Kate, you confuse me. You ar ethe only one on this thread who claims that the Abhisit govt has done nothing in two years. You introduce it in an unsourced quote from a vendor… You seem to b=debating yourself and an unknown vendor….
I think the govt has done a lot since late 2008. They have done pretty well on the economy. Part of this comes from the huge economic stimulus provided by populist spending. They increased the military budget by more than any other civilian govt. They have more political prisoners than any govt since 1976 (and maybe longer than that). They have censored more media than any other Thai govt. They have defeated more uprisings than any other govt except for Prem. There’s more than this I am sure.
Does it signify a widening gap between two groups in society?
r u serious with that question ? So in your opinion, that individual kunying represents the whole hi so class women ? Isn’t Pojjaman also a kunying herself lol ? You are not making sense here.
My friend was slapped by red shirt guard when he was trying to get into his office @ Rachprasong and refused to show his Thai i.d. to the guard. Now how do you think about it ? another case of gap widening ? 🙂
On inauguration the President of the USA swears to uphold the Constitution. I understood that all public servants of the USA must do likewise. That implies that each and every US government official is duty bound to uphold freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed in the First Amendment.
So it is the duty of the US Ambassador to Thailand to support US Joe and should US citizens feel moved to paint slogans on the big white wall surrounding the US Consulate in Chiang Mai denouncing Lese Magesty, as is their right, likewise they should be supported.
“I am sorry to disappoint you, but being a ‘blond white girl’ will not guarantee freedom of speech in Thailand. ”
No, but it would give the US media an irresistible piece of racially-tinged bait: A white girl facing jail in Thailand, where non-white people might touch her in dirty ways. Remember the Australian girl who was “framed” for drug smuggling? She lost, but not before the enraged Aussie public dragged a reluctant Aussie government into paying more attention to her defense than any previous case. And she was a drug smuggler. Imagine if her crime had been “web comments and links” made while in Sydney.
Greene Gene is right; image matters in the media world. Americans don’t care if the Asian country with the long funny names imprisons an Asian dude with a long funny name.
No, but being a ‘blond white girl’ would increase the chance of his story being publicised / kept in the media in the US… and that (along with people circulating his story and their opinions about it on the net etc…) is probably the best chance he has of getting out of there..
btw, I am a bit naive about this site. My classmate just tells me this site is kind of a foreign version of Voice of Thaksin , I dunno if that is a valid statement but hey look how unpopular I am when I am just trying to give my honest opinion. 🙂 haha !!
I was referring to this data from OECD http://www.oecd.org/document/2/0,3746,en_2649_33731_46367966_1_1_1_1,00.html and this data from IMF http://www.malaya.com.ph/10222010/busi5.html And hey, Korn Jatikavanich was awarded Finance Minister of the Year from “The Banker” for a reason, he has succeeded in containing the budget deficit at a forecast 4.6% for 2009, with a projected rapid decline in the deficit starting in 2011. How can those figures are translated into “doing nothing at all” ? How about the people who’s “doing everything” to bring down Thailand’s economy and stability, do they also share responsibility of any economic draw back in Thailand ? Or it’s just gonna be another sole fault of a government as usual ? Imagine if we didn’t have to go through those mayhems 2 years in a roll, how far would Thai economy progress today.
I am sorry to disappoint you, but being a ‘blond white girl’ will not guarantee freedom of speech in Thailand. Thailand does have the habit of occasionally picking up a couple of not so well known and not at all connected westerner just so that Thailand can maintain a facade of ‘fairness’ (not only targeting Thais) and also as boasting points (we arrested farangs too!!!).
@Kate
I believe you are looking at size of economy – in SEA yes, Thailand is 2nd largest economy after Singapore. But in terms of growth and performance, Tarrin got it right.
I really wanted to write a response to your line about the red shirts jepardizing Thai economy. But really that would be a total waste of my time. Let’s just say, on the day the self-proclaimed educated patriotic royalist blockaded the Airport, I cried and felt sick to my stomach. To me, that day was the day the future is written in stone. I knew on that day that some time in the future, some red shirts will die for naught, because Prem and … and the educated selfish elites would not mind shooting down a few ‘kwais’ to maintain status quo.
I know some yellows like to quote awards and prizes won by so and so – but this is the truth: do you know how hard your fellow Thais working in the foreign ministry had to work – to plead and to beg (not lobby, but beg) – to get those awards awarded to the respective Thai elite?
