If, as is repeatedly quoted to in the English media, the PM assumed control of the flooding under s.31 of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act 2007, then either the English translation is wrong (http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0397.pdf) or the media have simply been regurgitating nonsense.
S. 31 begins, “In case of severe drought occurring, …”.
It’s hard to see how that provision might apply in the present circumstances, but then TIT, where up is down ,and anything , in Humpty Dumpty fashion, can mean whatever you say it means.
Isn’t this the perfect metaphor for Thailand at this time: the beating heart of Thailand flooded into near total paralysis by Bhumibol and Sirikit (dams).
Wow, talk about dirty laundry………..what are all the NGO and other “pro-democracy in Burma groups” and “good-hearted followers” of the Burma situation to make of this outburst of demented desire for good old-fashioned ethnic cleansing and genocide against 100,000’s of ethnic Rohingya men, women, children, old people, babies, many of whose families and ancestors have been resident in what is now Burma for generations….maybe just follow the impulse to “walk away” and let them all stew in their own poisonous juices……
SteveCM’s interesting link (2) reports that Premier Wen has contacted Yingluck about the matter, and that “China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand will hold a meeting in Beijing on Monday to discuss establishing a joint law enforcement and security mechanism between the four countries, in a bid to maintain order on the Mekong River. ” Taking the “joint” bit with a grain of salt, this sounds like bit of old-fashioned gun-boat diplomacy by the Chinese. Not a bad idea, given that the armies of Myanmar and Thailand, possibly also Laos, are little more than criminal organisations.
Putting arbitrary censorship powers in the hands of the police chief is asking for trouble. Especially when this particular police chief is a member of the PM’s extended family.
[…] had more rain this year. On this latter topic, New Mandala has had three posts here, here, and here. In the previous post, BP looked at the accumulated rainfall at the end of September 2011 and […]
I liked the article but the concluding remark is strange: “The contested compartmentalisation of faith, “Christians as the West,” also need urgent remedy so that the majority of Muslims understand that those who decide to follow Jesus Christ, like the Malays who embrace Christianity are the “people of the book” or “Ummat Kitab” and not traitors.”
If Norani wants to convince the Malay Muslims that Christians are also the People of the Book and thus not bad then in a way he is saying that non-People of the Book are bad! So, a Malay converting to Jainism would continue to be seen as a traitor.
There is a delicious irony – if not downright schadenfreude – in watching this extraordinary event coincide with the end of the king’s rule, and the perhaps the beginning of the end for the old elite. Not only is the ‘flood’ metaphor littered throughout the human story as a symbol of change and renewal, but I wonder how many Thais have picked up on the obvious connection between the current deluge, the king’s lifetime vocation with water, and the tumultuous events that have marked end of his reign? I haven’t seen any of the Thai commentators specifically allude to the stark coincidences, but surely such a powerful portent hasn’t escaped their notice? Perhaps they’re frightened.
A reminder of the human cost of The Malaysia Solution. The Malaysia Solution is supposed to break the business model of the “human traffickers or people smugglers”. At what cost should this be? Dr. Gerhard Hoffstaedter provides a reminder of this on The National Interest.
“…The government has promoted the deal as a first step towards regional cooperation on managing displaced people. But critics point out that Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and asylum seekers often suffer harsh treatment from Malaysian authorities. Those who have worked with asylum-seekers in Malaysia believe the new regime may well discourage people from attempting to make the dangerous trip to Australia by sea, given that it could see them returned to Malaysia anyway. But the extent to which their human rights would be safeguarded while in Malaysia is still unclear…”
In all this discussion of forests, aren’t we missing another significant landscape? that would be fens, bogs, marshes, swamps – in short, wetlands. These are far more significant reservoirs of water in intense rain events. Old forests, as I have personally observed many times, don’t hold that much water in heavy rains because the ground is nearly bare (no light to the forest floor). But if it’s all sweeping down into wetlands, then it’s being held there before gradually seeping out to the surrounding lands. I saw a great demonstration of this just this week in the restoration of wetlands along Lake Michigan in the upper midwest of the United States. Restoration of these wetlands has greatly reduced the impact of intense rain events in the region.
