How can anyone call this Yingluck’s war on drugs?
Shouldn’t it be Queen Sirikit’s war on drugs as ordered/suggested in her birthday address “they are killing my children”.
And if that is the case, perhaps one should ask why she is not above politics?
And I believe the same suggestion or support was given to the Thaksin Government. Note: Thaksin Government, not Thaksin’s private war.
No one can win the war on drugs. Why not accept the inevitable and be pragmatic by legalising all drugs. The money wasted in fighting this so called war could be spent on proper programmes for the addicted. Programmes should put proper control on drug usage and the money made out of sales go back into education and other related activities.
And the really ironic thing is that repeated investigations by the most extreme of the Thaksin-haters have shown ZERO EVIDENCE that illegal “shoot to kill” orders came from the top.
The military junta and Abhisit accused Thaksin staight out of abuses, and set up commissions to investigate the matter. Yet neither of those committees found a shred of evidence linking Thaksin or his Cabinet with the extrajudicial killings.
Ah, but there was a cover up, the yellow-shirts claim! Thaksin found a way to get his tentacles into the military-appointed committee, even though that committee was established without any constitutional checks and balances. And the findings were censored following the election. And evil of evils, Thaksin also paid the Abhisit-appointed committee to cover up his alleged crimes against humanity.
Seriously?! The military and Abhisit had every incentive to make Thaksin look bad, and had the authority to appoint a bunch of lackeys to make it so. Yet neither of these found ANYTHING… What does that tell you? This blood libel has got to end!
The reason that Thais take photo’s of food has little to do with status for most of them. They do it for the much more simple reason that it looks tasty. They want to convey that tasty feeling to their friends by posting it on facebook.
I asked my Thai students this question, these are the people that are doing it the most, and they responded with the question “why do you take any photo?” Take a photo of something because you want to share the experience with a friend, simple as that.
Please people, stop making it so political, it is an experiential practice.
Perhaps the problem is not so much us, as a gullible electorate. Given that most of us here have absolutely no say in the way this country is run, I don’t think it is that politically incorrect to suggest the case for the latter is far stronger. The role of the electorate here is mainly to endorse rather than to think for itself.
Interesting to see the potential PR juxtaposition of a royal pardon in Cambodia for Yellows in the face no such action across the border in Thai. The timing of the Camb pardon will be interesting to watch.
Alo interesting to note the increasing number of Thai political decisions actually being made on Camb soil, in Camb meeting rooms, under the certainly watchful/prying eyes of Camb interests – the latest possibly being military reshuffle list discussion/decision?
Also note the symbolism of red shirted Camb PM racking up 5 goals as “no one dared take the ball away from him” – that being the thai team defenders on the pitch.
The commingling of assets. monies, concessions, and power across border may well get increasingly confusing. HS looks like a winner in thai politics.
It would be interesting to have a definition of peasants as this choice of word perhaps prejudices/predetermines any conclusions or direction of discussion. Being, or appearing to be, politically disenfranchised might not necessarily fit other measure of power or opportunity to participate in collective social decisions. Perhaps there shoul be more data on income growth, rural income distribution changes (cut out Bkk to see 10 yr trends), PPP vs the worlds other “peasants”.
Just as many rurals want more, or believe there is no reason they should not be the next tycoon and lady luck is just around the corner, the issues are not only about surveys and speeches. In this day in age, most anywhere in the world the answer to “what do you want, or what is lacking in your life” is merely “more” with no further effort to articulate. Basically, more data would add to a real analysis. Follow the money, measure the consumption, the “peasants” do.
Indeed, my friends use the food pics as a way to show status. And they are not only from Thailand. Singaporeans do it as well. Some have claimed it’s already passé now that the everybody does it. Even Andrew Walker has noticed. 🙂
A common theme is appearing in Mazard’s articles – some interesting points, but tainted by an obnoxious tone, hyperbolic statements and aggressive responses to comments made.
“Re: “They do not understand that free speech does not mean that you are free to lie and insult other people.” (Somkiet)
Actually, Somkiet, that’s exactly what free speech means.”
Indeed.
I see I’m veeeery late on this post, but I’m just now learning about this issue. It’s strange to come to live in a new country and then discover something abhorrent about it. I’d always thought of the royals as a rather kindly bunch, but I can’t help but see dark undertones to my adopted home.
It is common knowledge that a Pali text can use the same term in a very different way to a Hindu text. Can we assume that it is appropriate to transport the meaning of apaana from yoga into Buddhist meditation? Or put another way, is there any BUDDHIST text which directly supports the interpretation of apaana that the author is suggesting?
On another country, users were posting photos on Facebook today of a protest in Yangon to mark the fourth anniversary of the 2007 demonstrations before international media. As far as I can tell, no has filed anything on the protests at all yet, but it’s all over Facebook.
Note that Case 1 includes not just photos of food from expensive restaurants, but also foods eaten during travel (“Oh, you spent a vacation in The Maldives… the food there looks great!”) and eaten with friends with equal or higher social capital (“Wow, you had dinner with that famous model AND that rich business heiress!”) . I’m using extreme cases here, but you should get the idea.
