What is this guy doing in this page? He should have been put in jail for the rest of his life for staging a coup de tat. Look what he did to a beautiful country like Thailand. I will have no word at all if the Thais are crazy enough to vote for him. But I am sure the Prua Thai Party will not join hand with this s.o.b. because he was one of the guy who caused all the chaos. I am sure he will be broke after the election. All the money that he robbed after staging the coup will be washed out in this election.
Very useful table of details in the PDF at the link provide – thanks again for that.
A question though. The “potential partner for” entry lists only Democrats for Sonthi/Matubhum. Yet on 10 June Sonthi was reported as saying : “We would like to join the next government even if Pheu Thai leads after the July 3 elections,” [ http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=592861 ].
Now, I realise that it’s par for the course for a (Thai general turned) Thai politician to say all kinds of things that they either don’t mean – or may even mean at the time but won’t do when the time comes. But – this was quite a startling statement to get from the coup leader himself.
Away from the political aspect of another party signalling its readiness (yes, conditionally) to join with PT to form a government, what strikes me about this is that it’s head-military-honcho-as-was Sonthi who is saying it.
Given what we know of ties in the military brotherhood, would this have happened without Sonthi having at least taken soundings with the present top brass (his former clique of subordinates) before saying what he did? Or do we just dismiss all thier announcements as chaff to be ignored until we see what they actually do come the time?
Vandalizing election posters is completely legitimate for (young) people to do. If a youngster put his frustration in his or her blog or on Facebook he is fingered as en enemy of the state. Abhisit is quite lucky that he he was not a crooked prime minister in my time as a student. He would not have got off without a a few tarts or rotten eggs. A party who raped democracy and vandalized the way people can express themselves should be humble and not complain when their posters get the treatment the majority of voters wished them after robbing them from their votes with the help of the army and courts.
In defence of the little ones in the Thai Police Force – the poor little Thai Policeman:
a couple of times I have found myself paying money to get the police to do a job that they were already paid to do. Then again I don’t have a very high opinion of the Thai police force… or ex-Thai policemen come to think of it.
He is poorly paid
He is provided with cheap home for his family, he lives with the knowledge that as soon as he gets himself killed or incapacitated in the line of duty, his widow and children will get kicked out of that home with whatever meager belongings they had.
He is expected to pay his immediate boss (who would have to pay his immediate boss) his share of monthly corruption collection. If you did not meet your monthly target, you get reassigned to more dangerous postings or much poorer postings. This is the reason why sometimes you get stopped by traffic police for no reason – it was a tough month with skinny pickings and the poor traffic police is desperate to meet targets.
In order to get promoted or moved to richer territories (easier to meet target and perhaps more) or less dangerous postings, one need to show their appreciation of their boss in a very generous manner.
Mid level police officers are not much better off except perhaps ‘safer’. Much of what they gets goes further upwards, in some circumstances to ensure their own path, in most situation to pretend their own slide back down. AKA – they get lots of bribes, but also have to pay lots of bribes.
I believe most Thais may not even remember any of the elections from before TRT anymore. But I feel I must, as a reminder and as a plea to remember the what happened to election posters even in the old days BT (before Thaksin).
For the Thais old enough to remember – be honest: We Thais are an artistic bunch, posters are always defaced, sometimes in the most creative ways, in every single election in Thailand. Blackened eyes and added beards and/or mustache are the most common. I also remember seeing a poster at the bus-stop one morning, and it was gone the next, its place actually taken by a poster of a rival party. The ripped edges of the old poster was still there, a testament to the viciousness with which it was torn from its place.
So no, the defacing of election posters is not a recent phenomenon in Thailand at all. I remember helping the Palang Dhama party put up posters years ago. We put so many in one soi that the next morning, only a third of the posters were defaced, we pasted some so high they could not be ripped off unless one had a stool.
It is so strange how I could have forgotten. How all these strongly worded media about the despoiling of DP posters have successfully distracted me from a past, a true history, that I have lived through.
