Yes “professional” “assembling” “evidence.” You mean the Thaksin funded investigation, as told by paid lobbyist Robert Amsterdam?
Someone might want to ask “Sgt. Witty” why he is side stepping overt admissions and direct quotes reported in both Thai and reputable international media by UDD leaders admitting to not only the presence of militants, but Seh Daeng himself on and off admitting ownership of them and even describing their number (300) and their armament (M79’s).
Or do you think Robert Amsterdam was going to produce objective evidence?
Many of you armchair commentators have never seen an M79 in real life let alone fired one, let alone were trained extensively to use a grenade launcher. I was. It can be used just as a mortar, and in fact, using it in this manner is the only way to have achieved the shots that befell Silom that day. The grenades, following an arched trajectory, anywhere from 45 to 60 degree inclinations would appear to have “fallen from the sky.” Firing from an elevated position would require either direct fire (impossible because of obvious obstructions) or incalculable indirect fire.
It is a vast, vast disingenuous conspiracy theory to accuse the government entirely of all the violence, when all you have to do is flip open any “Voice of Taksin” or “Red Power” magazine and see the very blueprints of the violence spelled out in excruciating detail.
I know this isn’t what you die hard red shirt supporters want to hear, and even though most of the protesters are damn decent people, just horribly duped, there was a professional armed wing working amongst the crowd – admitted by the UDD leadership if only your selective memories would recall.
You do these people no good by continuously supporting the self-serving goons on stage misleading these people in the destruction of their own country for the benefit of Thaksin and the foreign investors backing him. As soon as he gains power and eliminates his opposition he will have absolutely no reason to continue “supporting” the rural poor. He will run them over just like his golfing buddy Hun Sen has done in Cambodia.
“I don’t want any arrogant and know it all farang to destroy my country.”
No need for farang here. The Thai establishment, right-wing protesters and academics, the military, the bureaucracy, the technocrats, and assorted politicians are perfectly capable of doing this job (the coup of September 2006 was NOT done by farang, I can assure you).
In fact, critical columnists in Thai-language newspapers have not seen any “farang threat” to the existence of Thailand so far. Rather, they point to the groups mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
Doesn’t a mislead sense of nationalism fall into the category of “idealist gusto?”
If you want to look for positive news about Asia (Thailand in particular) you are welcome to go and visit other government’s sponsored website and news outlet. For me, newmandala is the alternative news source.
and please Tossapol Sirak, if you don’t want the Farang to destroy our country you better not go to Australia at all.
Just a note of thanks to Andrew & Nich for setting up/running New Mandala – the last 5 years has been a real eye opener, and this site has been a great resource – hopefully you can keep it up.
Tossopol & Simon: Looking forward to your upcoming articles here on why you think military coups (and judicial actions to deny the majority vote) are positive developments in Thailand/SEA.
The Egypt uprising is led by radical Muslims, the Muslim Brotherhood, whose main leaders trained in the U.S.
At the moment this does not seem to be true. The urban middle and working class seems to be the main driving force. Whether this changes in the future I very much hope not.
As a Thai student in Australia studying Southeast Asia and looked-up to New Mandala regularly for new academic perspectives on the region, I am forced to agree with Simon. This is the first time I’ve posted a commment on this site. I was tempted several times earlier but afraid that it might be censored by the administrator of this website.
Thank you, Simon, for having the guts to stick it to the people in this website.
After trying to rely on New Mandala for the past 10 months, I totally agree with Simon that this website has nothing but negative and not even constructive articles and comments about Southeast Asia. As for the term ‘second rate academics”, I don’t think Andrew Walker and Nicholas Farrelly is second rate. In contrast, I think they really are experts on the region, but just putting too much of their idealist gusto in their works. This is why academia turns into activist.
Thank god, they were not successful in firing-up this region like what is currently burning in Egypt. After all, Thailand is my country and I don’t want any arrogant and know it all farang to destroy my country.
Just curious: Has New Mandala ever posted a positive article about Asia?
Why don’t the administrators of this site – second-rate academics who couldn’t get a spot in the Pol Sci department – come out and admit that you just won’t be happy until Asia is just like the west? Except, preferably an extreme socialist version thereof.
