The term тАЮfailed state“ seems to come easily. Before using the term, one should consider that it derives from neo-liberal economic and political theory, what implies an understanding of what a “non-failed? state” is supposed to be, namely providing opportunities for business, de-regulation etc. That in Malaysia, as much as elsewhere in the region state administration, economics, law and politics are not really and fully separated is well known. However, this does not mean that we have a “failed state”. In fact, Malaysia as much as Thailand is far from this. Even the demonstrations against the governments indicate that we have a working state. Even more, the state so far is quite efficient and not all “failing” as a means for the elites to maintain their power. The question is thus not whether the states in Southeast Asia are failing, but to analyse how ell they are actually working, to be able to point at changes and how these might be brought about.
Yep, Malaysia wont go down the gutter that easily. Give it another decade and reassess. Corrupted… well to some extent it is, but the good thing is the country has a political system in place and your political foundation is of a solid one. Look over to your Thai friends, they still cant clean up the dirts left behind after the coup. No political system in Thailand whatsoever. The whole government run by a small group of men< a few with some brain, most are just two legs in suit. What a mess.
…. My car has just gone past the Danish Parliament…the voice of my Danish friend still echoes in my mind…
Here is the statue of Frederik d Syvende of the House of Oldenburg. The king is remembered by Danes for being the Grundlovens Giver. Historians note that after the first Danish Constitution was signed by Frederik, the king was reported to have said…. now I can sleep in peace eternally.
With love from Copenhagen to NM readers, esp. to Suzie Wong and the Thai acharn who wrote about the Black Hole. Tomorrow I might find out what Werner Heisenberg actually said to Neils Bohr, and why Heisenberg came over to Copenhagen in 1941.
The pervasiveness of corruption is due in large part to the example set by political leaders. Members of the Politburo and their families have become excessively rich. They have built vast villas, drive luxury cars, and hold lavish parties. Marriages between children of the political elite are occasions for the display of wealth, with political favours paid off in the form of envelopes stuffed with cash. Children of the elite are immune to the law in a country where legal disputes are often decided on the basis of who pays the judge the biggest bribe.
Businesses pay bribes for government contracts and for political protection (obtained by placing prominent party members on their boards). Foreign-owned businesses pay off party officials and tax assessors. Chinese mining companies reportedly pay to avoid undertaking environmental impact assessments. Probably the worst corruption, however, occurs over land. Large areas in Laos have been given over to foreign, mainly Chinese, companies on long leases for plantation forestry and agriculture. As land outside the urban areas legally belongs to the state, even where it has traditionally been used by villagers for collection of forest products or slash-and-burn farming, local and central government officials can and do accept substantial payments to sign off on leases and forcibly remove anyone who objects.
The Democrats are getting ready to reward the Chinese with land in Thailand, piggy-backed upon the Chinese train through Thialand, no doubt.
The police force is not inept, just have different priorities. Crime prevention is just not that high on their list. Try doing something for the oppositon parties and see how fast they are at finding you?
In Malaysia, everything boils down to corruption. For myself, I have no idea how to go about solving the problem. It is so entrenched, like an underground peat fire, very difficult to put out.
As for being a failed state, Malaysia still has another 12-15 years to go before that happens, if things continue the way it is. After that…. kaboom…
Well, I have news for the ambitions of missionaries hoping to “PENETRATE” Yunnan.
As to the hardship of missionaries in the villages, look here for the recent pics of the “summer villa” of Paul and Lori Vernon of the http://www.vernonjournal.com
Correspondence from Thailand and other countries regularly describes the missionaries in Thailand as no less than a mafia that goes all the way up and can do what it wants to do. But every dog has its day.
Don’t forget that Dr M single handedly caused the collapse of the Tin mining industry in Malaysia by intervening in global tin prices. I’m sure this isn’t something the good people of Ipoh would forget very easily.
But back to the topic on the failed state – corruption and worsening public security. Only a week ago, was my mother was brazenly attacked by a “snatch thief” in broad daylight on the streets of Bangsar. Stories like these are so rife that any KLite would have experienced/loved one would have personally experienced being robbed on the streets. Clearly Malaysia is showing signs of a failed state with an inept (and ineffective) Police force.
That old fraud Mahathir and his Wawasan 2020 led Malaysia nowhere. I always have a laugh when I recall that in 1992 Mahathir compelled Bank Negara to speculate against Britain pulling out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (George Soros was betting the opposite) making the Bank bankrupt for all practical purposes. Then five years later Mahathir blamed the “evil currency speculators” (principally Soros) for the decline in value of the ringgit, finally accepting in 2006 that Soros himself was not responsible.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rich Hintz, New Mandala. New Mandala said: Promotional video of Laos-China railway: There has been a lot of coverage in recent weeks of the planned railway… http://bit.ly/gjuW9q […]
May I ask a rather mundane, silly question: How is “Rayne” correctly pronounced? (Or, better still, rendered in Thai: р╣Ар╕гр╣Ар╕Щ, р╣Ар╕г, р╣Ар╕гр╕Щ ?)
