Comments

A failure to adequately offer integrity of news reporting has blunted other reforms and continues to undermine the potential for change in the Thai politics. Despite a rapid change of information technology as well as various new discoveries about Thailand, significant progress has not been achieved in curbing half-truth reporting. Despite the rhetorical commitment to reform to increase the transparency and accuracy of information, there is little evidence to suggest that concrete changes have taken root that will curb inaccurate reporting in the years to come.

This article, in my opinion, suggests several reasons why little progress was achieved. First thing that caught my eyes was the reporter’s last name: “Mcnamara.” Robert McNamara was John F Kennedy’s Secretary of Defense. Kennedy was the President who initiated the Vietnam’s war domino theory. While certainly not harmful to have the same last name, yet there is implication to suggest that her report could be assumed that it has connection to the U.S. government official views. In short, having Mcnamara as reporter is a set up to indirectly mislead the audience.

For news integrity to improve in future years, innovative methods to control the influence of manipulation in selecting reporters will need to be explored. Knowledge and quality of news reporters will need to be greatly strengthened in both the substantive knowledge of the Thai politics and U.S. involvement in the region. Reporting accurate news is vital to the overall progress of Thailand’s transition towards democracy.

Les Abbey

I agree with you, especially the last sentence. If we think on the position that not red and not yellow, we can see a lot of corrupted politicians in Thai Parliament. Both, politicians from government side and opposition side, can switch very very easily, mostly depends on their own profit, not the people. Like, victims who died in April and May this year, they died for Thaksin. I named “Victims”, because the main profit would go to Thaksin and his foolish employees. I wouldn’t name Red followers as Victims, if Thaksin’s foolish employees agreed to have election in November, 3 months from today with huge chance to win for Thaksin’s party, and didn’t push their followers to the dead end before running away or surrender in safe place and cell.

For RA, I think he’s not wise or understand situation in Thailand deeply, so details in his website not close to Red Shirt’s members and not interesting enough. His articles may be written by Thai with the same level political ideology of Penkhair, not by himself but use his name, RA.

denyzofisarn – 27

Tarrin, for touristy Thailand and Cambodia this is no barren land where two bald-headed guys fighting for a comb.

Of cause the temple itself is a magnificent ancient structure that will attract a lot of tourists no doubt. However, in my context, I was referring to the “useless stripe of land” is the 3.4 square km. of land that the Thai government is having issue with.The issue over who own the land surrounding the temple it is what nonsense since no matter who control the land, the only way to access the temple is trough Thailand side and there’s no other likely alternative route. So in my opinion, risking war with our neighbor (and possibility of losing many life of the children of poor families) over this “useless stripe of land” is ridiculous.

I found 30+ plus ways ‘right’ could be spelt in my unabrigded Oxford. ‘Rite’ is one of them. Superstitious politicians of Thighland have had one rite too many. Especially if their ethnic of origin is Khmer. The Chidchobs of south Isarn. For Somdej Hun Sen’s political statement during the last Khmer election, the two words were almost synonymous. As for the PAD and AV glovernment, Dr. Samuel Johnson’s cynic definition of patriotism may fit NM’s taste: the last refuge of the scoundrels.

As for the disaster in The Nation it is a major in a Thai college.

There are four erroneously written ‘rights’ for ‘rites’. Shaksperian was one about nature.

Tarrin, for touristy Thailand and Cambodia this is no barren land where two bald-headed guys fighting for a comb.

Poor AV was takenly out of context by Ms. Suzie Wong. AV’s counter- blood rite of 91 + 2000 thereabouts didn’t appease his lust. Khun Jatuporn and the likes malaciously took AV apart during the rallies with this misquote:I will listen to one Sombat or 100,000-strong Red Shirts I will resign or dissolve the house. 100,000 was a prophecy fulfilled but AV did not agree with their demand. Khun Jatuporn knew AV’s implied condition but went ahead to preach to those who embraced passion and abondoned reasons. Master demagogue had it at 1,000,000 plus those real mouth-watering offerings. And it got repeated many times it became a rite, it seemed.

LesAbbey – 7

When you made generalize statement yourself everything seems to be ok right?

August 1, 2010: Follow the Money Trail

The unsubstantiated claim by the Bangkok Post’s Acharaya Ashayagachat (Reds go from mouthpiece to social force, Post July 28) that,” A more convincing argument comes from those who say the (most recent) bombings were the work of those who oppose the lifting of the emergency decree” should not go unchallenged, and so hereby I provide a reasoned alternative.

Thaksin Shinawatra’s first public comments after the Rajprasong arson and looting were to ‘speculate’ that the Red Shirt protests should continue underground, and after many weeks of keeping a defensive posture, these new bombings in the very same area just a day after Thaksin’s recent birthday celebrations seem more likely, to me at least, to be a signal from the birthday boy to begin a new offensive, albeit perhaps merely another pathetic ploy to keep his name in the news.

The Red Shirt movement needs to collectively awake from Thaksin’s spell and stop simply denying, complaining and blaming, find a credible leader able to present a coherent policy program alternative and make a public commitment that their protest methods will never again extend beyond civil disobedience into arson, looting and murder.

Of course, for that to happen, the Red Shirt movement would first have to reject Thaksin’s twisted leadership and tainted money as well as his long history of unbending efforts to usurp state power largely for his own ends. Indeed, the events of this year strongly suggest that credible leaders with a coherent vision of comprehensive state reform are probably the only way for the Red Shirts to convince the Thai middle class that there really is a ‘new deal’ out there and that it is therefore in their best interest to support the Red Shirts as a credible political alternative.

I remembered reading about him, if true then a very sad story and hardly a recruitment manual for the corrupt police (or army for that matter) where merit is immaterial to connections.

I often wonder whether all the Simons, StanGs, Les Abbeys etc. are noms-de-plume of a committee of PR hacks in the Thai department of foreign affairs, just back from some ridiculous grovelling ceremony in their white dress uniforms, complete with swords and fake gallantry medals. People whose lifetime ambition is to push their faces into that sacred area of carpet where the King’s dog has recently been sitting.