@Jim: Research?!? From your previous posts I find it extraordinarily difficult to believe that you are in any way connected with the modern day reality of Thailand. As a resident of Thailand I would find your posts comical if they were not so skin-crawlingly patronising of the populace who, I am sorry to inform you, are infinitely more civilised than you.
As an aside Jim, Thai peasants (what an awful imperialist word) are in fact better off than your average Egyptian one. Considerably so. And a reliable source told me that they plan to break away with Lanna when the revolution comes…
Honestly, the tripe on this site is just pathetic, particularly given its (and I really struggle to use the word here) “academic” links. Unfortunately it is exactly the kind of crap I hear all too often from clueless expats – and worse, development workers – looking down their noses at “the savages”.
Jim Taylor: I think you misunderstood something about the article:
There’s a reason the post has the headline “A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics”. The article outlines documents and testimonials compiled by Thaksin’s lawyer Robert Amsterdam (whose job it is to find an anti-government spin to EVERYthing – for good or bad). The Spiegel article is the report of an analysis, not an analysis itself.
By speaking of “real truths” in combination with “substantiates my own research in the field” you merely confirm that you favor the red shirts…
This article ‘The Taste of Peace in Kachin Land’ was written by late writer/director Tin Than Oo (a) Lt. Col. Mg Mg Oo in August 2003.
It was a scene I would never forget.
It was about 25 years ago. A cloud of thick black smoke was rising in waves after waves above a place the beauty of which was breathtaking. The temperature was bone-chilling as it was in winter.
Even though we tried to keep ourselves warm by the fire, our backs were usually covered with a thin layer of ice. The mist had disappeared only at about 10 in the morning; and only at that moment, the enchanting beauty of the place came into view.
The Mount Emoboum rose high up into the sky, clear and blue like the colour of a massive stone of sapphire, with its crest capped with snow and mist in a cone shape. Flanked by Cheinyin range with snow-covered peaks in the north and the high Mayok range in the south, the view of the Emoboum looked so marvellous.
Unfortunately, the magnificent beauty of nature which looked like the masterpiece of an artist, was tarnished by those who were not able to solve the political conflicts resulting from the ideological differences. The beauty of nature was tarnished by those elements.
Not everyone would have felt the bitterness of the battles I had experienced since the mid-1970s. And it would not be easy for a person who had not witnessed the sufferings of the ethnic races to have full consideration for them. Even if he has a sympathetic mind, profoundness of the consideration would not be the same.
At that time, we did not dream of a bridge like Bala Min Htin Bridge linking Myitkyina and Waingmaw to emerge. The boats ferrying passengers and cargo between Waingmaw jetty and Khatcho jetty were in no position to ply according to the timetable.
Every day, Myitkyina became silent and idle when the time passed six in the evening. Electricity supply was not regular even between six and nine in the evening. It was difficult for the passenger aircraft to run weekly flights to the area. The train from Mandalay arrived in Myitkyina only after travelling for about three days.
After completion of my officer’s course at the Defence Services Academy, I was assigned to Myitkyina. Our group while leaving Mandalay for Myitkyina by train came face to face with the evil consequences of the internal strife even on our journey.
The Mayan Railway Station on our way to Myitkyina was on fire. We then faced endless battles, the pitiful state of the local populace and the distasteful experiences, with no future prospects in sight.
We had to wait for about 12 days to make a trunk call from Myitkyina. But it was not sure whether we could manage it or not. And even if we could manage, we would have to shout for the person at the other end of the line to hear. Telegraphic message usually took one month to reach the destination. For mails, it was three months, and most of the letters were lost.
I witnessed the Minena village on the river bank in Waingmaw Township, at the entrance to the Bala Min Htin Bridge, reduced to ashes in a fire. One will be able to appreciate the beauty of the present views better, only if one had seen them in the past also.
The Khakaborazi, the highest peak in Myanmar, and many other snow-covered mountains rising over 10,000 feet above the sea level lie in Kachin State. Of all the waterfalls I have heard or seen, the magnificent Chaung-mo-chwe Falls located between the two small towns, Chipwe and Hsawlaw, is the highest. From afar, it looks like a white snake of enormous size, diving straight into the Maykha River from a high mountain with a steep slope.
But the battles were to blame for destroying the natural beauties. Besides, all that had led to inflicting wounds and causing scars on the surface of the land were the ideological differences, suspicions, dissension and the evil colonial legacy. The Mayok range running in the south of the Emoboum was covered with thick pine forests. Once the battles in the area ignited a raging fire that burnt down the forest up to about 16 miles stretch of the area.
