I can understand your pain of seeing the devastating results of West’s economic sanctions against Burma. I have witnessed the similar cases or worse with my own eyes in Rangoon back in the late 1990s.
Sanctions against Burma are simply the deadliest weapons of mass destruction against the most vulnerable people of Burma.
After 50 long years of self-isolation from 1948 to 1988 under successive Socialist governments, from U Nu’s to Ne Win’s to Sein Lwin’s, Burma has finally come back into the civilized world by participating in the global market economy like China and Vietnam are doing.
It took 40 long years of unbelievable suffering and extreme deprivation to make that difficult about-turn from the extreme-left policies the legacy of our hero Aung San and his left-wing comrades from the days of Rangoon University’s All Burma Student Union.
But the civilized world has turned their back on us by refusing to trade with Burma while they are still willing and eager to trade even with the Communist countries. And Burma has completely abandoned the Socialism while China and Vietnam are still ruled by the dreaded Communist Parties.
Thousands of young women and girls from the sanctions-ravaged textile industry in Rangoon were forced overnight into prostitution serving Chinese businessmen in hairdressing salons and massage parlors when US banned textile imports from Burma.
Like the coffee beans labeled as Made-in-China, the same apparels made in Burma are now bought by the same Chinese bussinessmen and relabeled as Made-in-China and exported to the West.
And the Burmese girls are paid only less than half of what they used to earn (about 50 US cents a day) while the so-called Burmese patriots and exile activists urging for the continuation of dreaded sanctions are living on the handsome payrolls of the likes of Sorros and NED and CIA.
One pro-sanctions activist has a basic salary of 80,000 US and an expense account and a state department sponsored grand office in Washington, and the US Congressmen referred to him often whenever they praised their so-called economic sanctions against Burmese generals.
But these learned Congressmen do not know that the Burmese generals do not give a fuck as only the Burmese businessmen and their Burmese workers and their families are suffering enormously.
Thanks for the link to you site. Very interesting story of murder of two members of Laotian royal family and the historical background of Phra Keo (Emerald Buddha).
There is an intriguing Burmese connection there. Phra Keo or the Buddha statue made out of single stone of jade was believed to have been lost on the way from Ceylon to Burma in the year 1058 till it somehow reappeared in Cambodia many years later.
The Buddha statue was part of a religious cargo sent to King Anawrahta of Pagan. The Burmese king conquered the Suvannabumi Thaton Kingdom of Mon King Manuha in 1057.
Manuha’s tribe was called Talaing, for they originally migrated from the Talingana State on the Madras coast of Southern India to Southern Burma many hundreds of years ago.
The Talaings (later became Mons) brought with them the arts, literature, religion, and cultural practices of Indian civilization to Burma and they founded the Thaton and Pegu Kingdoms.
The conquest of Thaton in 1057 was a decisive event in Burmese history since it brought the Burmese into direct contact with the Indian civilization in the southern Burma and opened the way for a long term religious relationship with Ceylon the main Buddhist center then.
Anawrahta maintained diplomatic relations with King Vijayabahu of Ceylon, who in 1071 requested the assistance of Burmese monks to help revive the Buddhist faith. As a gratitude the Ceylonese king sent Anawrahta a replica of the Buddha’s tooth relic which is still in the Shwezigon pagoda at Pagan.
“notwithstanding the country’s first real push (under PM Abhisit as head of the Education Reform Committee) to break out of the old, busted, conformity-producing, don’t-ask-questions, defunct Confucian education system”
It is true that it is not entirely certain how many Lao resistance people were murdered, and no full lists have been compiled. The one statement from just one group, which I posted above, listed 47. There are certainly many others. I have done extensive interviews about this, but I cannot reveal my sources, as I need to protect them. However, I can assure you that there are many more. The 47 does not, for example, include the large number of Hmong in the north who were killed, including many of the leaders of the Chao Fa, including Pa Kao Her, their leader. I will eventually write something substantive about this, but now is not the time, and more research needs to be done. Still, I stand by my original statement. You can believe it or not.