Photographs are a visual thing that can be so viciously effective. I only wished I had taken photos back then so it can now be posted here. But back then, it was so much the norm, and I could not afford to waste what little cash I had on film and development.
The ongoing “Rohingya/Kala” problem as well as others that will neither appear in any news outlet nor discussed in New Mandala is either directly 2┬║ to west policy careless useless policy towards Myanmar, or indirectly, 1-2 separation only, recently confirmed again by McCain speech here:
As Australia has blindly and unnecessarily toed existing policy that clearly induced the “problems” , so po-leese stop whining about the refugee problem as “Muslim” problem.
Humanitarian principles dictate that one either take care of the needs at point of origin or where ever the needs shall migrate. In this case spilled over into all SEA countries.
It was only after the palace began to suspect that certain parties were beginning to think that there might be better alternatives to King Rama X, and that Thaksin had amibitions of becoming president for life of the Thai republic, that the king began to show excessive partiality for some political parties over others, thereby initiating a cycle of increasing resentment and falling support among many of his previously loyal subjects.
I got to disagree about the king start to show partiality just recently. The king has been showing many partiality in the pass during the purge of communist in the 1970s and 80s. The royal family played a very active role in supporting the vary people that massacre the student in the eve of 6 Oct 1976. Earlier on, the royal family also show their support to Sarit regime, who had murder hundred (or thousand) of his political opposition. We didn’t see the same support with Phibulsonggram government. During the 80s we see the royal family giving an unexpectedly strong support for Prem’s and Tanin government, and not the Kriangsak Chomanan who came in between the two.
For some of the discussion of the monarchy after 1976, have a look at some of the materials at the section Historical Commentary at thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/commentary/lese-majeste-issues/
#20: Support for the monarchy has to be reciprocated. Until relatively recently the king could assume that ALL legal political parties were committed to the concept of a constitutional monarchy, and so the position of the monarchy was secure. It was only after the palace began to suspect that certain parties were beginning to think that there might be better alternatives to King Rama X, and that Thaksin had amibitions of becoming president for life of the Thai republic, that the king began to show excessive partiality for some political parties over others, thereby initiating a cycle of increasing resentment and falling support among many of his previously loyal subjects. Attacks on other members of the family have occured for a long time. Criticism of the king himself did not really begin until quite recently, but now appears to have become self-perpetuating, much assisted by the uncontrollable media of the internet. The days of mass adulation seem to be gone for ever.
Yes, when I ask about support, my question is “did the Thais, after 1976 massacre, still love the Monarchy?”
I guess it is like you said, it is difficult to answer. Even now after the blatant intervention and interference by the elites (as well as the Monarchy) during this current political crisis, it is still difficult to really find out whether Thais still love the Monarchy.
As for support for Constitutional Monarchy, all I can say is I am ready to support this system, if the Monarchy has proved to me that they really are above politics. If I am an Australian, I would vote, if there is a referendum, that Australia should continue being a Constitutional Monarchy. This is because the British Monarchy has never done any harm to Australia. However, if I could see that the Monarchy has not behaved properly, has interfered in politics, or have used their influence in an inappropriate way, then I guess I would not be able to support them any longer.
In other words, if I can choose between (a genuine and proper) Constitutional Monarchy and a Republic, of course I would prefer Constitutional Monarchy. However, if I am forced to make a choice between “democracy” or “no democracy”, then I have to choose democracy. Unfortunately, now the Thais are being forced to make a choice on the latter. And ironically, people who have forced them to make this choice are the elites themselves.
Talking about 1976, I was not born yet in 1976. Can any Thai (or farang who knows ‘actual’ Thai history) tell me how was the support for the Monarchy right after 6 Oct 1976?