This particular scene was stuck to my mind forever. Yes, it was no other thing than that view. The mass of black smoke coming out wave after wave from the burning pine forest almost covered the whole of the snow-capped Emoboum. At night, the raging fire made it very ugly.
The battles seemed endless then. And the armed conflicts were not waged between only two sides. Sometimes, the fire fights were among the three different parties. Countless number of people died in the battles. The dead and wounded in Htawgaw battle on both sides in 1978 was countable by the thousand. Hundreds of local people were also killed in the crossfire in the battle.
Let alone the waging of the battles, even the daily life for everybody was hard. A Tatmadawman, a villager of a BCP insurgents, everyone faced very difficult situation. Large stretches of forests were razed by the fires. Let alone man, even the domestic animals killed by the land mines were in a great number. One would believe the incidents only if he had witnessed the situation then.
I had seen many people died in front of me. The battles that took place in the area had caused many soldiers and civilians amputated or blind. Once, I was without meals for 17 days. During the battles I was hit 11 times at the uniform or the belt or the hamlet or the gun. But luckily, only the single bullet had scratched my skin. When I broke my leg, it got cured through traditional means.
In the past, it was no easy matter to travel to the confluence that was only 28 miles from Myitkyina. I had a camera. So, I tried a number of times to get there to take pictures, but in vain, because the situation then at the place was dangerous.
At last, the camera was lost in the water together with my knapsack while I was crossing the Ngawchankha, a tributary of the Maykha. I had to live with a single uniform for about three months, and without shoes for about six months.
At that time, the news reports about the battles were not released even once a year. So, there were many unknown heroes who sacrificed their lives. Supreme sacrifices for the national cause.
What we desired then was peace, and nothing, but peace.
When efforts failed to bring peace to the region there were many who shed tear. The brethren sadly waved to each other saying, “Good-bye! Let’s meet again.”
Earnest efforts were made to achieve peace.
Uncountable drops of blood were sacrificed to set up a new life, and the sweat that was sacrificed by the Tatmadawmen and the people could form another watercourse that might rival the Maykha.
“How joyful will it be if peace is achieved?” and “How can we achieve peace?” I often thought about it.
I tried to find the answer to the questions for many times. The persons who desired peace most were the armed personnel of both sides and the victims of the civil strife, who were the local people. But as for the onlookers, they could continue to smile as long as they had not suffered.
We were very happy when peace was achieved.
I was thinking of shooting a film at the confluence, Waingmaw, Washaung and even in Panwa. Myitkyina was totally different from the past, and so significant that it was like the difference between the two opposite colours, black and white.
Only the ones who have been choked with exhaustion know well the taste of a drop of water.
The ones who have never perspired will not know the value of a cup of water.
Only the persons who have experienced the war will know the taste of peace.
We value peace. We love the taste of peace. We cannot let peace to be destroyed or interfered. We cannot let the recurrence of the sufferings of the victims, who are the local people. And we cannot let peace, which has been secured with great difficulty, lose again.
The ones who are enjoying the taste of peace only at present will not be able to fully enjoy it like the persons who faced the bitter experiences in the past.
this is a credible and noteworthy piece of journalism; it substantiates my own research in the field, and thankfully we are going to see more real truths emerge through the objective pen of such journalists (forget the amaat academics and their replication of lies and distortions on modern Thai history)
superanonymous is correct that many would discount Pornthip as a politicized actor in these events. At the same time, the link provided by BKK lawyer to the NNT report does suggest she had physical evidence that appeared to provide some confirmation of eye witness accounts. She may have believed that she was pointing a finger at red shirts in making her claims.
As Robert Amsterdam and the foreign red shirt supporters continue to rewrite history in order to show the UDD and leaders were totally blameless, even I at times worry that I am calling it wrong, and really it was a popular uprising in favour of democracy.
But then comes along a genuine democratic uprising and not only that, but like London buses three come at once. So now we can compare what’s happened so far in Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan with what happened here last year. I don’t think anyone will argue that so far in Egypt and Tunisia there is anything other than a genuine pro-democracy uprising; I have to admit I’m fairly ignorant on Jordan.