Regarding the mysterious royal lady who helped Kruger research the book, may I say that I’m a bit skeptical? I believe that what’s Kruger told Miss Prudence Leith. But the story feels a bit too “romantic” to be true. Besides, given the complexity of the material pertaining to the case, I’m not sure that someone not associated with the case in some way, say, having connection with the defense lawyers’ team, could have help a non-Thai speaker like Kruger.
I remember vaguely that Khun Paul Handley said something to the effect here that he was told that Prince Supphasawat helped facilitate the writing of the book? My apology to Khun Handley, if I’m mistaken.
No, while maybe on the stages Thaksin is not criticized openly, off the stages Thaksin is discussed, also quite critically, and there is a sizable minority of Red Shirts (of which Sombat is only one person) that has never been pro-Thaksin.
Many hardcore groups view Sombat as too tame, prefer more confrontational tactics against the state/government. They believe that with Sombat’s very intellectual and symbolic acts real change is not going to be achieved.
But on the same level, for many hardcore groups the UDD is too tame as well, both in ideology and in protest tactics.
Popular misconception is to reduce the Red Shirts simply to the point of Thaksin as the big leader, and the leaders and the protesters as simply bought off by Thaksin. While Thaksin without doubt plays a strong role – the Red Shirts are very diverse, and in a constant process of development.
Or when it occurs in a society where laws exist to prevent cruelty to animals but where industry regulations allow the inhumane treatment (…) pig pens and farrowing crates where pregnant pigs must lie on cold hard concrete floors…
I worked almost 7 years in farming in Denmark through the nineties and early zeros, primarily in pig production and would like to correct some misperceptions.
Concrete floor is not an issue and not cold because the animals warm it up. There are other stress factors, over-density and lack of stimulation (toy) being the worst, but no production pigs, as far as I am aware, are being tortured.
Also, already in my time there were plenty of focus on animal welfare issues and most farmers opted to convert to welfare-enhancing systems with straw lining when their old systems wore down .
E.g. in the old days pregnant sows were kept in a sort of narrow cages with concrete floor without opportunity to play and exercise. Those systems became illegal while I was working in farming, 10-15 years ago. Most farmers converted to deep litter systems where the pregnant sows are kept in groups and fed via feeding stations triggered by electronic transponders on the sows (pregnant sows need individual feeding). The new systems had their own animal welfare problems (weak sows exposed to bullies), however it is clearly much better than before.
What I want to say is that there is continuous improvements towards better animal welfare in farming in the West and certainly, no one are out to torture animals. I am only familiar with farming in Denmark and somewhat Australia. These are both countries which good standards in animal welfare in agriculture, however I am pretty sure that is the style in at least all of Scandinavia and South Europe as well.
I don’t know with U.S. farming … Europe doesn’t permit import of much US meat due to animal welfare & health concerns. E.g. in the US cattle are injected with growth hormones to force them to grow faster. Maybe not all, but it is permitted and common. That’s bad, and hormones in animal production is not allowed in Europe or Australia, neither is import of animals that have been treated with hormones.
So, while I strongly condemn the horrific torture of dogs or cats for food production and am disgusted by the idea of the slaughter of dogs (especially in such barbaric manner), I think some of the Americans jumping up and down may want to look into their own backyard as well.
Ps. When it comes to battery hens I completely agree. Battery hen production should not be allowed.
I am a Lao student and would like to share some thoughts with regards to the issue. The history class in Lao primary and secondary education has been rather limited and focused too much on Lao history, which is caused by a number of factors as you may guess. While I believe historians on both sides of the Mekong did try to do their bests in capturing all the details of what has happened, I still think history is inherently biased and incomplete to some extent. Some of later generations like me may have some thoughts against Thai people, and the other way round, but that is not natural. Our perception is biased, skewed and filled with some prejudices because of we grow up hearing stories, learning to believe what is true in our own national version. After all, history serves political strategies: we learned who our friends and enemies are from childhood. While I agree that a sense of nationalism is critical for the building of nation after wars and for personal and national identity, being too nationalist is taking your own history for granted and that is dangerous.
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Malaysia a failed state – The writings are on the wall?
Has anyone seen the latest Wikileaks exposure on Mahathir and his cronies having secret bank accounts in an Israeli bank ?
The Devil’s Discus – in Thai
Thanks Khun Hinke,
I’ve introduced your interview with Ms.Leith to readers of my facebook here:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=149391278447493&set=a.137616112958343.44289.100001298657012
Malaysia a failed state – The writings are on the wall?
