Unfortunately we in Burma do not have the luxury of falling out with ‘the idea of violent revolution’. Chance would be a fine thing. And I wish we could.
I beg to differ that ‘Western ideas have almost zero relevance to politics in this region’. They are generally adopted or adapted to suit the agenda.
The independence struggle in Burma was profoundly influenced not by the Japanese but by Marxist ideas and the Irish Sinn Fein movement. Michael Collins was a hero to us, Gandhi too though despite the all pervasive Buddhist religion his ahimsa idea did not catch on.
And whatever the window dressing may look like, the split between the Socialists and the Communists in Burma determined the trajectory of the country since independence, the divisions predictablly along the universal class faultline between those who seized control of power plus wealth and those left to be exploited and oppressed. The plight of the numerous and diverse ethnic minorities compounds the problem and complicates the picture.
The Burmese generals are pretty fast learners in a very selective manner to their own advantage of the gospel of neoliberalism. It was a godsend to them at a crucial moment in history when the military dictatorship needed to change tack and ditch their bogus socialism. They embraced the rule of the open market system, globalisation, and more recently even rolling back the state. Not that they intend to loosen their grip on power. It all meant filthy lucre and laughing all the way to the bank, and not least beefing up the military machine mightier than ever, sans any checks and balances, genuine political opposition or organised labour.
certain Thais keep claiming that Thailand is unique and cannot be (fully) understood by farangs
we thought Thailand was unique, smiling happy Buddhist people, and fortunately there are such treasures in the country and even in the cities
but, unfortunately, the elites, royals, military, big business seem to be very similar to greedy, ruthless people the world over
Thailand seems to be living through struggles like the overthrow of feudal rule in the 17/18th century in the UK and, as the eventual overthrow seems more likely, the right wing attempted resurgences noted in this article
The ordinary people will eventually convince the “born to rule” that living under democratically elected government is better for all Thai people and even they will accept and some will even thrive like their counterparts in other countries.
The government has been playing this game since the middle of february. Without the strategy of tension, they couldn’t have called for the ISA and the state of emergency, or justified the bloodbath they committed. Had they not played this card they would not be in power now. Expect more of this as people get tired of the SOE and Abhisit’s crew needs to ratchet up the fear.
“emotive power words”? Please see the appeals of the Thailand Patriot Network (aka PAD) re Preah Vihear. From the stage, and endlessly repeated in Thai mass media. C’mon, Sondhi Limthongkul and his ASTV/Manager empire wrote the book on manipulating public opinion (you really think Amsterdam has access to Thai public opinion?) and inciting divisiveness and hatred. Amsterdam is an amateur compared to that crew.
The great thing about StanG is that the ferocity of his postings are exactly equal to the cogency and validity of the arguments he’s attempting to dismiss.
In my view we should now adopt something I’ve very wittily entitled the StanG Scale – much like Beaufort’s it measures a form of wind, yet more cleverly than a mere weather measurement it also offers a direct insight into the corresponding value of what StanG is actually commenting on.
So, on the StanG scale we can say that this Robert Amsterdam piece scores about 8, or gale.
Do you think StanG could take this up to 12, hurricane force?
In this case the key phrase is “if we take Peua Thai’s allegations as having substance”.
If we don’t, there’s nothing to worry about, but he’d scare us anyway.
The reason why he mention that is because he wanted to compare it with what happened in Italy in during the 60s till 80s. Furthermore, the husband and wife who got arrested for BJT used to work for a foundation set up by Newin, so that raise a big question about their connection with Newin.
Just like Somtow described it – heaping up emotive power words and then affording himself deniability with a phrase “appears to be”.
In this case the key phrase is “if we take Peua Thai’s allegations as having substance”.
If we don’t, there’s nothing to worry about, but he’d scare us anyway.
Jatuporn, whose allegations we are asked to consider seriously, not long ago denied that BJT bombers were not red shirts. His credibility outside of red circle is zero.
In a way this kind of writing qualifies for Strategy of Tension itself, except its directed at the government, not the opposition – it’s meant to manipulate public opinion, supports social disruption and uncertainty, it’s divisive, it incites hatred, and it’s supported by the bombing campaign, too.
Education might be a factor, but its the educated Bangkok elite that is pushing the vicious cycle between political protest and massacre. I think education is a bit broad term here, I think awareness is a more suitable term.
Just wanted to state that I know the woman with her head turned away from the camera and so had to comment before the conspiracy theories go any further.
She is a civil servant who looks after the protocol at Government house.
Whilst the PM was at the 11th regiment, unsurprisingly most of the departments that look after Government House affairs also relocated there. So it is not out of the realms of possibility that women were present on the army base.
Also I very much doubt that the picture was actually taken at the 11th regiment.
Seems to prove that, if you choose to visit it the url, you will see this is part of a photo set detailing the PM’s trip down south with the Malaysian Prime Minister.
[…] Amsterdam, the lawyer for the red-shirt UDD and former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, in a guest post at New Mandala, writes of the Strategy of Tension previously employed in fascist Spain and Italy to keep the […]
Terry F says: “the core Thaksin programs are still going strong, a fact you never heard on the red stage.” That is incorrect. I heard a speaker on the Pan Fa stage berating …
I think “going strong” is the main point in Terry’s accusation.