And, of course, what do we do with wetlands in Thailand? Oh, yes, cover them over for roads, build rice fields, clear them out for shrimp farming …
[…] has had more rain this year. On this latter topic, New Mandala has had three posts here, here, and here. In the previous post, BP looked at the accumulated rainfall at the end of September […]
The Y2011 Big Deluge, commentaries say, is a once every 50 year (or so) event. Does that ‘estimate’ give me any comfort (that I’ll probably not live long enough to experience another big Thai flood)?? Should I get some obscene solace that other people endured or are still enduring far worse (or deeper) flood waters, or that yes indeed mansions of ‘the wealthy’ or ‘the wealthier’ also were flood savaged??
The truth is no one truly knows when the next Big Thai Flood . . . it could be within the next 5 years! Just like a heart attack (and this flood does feel like a very painful attack on our hearts), the underlying causes of (culprits responsible for) the flood are many (deforestation, haphazard development planning, poor flood infrastructure, various past administrative neglect, etc. etc.). Certainly the ineptitude of the Yingluck administration in the management of the crisis had made an already devastating national tragedy even more painful.
Some 2 million Thai people (or is it families?) had been, still being devastated by Y2011 big flood, it is reported. More than the 2 million number, and more than the tens of thousands of factories drowned inside or outside industrial estates, and more than the heart-breaking images of old and young people visibly shatterred with fearful eyes looking at our TV screens, this Y2011 Big Flood should be a Thai awakening of how national complacency and ‘blind’ faith in our political ‘masters’ to protect us from ‘long-term’ verifiable devastating risks (from nature) could undo us all.
Thailand’s water (flood) management is all about risk management. Surely there should be Thai technorats aplenty who could raise, elevate Thailand’s capability in managing devastating nature (flood) risks?
“The suspects, including a major and a lieutenant, were servicemen of the Third Military Command of the Thai army, which guards the country’s northern border.
The War on Terror was hardly a Crusade, it was a war for profit, and quite a rewarding one to date for many of the immoral parasites sucking at the government teat. Muslims should be horrified by the Church sponsored Christian atrocities of the past manipulating the ignorant and fearful into blood-lust. Unfortunately however many Muslims have taken it on as a road map for their own orgy of murder and violence in current times, again of course as their heretical interpretation the will of God.
The Chinese were demanding answers and oddly enough didn’t seem to believe the Thai Military version of events. So those seekers of truth and justice, the Thai Police, were dispatched to find answers. Through tireless work they discovered that a rogue group of low rank soldiers were responsible, who being faced with such relentless investigative skill immediately confessed. Their commanders expressed their shock and outrage before returning home to their Mansions in their Mercedes.
“Priewpan, however, said the army and the government were not behind the killing. He said the servicemen acted on the orders of some local tycoons. ” No doubt there will unfortunately not be enough evidence to arrest said tycoons…case closed, justice served.
All political parties enthusiastically support freedom of speech to criticize their opponents when in opposition and support censorship of criticism of themselves when in power. In particular they decry scrutinization of their corruption, nepotism, ineptitude, sexual scandals & fetishes, wasting money, poor policy formulation, fascist/socialist tendencies, stupidity…
We reach our children that crime doesn’t pay, yet politicians and bankers daily demonstrate that we lie. White collar crime pays and it pays very well indeed. Control the levers of power directly or indirectly, and you can do as you want, repressing freedom of speech is purely about repressing criticism of our elites and their wrong doings. They frame it as protecting society but only the illiterate and ignorant believe that nonsense.
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Managing people harder than managing water
If, as is repeatedly quoted to in the English media, the PM assumed control of the flooding under s.31 of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act 2007, then either the English translation is wrong (http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0397.pdf) or the media have simply been regurgitating nonsense.
S. 31 begins, “In case of severe drought occurring, …”.
It’s hard to see how that provision might apply in the present circumstances, but then TIT, where up is down ,and anything , in Humpty Dumpty fashion, can mean whatever you say it means.
Royal politics and the floods
I don’t think the Kings good intention in trying to control water can be faulted, agree that perhaps those that implement are likely to corrupt.
