“#7 Who is it who can’t spell “lèse majesté” – the authors, the publishers or New Mandala? I’m not sure which answer is worst, since any serious commentator on modern Thailand really ought to get it right.”
Presumably some folks can’t be bothered to spend several minutes figuring out how to type in the accents. In which case LM will do. The parallels to SM are all too obvious. What are a few serious accents worth in this profoundly silly political system?
sam deedes — don’t forget “Creating Laos” by Soren Ivarsson, the very author of this new book. It is very good. (Sorry for the spelling; I can’t put a slash through the o in Soren.)
Thank you for pointing out the possibility of that confusion for the others. However, I was not referring to the UMNO website articles as mentioned during the video as ‘newspapers’. I regarded ‘newspapers’ as every day newsprints such as ‘New Straits Times’, ‘The Star’, ‘Utusan Malaysia’ and so on. If you did not know, local newspapers are pressured to conceal flaws of the Malaysian government, if not make them look good.
Here are a few websites on how journalists and chief-editors got themselves into trouble for trying to have an honest opinion about the government (which is, mainly influenced by UMNO) : http://www.pressreference.com/Ky-Ma/Malaysia.html http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/1795
These are the happenings that do get published. We do not truly know how many have suffered the cost of reporting truths or simply by voicing out.
Hla Oo,
I read #16 and Peter’s link in #15 very carefully, which is why I asked my question (which you haven’t answered) in #17. I’ll admit, maybe the question was a bit unclear, so let me ask again: where in that interview, which have say you have read many times, does LKY say the Burmese people, rather than the generals, are stupid?
Kit Aray, Merriam-Webster online has lese majesty as an alternative spelling of lèse majesté (it comes after lesbianism and before lesion). Plenty of other sources have it as an alternative spelling.
Who is it who can’t spell “lèse majesté” — the authors, the publishers or New Mandala? I’m not sure which answer is worst, since any serious commentator on modern Thailand really ought to get it right.
Suzie makes a good point about Tamara Loos’ apparent opposition to the Bangkok elite having “limited the parameters of Islamic law”. It’s rare that I find myself on the side of the elite but bolstering any kind of religious lawmaking is a dead end as far as I’m concerned.
Michael Nelson’s comment on Bangkok Post’s depiction of a new Toyota factory on Thai soil as “Introducing a new era in Thai automobile manufacturing” puts me in mind of a sign at the entrance of Wat Pho, the famous reclining Buddha wat in Bangkok. Visitors are enjoined to “Beware of Foreign Pickpockets”, presumably implying that Thais are incapable of such acts (unless it is a warning to foreign tourists to beware of Thais!)
Definitely a must read. I’ve got a feeling that books like this will come at an increasing rate as we head towards the inevitable.
While we’re thinking of Scandinavians, let’s not forget Hjorleifur Jonsson’s recent ground breaking book on the hill tribes, “Mien Relations: Mountain People and State Control in Thailand.”
“#21
Even though “clothing doesn’t make the man,” every profession has attire guidelines and teaching is no exception. I think the student doesn’t respect the instructor because she ignores teaching dress code. Like it or not, our outer appearance is the first indicator of inner characteristics: mature, professional, capable and competent. When you are a school teacher, you simply can’t ignore dress with classroom appropriate. Otherwise, it’s hard for students to respect you especially in the Thai or Asian cultural context.”
There are actually local teachers and expats out there who try to do all this. ….. …..
I would challenge this idea that teachers are highly respected. Perhaps they used to be, but bling-bling capitalism has made such respect little more than just going through the time-honored motions. Real respect will always involve listening, and most people don’t even vaguely listen to either of the two local demigods.
Speak for yourself. The current simpleton version of Burmese history is probably the version you used to subscribe to. I for one don’t recognise it. Perhaps you’d never tried digging a little deeper, more than just scratch the surface to see it warts and all. Certainly no excuse to embark on another propaganda bullshit such as what we get from you lately, unless you want to divert the attention away from the shameless shenanigans of the regime and put the blame on everyone else.