@Chris
Most interesting read, nice angle to write from. Nice marketing work – though I think it is the same style used by Thaksin, just modified to suit a feminine candidate.
In Thailand, sadly, ‘wrong’ as I used in my above post, means anything that can be intentionally construed or miscontrued to mean anything that can be charged under LM and/or any of the current and subsequent LM-related laws, get anyone arrested, charged and tried in a closed court and then dump in jail.
I used that word with much sarcasm, meaning sometimes if someone wants to get at you, there is no ‘correct’ thing one can say. Even if you directly copy what PM Ahbisit says – he is right but you are wrong – period.
@Tarrin
I am not sure if you will agree with me on this one, but it is my perception and belief that one does not have to be criticizing the monarchy to get charged for LM. One only has to be ‘perceived’ by the person who wants to get you in trouble to be saying something he or she deem critical of the monarchy. A paragraph critical of the government can be creatively taken far out of context – and I have really great respect for the finesse of Thai artistic creativity. I only wished it is better employed in the creation of global brands and winning Oscars.
For example – if you are ‘popular’ and deemed a threat by the establishment, or if you happened to be one unlucky fool that the establishment want to make use of to make an example of, then you CAN actually get charged with LM for simply making a comment about your mother or father. We know who Father or Mother can refer to.
How come transparency (aka tendency to corrupt or abuse national policy for the benefit of self or family members) is not included. I think it’s one of the most important criteria for candidate PM.
I notice some key words are systematically created to attack Abhisit in the last 4 weeks and I must say it’s very effective among people who receive one side of information though.
The guy has been under attack since he took the office illegitimately 2 years ago. Furthermore, if you really been listening from both side you should know by now how Abhisit crippled the rural economy because of his ineffective stimulus scheme.
Data indicates that Thailand is only second to Singapore in SEA region in term of Economic growth, of course there is inflation, but ain’t all countries suffer from it as well ?
I have no idea what “data” you are referring to here but other than Malaysia, Thailand GDP growth rate is mediocre at best check here if you don’t believe me
in 2010 Vieatnam, Indonesia, and Philippines GDP growth rate was around 6%-10% (adjusted by inflation), Thailand GDP growth in 2010 was 1% (adjusted by inflation) how is that a second place???
I don’t think it’s fair to say Abhisit has done nothing at all in the last 2 years. (I find it rather funny that line is repeatedly said like a bible by the red shirts during this rally) For 2 years in a roll, red shirts managed to jeopardize Thailand’s economic so badly, billions is said to be lost from Thai economy particularly from tourism. Yet Abhisit manages to bring the country out of crisis, Data indicates that Thailand is only second to Singapore in SEA region in term of Economic growth, of course there is inflation, but ain’t all countries suffer from it as well ? Besides, policies such as rice price insurance is greatly appreciated by rice farmers. I notice some key words are systematically created to attack Abhisit in the last 4 weeks and I must say it’s very effective among people who receive one side of information though. 🙂
Don’t overlook the final cryptic comment on most of the Yinglak posters … ik khrang, meaning yet again. Yet is the Thai three-letter word for a very common English four-letter word. Is this a subtle warning that if the Thai people elect another Shinawatra regime, they’re going to get screwed all over again?
All they have to do is tell one of the generals that if they didn’t like Wikileaks, wait till they see will be leaked to the NY Times with the authority of an “un-named” State Department official. Day in and day out.
The only hope is to get the US media interested, so they have pressure to get it off the news. But they aren’t. They won’t. If only Joe Gordon would have been a blond white girl.
Highest education achievement of Abhisit is an Oxford BA in PPE, Politics, Philosophy and Economics. The MA is a qualification added by paying college fees, it is not the result of any academic course or thesis.
PPE is a relatively easy option and does not carry much weight on an Oxford scale. If my memory is correct, he graduated with a 2nd Honours, hardly a brilliant achievement.
The Eton component is available to anyone with the money to pay for it, given average intelligence.
I have no estimate of the worth of Ms Yingluk’s academic achievement, but on paper it trumps that of Abhisit
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Yingluck on the streets
Kate, you confuse me. You ar ethe only one on this thread who claims that the Abhisit govt has done nothing in two years. You introduce it in an unsourced quote from a vendor… You seem to b=debating yourself and an unknown vendor….
I think the govt has done a lot since late 2008. They have done pretty well on the economy. Part of this comes from the huge economic stimulus provided by populist spending. They increased the military budget by more than any other civilian govt. They have more political prisoners than any govt since 1976 (and maybe longer than that). They have censored more media than any other Thai govt. They have defeated more uprisings than any other govt except for Prem. There’s more than this I am sure.