What do you know of black lists? Have you ever been affected by one? I suspect not. You seem to find it very hard to say that what you write is what is what you believe. Do you not think that there are some whose comments don’t truly reflect what they believe? Seeing as you find it hard let me begin.
I believe that society, not only in Thailand but worldwide, will move towards a socialist economic system. I think this is a evolutionary process and not a revolutionary one. I think that Marxist-Leninism has over the last 100 years hindered rather than helped the development of socialism. I think for Thailand this means means a mixed economy and that basic infrastructure needs to be bought back under state control and away from the politicians cronies that have taken things like the airport rail link. I think there should be continued and more state intervention in the agricultural sector paid for out of a tax system that really does collect from those better off in Thailand. (And yes I do pay my full taxes here.) I think the most immediate need for Thailand is drive out the corrupt politicians who sell the country’s future for their personal gain. We have seen them in pro-Thaksin parties, present coalition parties and in parts of the Democrats. Apart from any other damage they do they gave the army the excuse to step in for the last two coups.
See it’s simple Ralph. No need to cry McCarthyism. If I had named names of those I suspected of not being honest then I might be open to that charge. Could you do the same as I have just done above?
Hla Oo, your comments only expose the fact that the Mons also appropriatesd Suvannabhumi for their own purposes. You don’t have to buy into this fantasy to defend Mon heritage – the Mons had one of the great ancient societies of SEAsia – Dvaravati – which was a real thing that stretched from the Mekong to southern Burma and the isthmus. But it broke up and there was apparently no coherent Dvaravati narrative maintained.
Local Mon polities appropriated and elaborated stories from their neighbours and the Pali Buddhist cannon. Today we see the Nyahkur, a tiny remnant of Dvaravati in Thailand, until recently utterly unaware of the fact, now constructing an invented identity and history based on western linguists’ discovery that their language derives from Old Mon.
Lesson – DON’T BELIEVE YOUR OWN HISTORY
What is becoming increasingly clear is that UMNO is driving a wedge between Malaysians – differentiating Muslims and non – Muslims.
What UMNO is projecting is that (UMNO) Muslims are superior to non – UMNO Muslims and definitely non-Muslims.
Analysing the language that UMNO is using against non-UMNO Muslims and associating them with non-Muslims – it is very clear that UMNO is forcing Muslims to make a choice based on religion (following UMNO’s interpretation).
Recently I visited a “coffee” farm in Pyin U Lwin. The beans picker are women from age 18 to 30’s. They received ~ 25cents/day for their labor. Down from ~ 50 cents from a few years ago.
There were bags and bags of raw coffee beans that they picked last few months. In gunny sacks already labeled:
“PRODUCT OF CHINA”.
American by all account consume 90% of world coffee produced. I am quite sure substantial % of Myanmar product will find it was via China ans other Asian nations to USA.
3 of the pickers are a Mother and 2 daughter. 10 years ago the mother’s work alone can make ends meet. The 2 kids could go to school. After the per day wage decrease at first the 1st daughter pitch in 1/2 time then to full and the younger ones has to drop out to help.
This is purely 2┬║ to US/west sanction against SPDC that go out of hand where any Myanmar produce/product is automatically discounted to by pass the perceived or real restriction that the congressional resolution 14494 has made.
Susie Wong
In any economic down turn the most vulnerable one suffer the MOST.
Women and children are the moat vulnerable.
There are Burmese as well as those who have no idea about Myanmar citizenry plight who can not see beyond the anti SPDC/pro Daw Aung San Suu Kyi prism.
“I would like see the issue of women legs be solved by economic development measure. “
You are correct, however these measures must be @ micro-econ level.
Despite the corruption/graft/cronyism, SPDC never hinder any micro-economic assistance from within and out side Myanmar.
It is the US/WEST touted resolution against SPDC that has become the ultimate excuse for any institution or country to get involve in these measures in a REASONABLE SCALE that will benefit the most vulnerable ones.