EVERYBODY in Thailand is crazy about status and class, from the meanest to the most lofty. A few months ago, the heir of one of the 50 richest families in Thailand uploaded food photos from a meal with a member of the royal family. Uploading photos of the dining guests would have been too blatant; food photos are a more subtle way of communicating the same thing.
It’s only people who “just don’t get it” that upload photos of mediocre looking food without providing any social context (sorry, Andrew).
Case 1)
Let’s say I eat at a really high-end restaurant, say Le Normandie or Sirocco or Honmono. The food looks dazzling and tastes heavenly. I take photos of it and post them onto Facebook and note what the restaurant is. My Facebook friends comment on how “hi-so” the restaurant is and how good it looks and how they want to go too. At the same time, they think (or I think they think) that here is a heavy spender with good taste. Not only is my belly full, but my social capital increases. Facebook is a way of taking private conspicuous consumption and making it public conspicuous consumption.
This is critically important in Thailand: a highly class-based society, but with a lot of aspiring nouveau riche.
I guess it’s more interesting to post varaities of Thai food for your friends to see rather than just prawns on barbie or the unimaginative sausage in breads.
I think the reason behind Facebook’s success in Indonesia is to a large because it’s a late entrant on the Internet, which prevented past social networks to take root.
In Thailand Hi5 was the largest network until a few years ago. Google’s Urkut was big in India. There is a stickiness factor delaying people to change their social network when getting used to another one.
Andrew #43
No point in continuing this as you keep trying to draw the discussing away from my point. You want to discuss why people vote a certain way, I want to discuss how the power to control votes in certain areas has been used and if that is a direction that is good for Thailand.
Again, I await the publication of your Thailand’s Political Peasants presentation.
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War on drugs: Yingluck’s turn
How can anyone call this Yingluck’s war on drugs?
Shouldn’t it be Queen Sirikit’s war on drugs as ordered/suggested in her birthday address “they are killing my children”.
And if that is the case, perhaps one should ask why she is not above politics?
And I believe the same suggestion or support was given to the Thaksin Government. Note: Thaksin Government, not Thaksin’s private war.
War on drugs: Yingluck’s turn
No one can win the war on drugs. Why not accept the inevitable and be pragmatic by legalising all drugs. The money wasted in fighting this so called war could be spent on proper programmes for the addicted. Programmes should put proper control on drug usage and the money made out of sales go back into education and other related activities.
Pavin Chachavalpongpun at the ANU
Here’s an opportune article about the suppression of the dead sea scrolls. “Control of content is the key to control “. Same same for these papers.
http://www.itworld.com/security/207109/suppression-dead-sea-scrolls-anti-hacker-mentality-have-more-common-you-think
War on drugs: Yingluck’s turn
And the really ironic thing is that repeated investigations by the most extreme of the Thaksin-haters have shown ZERO EVIDENCE that illegal “shoot to kill” orders came from the top.
The military junta and Abhisit accused Thaksin staight out of abuses, and set up commissions to investigate the matter. Yet neither of those committees found a shred of evidence linking Thaksin or his Cabinet with the extrajudicial killings.
Ah, but there was a cover up, the yellow-shirts claim! Thaksin found a way to get his tentacles into the military-appointed committee, even though that committee was established without any constitutional checks and balances. And the findings were censored following the election. And evil of evils, Thaksin also paid the Abhisit-appointed committee to cover up his alleged crimes against humanity.
Seriously?! The military and Abhisit had every incentive to make Thaksin look bad, and had the authority to appoint a bunch of lackeys to make it so. Yet neither of these found ANYTHING… What does that tell you? This blood libel has got to end!
Southeast Asia’s Facebook revolution
The reason that Thais take photo’s of food has little to do with status for most of them. They do it for the much more simple reason that it looks tasty. They want to convey that tasty feeling to their friends by posting it on facebook.
I asked my Thai students this question, these are the people that are doing it the most, and they responded with the question “why do you take any photo?” Take a photo of something because you want to share the experience with a friend, simple as that.
Please people, stop making it so political, it is an experiential practice.
War on drugs: Yingluck’s turn
“Perhaps the problem is not Thaksin, it is us.”
Perhaps the problem is not so much us, as a gullible electorate. Given that most of us here have absolutely no say in the way this country is run, I don’t think it is that politically incorrect to suggest the case for the latter is far stronger. The role of the electorate here is mainly to endorse rather than to think for itself.
New prison for political prisoners in Thailand?
Interesting to see the potential PR juxtaposition of a royal pardon in Cambodia for Yellows in the face no such action across the border in Thai. The timing of the Camb pardon will be interesting to watch.
Alo interesting to note the increasing number of Thai political decisions actually being made on Camb soil, in Camb meeting rooms, under the certainly watchful/prying eyes of Camb interests – the latest possibly being military reshuffle list discussion/decision?