The term тАЮfailed state“ seems to come easily. Before using the term, one should consider that it derives from neo-liberal economic and political theory, what implies an understanding of what a “non-failed? state” is supposed to be, namely providing opportunities for business, de-regulation etc. That in Malaysia, as much as elsewhere in the region state administration, economics, law and politics are not really and fully separated is well known. However, this does not mean that we have a “failed state”. In fact, Malaysia as much as Thailand is far from this. Even the demonstrations against the governments indicate that we have a working state. Even more, the state so far is quite efficient and not all “failing” as a means for the elites to maintain their power. The question is thus not whether the states in Southeast Asia are failing, but to analyse how ell they are actually working, to be able to point at changes and how these might be brought about.
Malaysia a failed state – The writings are on the wall?
Yep, Malaysia wont go down the gutter that easily. Give it another decade and reassess. Corrupted… well to some extent it is, but the good thing is the country has a political system in place and your political foundation is of a solid one. Look over to your Thai friends, they still cant clean up the dirts left behind after the coup. No political system in Thailand whatsoever. The whole government run by a small group of men< a few with some brain, most are just two legs in suit. What a mess.
…. My car has just gone past the Danish Parliament…the voice of my Danish friend still echoes in my mind…
Here is the statue of Frederik d Syvende of the House of Oldenburg. The king is remembered by Danes for being the Grundlovens Giver. Historians note that after the first Danish Constitution was signed by Frederik, the king was reported to have said…. now I can sleep in peace eternally.
With love from Copenhagen to NM readers, esp. to Suzie Wong and the Thai acharn who wrote about the Black Hole. Tomorrow I might find out what Werner Heisenberg actually said to Neils Bohr, and why Heisenberg came over to Copenhagen in 1941.
Dont you just love technology………….
Legitimacy crisis in Thailand
What has happened to the Nation’s Chang Noi?
The newest date of in depth material seems to be this:http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/09/20/opinion/The-bad-grammar-of-repression-30138308.html
Sadly a missed voice in my opinion.
Wondering as I no longer read the Nation since it now invents news it wants to hear.
Family problems in the Lao PDR
Sounds just like Thailand.
The Democrats are getting ready to reward the Chinese with land in Thailand, piggy-backed upon the Chinese train through Thialand, no doubt.
Malaysia a failed state – The writings are on the wall?
Well Malcleigh,
The police force is not inept, just have different priorities. Crime prevention is just not that high on their list. Try doing something for the oppositon parties and see how fast they are at finding you?
In Malaysia, everything boils down to corruption. For myself, I have no idea how to go about solving the problem. It is so entrenched, like an underground peat fire, very difficult to put out.
As for being a failed state, Malaysia still has another 12-15 years to go before that happens, if things continue the way it is. After that…. kaboom…
Ayui Foundation in Chiang Rai
Well, I have news for the ambitions of missionaries hoping to “PENETRATE” Yunnan.
As to the hardship of missionaries in the villages, look here for the recent pics of the “summer villa” of Paul and Lori Vernon of the http://www.vernonjournal.com
http://www.akha.org/content/missions/vernonjournal/paullorivernonhousepics.html
Correspondence from Thailand and other countries regularly describes the missionaries in Thailand as no less than a mafia that goes all the way up and can do what it wants to do. But every dog has its day.
Malaysia a failed state – The writings are on the wall?
Don’t forget that Dr M single handedly caused the collapse of the Tin mining industry in Malaysia by intervening in global tin prices. I’m sure this isn’t something the good people of Ipoh would forget very easily.
But back to the topic on the failed state – corruption and worsening public security. Only a week ago, was my mother was brazenly attacked by a “snatch thief” in broad daylight on the streets of Bangsar. Stories like these are so rife that any KLite would have experienced/loved one would have personally experienced being robbed on the streets. Clearly Malaysia is showing signs of a failed state with an inept (and ineffective) Police force.
Malaysia a failed state – The writings are on the wall?
That old fraud Mahathir and his Wawasan 2020 led Malaysia nowhere. I always have a laugh when I recall that in 1992 Mahathir compelled Bank Negara to speculate against Britain pulling out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (George Soros was betting the opposite) making the Bank bankrupt for all practical purposes. Then five years later Mahathir blamed the “evil currency speculators” (principally Soros) for the decline in value of the ringgit, finally accepting in 2006 that Soros himself was not responsible.
The Devil’s Discus – in Thai
It’s a fascinating anecdote, esp along with the burning printing house!
Rayne is pronounced as ‘rain’.
Promotional video of Laos-China railway
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rich Hintz, New Mandala. New Mandala said: Promotional video of Laos-China railway: There has been a lot of coverage in recent weeks of the planned railway… http://bit.ly/gjuW9q […]
The Devil’s Discus – in Thai
Thanks khun Srithanonchai.