Just within this post and any others in Mew Mandala concerning Myanmar, I am quite sure you will see:
Any reprieve to the citizenry any way by any one will be denigrated, belittled and the advocating parties called Junta Stooges and such.
One of these atttractive pickers actually timidly ask me I might wish for ANY SERVICES of her or choose from among her daughters and willing co workers!
This is the ultimate debasement of Humanity one can witness 2┬║ to destitution and desperation brought on by lack of economic opportunity.
If anyone in New Mandala believe US/west policy only affect SPDC I hope this incidence will change their mind.
Wondering: it was a rhetorical question. On evidence, if there were “hundreds” killed – “Probably hundreds of them were killed during Thaksin’s reign” – it certainly isn’t confirmed by subsequent posts.
The current regime is doing a great job twisting and turning Laos royal past for there hold on power. Not only are places of royal significant in Laos and now they can milk this royal cow dry. It’s a great idea, if they wanna erase any influence the current royal family has(if any outside of France). But at the same time this might come back to haunt the Vientiane government down the road. Building up all this interest in Laos royal past.
Yes, at the end of 2009 the Thai government repatriated a large number (almost 5,000) of Hmong refugees in Thailand to Laos, largely against their will, but there are still thousands of people originally from Laos living in Thailand who fled Laos after 1975 and who have integrated themselves into Thailand, through staying with relatives, marrying Thais, or otherwise finding ways to slip between the cracks. Some of these are Hmong but many are ethnic Lao. Many continue to live in northeastern Thailand. Some live in Bangkok and other parts of the country. Most are not involved in political activities regarding Laos, but a few remain opposed to the Lao government. Most of those have gone underground, and as I have already demonstrated through previous postings, many were murdered between 2001 and 2006.
It seems amazing to me that you would suggest that Chris hasn’t received the evidence he asked for. What else can I provide? It was appropriate for him to ask for evidence, since this issue has not been widely publicized, but I think I have clearly responded to his request, even before this posting. It’s not my fault that people have not been following the situation along the Laos-Thailand border.
I’m not sure Chris got his evidence from the subsequent posts. Didn’t the Abhisit government solve the problems by sending them all back, even those with visas for third countries?
Instead of this McCarthyist nonsense, why doesn’t LesAbbey put up or shut up: at 54 I asked two questions: “who are the academics he believes “want a revolution to overthrow the Thai capitalist system and bring about a socialist state under the leadership of a Marxist-Leninist cadre, be it Stalinist or Trotskyist…”. And what would be the evidence for the claim?” It would seem reasonable to expect some evidence for such claims. Or is it just misguided troll-like behaviour (An “Internet troll” or “Forum Troll” or “Message Board Troll” is a person who posts outrageous message to bait people to answer.)
That being true, I stand corrected – although the overall tone seems so like Thaksin that there’s not much difference, given PM Thaksin’s history of hell-bent effort to dominate the political sphere by riding roughshod over democratic checks and balances mandated in the 1997 Constitution – not to mention his bullying and intimidation of the media and seemingly endless rotation of dodgy ministers as a means of fooling most of the people and facing down the media almost all the time. Need I go on?
Interestingly, I recall that in one address this year to his Red Shirt mob at Rajprasong (between his Louis Vuitton shopping binge in Paris and after his caviar binge in Moscow) the Pied Piper of Chiang Mai expounded his belief that, to govern Thailand effectively, any elected government would need around 75% of MPs in its pocket i.e. the old ‘end justifies the means’ argument manifest as follows: because the state is a lot stronger than the government (and it remains so today) the CEO-PM is justified in seeking to redress said imbalance ‘by any means necessary’. No wonder, like Nixon, Thaksin’s lack of ethics became arguably his biggest political weakness.
Moreover, I’ve heard it argued that because the mentality of Thai voters is still only semi-democratic, a semi-democratic government like Singapore and the one “CEO PM” Thaksin ran is/was the most effective development model for Thailand. Of course, one of the problems with the above argument is Thaksin’s abject failure to even attempt any serious reform of the rote learning system which – notwithstanding the country’s first real push (under PM Abhisit as head of the Education Reform Committee) to break out of the old, busted, conformity-producing, don’t-ask-questions, defunct Confucian education system – remain firmly in place right up to and including tertiary level education.