Reds have never admitted that they don’t need Thaksin to run their favorite policies, Democrats can manage them just as well.
I agree with you that a lot of Thais believe something with the reason that we can’t understand, and normally they’ll raise the phrase, farangs don’t know Thai good enough. I think only Buddhism not enough, more education can help Thai people better and more brain to evaluate situation and people without bias or believe something with better reason.
Like, the woman, Napas, is the relative of Thaksin’s wife or not because of the same family name of Thaksin’ mother in law. And if so, the reason to shout at CNN’s Dan Rivers may be to send a secret signal to Royal family. Later, both sides can compromise, and then to persuade every Thai for unity which Thais will follow and easily forget the past the same as before. Till both sides have conflict again and they’ll attack each other by digging situation in the past that “who leads the people to the death.” So, normal Thai people are victims again and agian if they still have low education.
Providing the institutions are accountable to and under control of the elected government that is itself accountable to the people at regular intervals then the reliability of the legal system follows.
But shouldn’t we want the judiciary to be independent of government under the constitution? One can think of most Western countries as examples.
I’ve been shaken down by the Han at temples in Sipsongpanna before.
The Han in Sipsonpanna treat the Dai there the way the Thais here in Thailand treat the “Hilltribes” here, as cash cows. Or they try to.
The same phenomenon seems prevalent in Lao as well, in Wiengchan at least. So far the NGOs have kept the money changers out of the temples in Luang Pha Bang in my recollection.
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Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
Amsterdam has certainly no clue what declaring himself someone’s proxy means in Thailand power play.
Or maybe he does, which means he appeals to really clueless.
Funny how he found receptive audience in the blessed halls of ANU.
I mean, the way Amsterdam argues, you guys must demand checks from Thaksin twice a week, you are certainly doing the better job.
As for PAD employing same manipulation techniques – you don’t give them equal stage, do you? Reserved for Thaksin’s propagandists only.
Otherwise you go “liberal”, meaning with the hand on the trash button.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
[…] The following article has been posted over at New Mandala: […]
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
[…] regime including the regime of Abhisit Vejjajiva. Please take a look at Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in […]
Andrew Marshall on politics and education
FredKorat #26
Unfortunately we in Burma do not have the luxury of falling out with ‘the idea of violent revolution’. Chance would be a fine thing. And I wish we could.
I beg to differ that ‘Western ideas have almost zero relevance to politics in this region’. They are generally adopted or adapted to suit the agenda.
The independence struggle in Burma was profoundly influenced not by the Japanese but by Marxist ideas and the Irish Sinn Fein movement. Michael Collins was a hero to us, Gandhi too though despite the all pervasive Buddhist religion his ahimsa idea did not catch on.
And whatever the window dressing may look like, the split between the Socialists and the Communists in Burma determined the trajectory of the country since independence, the divisions predictablly along the universal class faultline between those who seized control of power plus wealth and those left to be exploited and oppressed. The plight of the numerous and diverse ethnic minorities compounds the problem and complicates the picture.
The Burmese generals are pretty fast learners in a very selective manner to their own advantage of the gospel of neoliberalism. It was a godsend to them at a crucial moment in history when the military dictatorship needed to change tack and ditch their bogus socialism. They embraced the rule of the open market system, globalisation, and more recently even rolling back the state. Not that they intend to loosen their grip on power. It all meant filthy lucre and laughing all the way to the bank, and not least beefing up the military machine mightier than ever, sans any checks and balances, genuine political opposition or organised labour.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
certain Thais keep claiming that Thailand is unique and cannot be (fully) understood by farangs
we thought Thailand was unique, smiling happy Buddhist people, and fortunately there are such treasures in the country and even in the cities
but, unfortunately, the elites, royals, military, big business seem to be very similar to greedy, ruthless people the world over
Thailand seems to be living through struggles like the overthrow of feudal rule in the 17/18th century in the UK and, as the eventual overthrow seems more likely, the right wing attempted resurgences noted in this article
The ordinary people will eventually convince the “born to rule” that living under democratically elected government is better for all Thai people and even they will accept and some will even thrive like their counterparts in other countries.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
The government has been playing this game since the middle of february. Without the strategy of tension, they couldn’t have called for the ISA and the state of emergency, or justified the bloodbath they committed. Had they not played this card they would not be in power now. Expect more of this as people get tired of the SOE and Abhisit’s crew needs to ratchet up the fear.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
“emotive power words”? Please see the appeals of the Thailand Patriot Network (aka PAD) re Preah Vihear. From the stage, and endlessly repeated in Thai mass media. C’mon, Sondhi Limthongkul and his ASTV/Manager empire wrote the book on manipulating public opinion (you really think Amsterdam has access to Thai public opinion?) and inciting divisiveness and hatred. Amsterdam is an amateur compared to that crew.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
The great thing about StanG is that the ferocity of his postings are exactly equal to the cogency and validity of the arguments he’s attempting to dismiss.