Not many of us will be surprised if LKY’s experience with Ne Win left him with a low opinion of the Burmese ruling class. His protégé Than Shwe seems to have outdone him equipped with a fraction of his personality or charisma.
hai yileen, please do not mistake the politically own publications as “newspapers”. They are works of fiction – mostly – except for dry business or small neighbourhood events.
The “papers” can publish outright lies and when exposed, do not even have to offer an apology.
Violence, at a personal level, under any circumstances is impure, and reduces us to something less than human.
Through experience accumulated over time, the US and western society recognize that physical and emotional abusive behavior lead to a violent society. It in turn costs the State too much money to keep order in a violent society. As a result, the US and western society impose heavy price on any abusive individual. For example, in this particular in stance, the State will take her teaching license away.
It’s a cost-benefit analysis, not culture, that lead to less individual violence behavior against another individual in western society. The idea that violence is sometimes justified place us on a slippery slope. Even in the situation of “just war”; International Law set limit that there are things you cannot do.
@ Polyphemus – Congratulations! You now hold the record of linking a completely unrelated topic (unsubstantiated rumor) to Thaksin in the shortest number of posts, 2. You should be very proud of yourself.
Best Regards, Ricardo
In actual related news:
“A man who is wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court for posting comments deemed offending the monarchy has been arrested, Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Prawut Thavornsiri said on Saturday.
Pol Maj-Gen Prawut said the man, identified as Wiset Pichitlamkhen, was arrested by immigration police at Suvarnabhumi airport while he was about to leave the country.
The spokesman did not say when the man was arrested. He said only that the suspect had been handed over to the Department of Special Investigation for further legal proceedings.
Police chief Wichean Potephosree has ordered the immigration police to watch for suspects under arrest warrants travelling in and out through immigration checkpoints, he said.”
From “The Nation” today:
Prime Minister Abhsiit Vejjajiva met Saudi Charge d’ Affaires Nabil Hussein Ashri Saturday morning to explain the promotion of Somkid Boonthanom to the post of assistant police chief.
The meeting was held at Ban Phitsanulok residence at 8:15 am. The prime minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Deputy PM’s Secretary-General Panithan Watanayakorn. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes.
Saudi Arabia’s concern about Somkid’s promotion is based on his alleged involvement in the unsolved disappearance of Saudi businessman Mohammed alRuwaili in Bangkok 20 years ago.
Somkid has been promoted from the post of chief of the Police Regional Bureau 5.
Speaking to reporters, Abhisit said he explained to the Saudi envoy that Somkid had received clemency under the law to grant clemency to clear record of wrongdoings on the occasion of His Majesty the King turning 80 years old in 2007.
Abhisit said he also explained to the envoy that Somkid’s promotion was also related to complexity of other related laws.
Sounds like things are about to get interesting …..or go very quiet.
I was not surprised the lecturer did what she did (I was actually half expecting her to finish the phone off with her heels). Probably a bit of a harsh reprimand for other societies, but (and correct me if I’m wrong) Asian cultures tend to take respect and hierarchical authority in a more serious manner compared to their Western counterparts.
All in all, it is rather disrespectful to be on the phone, especially if you are smack in front having first class seat at a lecture – period. She was probably PMS-ing (no pun intended) and the phone was collateral.
I sure hope RPK doesn’t get into the amount of trouble he should be in (considering how unjust UMNO can be towards their oppositions). There are so many lies and conspiracies being propagated by the local newpapers and the news stations under the influence of UMNO and the government that Malaysians are finding it hard to tell true from false. It is refreshing to have a voice brave enough to defy all for the sake of the greater good.
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Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
Polyphemus. FYI Finland is not a part of Scandinavia.
Get back in your sandpit and play with your brainwashed acolytes .
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
“#7 Who is it who can’t spell “lèse majesté” – the authors, the publishers or New Mandala? I’m not sure which answer is worst, since any serious commentator on modern Thailand really ought to get it right.”
Presumably some folks can’t be bothered to spend several minutes figuring out how to type in the accents. In which case LM will do. The parallels to SM are all too obvious. What are a few serious accents worth in this profoundly silly political system?
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
sam deedes — don’t forget “Creating Laos” by Soren Ivarsson, the very author of this new book. It is very good. (Sorry for the spelling; I can’t put a slash through the o in Soren.)