In hindsight, this was hardly surprising from Thaksin, the ‘fast-track’ political operator who first rose to prominence as a business monopolist through political means and went on to establish a political monopoly largely through corporatization of the state: after all, he was hardly likely to risk his investment by dragging education into the modern age education and freeing up the media. Meanwhile, industry has been screaming for decades about the dearth of workers with the analytical skills required to be able to think for themselves.
However, the above serves to underline what is arguably the single biggest failure of Thaksin’s leadership i.e. his anti-intellectualism, which is a suspiciously odd failing in someone claiming to have ‘earned’ an M.A. and Ph.D in the USA, but which does provide strong evidence that his mentality is that of the legions of allegedly Western-educated Thais who are widely believed to have ‘bought’ their foreign degrees: ‘a mile wide and an inch deep’, as the saying goes.
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Burmese women’s legs in the media
PlanB,
I can understand your pain of seeing the devastating results of West’s economic sanctions against Burma. I have witnessed the similar cases or worse with my own eyes in Rangoon back in the late 1990s.
Sanctions against Burma are simply the deadliest weapons of mass destruction against the most vulnerable people of Burma.
After 50 long years of self-isolation from 1948 to 1988 under successive Socialist governments, from U Nu’s to Ne Win’s to Sein Lwin’s, Burma has finally come back into the civilized world by participating in the global market economy like China and Vietnam are doing.
It took 40 long years of unbelievable suffering and extreme deprivation to make that difficult about-turn from the extreme-left policies the legacy of our hero Aung San and his left-wing comrades from the days of Rangoon University’s All Burma Student Union.
But the civilized world has turned their back on us by refusing to trade with Burma while they are still willing and eager to trade even with the Communist countries. And Burma has completely abandoned the Socialism while China and Vietnam are still ruled by the dreaded Communist Parties.
Thousands of young women and girls from the sanctions-ravaged textile industry in Rangoon were forced overnight into prostitution serving Chinese businessmen in hairdressing salons and massage parlors when US banned textile imports from Burma.
Like the coffee beans labeled as Made-in-China, the same apparels made in Burma are now bought by the same Chinese bussinessmen and relabeled as Made-in-China and exported to the West.
And the Burmese girls are paid only less than half of what they used to earn (about 50 US cents a day) while the so-called Burmese patriots and exile activists urging for the continuation of dreaded sanctions are living on the handsome payrolls of the likes of Sorros and NED and CIA.
One pro-sanctions activist has a basic salary of 80,000 US and an expense account and a state department sponsored grand office in Washington, and the US Congressmen referred to him often whenever they praised their so-called economic sanctions against Burmese generals.
But these learned Congressmen do not know that the Burmese generals do not give a fuck as only the Burmese businessmen and their Burmese workers and their families are suffering enormously.
Where is the justice?
National celebrations and historiography in Laos
AlanPotkin (#4)
Thanks for the link to you site. Very interesting story of murder of two members of Laotian royal family and the historical background of Phra Keo (Emerald Buddha).
There is an intriguing Burmese connection there. Phra Keo or the Buddha statue made out of single stone of jade was believed to have been lost on the way from Ceylon to Burma in the year 1058 till it somehow reappeared in Cambodia many years later.
The Buddha statue was part of a religious cargo sent to King Anawrahta of Pagan. The Burmese king conquered the Suvannabumi Thaton Kingdom of Mon King Manuha in 1057.
Manuha’s tribe was called Talaing, for they originally migrated from the Talingana State on the Madras coast of Southern India to Southern Burma many hundreds of years ago.
The Talaings (later became Mons) brought with them the arts, literature, religion, and cultural practices of Indian civilization to Burma and they founded the Thaton and Pegu Kingdoms.