Dave, get True Visions, they have a 24 hour Panda channel, riveting entertainment, you won’t be disappointed, we can’t turn it off.
Royal politics and the floods
Isn’t this the perfect metaphor for Thailand at this time: the beating heart of Thailand flooded into near total paralysis by Bhumibol and Sirikit (dams).
You could not have scripted a better story.
BBC under fire on Rohingyas
Wow, talk about dirty laundry………..what are all the NGO and other “pro-democracy in Burma groups” and “good-hearted followers” of the Burma situation to make of this outburst of demented desire for good old-fashioned ethnic cleansing and genocide against 100,000’s of ethnic Rohingya men, women, children, old people, babies, many of whose families and ancestors have been resident in what is now Burma for generations….maybe just follow the impulse to “walk away” and let them all stew in their own poisonous juices……
What’s going on at the Golden Triangle?
SteveCM’s interesting link (2) reports that Premier Wen has contacted Yingluck about the matter, and that “China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand will hold a meeting in Beijing on Monday to discuss establishing a joint law enforcement and security mechanism between the four countries, in a bid to maintain order on the Mekong River. ” Taking the “joint” bit with a grain of salt, this sounds like bit of old-fashioned gun-boat diplomacy by the Chinese. Not a bad idea, given that the armies of Myanmar and Thailand, possibly also Laos, are little more than criminal organisations.
What’s going on with the Thai Printing Act?
Putting arbitrary censorship powers in the hands of the police chief is asking for trouble. Especially when this particular police chief is a member of the PM’s extended family.
Probability of abuse: 100%.
Royal politics and the floods
What’s happening with the pandas? They usually get tarted up and trotted out to the media as a PR diversion during times of crisis.
More on Thailand’s rainfall
[…] had more rain this year. On this latter topic, New Mandala has had three posts here, here, and here. In the previous post, BP looked at the accumulated rainfall at the end of September 2011 and […]
Malaysian Muslims responses to conversion
I liked the article but the concluding remark is strange: “The contested compartmentalisation of faith, “Christians as the West,” also need urgent remedy so that the majority of Muslims understand that those who decide to follow Jesus Christ, like the Malays who embrace Christianity are the “people of the book” or “Ummat Kitab” and not traitors.”
If Norani wants to convince the Malay Muslims that Christians are also the People of the Book and thus not bad then in a way he is saying that non-People of the Book are bad! So, a Malay converting to Jainism would continue to be seen as a traitor.
Royal politics and the floods
There is a delicious irony – if not downright schadenfreude – in watching this extraordinary event coincide with the end of the king’s rule, and the perhaps the beginning of the end for the old elite. Not only is the ‘flood’ metaphor littered throughout the human story as a symbol of change and renewal, but I wonder how many Thais have picked up on the obvious connection between the current deluge, the king’s lifetime vocation with water, and the tumultuous events that have marked end of his reign? I haven’t seen any of the Thai commentators specifically allude to the stark coincidences, but surely such a powerful portent hasn’t escaped their notice? Perhaps they’re frightened.
Australians, cattles, refugees and Four Corners
A reminder of the human cost of The Malaysia Solution. The Malaysia Solution is supposed to break the business model of the “human traffickers or people smugglers”. At what cost should this be? Dr. Gerhard Hoffstaedter provides a reminder of this on The National Interest.
Has forest clearing contributed to Thailand’s floods?
In all this discussion of forests, aren’t we missing another significant landscape? that would be fens, bogs, marshes, swamps – in short, wetlands. These are far more significant reservoirs of water in intense rain events. Old forests, as I have personally observed many times, don’t hold that much water in heavy rains because the ground is nearly bare (no light to the forest floor). But if it’s all sweeping down into wetlands, then it’s being held there before gradually seeping out to the surrounding lands. I saw a great demonstration of this just this week in the restoration of wetlands along Lake Michigan in the upper midwest of the United States. Restoration of these wetlands has greatly reduced the impact of intense rain events in the region.