And I think you mean Voice of Taksin?
Khunying face slapper
Does it signify a widening gap between two groups in society?
r u serious with that question ? So in your opinion, that individual kunying represents the whole hi so class women ? Isn’t Pojjaman also a kunying herself lol ? You are not making sense here.
My friend was slapped by red shirt guard when he was trying to get into his office @ Rachprasong and refused to show his Thai i.d. to the guard. Now how do you think about it ? another case of gap widening ? 🙂
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
Does anybody know if Joe has dual citizenship?
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
On inauguration the President of the USA swears to uphold the Constitution. I understood that all public servants of the USA must do likewise. That implies that each and every US government official is duty bound to uphold freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed in the First Amendment.
So it is the duty of the US Ambassador to Thailand to support US Joe and should US citizens feel moved to paint slogans on the big white wall surrounding the US Consulate in Chiang Mai denouncing Lese Magesty, as is their right, likewise they should be supported.
Khunying face slapper
I have no problems with the Khunying’s comments. Spot on I reckon.
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
“I am sorry to disappoint you, but being a ‘blond white girl’ will not guarantee freedom of speech in Thailand. ”
No, but it would give the US media an irresistible piece of racially-tinged bait: A white girl facing jail in Thailand, where non-white people might touch her in dirty ways. Remember the Australian girl who was “framed” for drug smuggling? She lost, but not before the enraged Aussie public dragged a reluctant Aussie government into paying more attention to her defense than any previous case. And she was a drug smuggler. Imagine if her crime had been “web comments and links” made while in Sydney.
Greene Gene is right; image matters in the media world. Americans don’t care if the Asian country with the long funny names imprisons an Asian dude with a long funny name.
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
@7
No, but being a ‘blond white girl’ would increase the chance of his story being publicised / kept in the media in the US… and that (along with people circulating his story and their opinions about it on the net etc…) is probably the best chance he has of getting out of there..
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
Nuomi
The Thai authorities may not care about blonde white girls, but the U.S media sure does. I think that was Green Gene’s point.
Yingluck on the streets
btw, I am a bit naive about this site. My classmate just tells me this site is kind of a foreign version of Voice of Thaksin , I dunno if that is a valid statement but hey look how unpopular I am when I am just trying to give my honest opinion. 🙂 haha !!
Yingluck on the streets
@ Tarrin 60
I was referring to this data from OECD http://www.oecd.org/document/2/0,3746,en_2649_33731_46367966_1_1_1_1,00.html and this data from IMF http://www.malaya.com.ph/10222010/busi5.html And hey, Korn Jatikavanich was awarded Finance Minister of the Year from “The Banker” for a reason, he has succeeded in containing the budget deficit at a forecast 4.6% for 2009, with a projected rapid decline in the deficit starting in 2011. How can those figures are translated into “doing nothing at all” ? How about the people who’s “doing everything” to bring down Thailand’s economy and stability, do they also share responsibility of any economic draw back in Thailand ? Or it’s just gonna be another sole fault of a government as usual ? Imagine if we didn’t have to go through those mayhems 2 years in a roll, how far would Thai economy progress today.
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
@Gene
I am sorry to disappoint you, but being a ‘blond white girl’ will not guarantee freedom of speech in Thailand. Thailand does have the habit of occasionally picking up a couple of not so well known and not at all connected westerner just so that Thailand can maintain a facade of ‘fairness’ (not only targeting Thais) and also as boasting points (we arrested farangs too!!!).
Yingluck on the streets
@Kate
I believe you are looking at size of economy – in SEA yes, Thailand is 2nd largest economy after Singapore. But in terms of growth and performance, Tarrin got it right.
I really wanted to write a response to your line about the red shirts jepardizing Thai economy. But really that would be a total waste of my time. Let’s just say, on the day the self-proclaimed educated patriotic royalist blockaded the Airport, I cried and felt sick to my stomach. To me, that day was the day the future is written in stone. I knew on that day that some time in the future, some red shirts will die for naught, because Prem and … and the educated selfish elites would not mind shooting down a few ‘kwais’ to maintain status quo.
I know some yellows like to quote awards and prizes won by so and so – but this is the truth: do you know how hard your fellow Thais working in the foreign ministry had to work – to plead and to beg (not lobby, but beg) – to get those awards awarded to the respective Thai elite?
@Chris
Most interesting read, nice angle to write from. Nice marketing work – though I think it is the same style used by Thaksin, just modified to suit a feminine candidate.