The conquest of Thaton in 1057 was a decisive event in Burmese history since it brought the Burmese into direct contact with the Indian civilization in the southern Burma and opened the way for a long term religious relationship with Ceylon the main Buddhist center then.
Anawrahta maintained diplomatic relations with King Vijayabahu of Ceylon, who in 1071 requested the assistance of Burmese monks to help revive the Buddhist faith. As a gratitude the Ceylonese king sent Anawrahta a replica of the Buddha’s tooth relic which is still in the Shwezigon pagoda at Pagan.
Thai style reconciliation a recipe for further conflict
“notwithstanding the country’s first real push (under PM Abhisit as head of the Education Reform Committee) to break out of the old, busted, conformity-producing, don’t-ask-questions, defunct Confucian education system”
His Democrat Party has the Education Ministry, so perhaps this is the type of reform he has in mind:
http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/1973
Thai style reconciliation a recipe for further conflict
For Ralph Kramden, 22
It is true that it is not entirely certain how many Lao resistance people were murdered, and no full lists have been compiled. The one statement from just one group, which I posted above, listed 47. There are certainly many others. I have done extensive interviews about this, but I cannot reveal my sources, as I need to protect them. However, I can assure you that there are many more. The 47 does not, for example, include the large number of Hmong in the north who were killed, including many of the leaders of the Chao Fa, including Pa Kao Her, their leader. I will eventually write something substantive about this, but now is not the time, and more research needs to be done. Still, I stand by my original statement. You can believe it or not.
Thailand’s hungry military
This link was just sent to me…obviously with more than a slight slant but interesting…
http://robertamsterdam.com/thailand/?p=328
More on the “strategy of tension”
Ralph – 63
What do you know of black lists? Have you ever been affected by one? I suspect not. You seem to find it very hard to say that what you write is what is what you believe. Do you not think that there are some whose comments don’t truly reflect what they believe? Seeing as you find it hard let me begin.
I believe that society, not only in Thailand but worldwide, will move towards a socialist economic system. I think this is a evolutionary process and not a revolutionary one. I think that Marxist-Leninism has over the last 100 years hindered rather than helped the development of socialism. I think for Thailand this means means a mixed economy and that basic infrastructure needs to be bought back under state control and away from the politicians cronies that have taken things like the airport rail link. I think there should be continued and more state intervention in the agricultural sector paid for out of a tax system that really does collect from those better off in Thailand. (And yes I do pay my full taxes here.) I think the most immediate need for Thailand is drive out the corrupt politicians who sell the country’s future for their personal gain. We have seen them in pro-Thaksin parties, present coalition parties and in parts of the Democrats. Apart from any other damage they do they gave the army the excuse to step in for the last two coups.
See it’s simple Ralph. No need to cry McCarthyism. If I had named names of those I suspected of not being honest then I might be open to that charge. Could you do the same as I have just done above?
Cambodia is not a province of Thailand
Hla Oo, your comments only expose the fact that the Mons also appropriatesd Suvannabhumi for their own purposes. You don’t have to buy into this fantasy to defend Mon heritage – the Mons had one of the great ancient societies of SEAsia – Dvaravati – which was a real thing that stretched from the Mekong to southern Burma and the isthmus. But it broke up and there was apparently no coherent Dvaravati narrative maintained.
Local Mon polities appropriated and elaborated stories from their neighbours and the Pali Buddhist cannon. Today we see the Nyahkur, a tiny remnant of Dvaravati in Thailand, until recently utterly unaware of the fact, now constructing an invented identity and history based on western linguists’ discovery that their language derives from Old Mon.
Lesson – DON’T BELIEVE YOUR OWN HISTORY
Happy Independence Day, Malaysia!
What is becoming increasingly clear is that UMNO is driving a wedge between Malaysians – differentiating Muslims and non – Muslims.
What UMNO is projecting is that (UMNO) Muslims are superior to non – UMNO Muslims and definitely non-Muslims.
