden?
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If they’re broadcasting Jakropobh and Jatuporn’s supposedly lese majeste speeches, aren’t they committing lese majeste themselves?
Or is everything allowed for “good” people?
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
c32
Needless to say (and Vichai N won’t), much was “raised” in the debate – and rebutted.
“Why did Yingluck delay the release of water from the bursting dams for one month?”
Feel free to enlarge on and clarify this further claim.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
” . . . you might want to remind your Isan friends that they are the ones who voted in the current Taksin (sorry Ynigluck) Government. . .”
I don’t think my Isan friends need reminding. But they confessed to me that their loyalties to the PTP party had been shattered the the patently inept handling of monster floods by Yingluck and her crew. The very unethical and openly dishonest handling of the flood relief . . . partcularly the sticking of Thaksin and PTP MP labels on donations had embarrassed my Isan friends. And yes they cringed at that item about the Red Shirts effectively taking over the FROC relief distribution and shooing out volunteers not willing to wear Red . . . as raised at the recent parliamentary debate.
But my Isan friends also deeply distrust the Democrats. But surprise surprise they were visibly moved by the soldiers (everywhere and everday) helping out during the flood, while their Red leaders were busy elsewhere sticking dishonest labels at donations.
BTW, with all those ‘distractions’ I mentioned above, is it no wonder that the Yingluck/FROC failed at just every flood control measures?
Why did Yingluck delay the release of water from the bursting dams for one month? That one month delay . . . was the reason the flood became the monster that Yingluck could NOT control.
Andrew Marshall’s Thai Story
kgg #176 Let me hold your hand there kgg and lead you through the
scary world of google.com. Part 3 is not yet released but if you wish to
read a rough draft it can be found on Andrew’s own web site at:
http://www.zenjournalist.com/
Thailand’s latest lese majeste disgrace
Apart from the sentencing of people to long jail terms for speaking their thoughts, one of the worst results of LM legislation and the hysteria that its proponents have whipped up around commenting on it is the way in which public debate on the subject is thwarted, discouraged and deformed.
The Bangkok Post has listed as one of its “most viewed” articles this http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/267732/facebook-like-button-may-bring-lese-majeste-charge-against-users and, to their credit, have recently published an editorial and a commentary criticizing the latest use of the LM laws. But unlike other Bangkok Post articles there is no reader commentary on these articles. This is the “most viewed” article but readers cannot be trusted to talk about it. The Bangkok Post appears to have a policy of not allowing comments on LM articles just as during the election campaign they appeared to have a policy of not allowing any comment on any statement made by General Prayuth.
It would be good of the Bangkok Post to explicitly state the fact that they are not allowing comments and the reasons for this so that readers understand exactly what type of democracy Thailand is becoming.
On the plus side though, the Post have allowed comment in their Letters section here http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/268188/details-key-to-verdict.
If the Nation has even reported on the issue of Ah Kong, I’ve completely missed it.
EM balls – a flood hoax?
I see the academic is from the Faculty of Culture, Environment, and Eco-tourism – not from the Faculty of Science, so different paradigms apply to her and John’s thinking. To try to have a discussion in such circumstances is a bit like me trying to talk to an evangelist. However by using such a source for their report The Nation is living up to the standard we have come to expect of them.
Andrew Marshall’s Thai Story
kgg
I wonder how much the long wait since the second part contributed to the lack of fanfare? The first two parts were pumped out pretty quickly, followed by quite a number of broken promises to watch this space “in the next few days”! I can speak for myself in giving up some weeks ago.
Rule #1 for a journalist, Andrew (and you should know this, as much as I do): If you’re going to promise to deliver on a deadline…then make sure you meet it.
Andrew Marshall’s Thai Story
kgg
I was wondering the same thing myself. I’ve just finished the 3rd part and it’s good. Much of focuses on the bad smell around the king’s role in the death of Ananda, and Andrew provides some very interesting insight into William Stevenson’s book “The Revolutionary King”. Like the first two parts, this latest tranche is less about giving us something new or ‘groundbreaking’ and more about providing a well-researched and intelligently written account of the more informed and independent debates to date. I hope Andrew turns all four parts into a book; there’s a space on my bookshelf for it.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
Vichai N – 29
I dont understand why you are so keen to pinpoint the flood as this government incompetency? yes I agree that the handle of the relieve effort is a bit sub-par but if you recalled, both Abhisit and Yingluck were literally swim to see their supporter during the voting season on June. Yes it was already flooded even before Yingluck took the office.