So then I look at those crowds out in the city streets and I wonder why we don’t hear about demonstrators being paid to be there. After all an Egyptian or Tunisian peasant or worker can’t be that much better off than a Thai one. Then I wonder where the billionaire is. You know the one who is paying for it so he can return. Is Mohamed ElBaradei a billionaire? Maybe he gets a super pension from the UN to put him in that bracket.
OK, I know one shouldn’t be too suspicious, so maybe Robert Amsterdam is just waiting for a call from the Tunisian and Egyptian workers and peasants before he prepares the documents for the ICC. Or do you think the lack of a billionaire may be a problem? Oh well, maybe Mubarak needs a lawyer.
The ubiquitous use of the term “Thai-style” when referring to a specific action demonstrates quite clearly how aware of the concept of ‘strangeness’ even Thai people are. That a Thai person can look at an artifact and distinctly say how it has been appropriated and changed by the Thai people reveals that they are hyper-aware of their own culture’s affect on foreign objects.
This should really come as no surprise when we consider the polyglot nature of Thai culture in general. Getting to the root of Thai culture would be a complex and, in my opinion, pointless exercise. Why bother when one can understand Thai culture much better as an effect than a set of ideas, actions, or artifacts.
By the same token, we might re conceptualize the notion of Thai feelings of superiority as an act of making something strange familiar. It is not that the Thai style is superior in any quantifiable way, it is superior in it’s closeness to some recognizably Thai ritual.
I think that is important to note that the statement made by George above amounts to propaganda. None of us know who shot the grenades. The evidence does seem to point to official or at least non-red shirt involvement, although it is not strong enough to blame them either side.
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Expert testimony alleges criminal acts by Thai army in April-May 2010
Yes “professional” “assembling” “evidence.” You mean the Thaksin funded investigation, as told by paid lobbyist Robert Amsterdam?
Someone might want to ask “Sgt. Witty” why he is side stepping overt admissions and direct quotes reported in both Thai and reputable international media by UDD leaders admitting to not only the presence of militants, but Seh Daeng himself on and off admitting ownership of them and even describing their number (300) and their armament (M79’s).
Or do you think Robert Amsterdam was going to produce objective evidence?
Many of you armchair commentators have never seen an M79 in real life let alone fired one, let alone were trained extensively to use a grenade launcher. I was. It can be used just as a mortar, and in fact, using it in this manner is the only way to have achieved the shots that befell Silom that day. The grenades, following an arched trajectory, anywhere from 45 to 60 degree inclinations would appear to have “fallen from the sky.” Firing from an elevated position would require either direct fire (impossible because of obvious obstructions) or incalculable indirect fire.
It is a vast, vast disingenuous conspiracy theory to accuse the government entirely of all the violence, when all you have to do is flip open any “Voice of Taksin” or “Red Power” magazine and see the very blueprints of the violence spelled out in excruciating detail.
I know this isn’t what you die hard red shirt supporters want to hear, and even though most of the protesters are damn decent people, just horribly duped, there was a professional armed wing working amongst the crowd – admitted by the UDD leadership if only your selective memories would recall.
You do these people no good by continuously supporting the self-serving goons on stage misleading these people in the destruction of their own country for the benefit of Thaksin and the foreign investors backing him. As soon as he gains power and eliminates his opposition he will have absolutely no reason to continue “supporting” the rural poor. He will run them over just like his golfing buddy Hun Sen has done in Cambodia.
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
#6
“I don’t want any arrogant and know it all farang to destroy my country.”
No need for farang here. The Thai establishment, right-wing protesters and academics, the military, the bureaucracy, the technocrats, and assorted politicians are perfectly capable of doing this job (the coup of September 2006 was NOT done by farang, I can assure you).
In fact, critical columnists in Thai-language newspapers have not seen any “farang threat” to the existence of Thailand so far. Rather, they point to the groups mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
Doesn’t a mislead sense of nationalism fall into the category of “idealist gusto?”
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
Simon – 5
If you want to look for positive news about Asia (Thailand in particular) you are welcome to go and visit other government’s sponsored website and news outlet. For me, newmandala is the alternative news source.
and please Tossapol Sirak, if you don’t want the Farang to destroy our country you better not go to Australia at all.
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
Just a note of thanks to Andrew & Nich for setting up/running New Mandala – the last 5 years has been a real eye opener, and this site has been a great resource – hopefully you can keep it up.