Analysing the language that UMNO is using against non-UMNO Muslims and associating them with non-Muslims – it is very clear that UMNO is forcing Muslims to make a choice based on religion (following UMNO’s interpretation).
Burmese women’s legs in the media
Recently I visited a “coffee” farm in Pyin U Lwin. The beans picker are women from age 18 to 30’s. They received ~ 25cents/day for their labor. Down from ~ 50 cents from a few years ago.
There were bags and bags of raw coffee beans that they picked last few months. In gunny sacks already labeled:
“PRODUCT OF CHINA”.
American by all account consume 90% of world coffee produced. I am quite sure substantial % of Myanmar product will find it was via China ans other Asian nations to USA.
3 of the pickers are a Mother and 2 daughter. 10 years ago the mother’s work alone can make ends meet. The 2 kids could go to school. After the per day wage decrease at first the 1st daughter pitch in 1/2 time then to full and the younger ones has to drop out to help.
This is purely 2┬║ to US/west sanction against SPDC that go out of hand where any Myanmar produce/product is automatically discounted to by pass the perceived or real restriction that the congressional resolution 14494 has made.
Susie Wong
In any economic down turn the most vulnerable one suffer the MOST.
Women and children are the moat vulnerable.
There are Burmese as well as those who have no idea about Myanmar citizenry plight who can not see beyond the anti SPDC/pro Daw Aung San Suu Kyi prism.
“I would like see the issue of women legs be solved by economic development measure. “
You are correct, however these measures must be @ micro-econ level.
Despite the corruption/graft/cronyism, SPDC never hinder any micro-economic assistance from within and out side Myanmar.
It is the US/WEST touted resolution against SPDC that has become the ultimate excuse for any institution or country to get involve in these measures in a REASONABLE SCALE that will benefit the most vulnerable ones.
Just within this post and any others in Mew Mandala concerning Myanmar, I am quite sure you will see:
Any reprieve to the citizenry any way by any one will be denigrated, belittled and the advocating parties called Junta Stooges and such.
One of these atttractive pickers actually timidly ask me I might wish for ANY SERVICES of her or choose from among her daughters and willing co workers!
This is the ultimate debasement of Humanity one can witness 2┬║ to destitution and desperation brought on by lack of economic opportunity.
If anyone in New Mandala believe US/west policy only affect SPDC I hope this incidence will change their mind.
Thai style reconciliation a recipe for further conflict
Wondering: it was a rhetorical question. On evidence, if there were “hundreds” killed – “Probably hundreds of them were killed during Thaksin’s reign” – it certainly isn’t confirmed by subsequent posts.
National celebrations and historiography in Laos
The current regime is doing a great job twisting and turning Laos royal past for there hold on power. Not only are places of royal significant in Laos and now they can milk this royal cow dry. It’s a great idea, if they wanna erase any influence the current royal family has(if any outside of France). But at the same time this might come back to haunt the Vientiane government down the road. Building up all this interest in Laos royal past.
Thai style reconciliation a recipe for further conflict
For Ralph #19
Yes, at the end of 2009 the Thai government repatriated a large number (almost 5,000) of Hmong refugees in Thailand to Laos, largely against their will, but there are still thousands of people originally from Laos living in Thailand who fled Laos after 1975 and who have integrated themselves into Thailand, through staying with relatives, marrying Thais, or otherwise finding ways to slip between the cracks. Some of these are Hmong but many are ethnic Lao. Many continue to live in northeastern Thailand. Some live in Bangkok and other parts of the country. Most are not involved in political activities regarding Laos, but a few remain opposed to the Lao government. Most of those have gone underground, and as I have already demonstrated through previous postings, many were murdered between 2001 and 2006.
It seems amazing to me that you would suggest that Chris hasn’t received the evidence he asked for. What else can I provide? It was appropriate for him to ask for evidence, since this issue has not been widely publicized, but I think I have clearly responded to his request, even before this posting. It’s not my fault that people have not been following the situation along the Laos-Thailand border.