—-
I believe your question is a very difficult one to answer, because it goes to the very heart of what one means by the word ‘support’. Support, as in one support the maintaining of a monarchy as a constitutional monarchy (democratic system)? as in maintaining a monarchy as a monarchy (feudal/overlord system)? or support as in love and reverence to the monarchy? or support as in reverence to King Bhumipol?
Sonetimes, when a Thai friend (across social class and educational background) said ‘I love the King’, I could not help but wonder, does he/she actually truly understand what he/she is saying – or is it just a reflect action, conditioned by years in the society and the educational system?
I do not believe there are any existing studies on how much support the monachy actually have then. Nor will I believe any ‘study’ that suddenly pop up saying how popular the monarchy was back then. Nor can I take seriously opinions of singular writer-critics such as Ji Ungpakorn.
I cannot comment on 1976. I was not there. My father was. He was a Thammasat student. He was always supportive of a constitutional monarchy. His friends were too. He still is. His friends are too. There were some republicans, some communists, and of course some trouble makers.
I know my acharn from thammasat university said to me years after 92. She was heart broken and past away mere months later. She expressed her disappointment in Thammasat students – that they were different from back in 76. Back in 76, it was a student led thing. She was there. But in 92, where are the Thammasat students? 76 was about doing the right thing, the progressive thing. It was never about the monarchy.
I think that’s where the trap is. This is about what political system we want – a lot of us are just dumb enough to be drag into the love the monarchy BS simply because it is too difficult to explain to a bunch of selfish greedy aristobrats that one can support democracy and still support the monarchy.
Yes, the monk think reminds me of a Thai relative who went to see Luang Pho Khoon one day and asked the revered abbot for lucky numbers for the coming lottery. And this anecdote is true!
Luang Pho tells her to take out her pencil and write.
He says, “One.” She writes it down.
“Two.”She writes it down.
“Three.”
This went on until “four,” when the lady asks, “Luang Pho, what is this?”
“Well,” he replied, “You wanted a winning number. One of these will win.”
The old monk has a sense of humor.
Are you planning to set up “р╕кр╕│р╕Щр╕▒р╕Бр╣Гр╕Ър╣Йр╕лр╕зр╕вр╕нр╕▓р╕Ир╕▓р╕гр╕вр╣Мр╣Бр╕нр╕Щр╕Фр╕гр╕╣р╕зр╣М” ?
Many Thais are so desperate to get luck lotto number. They turns to monks, people who claim to have spiritual power and to animals or plans with abnormal shapes for help.
Codifying comments here may catch their attention. It would be interesting, if the code here is a wining numbers. You know, it is this kind of thing that gets into front page of ThaiRath and Daily News…
Reference #49: One of the reasons why the RTA is not a united force and factional infighting is increasing is the fact that there are far too many generals.
Prior to 1949 there was an Army Officer Cadet School that offered two main courses: a two-year syllabus of military training intended primarily for infantry and cavalry officers, and a four-year syllabus which combined military training with an engineering degree intended primarily for engineer and artillery officers. Two of the more prominent graduates were General Prem Tinsulanonda, who completed the four-year syllabus in 1941, and General Arthit Kamlangwek, who completed the two-year syllabus in 1944.
In 1949 the cadet school became the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA), offering a five-year syllabus which combined military training with a bachelor degree. The first class, known as CRMA Class 1, consisted of just 29 cadets who graduated in 1954. Among them were Generals Sunthorn Kongsompong and Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. The fifth class, the Class 5 of 1991 coup d’etat fame (notoriety?), consisted of 146 cadets, of whom around one-third went into the police force (there being no separate police academy at the time). Among them was General Suchinda Kraprayoon, one of Thailand’s less successful ex-military prime ministers.
The point is that Class 5 was small enough to give every graduate a luctrative command appointment. That is no longer the case. The current army commander, General Prayut Chanocha, was only one of the 235 members of CRMA Class 23. The majority of his classmates can be expected to serve until age 60 and be promoted major general at age 55, but only a minority will ever occupy genuine command appointments, while the opportunities open to those in Classes 24 and 25 are few indeed, given the fact that senior command tenure is usually around three years.