Tossopol & Simon: Looking forward to your upcoming articles here on why you think military coups (and judicial actions to deny the majority vote) are positive developments in Thailand/SEA.
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
pJR – 3
The Egypt uprising is led by radical Muslims, the Muslim Brotherhood, whose main leaders trained in the U.S.
At the moment this does not seem to be true. The urban middle and working class seems to be the main driving force. Whether this changes in the future I very much hope not.
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
Is Simon really jonfernquest? Is Tossapol serious? He tried to rely on a blog?
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
Bravo! Simon@5
As a Thai student in Australia studying Southeast Asia and looked-up to New Mandala regularly for new academic perspectives on the region, I am forced to agree with Simon. This is the first time I’ve posted a commment on this site. I was tempted several times earlier but afraid that it might be censored by the administrator of this website.
Thank you, Simon, for having the guts to stick it to the people in this website.
After trying to rely on New Mandala for the past 10 months, I totally agree with Simon that this website has nothing but negative and not even constructive articles and comments about Southeast Asia. As for the term ‘second rate academics”, I don’t think Andrew Walker and Nicholas Farrelly is second rate. In contrast, I think they really are experts on the region, but just putting too much of their idealist gusto in their works. This is why academia turns into activist.
Thank god, they were not successful in firing-up this region like what is currently burning in Egypt. After all, Thailand is my country and I don’t want any arrogant and know it all farang to destroy my country.
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
Just curious: Has New Mandala ever posted a positive article about Asia?
Why don’t the administrators of this site – second-rate academics who couldn’t get a spot in the Pol Sci department – come out and admit that you just won’t be happy until Asia is just like the west? Except, preferably an extreme socialist version thereof.
@Jim: Research?!? From your previous posts I find it extraordinarily difficult to believe that you are in any way connected with the modern day reality of Thailand. As a resident of Thailand I would find your posts comical if they were not so skin-crawlingly patronising of the populace who, I am sorry to inform you, are infinitely more civilised than you.
As an aside Jim, Thai peasants (what an awful imperialist word) are in fact better off than your average Egyptian one. Considerably so. And a reliable source told me that they plan to break away with Lanna when the revolution comes…
Honestly, the tripe on this site is just pathetic, particularly given its (and I really struggle to use the word here) “academic” links. Unfortunately it is exactly the kind of crap I hear all too often from clueless expats – and worse, development workers – looking down their noses at “the savages”.
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
Jim Taylor: I think you misunderstood something about the article:
There’s a reason the post has the headline “A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics”. The article outlines documents and testimonials compiled by Thaksin’s lawyer Robert Amsterdam (whose job it is to find an anti-government spin to EVERYthing – for good or bad). The Spiegel article is the report of an analysis, not an analysis itself.
By speaking of “real truths” in combination with “substantiates my own research in the field” you merely confirm that you favor the red shirts…
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
LesAbbey, you’ve certainly mastered all the talking points of The Bangkok Post, The Nation and CNN. Congratulations.
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
The Egypt uprising is led by radical Muslims, the Muslim Brotherhood, whose main leaders trained in the U.S.
Do you call that a genuine democratic revolution?
Tasty morsels from Burma
This article ‘The Taste of Peace in Kachin Land’ was written by late writer/director Tin Than Oo (a) Lt. Col. Mg Mg Oo in August 2003.
It was a scene I would never forget.
It was about 25 years ago. A cloud of thick black smoke was rising in waves after waves above a place the beauty of which was breathtaking. The temperature was bone-chilling as it was in winter.
Even though we tried to keep ourselves warm by the fire, our backs were usually covered with a thin layer of ice. The mist had disappeared only at about 10 in the morning; and only at that moment, the enchanting beauty of the place came into view.
The Mount Emoboum rose high up into the sky, clear and blue like the colour of a massive stone of sapphire, with its crest capped with snow and mist in a cone shape. Flanked by Cheinyin range with snow-covered peaks in the north and the high Mayok range in the south, the view of the Emoboum looked so marvellous.
Unfortunately, the magnificent beauty of nature which looked like the masterpiece of an artist, was tarnished by those who were not able to solve the political conflicts resulting from the ideological differences. The beauty of nature was tarnished by those elements.