Ah Kong and his family
So glad Thailand manages to protect the public by jailing Offenders for twenty 20 years for maybe, possibly texting ( the fragile PM secretary something that no one knows …………….
Meanwhile uptown:
“Maj Gen Benja was detained by Khok Kram police and has been charged with attempted murder, carrying firearms in public without permission, and shooting a firearm in public without reasonable grounds. He was released on 300,000 baht bail.
Maj Gen Benja admitted to shooting Mr Pattanapong, police said.
The retired officer reportedly accused the photographer of parking his car in his driveway.”
http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easier-stuff/268246/bangkok-post-photographer-shot
Proven confession with witnesses stomach wound by bullet Road Rage– $10,000 bail. Free………. Will there ever be a trial???
Retired Guilty Felonious Assault General free, poor unemployed semi-literate (possibly innocent) grandfather banged up for life……………
Amazing Thailand.
Andrew Marshall’s Thai Story
Just a question: how come there is no fanfare over the release of Part 3? Everybody was jumping over themselves with the first two parts, but it has all gone very quiet.
EM balls – a flood hoax?
#18 John – how dare you question a Thai academic, and a dean to boot! What were you thinking? It seems she treated your enquiry with the contempt she felt it deserved … shame on you!
Thailand’s latest lese majeste disgrace
The LM laws are self-fulfilling – one could argue that even talk of reform is, in itself, a violation of the law.
It has, of course, infiltrated and contaminated the entire education system – to the point where the more educated the person, seemingly the more stupid they become. As the succession draws ever closer, expect the situation to become worse, as Thailand tries to eat itself.
We may yet see Thai political refugees (if there is anybody left to think for themselves) seeking sanctuary in Burma …
Ah Kong and his family
” . . .Even if it is true that Ah Kong sent text messages to Ahbisit’s secretary how can it be offensive to the King and Queen. How would the King and Queen even know about it?”(#21)
Questions like Bitthick could be classed under (1) dumb; (2) dumber; or (3) dumbest.
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
Vichai N 39
Vichai, whilst I agree with most of what you say, you might want to remind your Isan friends that they are the ones who voted in the current Taksin (sorry Ynigluck) Government.
Lets hope they don’t make the same mistake next time.
Ah Kong and his family
Even if it is true that Ah Kong sent text messages to Ahbisit’s secretary how can it be offensive to the King and Queen. How would the King and Queen even know about it?
Of course the whole world knows about it now.
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
[oops – other comment has wrong link – please delete and use this one – apologies]
http://bit.ly/jHBokk
Here’s my blog post from a few months back taking a look at Kristie Kenney.
“Chicken on a stick or imprisoned US citizen Joe Gordon? US Ambassador Kenney’s difficult decision”
You’ll find links to plenty of her most vacuous tweets, including the one she made after Joe’s arrest and comment from former State Dept colleagues on her abilities.
No wonder Joe had to plead guilty.
Ah Kong and his family
While the Myanma Government releases thousands of political prisoners, the Thais put more innocent victims in jail. Nowhere on earth that a man who expresses his opinion can be put in jail for 20 years. Thailand is the only land in this whole world with such an outmoded and most undemocratic law. I can only think of sometime back a few hundreds years when this kind of uncivilized laws were being applied. As for those who still think Ampol deserves this punishment, wait until someone who are closed to them be put in jail with this uncivilized law.
Ah Kong and his family
This is really disgraceful. I don’t know why the masses don’t rise up as one and boot his majesty off the throne and abolish the royal family. They’re really strange people to put up with this nonsense any further. The government and military have done a masterful job of brainwashing them.
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
Thanks for that American Citizen. What is she thinking when she tweets? The sorority-like tweeting certainly gives the impression that U.S. citizen Joe Gordon can rot in jail while she celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas in her U.S. taxpayer-funded colonial bungalow with her elite buddies. And still, in its Disneyland fantasy of the fairy kingdom… er… Thailand, the U.S. State Department insists there are no political prisoners in Thailand. Maybe the fairies are at the end of the Embassy garden?