In due course General Prayut will probably hand over to one of the 284 members of Class 26, leaving 283 out of the running and all of Classes 285 and 286 with very limited prospects for advancement, and the prospects of subsequent classes can only get worse. Most will end up as “military experts attached to Army HQ”, or as the Bangkok Post used to put it, “commanding generals at large”.
So nowadays there is a small proportion of generals in real command positions and a very large (and growing) proportion who aren’t but would like to be. It is rumoured that Thaksin’s agents are actively recruiting a “second eleven” of watermelon generals who will be promoted to fill the key command appointments should Phuea Thai come to power. In these circumstances, getting the broad-based support necessary to stage a successful coup d’etat is becoming inceasingly difficult. Interesting times indeed.
In central BKK a lot of PAD “no vote” posters are also vandalized. Possibly by someone who just hates monkeys, or, in the case of the entire heads being cut out, by resourceful mothers looking for cheap hand puppets for their kids.
I would like to see a party come up with posters that have clear plastic backgrounds, so that the posters don’t obstruct motorist sightlines at already-dangerous intersections. Could win some neutral votes…
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Small is beautiful?
What is this guy doing in this page? He should have been put in jail for the rest of his life for staging a coup de tat. Look what he did to a beautiful country like Thailand. I will have no word at all if the Thais are crazy enough to vote for him. But I am sure the Prua Thai Party will not join hand with this s.o.b. because he was one of the guy who caused all the chaos. I am sure he will be broke after the election. All the money that he robbed after staging the coup will be washed out in this election.
Small is beautiful?
Very useful table of details in the PDF at the link provide – thanks again for that.
A question though. The “potential partner for” entry lists only Democrats for Sonthi/Matubhum. Yet on 10 June Sonthi was reported as saying : “We would like to join the next government even if Pheu Thai leads after the July 3 elections,” [ http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=592861 ].
Now, I realise that it’s par for the course for a (Thai general turned) Thai politician to say all kinds of things that they either don’t mean – or may even mean at the time but won’t do when the time comes. But – this was quite a startling statement to get from the coup leader himself.
Away from the political aspect of another party signalling its readiness (yes, conditionally) to join with PT to form a government, what strikes me about this is that it’s head-military-honcho-as-was Sonthi who is saying it.
Given what we know of ties in the military brotherhood, would this have happened without Sonthi having at least taken soundings with the present top brass (his former clique of subordinates) before saying what he did? Or do we just dismiss all thier announcements as chaff to be ignored until we see what they actually do come the time?
Vandalism and democracy
Vandalizing election posters is completely legitimate for (young) people to do. If a youngster put his frustration in his or her blog or on Facebook he is fingered as en enemy of the state. Abhisit is quite lucky that he he was not a crooked prime minister in my time as a student. He would not have got off without a a few tarts or rotten eggs. A party who raped democracy and vandalized the way people can express themselves should be humble and not complain when their posters get the treatment the majority of voters wished them after robbing them from their votes with the help of the army and courts.
Chuvit on the streets
In defence of the little ones in the Thai Police Force – the poor little Thai Policeman:
a couple of times I have found myself paying money to get the police to do a job that they were already paid to do. Then again I don’t have a very high opinion of the Thai police force… or ex-Thai policemen come to think of it.
He is poorly paid
He is provided with cheap home for his family, he lives with the knowledge that as soon as he gets himself killed or incapacitated in the line of duty, his widow and children will get kicked out of that home with whatever meager belongings they had.
He is expected to pay his immediate boss (who would have to pay his immediate boss) his share of monthly corruption collection. If you did not meet your monthly target, you get reassigned to more dangerous postings or much poorer postings. This is the reason why sometimes you get stopped by traffic police for no reason – it was a tough month with skinny pickings and the poor traffic police is desperate to meet targets.