Not everyone would have felt the bitterness of the battles I had experienced since the mid-1970s. And it would not be easy for a person who had not witnessed the sufferings of the ethnic races to have full consideration for them. Even if he has a sympathetic mind, profoundness of the consideration would not be the same.
At that time, we did not dream of a bridge like Bala Min Htin Bridge linking Myitkyina and Waingmaw to emerge. The boats ferrying passengers and cargo between Waingmaw jetty and Khatcho jetty were in no position to ply according to the timetable.
Every day, Myitkyina became silent and idle when the time passed six in the evening. Electricity supply was not regular even between six and nine in the evening. It was difficult for the passenger aircraft to run weekly flights to the area. The train from Mandalay arrived in Myitkyina only after travelling for about three days.
After completion of my officer’s course at the Defence Services Academy, I was assigned to Myitkyina. Our group while leaving Mandalay for Myitkyina by train came face to face with the evil consequences of the internal strife even on our journey.
The Mayan Railway Station on our way to Myitkyina was on fire. We then faced endless battles, the pitiful state of the local populace and the distasteful experiences, with no future prospects in sight.
We had to wait for about 12 days to make a trunk call from Myitkyina. But it was not sure whether we could manage it or not. And even if we could manage, we would have to shout for the person at the other end of the line to hear. Telegraphic message usually took one month to reach the destination. For mails, it was three months, and most of the letters were lost.
I witnessed the Minena village on the river bank in Waingmaw Township, at the entrance to the Bala Min Htin Bridge, reduced to ashes in a fire. One will be able to appreciate the beauty of the present views better, only if one had seen them in the past also.
The Khakaborazi, the highest peak in Myanmar, and many other snow-covered mountains rising over 10,000 feet above the sea level lie in Kachin State. Of all the waterfalls I have heard or seen, the magnificent Chaung-mo-chwe Falls located between the two small towns, Chipwe and Hsawlaw, is the highest. From afar, it looks like a white snake of enormous size, diving straight into the Maykha River from a high mountain with a steep slope.
But the battles were to blame for destroying the natural beauties. Besides, all that had led to inflicting wounds and causing scars on the surface of the land were the ideological differences, suspicions, dissension and the evil colonial legacy. The Mayok range running in the south of the Emoboum was covered with thick pine forests. Once the battles in the area ignited a raging fire that burnt down the forest up to about 16 miles stretch of the area.
This particular scene was stuck to my mind forever. Yes, it was no other thing than that view. The mass of black smoke coming out wave after wave from the burning pine forest almost covered the whole of the snow-capped Emoboum. At night, the raging fire made it very ugly.
The battles seemed endless then. And the armed conflicts were not waged between only two sides. Sometimes, the fire fights were among the three different parties. Countless number of people died in the battles. The dead and wounded in Htawgaw battle on both sides in 1978 was countable by the thousand. Hundreds of local people were also killed in the crossfire in the battle.
Let alone the waging of the battles, even the daily life for everybody was hard. A Tatmadawman, a villager of a BCP insurgents, everyone faced very difficult situation. Large stretches of forests were razed by the fires. Let alone man, even the domestic animals killed by the land mines were in a great number. One would believe the incidents only if he had witnessed the situation then.
I had seen many people died in front of me. The battles that took place in the area had caused many soldiers and civilians amputated or blind. Once, I was without meals for 17 days. During the battles I was hit 11 times at the uniform or the belt or the hamlet or the gun. But luckily, only the single bullet had scratched my skin. When I broke my leg, it got cured through traditional means.
In the past, it was no easy matter to travel to the confluence that was only 28 miles from Myitkyina. I had a camera. So, I tried a number of times to get there to take pictures, but in vain, because the situation then at the place was dangerous.
At last, the camera was lost in the water together with my knapsack while I was crossing the Ngawchankha, a tributary of the Maykha. I had to live with a single uniform for about three months, and without shoes for about six months.
At that time, the news reports about the battles were not released even once a year. So, there were many unknown heroes who sacrificed their lives. Supreme sacrifices for the national cause.
What we desired then was peace, and nothing, but peace.
When efforts failed to bring peace to the region there were many who shed tear. The brethren sadly waved to each other saying, “Good-bye! Let’s meet again.”
Earnest efforts were made to achieve peace.
Uncountable drops of blood were sacrificed to set up a new life, and the sweat that was sacrificed by the Tatmadawmen and the people could form another watercourse that might rival the Maykha.