Raja Petra Kamarudin: UMNO’s public enemy number 1
In reply to Neptunian:-
Thank you for pointing out the possibility of that confusion for the others. However, I was not referring to the UMNO website articles as mentioned during the video as ‘newspapers’. I regarded ‘newspapers’ as every day newsprints such as ‘New Straits Times’, ‘The Star’, ‘Utusan Malaysia’ and so on. If you did not know, local newspapers are pressured to conceal flaws of the Malaysian government, if not make them look good.
Here are a few websites on how journalists and chief-editors got themselves into trouble for trying to have an honest opinion about the government (which is, mainly influenced by UMNO) :
http://www.pressreference.com/Ky-Ma/Malaysia.html
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/1795
These are the happenings that do get published. We do not truly know how many have suffered the cost of reporting truths or simply by voicing out.
And here is a website on how imposing the government is on Malaysian journalists:
http://www.seapabkk.org/alerts/2-alerts/100352-media-group-criticizes-malaysian-government-agencys-interrogation-of-journalists.html
Burma in Limbo, Part 2
Hla Oo,
I read #16 and Peter’s link in #15 very carefully, which is why I asked my question (which you haven’t answered) in #17. I’ll admit, maybe the question was a bit unclear, so let me ask again: where in that interview, which have say you have read many times, does LKY say the Burmese people, rather than the generals, are stupid?
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
Kit Aray, Merriam-Webster online has lese majesty as an alternative spelling of lèse majesté (it comes after lesbianism and before lesion). Plenty of other sources have it as an alternative spelling.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lese%20majesty
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
Who is it who can’t spell “lèse majesté” — the authors, the publishers or New Mandala? I’m not sure which answer is worst, since any serious commentator on modern Thailand really ought to get it right.
Review of Ambiguous Allure of the West
Suzie makes a good point about Tamara Loos’ apparent opposition to the Bangkok elite having “limited the parameters of Islamic law”. It’s rare that I find myself on the side of the elite but bolstering any kind of religious lawmaking is a dead end as far as I’m concerned.
Michael Nelson’s comment on Bangkok Post’s depiction of a new Toyota factory on Thai soil as “Introducing a new era in Thai automobile manufacturing” puts me in mind of a sign at the entrance of Wat Pho, the famous reclining Buddha wat in Bangkok. Visitors are enjoined to “Beware of Foreign Pickpockets”, presumably implying that Thais are incapable of such acts (unless it is a warning to foreign tourists to beware of Thais!)
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
Definitely a must read. I’ve got a feeling that books like this will come at an increasing rate as we head towards the inevitable.
While we’re thinking of Scandinavians, let’s not forget Hjorleifur Jonsson’s recent ground breaking book on the hill tribes, “Mien Relations: Mountain People and State Control in Thailand.”
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
Presumably it will be on sale in Se-Ed
Teaching tips – how to keep students engaged
“#21
Even though “clothing doesn’t make the man,” every profession has attire guidelines and teaching is no exception. I think the student doesn’t respect the instructor because she ignores teaching dress code. Like it or not, our outer appearance is the first indicator of inner characteristics: mature, professional, capable and competent. When you are a school teacher, you simply can’t ignore dress with classroom appropriate. Otherwise, it’s hard for students to respect you especially in the Thai or Asian cultural context.”
There are actually local teachers and expats out there who try to do all this. ….. …..
I would challenge this idea that teachers are highly respected. Perhaps they used to be, but bling-bling capitalism has made such respect little more than just going through the time-honored motions. Real respect will always involve listening, and most people don’t even vaguely listen to either of the two local demigods.
Ji Ungpakorn on Thai political change
There was probably a time in each-&-every Thai politician’s life when he/she actually believed in making Thailand a more equitable society.
Burma in Limbo, Part 2
Hla Oo
Speak for yourself. The current simpleton version of Burmese history is probably the version you used to subscribe to. I for one don’t recognise it. Perhaps you’d never tried digging a little deeper, more than just scratch the surface to see it warts and all. Certainly no excuse to embark on another propaganda bullshit such as what we get from you lately, unless you want to divert the attention away from the shameless shenanigans of the regime and put the blame on everyone else.