In my view we should now adopt something I’ve very wittily entitled the StanG Scale – much like Beaufort’s it measures a form of wind, yet more cleverly than a mere weather measurement it also offers a direct insight into the corresponding value of what StanG is actually commenting on.
So, on the StanG scale we can say that this Robert Amsterdam piece scores about 8, or gale.
Do you think StanG could take this up to 12, hurricane force?
Here’s hoping.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
In this case the key phrase is “if we take Peua Thai’s allegations as having substance”.
If we don’t, there’s nothing to worry about, but he’d scare us anyway.
The reason why he mention that is because he wanted to compare it with what happened in Italy in during the 60s till 80s. Furthermore, the husband and wife who got arrested for BJT used to work for a foundation set up by Newin, so that raise a big question about their connection with Newin.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
Hey
Will you guys be allowing the mighty Somtow to respond to this?
Mr Yoon.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
Just like Somtow described it – heaping up emotive power words and then affording himself deniability with a phrase “appears to be”.
In this case the key phrase is “if we take Peua Thai’s allegations as having substance”.
If we don’t, there’s nothing to worry about, but he’d scare us anyway.
Jatuporn, whose allegations we are asked to consider seriously, not long ago denied that BJT bombers were not red shirts. His credibility outside of red circle is zero.
In a way this kind of writing qualifies for Strategy of Tension itself, except its directed at the government, not the opposition – it’s meant to manipulate public opinion, supports social disruption and uncertainty, it’s divisive, it incites hatred, and it’s supported by the bombing campaign, too.
Letter from Sirikit to Napas Na Pombejra about CNN?
Linda S. -30
Education might be a factor, but its the educated Bangkok elite that is pushing the vicious cycle between political protest and massacre. I think education is a bit broad term here, I think awareness is a more suitable term.
Letter from Sirikit to Napas Na Pombejra about CNN?
re: Somsak Jeamteerasakul@10 & Chris Beale@23
Just wanted to state that I know the woman with her head turned away from the camera and so had to comment before the conspiracy theories go any further.
She is a civil servant who looks after the protocol at Government house.
Whilst the PM was at the 11th regiment, unsurprisingly most of the departments that look after Government House affairs also relocated there. So it is not out of the realms of possibility that women were present on the army base.
Also I very much doubt that the picture was actually taken at the 11th regiment.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thaigov/sets/72157622974124938
Seems to prove that, if you choose to visit it the url, you will see this is part of a photo set detailing the PM’s trip down south with the Malaysian Prime Minister.
Robert Amsterdam on a “Strategy of Tension” in Bangkok
[…] Amsterdam, the lawyer for the red-shirt UDD and former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, in a guest post at New Mandala, writes of the Strategy of Tension previously employed in fascist Spain and Italy to keep the […]
Letter from Sirikit to Napas Na Pombejra about CNN?
Queen, queen, queen, how may thou careen!
Andrew Marshall on politics and education
Ralph #22
Terry F says: “the core Thaksin programs are still going strong, a fact you never heard on the red stage.” That is incorrect. I heard a speaker on the Pan Fa stage berating …
I think “going strong” is the main point in Terry’s accusation.
Reds have never admitted that they don’t need Thaksin to run their favorite policies, Democrats can manage them just as well.
Letter from Sirikit to Napas Na Pombejra about CNN?
Herberry #29
I agree with you that a lot of Thais believe something with the reason that we can’t understand, and normally they’ll raise the phrase, farangs don’t know Thai good enough. I think only Buddhism not enough, more education can help Thai people better and more brain to evaluate situation and people without bias or believe something with better reason.
Like, the woman, Napas, is the relative of Thaksin’s wife or not because of the same family name of Thaksin’ mother in law. And if so, the reason to shout at CNN’s Dan Rivers may be to send a secret signal to Royal family. Later, both sides can compromise, and then to persuade every Thai for unity which Thais will follow and easily forget the past the same as before. Till both sides have conflict again and they’ll attack each other by digging situation in the past that “who leads the people to the death.” So, normal Thai people are victims again and agian if they still have low education.
Thailand in Crisis: Episode 6
David Brown – 28
Providing the institutions are accountable to and under control of the elected government that is itself accountable to the people at regular intervals then the reliability of the legal system follows.
But shouldn’t we want the judiciary to be independent of government under the constitution? One can think of most Western countries as examples.
Andrew Marshall on politics and education
Jatuporn, Nattawat, Korkaew – all Southerners.
Think Veera might be too – but not certain. Possibly more.
Wat Luang Sipsongpanna: The monks strike back
I’ve been shaken down by the Han at temples in Sipsongpanna before.
The Han in Sipsonpanna treat the Dai there the way the Thais here in Thailand treat the “Hilltribes” here, as cash cows. Or they try to.
The same phenomenon seems prevalent in Lao as well, in Wiengchan at least. So far the NGOs have kept the money changers out of the temples in Luang Pha Bang in my recollection.
The NGOs are very conscious of “appearances”.
The Chinese seem contemptuous of appearances.