In order to get promoted or moved to richer territories (easier to meet target and perhaps more) or less dangerous postings, one need to show their appreciation of their boss in a very generous manner.
Mid level police officers are not much better off except perhaps ‘safer’. Much of what they gets goes further upwards, in some circumstances to ensure their own path, in most situation to pretend their own slide back down. AKA – they get lots of bribes, but also have to pay lots of bribes.
Vandalism and democracy
@Andrew
Meant to write this yesterday but forgot.
I believe most Thais may not even remember any of the elections from before TRT anymore. But I feel I must, as a reminder and as a plea to remember the what happened to election posters even in the old days BT (before Thaksin).
For the Thais old enough to remember – be honest: We Thais are an artistic bunch, posters are always defaced, sometimes in the most creative ways, in every single election in Thailand. Blackened eyes and added beards and/or mustache are the most common. I also remember seeing a poster at the bus-stop one morning, and it was gone the next, its place actually taken by a poster of a rival party. The ripped edges of the old poster was still there, a testament to the viciousness with which it was torn from its place.
So no, the defacing of election posters is not a recent phenomenon in Thailand at all. I remember helping the Palang Dhama party put up posters years ago. We put so many in one soi that the next morning, only a third of the posters were defaced, we pasted some so high they could not be ripped off unless one had a stool.
It is so strange how I could have forgotten. How all these strongly worded media about the despoiling of DP posters have successfully distracted me from a past, a true history, that I have lived through.
Photographs are a visual thing that can be so viciously effective. I only wished I had taken photos back then so it can now be posted here. But back then, it was so much the norm, and I could not afford to waste what little cash I had on film and development.
Thanks Andrew, for memories forgotten.
Tourist among Rohingya vagabonds
The ongoing “Rohingya/Kala” problem as well as others that will neither appear in any news outlet nor discussed in New Mandala is either directly 2┬║ to west policy careless useless policy towards Myanmar, or indirectly, 1-2 separation only, recently confirmed again by McCain speech here:
http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/5368-us-sen-mccain-urges-concrete-steps-from-burmese-government.html
Even Ban Ki Moon whom in the past has routinely toe the exiting line of the west without hesitation is now stating this:
http://www.mizzima.com/news/world/5392–un-secretary-general-says-burmas-problems-deep-seated.html
As Australia has blindly and unnecessarily toed existing policy that clearly induced the “problems” , so po-leese stop whining about the refugee problem as “Muslim” problem.
Humanitarian principles dictate that one either take care of the needs at point of origin or where ever the needs shall migrate. In this case spilled over into all SEA countries.
Vandalism and democracy
KA – 22
It was only after the palace began to suspect that certain parties were beginning to think that there might be better alternatives to King Rama X, and that Thaksin had amibitions of becoming president for life of the Thai republic, that the king began to show excessive partiality for some political parties over others, thereby initiating a cycle of increasing resentment and falling support among many of his previously loyal subjects.
I got to disagree about the king start to show partiality just recently. The king has been showing many partiality in the pass during the purge of communist in the 1970s and 80s. The royal family played a very active role in supporting the vary people that massacre the student in the eve of 6 Oct 1976. Earlier on, the royal family also show their support to Sarit regime, who had murder hundred (or thousand) of his political opposition. We didn’t see the same support with Phibulsonggram government. During the 80s we see the royal family giving an unexpectedly strong support for Prem’s and Tanin government, and not the Kriangsak Chomanan who came in between the two.
Chuvit on the streets
Here’s a more direct link to the brutal midnight demolition of Sukhumvit Square in January 2003:
http://goo.gl/fxUBx
Chuvit on the streets
Perhaps he thinks that Forgiveness of Sins is a better bet than Karma? In his particular case.