“How joyful will it be if peace is achieved?” and “How can we achieve peace?” I often thought about it.
I tried to find the answer to the questions for many times. The persons who desired peace most were the armed personnel of both sides and the victims of the civil strife, who were the local people. But as for the onlookers, they could continue to smile as long as they had not suffered.
We were very happy when peace was achieved.
I was thinking of shooting a film at the confluence, Waingmaw, Washaung and even in Panwa. Myitkyina was totally different from the past, and so significant that it was like the difference between the two opposite colours, black and white.
Only the ones who have been choked with exhaustion know well the taste of a drop of water.
The ones who have never perspired will not know the value of a cup of water.
Only the persons who have experienced the war will know the taste of peace.
We value peace. We love the taste of peace. We cannot let peace to be destroyed or interfered. We cannot let the recurrence of the sufferings of the victims, who are the local people. And we cannot let peace, which has been secured with great difficulty, lose again.
The ones who are enjoying the taste of peace only at present will not be able to fully enjoy it like the persons who faced the bitter experiences in the past.
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
this is a credible and noteworthy piece of journalism; it substantiates my own research in the field, and thankfully we are going to see more real truths emerge through the objective pen of such journalists (forget the amaat academics and their replication of lies and distortions on modern Thai history)
Expert testimony alleges criminal acts by Thai army in April-May 2010
superanonymous is correct that many would discount Pornthip as a politicized actor in these events. At the same time, the link provided by BKK lawyer to the NNT report does suggest she had physical evidence that appeared to provide some confirmation of eye witness accounts. She may have believed that she was pointing a finger at red shirts in making her claims.
Expert testimony alleges criminal acts by Thai army in April-May 2010
Meant Geoff. Thanks.
Expert testimony alleges criminal acts by Thai army in April-May 2010
Leah Hoyt – are you sure you mean “George”?
The Buddha was bald
[…] Please read the original article here: The Buddha was bald. […]
A Red Shirt perspective on Thai politics
As Robert Amsterdam and the foreign red shirt supporters continue to rewrite history in order to show the UDD and leaders were totally blameless, even I at times worry that I am calling it wrong, and really it was a popular uprising in favour of democracy.
But then comes along a genuine democratic uprising and not only that, but like London buses three come at once. So now we can compare what’s happened so far in Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan with what happened here last year. I don’t think anyone will argue that so far in Egypt and Tunisia there is anything other than a genuine pro-democracy uprising; I have to admit I’m fairly ignorant on Jordan.
So then I look at those crowds out in the city streets and I wonder why we don’t hear about demonstrators being paid to be there. After all an Egyptian or Tunisian peasant or worker can’t be that much better off than a Thai one. Then I wonder where the billionaire is. You know the one who is paying for it so he can return. Is Mohamed ElBaradei a billionaire? Maybe he gets a super pension from the UN to put him in that bracket.
OK, I know one shouldn’t be too suspicious, so maybe Robert Amsterdam is just waiting for a call from the Tunisian and Egyptian workers and peasants before he prepares the documents for the ICC. Or do you think the lack of a billionaire may be a problem? Oh well, maybe Mubarak needs a lawyer.
Review of Ambiguous Allure of the West
The ubiquitous use of the term “Thai-style” when referring to a specific action demonstrates quite clearly how aware of the concept of ‘strangeness’ even Thai people are. That a Thai person can look at an artifact and distinctly say how it has been appropriated and changed by the Thai people reveals that they are hyper-aware of their own culture’s affect on foreign objects.
This should really come as no surprise when we consider the polyglot nature of Thai culture in general. Getting to the root of Thai culture would be a complex and, in my opinion, pointless exercise. Why bother when one can understand Thai culture much better as an effect than a set of ideas, actions, or artifacts.
By the same token, we might re conceptualize the notion of Thai feelings of superiority as an act of making something strange familiar. It is not that the Thai style is superior in any quantifiable way, it is superior in it’s closeness to some recognizably Thai ritual.
Expert testimony alleges criminal acts by Thai army in April-May 2010
BKK lawyer,
Thanks. That confirms my recollection.
I think that is important to note that the statement made by George above amounts to propaganda. None of us know who shot the grenades. The evidence does seem to point to official or at least non-red shirt involvement, although it is not strong enough to blame them either side.
The links you provided are very helpful.