And, of course, what do we do with wetlands in Thailand? Oh, yes, cover them over for roads, build rice fields, clear them out for shrimp farming …
How exceptional is Thailand’s rainfall in 2011?
[…] has had more rain this year. On this latter topic, New Mandala has had three posts here, here, and here. In the previous post, BP looked at the accumulated rainfall at the end of September […]
The toll of flooding on lives and politics
The Y2011 Big Deluge, commentaries say, is a once every 50 year (or so) event. Does that ‘estimate’ give me any comfort (that I’ll probably not live long enough to experience another big Thai flood)?? Should I get some obscene solace that other people endured or are still enduring far worse (or deeper) flood waters, or that yes indeed mansions of ‘the wealthy’ or ‘the wealthier’ also were flood savaged??
The truth is no one truly knows when the next Big Thai Flood . . . it could be within the next 5 years! Just like a heart attack (and this flood does feel like a very painful attack on our hearts), the underlying causes of (culprits responsible for) the flood are many (deforestation, haphazard development planning, poor flood infrastructure, various past administrative neglect, etc. etc.). Certainly the ineptitude of the Yingluck administration in the management of the crisis had made an already devastating national tragedy even more painful.
Some 2 million Thai people (or is it families?) had been, still being devastated by Y2011 big flood, it is reported. More than the 2 million number, and more than the tens of thousands of factories drowned inside or outside industrial estates, and more than the heart-breaking images of old and young people visibly shatterred with fearful eyes looking at our TV screens, this Y2011 Big Flood should be a Thai awakening of how national complacency and ‘blind’ faith in our political ‘masters’ to protect us from ‘long-term’ verifiable devastating risks (from nature) could undo us all.
Thailand’s water (flood) management is all about risk management. Surely there should be Thai technorats aplenty who could raise, elevate Thailand’s capability in managing devastating nature (flood) risks?
What’s going on at the Golden Triangle?
C1 – “…a rogue group of low rank soldiers…”
“The suspects, including a major and a lieutenant, were servicemen of the Third Military Command of the Thai army, which guards the country’s northern border.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2011-10/31/content_14004263.htm
Malaysian Muslims responses to conversion
To give unfounded excuses to prevent the Muslims from converting out is akin to telling the Malays they cannot leave their own kampungs.
Malaysian Muslims responses to conversion
The War on Terror was hardly a Crusade, it was a war for profit, and quite a rewarding one to date for many of the immoral parasites sucking at the government teat. Muslims should be horrified by the Church sponsored Christian atrocities of the past manipulating the ignorant and fearful into blood-lust. Unfortunately however many Muslims have taken it on as a road map for their own orgy of murder and violence in current times, again of course as their heretical interpretation the will of God.
What’s going on at the Golden Triangle?
The Chinese were demanding answers and oddly enough didn’t seem to believe the Thai Military version of events. So those seekers of truth and justice, the Thai Police, were dispatched to find answers. Through tireless work they discovered that a rogue group of low rank soldiers were responsible, who being faced with such relentless investigative skill immediately confessed. Their commanders expressed their shock and outrage before returning home to their Mansions in their Mercedes.
“Priewpan, however, said the army and the government were not behind the killing. He said the servicemen acted on the orders of some local tycoons. ” No doubt there will unfortunately not be enough evidence to arrest said tycoons…case closed, justice served.
Malaysian Muslims responses to conversion
[…] November 2nd, 2011 by Norani Abu Bakar, Guest Contributor ┬╖ Add a Comment […]
What’s going on with the Thai Printing Act?
All political parties enthusiastically support freedom of speech to criticize their opponents when in opposition and support censorship of criticism of themselves when in power. In particular they decry scrutinization of their corruption, nepotism, ineptitude, sexual scandals & fetishes, wasting money, poor policy formulation, fascist/socialist tendencies, stupidity…
We reach our children that crime doesn’t pay, yet politicians and bankers daily demonstrate that we lie. White collar crime pays and it pays very well indeed. Control the levers of power directly or indirectly, and you can do as you want, repressing freedom of speech is purely about repressing criticism of our elites and their wrong doings. They frame it as protecting society but only the illiterate and ignorant believe that nonsense.