Vandalism and democracy
For some of the discussion of the monarchy after 1976, have a look at some of the materials at the section Historical Commentary at thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/commentary/lese-majeste-issues/
Vandalism and democracy
#20: Support for the monarchy has to be reciprocated. Until relatively recently the king could assume that ALL legal political parties were committed to the concept of a constitutional monarchy, and so the position of the monarchy was secure. It was only after the palace began to suspect that certain parties were beginning to think that there might be better alternatives to King Rama X, and that Thaksin had amibitions of becoming president for life of the Thai republic, that the king began to show excessive partiality for some political parties over others, thereby initiating a cycle of increasing resentment and falling support among many of his previously loyal subjects. Attacks on other members of the family have occured for a long time. Criticism of the king himself did not really begin until quite recently, but now appears to have become self-perpetuating, much assisted by the uncontrollable media of the internet. The days of mass adulation seem to be gone for ever.
New Mandala’s new comment policy
42
Vandalism and democracy
@Khun Nuomi
Thank you for your response.
Yes, when I ask about support, my question is “did the Thais, after 1976 massacre, still love the Monarchy?”
I guess it is like you said, it is difficult to answer. Even now after the blatant intervention and interference by the elites (as well as the Monarchy) during this current political crisis, it is still difficult to really find out whether Thais still love the Monarchy.
As for support for Constitutional Monarchy, all I can say is I am ready to support this system, if the Monarchy has proved to me that they really are above politics. If I am an Australian, I would vote, if there is a referendum, that Australia should continue being a Constitutional Monarchy. This is because the British Monarchy has never done any harm to Australia. However, if I could see that the Monarchy has not behaved properly, has interfered in politics, or have used their influence in an inappropriate way, then I guess I would not be able to support them any longer.
In other words, if I can choose between (a genuine and proper) Constitutional Monarchy and a Republic, of course I would prefer Constitutional Monarchy. However, if I am forced to make a choice between “democracy” or “no democracy”, then I have to choose democracy. Unfortunately, now the Thais are being forced to make a choice on the latter. And ironically, people who have forced them to make this choice are the elites themselves.
Vandalism and democracy
@CT
Talking about 1976, I was not born yet in 1976. Can any Thai (or farang who knows ‘actual’ Thai history) tell me how was the support for the Monarchy right after 6 Oct 1976?
—-
I believe your question is a very difficult one to answer, because it goes to the very heart of what one means by the word ‘support’. Support, as in one support the maintaining of a monarchy as a constitutional monarchy (democratic system)? as in maintaining a monarchy as a monarchy (feudal/overlord system)? or support as in love and reverence to the monarchy? or support as in reverence to King Bhumipol?
Sonetimes, when a Thai friend (across social class and educational background) said ‘I love the King’, I could not help but wonder, does he/she actually truly understand what he/she is saying – or is it just a reflect action, conditioned by years in the society and the educational system?
I do not believe there are any existing studies on how much support the monachy actually have then. Nor will I believe any ‘study’ that suddenly pop up saying how popular the monarchy was back then. Nor can I take seriously opinions of singular writer-critics such as Ji Ungpakorn.
I cannot comment on 1976. I was not there. My father was. He was a Thammasat student. He was always supportive of a constitutional monarchy. His friends were too. He still is. His friends are too. There were some republicans, some communists, and of course some trouble makers.
I know my acharn from thammasat university said to me years after 92. She was heart broken and past away mere months later. She expressed her disappointment in Thammasat students – that they were different from back in 76. Back in 76, it was a student led thing. She was there. But in 92, where are the Thammasat students? 76 was about doing the right thing, the progressive thing. It was never about the monarchy.
I think that’s where the trap is. This is about what political system we want – a lot of us are just dumb enough to be drag into the love the monarchy BS simply because it is too difficult to explain to a bunch of selfish greedy aristobrats that one can support democracy and still support the monarchy.
New Mandala’s new comment policy
Oh Andrew!
My mom read this and said in response to my blank expression: Didn’t I tell you maths is the universal language, dear?