Also note the symbolism of red shirted Camb PM racking up 5 goals as “no one dared take the ball away from him” – that being the thai team defenders on the pitch.
The commingling of assets. monies, concessions, and power across border may well get increasingly confusing. HS looks like a winner in thai politics.
New prison for political prisoners in Thailand?
No danger of any family members going there for tax evasion. That is all disappeared now. 100,000 baht fine for billions baht gains.
The coup: five years on
It would be interesting to have a definition of peasants as this choice of word perhaps prejudices/predetermines any conclusions or direction of discussion. Being, or appearing to be, politically disenfranchised might not necessarily fit other measure of power or opportunity to participate in collective social decisions. Perhaps there shoul be more data on income growth, rural income distribution changes (cut out Bkk to see 10 yr trends), PPP vs the worlds other “peasants”.
Just as many rurals want more, or believe there is no reason they should not be the next tycoon and lady luck is just around the corner, the issues are not only about surveys and speeches. In this day in age, most anywhere in the world the answer to “what do you want, or what is lacking in your life” is merely “more” with no further effort to articulate. Basically, more data would add to a real analysis. Follow the money, measure the consumption, the “peasants” do.
Southeast Asia’s Facebook revolution
Indeed, my friends use the food pics as a way to show status. And they are not only from Thailand. Singaporeans do it as well. Some have claimed it’s already passé now that the everybody does it. Even Andrew Walker has noticed. 🙂
Flatulence and breathing meditation
A common theme is appearing in Mazard’s articles – some interesting points, but tainted by an obnoxious tone, hyperbolic statements and aggressive responses to comments made.
Thailand’s royal disgrace
“Re: “They do not understand that free speech does not mean that you are free to lie and insult other people.” (Somkiet)
Actually, Somkiet, that’s exactly what free speech means.”
Indeed.
I see I’m veeeery late on this post, but I’m just now learning about this issue. It’s strange to come to live in a new country and then discover something abhorrent about it. I’d always thought of the royals as a rather kindly bunch, but I can’t help but see dark undertones to my adopted home.
Flatulence and breathing meditation
It is common knowledge that a Pali text can use the same term in a very different way to a Hindu text. Can we assume that it is appropriate to transport the meaning of apaana from yoga into Buddhist meditation? Or put another way, is there any BUDDHIST text which directly supports the interpretation of apaana that the author is suggesting?
The coup: five years on
Wondering if there any ‘godfathers’ down south? http://mangomap.com/map/user/thai%20election%20results%202011
btw, since when isn’t the choice between democracy and another system an ideological battle?
Southeast Asia’s Facebook revolution
On another country, users were posting photos on Facebook today of a protest in Yangon to mark the fourth anniversary of the 2007 demonstrations before international media. As far as I can tell, no has filed anything on the protests at all yet, but it’s all over Facebook.
Southeast Asia’s Facebook revolution
Note that Case 1 includes not just photos of food from expensive restaurants, but also foods eaten during travel (“Oh, you spent a vacation in The Maldives… the food there looks great!”) and eaten with friends with equal or higher social capital (“Wow, you had dinner with that famous model AND that rich business heiress!”) . I’m using extreme cases here, but you should get the idea.
EVERYBODY in Thailand is crazy about status and class, from the meanest to the most lofty. A few months ago, the heir of one of the 50 richest families in Thailand uploaded food photos from a meal with a member of the royal family. Uploading photos of the dining guests would have been too blatant; food photos are a more subtle way of communicating the same thing.
It’s only people who “just don’t get it” that upload photos of mediocre looking food without providing any social context (sorry, Andrew).
Southeast Asia’s Facebook revolution
Come on, this really isn’t that hard.
Case 1)
Let’s say I eat at a really high-end restaurant, say Le Normandie or Sirocco or Honmono. The food looks dazzling and tastes heavenly. I take photos of it and post them onto Facebook and note what the restaurant is. My Facebook friends comment on how “hi-so” the restaurant is and how good it looks and how they want to go too. At the same time, they think (or I think they think) that here is a heavy spender with good taste. Not only is my belly full, but my social capital increases. Facebook is a way of taking private conspicuous consumption and making it public conspicuous consumption.
This is critically important in Thailand: a highly class-based society, but with a lot of aspiring nouveau riche.
Southeast Asia’s Facebook revolution
I guess it’s more interesting to post varaities of Thai food for your friends to see rather than just prawns on barbie or the unimaginative sausage in breads.
Southeast Asia’s Facebook revolution
I think the reason behind Facebook’s success in Indonesia is to a large because it’s a late entrant on the Internet, which prevented past social networks to take root.
In Thailand Hi5 was the largest network until a few years ago. Google’s Urkut was big in India. There is a stickiness factor delaying people to change their social network when getting used to another one.
The coup: five years on
Andrew #43
No point in continuing this as you keep trying to draw the discussing away from my point. You want to discuss why people vote a certain way, I want to discuss how the power to control votes in certain areas has been used and if that is a direction that is good for Thailand.
Again, I await the publication of your Thailand’s Political Peasants presentation.