Thai style reconciliation a recipe for further conflict
I’m not sure Chris got his evidence from the subsequent posts. Didn’t the Abhisit government solve the problems by sending them all back, even those with visas for third countries?
More on the “strategy of tension”
Instead of this McCarthyist nonsense, why doesn’t LesAbbey put up or shut up: at 54 I asked two questions: “who are the academics he believes “want a revolution to overthrow the Thai capitalist system and bring about a socialist state under the leadership of a Marxist-Leninist cadre, be it Stalinist or Trotskyist…”. And what would be the evidence for the claim?” It would seem reasonable to expect some evidence for such claims. Or is it just misguided troll-like behaviour (An “Internet troll” or “Forum Troll” or “Message Board Troll” is a person who posts outrageous message to bait people to answer.)
Thai style reconciliation a recipe for further conflict
Steve – 18
That being true, I stand corrected – although the overall tone seems so like Thaksin that there’s not much difference, given PM Thaksin’s history of hell-bent effort to dominate the political sphere by riding roughshod over democratic checks and balances mandated in the 1997 Constitution – not to mention his bullying and intimidation of the media and seemingly endless rotation of dodgy ministers as a means of fooling most of the people and facing down the media almost all the time. Need I go on?
Interestingly, I recall that in one address this year to his Red Shirt mob at Rajprasong (between his Louis Vuitton shopping binge in Paris and after his caviar binge in Moscow) the Pied Piper of Chiang Mai expounded his belief that, to govern Thailand effectively, any elected government would need around 75% of MPs in its pocket i.e. the old ‘end justifies the means’ argument manifest as follows: because the state is a lot stronger than the government (and it remains so today) the CEO-PM is justified in seeking to redress said imbalance ‘by any means necessary’. No wonder, like Nixon, Thaksin’s lack of ethics became arguably his biggest political weakness.
Moreover, I’ve heard it argued that because the mentality of Thai voters is still only semi-democratic, a semi-democratic government like Singapore and the one “CEO PM” Thaksin ran is/was the most effective development model for Thailand. Of course, one of the problems with the above argument is Thaksin’s abject failure to even attempt any serious reform of the rote learning system which – notwithstanding the country’s first real push (under PM Abhisit as head of the Education Reform Committee) to break out of the old, busted, conformity-producing, don’t-ask-questions, defunct Confucian education system – remain firmly in place right up to and including tertiary level education.
In hindsight, this was hardly surprising from Thaksin, the ‘fast-track’ political operator who first rose to prominence as a business monopolist through political means and went on to establish a political monopoly largely through corporatization of the state: after all, he was hardly likely to risk his investment by dragging education into the modern age education and freeing up the media. Meanwhile, industry has been screaming for decades about the dearth of workers with the analytical skills required to be able to think for themselves.
However, the above serves to underline what is arguably the single biggest failure of Thaksin’s leadership i.e. his anti-intellectualism, which is a suspiciously odd failing in someone claiming to have ‘earned’ an M.A. and Ph.D in the USA, but which does provide strong evidence that his mentality is that of the legions of allegedly Western-educated Thais who are widely believed to have ‘bought’ their foreign degrees: ‘a mile wide and an inch deep’, as the saying goes.
Thailand’s hungry military
And perhaps yet another military coup in October, to ensure this spending continues !
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/194465/surapong-coup-in-oct-for-sure
Thailand’s hungry military
Excellent – in a nutshell this graph encapsulates what was the prime motivator behind the 2006 coup.
More on the “strategy of tension”
McCarthyism Les, and you seem happy enough to miss the point.
More on the “strategy of tension”
Hey Les, just to clear my reputation in case it comes under suspicion. I think that Ralph might be a bit of a pinko but:
I am not now nor have I ever been a member of the Communist Party or any of its front organizations.
So help me God
Thailand’s hungry military
The increased military spending figures would be even more striking if shown in dollar terms, judging by this GDP graph:
http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=wb-wdi&met=ny_gdp_mktp_cd&idim=country:THA&dl=en&hl=en&q=thailand+gdp+graph