New Mandala’s new comment policy
Yes, the monk think reminds me of a Thai relative who went to see Luang Pho Khoon one day and asked the revered abbot for lucky numbers for the coming lottery. And this anecdote is true!
Luang Pho tells her to take out her pencil and write.
He says, “One.” She writes it down.
“Two.”She writes it down.
“Three.”
This went on until “four,” when the lady asks, “Luang Pho, what is this?”
“Well,” he replied, “You wanted a winning number. One of these will win.”
The old monk has a sense of humor.
New Mandala’s new comment policy
Are you planning to set up “р╕кр╕│р╕Щр╕▒р╕Бр╣Гр╕Ър╣Йр╕лр╕зр╕вр╕нр╕▓р╕Ир╕▓р╕гр╕вр╣Мр╣Бр╕нр╕Щр╕Фр╕гр╕╣р╕зр╣М” ?
Many Thais are so desperate to get luck lotto number. They turns to monks, people who claim to have spiritual power and to animals or plans with abnormal shapes for help.
Codifying comments here may catch their attention. It would be interesting, if the code here is a wining numbers. You know, it is this kind of thing that gets into front page of ThaiRath and Daily News…
A Pheua Thai win? But then what?
Reference #49: One of the reasons why the RTA is not a united force and factional infighting is increasing is the fact that there are far too many generals.
Prior to 1949 there was an Army Officer Cadet School that offered two main courses: a two-year syllabus of military training intended primarily for infantry and cavalry officers, and a four-year syllabus which combined military training with an engineering degree intended primarily for engineer and artillery officers. Two of the more prominent graduates were General Prem Tinsulanonda, who completed the four-year syllabus in 1941, and General Arthit Kamlangwek, who completed the two-year syllabus in 1944.
In 1949 the cadet school became the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA), offering a five-year syllabus which combined military training with a bachelor degree. The first class, known as CRMA Class 1, consisted of just 29 cadets who graduated in 1954. Among them were Generals Sunthorn Kongsompong and Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. The fifth class, the Class 5 of 1991 coup d’etat fame (notoriety?), consisted of 146 cadets, of whom around one-third went into the police force (there being no separate police academy at the time). Among them was General Suchinda Kraprayoon, one of Thailand’s less successful ex-military prime ministers.
The point is that Class 5 was small enough to give every graduate a luctrative command appointment. That is no longer the case. The current army commander, General Prayut Chanocha, was only one of the 235 members of CRMA Class 23. The majority of his classmates can be expected to serve until age 60 and be promoted major general at age 55, but only a minority will ever occupy genuine command appointments, while the opportunities open to those in Classes 24 and 25 are few indeed, given the fact that senior command tenure is usually around three years.
In due course General Prayut will probably hand over to one of the 284 members of Class 26, leaving 283 out of the running and all of Classes 285 and 286 with very limited prospects for advancement, and the prospects of subsequent classes can only get worse. Most will end up as “military experts attached to Army HQ”, or as the Bangkok Post used to put it, “commanding generals at large”.
So nowadays there is a small proportion of generals in real command positions and a very large (and growing) proportion who aren’t but would like to be. It is rumoured that Thaksin’s agents are actively recruiting a “second eleven” of watermelon generals who will be promoted to fill the key command appointments should Phuea Thai come to power. In these circumstances, getting the broad-based support necessary to stage a successful coup d’etat is becoming inceasingly difficult. Interesting times indeed.
Vandalism and democracy
In central BKK a lot of PAD “no vote” posters are also vandalized. Possibly by someone who just hates monkeys, or, in the case of the entire heads being cut out, by resourceful mothers looking for cheap hand puppets for their kids.
I would like to see a party come up with posters that have clear plastic backgrounds, so that the posters don’t obstruct motorist sightlines at already-dangerous intersections. Could win some neutral votes…
New Mandala’s new comment policy
Perhaps you could add some numbers like pi or e or the square root of two, for those posting highly irrational opinions.