Khun Hinke krab,
May I ask a rather mundane, silly question: How is “Rayne” correctly pronounced? (Or, better still, rendered in Thai: р╣Ар╕гр╣Ар╕Щ, р╣Ар╕г, р╣Ар╕гр╕Щ ?)
Regarding the mysterious royal lady who helped Kruger research the book, may I say that I’m a bit skeptical? I believe that what’s Kruger told Miss Prudence Leith. But the story feels a bit too “romantic” to be true. Besides, given the complexity of the material pertaining to the case, I’m not sure that someone not associated with the case in some way, say, having connection with the defense lawyers’ team, could have help a non-Thai speaker like Kruger.
I remember vaguely that Khun Paul Handley said something to the effect here that he was told that Prince Supphasawat helped facilitate the writing of the book? My apology to Khun Handley, if I’m mistaken.
Legitimacy crisis in Thailand
“James”:
No, while maybe on the stages Thaksin is not criticized openly, off the stages Thaksin is discussed, also quite critically, and there is a sizable minority of Red Shirts (of which Sombat is only one person) that has never been pro-Thaksin.
Many hardcore groups view Sombat as too tame, prefer more confrontational tactics against the state/government. They believe that with Sombat’s very intellectual and symbolic acts real change is not going to be achieved.
But on the same level, for many hardcore groups the UDD is too tame as well, both in ideology and in protest tactics.
Popular misconception is to reduce the Red Shirts simply to the point of Thaksin as the big leader, and the leaders and the protesters as simply bought off by Thaksin. While Thaksin without doubt plays a strong role – the Red Shirts are very diverse, and in a constant process of development.
The Devil’s Discus – in Thai
The link is
http://facthai.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/factexclusive-prudence-leith-and-the-devil%e2%80%99s-discus/
Legitimacy crisis in Thailand
Thanks for the info, Nick. Just wondering why is Sombat “quite controversial” for the “hardcore groups”? Is it because of his criticism of Thaksin?
Lunch?
“neither is import of animals that have been treated with hormones”… I meant import of meat of animals treated with growth hormones.
Lunch?
@ Tari,
I worked almost 7 years in farming in Denmark through the nineties and early zeros, primarily in pig production and would like to correct some misperceptions.
Concrete floor is not an issue and not cold because the animals warm it up. There are other stress factors, over-density and lack of stimulation (toy) being the worst, but no production pigs, as far as I am aware, are being tortured.
Also, already in my time there were plenty of focus on animal welfare issues and most farmers opted to convert to welfare-enhancing systems with straw lining when their old systems wore down .
E.g. in the old days pregnant sows were kept in a sort of narrow cages with concrete floor without opportunity to play and exercise. Those systems became illegal while I was working in farming, 10-15 years ago. Most farmers converted to deep litter systems where the pregnant sows are kept in groups and fed via feeding stations triggered by electronic transponders on the sows (pregnant sows need individual feeding). The new systems had their own animal welfare problems (weak sows exposed to bullies), however it is clearly much better than before.
What I want to say is that there is continuous improvements towards better animal welfare in farming in the West and certainly, no one are out to torture animals. I am only familiar with farming in Denmark and somewhat Australia. These are both countries which good standards in animal welfare in agriculture, however I am pretty sure that is the style in at least all of Scandinavia and South Europe as well.
I don’t know with U.S. farming … Europe doesn’t permit import of much US meat due to animal welfare & health concerns. E.g. in the US cattle are injected with growth hormones to force them to grow faster. Maybe not all, but it is permitted and common. That’s bad, and hormones in animal production is not allowed in Europe or Australia, neither is import of animals that have been treated with hormones.
So, while I strongly condemn the horrific torture of dogs or cats for food production and am disgusted by the idea of the slaughter of dogs (especially in such barbaric manner), I think some of the Americans jumping up and down may want to look into their own backyard as well.
Ps. When it comes to battery hens I completely agree. Battery hen production should not be allowed.
The Devil’s Discus – in Thai
Khun Hinke krab,
The link you gave isn’t working.
It leads me to “Not Found
Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn’t here.”
Lao Studies on the move
I am a Lao student and would like to share some thoughts with regards to the issue. The history class in Lao primary and secondary education has been rather limited and focused too much on Lao history, which is caused by a number of factors as you may guess. While I believe historians on both sides of the Mekong did try to do their bests in capturing all the details of what has happened, I still think history is inherently biased and incomplete to some extent. Some of later generations like me may have some thoughts against Thai people, and the other way round, but that is not natural. Our perception is biased, skewed and filled with some prejudices because of we grow up hearing stories, learning to believe what is true in our own national version. After all, history serves political strategies: we learned who our friends and enemies are from childhood. While I agree that a sense of nationalism is critical for the building of nation after wars and for personal and national identity, being too nationalist is taking your own history for granted and that is dangerous.