Not many of us will be surprised if LKY’s experience with Ne Win left him with a low opinion of the Burmese ruling class. His protégé Than Shwe seems to have outdone him equipped with a fraction of his personality or charisma.
Raja Petra Kamarudin: UMNO’s public enemy number 1
hai yileen, please do not mistake the politically own publications as “newspapers”. They are works of fiction – mostly – except for dry business or small neighbourhood events.
The “papers” can publish outright lies and when exposed, do not even have to offer an apology.
Teaching tips – how to keep students engaged
Violence, at a personal level, under any circumstances is impure, and reduces us to something less than human.
Through experience accumulated over time, the US and western society recognize that physical and emotional abusive behavior lead to a violent society. It in turn costs the State too much money to keep order in a violent society. As a result, the US and western society impose heavy price on any abusive individual. For example, in this particular in stance, the State will take her teaching license away.
It’s a cost-benefit analysis, not culture, that lead to less individual violence behavior against another individual in western society. The idea that violence is sometimes justified place us on a slippery slope. Even in the situation of “just war”; International Law set limit that there are things you cannot do.
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
@ Polyphemus – Congratulations! You now hold the record of linking a completely unrelated topic (unsubstantiated rumor) to Thaksin in the shortest number of posts, 2. You should be very proud of yourself.
Best Regards, Ricardo
In actual related news:
“A man who is wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court for posting comments deemed offending the monarchy has been arrested, Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Prawut Thavornsiri said on Saturday.
Pol Maj-Gen Prawut said the man, identified as Wiset Pichitlamkhen, was arrested by immigration police at Suvarnabhumi airport while he was about to leave the country.
The spokesman did not say when the man was arrested. He said only that the suspect had been handed over to the Department of Special Investigation for further legal proceedings.
Police chief Wichean Potephosree has ordered the immigration police to watch for suspects under arrest warrants travelling in and out through immigration checkpoints, he said.”
http://bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/196957/lese-majeste-suspect-caught-at-airport
Anyone have info on Wiset’s case?
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
From “The Nation” today:
Prime Minister Abhsiit Vejjajiva met Saudi Charge d’ Affaires Nabil Hussein Ashri Saturday morning to explain the promotion of Somkid Boonthanom to the post of assistant police chief.
The meeting was held at Ban Phitsanulok residence at 8:15 am. The prime minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Deputy PM’s Secretary-General Panithan Watanayakorn. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes.
Saudi Arabia’s concern about Somkid’s promotion is based on his alleged involvement in the unsolved disappearance of Saudi businessman Mohammed alRuwaili in Bangkok 20 years ago.
Somkid has been promoted from the post of chief of the Police Regional Bureau 5.
Speaking to reporters, Abhisit said he explained to the Saudi envoy that Somkid had received clemency under the law to grant clemency to clear record of wrongdoings on the occasion of His Majesty the King turning 80 years old in 2007.
Abhisit said he also explained to the envoy that Somkid’s promotion was also related to complexity of other related laws.
Sounds like things are about to get interesting …..or go very quiet.
Teaching tips – how to keep students engaged
I was not surprised the lecturer did what she did (I was actually half expecting her to finish the phone off with her heels). Probably a bit of a harsh reprimand for other societies, but (and correct me if I’m wrong) Asian cultures tend to take respect and hierarchical authority in a more serious manner compared to their Western counterparts.
All in all, it is rather disrespectful to be on the phone, especially if you are smack in front having first class seat at a lecture – period. She was probably PMS-ing (no pun intended) and the phone was collateral.
Amen to the Blackberry.
Raja Petra Kamarudin: UMNO’s public enemy number 1
I sure hope RPK doesn’t get into the amount of trouble he should be in (considering how unjust UMNO can be towards their oppositions). There are so many lies and conspiracies being propagated by the local newpapers and the news stations under the influence of UMNO and the government that Malaysians are finding it hard to tell true from false. It is refreshing to have a voice brave enough to defy all for the sake of the greater good.
Saying the unsayable about Thailand’s monarchy
chris beale // Sep 18, 2010 at 5:04 pm
“Scandinavia has a long tradition of excellent Thai studies”.
….and then of course there’s “The Finland Plan” 🙂