Thai monarchy and Wikileaks
@CT
Good point.
In Thailand, sadly, ‘wrong’ as I used in my above post, means anything that can be intentionally construed or miscontrued to mean anything that can be charged under LM and/or any of the current and subsequent LM-related laws, get anyone arrested, charged and tried in a closed court and then dump in jail.
I used that word with much sarcasm, meaning sometimes if someone wants to get at you, there is no ‘correct’ thing one can say. Even if you directly copy what PM Ahbisit says – he is right but you are wrong – period.
@Tarrin
I am not sure if you will agree with me on this one, but it is my perception and belief that one does not have to be criticizing the monarchy to get charged for LM. One only has to be ‘perceived’ by the person who wants to get you in trouble to be saying something he or she deem critical of the monarchy. A paragraph critical of the government can be creatively taken far out of context – and I have really great respect for the finesse of Thai artistic creativity. I only wished it is better employed in the creation of global brands and winning Oscars.
For example – if you are ‘popular’ and deemed a threat by the establishment, or if you happened to be one unlucky fool that the establishment want to make use of to make an example of, then you CAN actually get charged with LM for simply making a comment about your mother or father. We know who Father or Mother can refer to.
Scorecard on Abhisit and Yingluck
How come transparency (aka tendency to corrupt or abuse national policy for the benefit of self or family members) is not included. I think it’s one of the most important criteria for candidate PM.
Yingluck on the streets
Kate -59
I notice some key words are systematically created to attack Abhisit in the last 4 weeks and I must say it’s very effective among people who receive one side of information though.
The guy has been under attack since he took the office illegitimately 2 years ago. Furthermore, if you really been listening from both side you should know by now how Abhisit crippled the rural economy because of his ineffective stimulus scheme.
Data indicates that Thailand is only second to Singapore in SEA region in term of Economic growth, of course there is inflation, but ain’t all countries suffer from it as well ?
I have no idea what “data” you are referring to here but other than Malaysia, Thailand GDP growth rate is mediocre at best check here if you don’t believe me
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/data-all-countries.aspx
in 2010 Vieatnam, Indonesia, and Philippines GDP growth rate was around 6%-10% (adjusted by inflation), Thailand GDP growth in 2010 was 1% (adjusted by inflation) how is that a second place???
Yingluck on the streets
@Roger 56
I don’t think it’s fair to say Abhisit has done nothing at all in the last 2 years. (I find it rather funny that line is repeatedly said like a bible by the red shirts during this rally) For 2 years in a roll, red shirts managed to jeopardize Thailand’s economic so badly, billions is said to be lost from Thai economy particularly from tourism. Yet Abhisit manages to bring the country out of crisis, Data indicates that Thailand is only second to Singapore in SEA region in term of Economic growth, of course there is inflation, but ain’t all countries suffer from it as well ? Besides, policies such as rice price insurance is greatly appreciated by rice farmers. I notice some key words are systematically created to attack Abhisit in the last 4 weeks and I must say it’s very effective among people who receive one side of information though. 🙂
Thai Studies conference in Melbourne, redux
What is needed is a Thai comic-book version of The King Never Smiles. That would ensure it was widely read in Thailand.
Yingluck on the streets
Don’t overlook the final cryptic comment on most of the Yinglak posters … ik khrang, meaning yet again. Yet is the Thai three-letter word for a very common English four-letter word. Is this a subtle warning that if the Thai people elect another Shinawatra regime, they’re going to get screwed all over again?
FACT’s plea for Joe Gordon
It is sad to see the US be such pussies.
All they have to do is tell one of the generals that if they didn’t like Wikileaks, wait till they see will be leaked to the NY Times with the authority of an “un-named” State Department official. Day in and day out.
The only hope is to get the US media interested, so they have pressure to get it off the news. But they aren’t. They won’t. If only Joe Gordon would have been a blond white girl.
Scorecard on Abhisit and Yingluck
Highest education achievement of Abhisit is an Oxford BA in PPE, Politics, Philosophy and Economics. The MA is a qualification added by paying college fees, it is not the result of any academic course or thesis.
PPE is a relatively easy option and does not carry much weight on an Oxford scale. If my memory is correct, he graduated with a 2nd Honours, hardly a brilliant achievement.
The Eton component is available to anyone with the money to pay for it, given average intelligence.
I have no estimate of the worth of Ms Yingluk’s academic achievement, but on paper it trumps that of Abhisit