I suspect we should respect the people and process behind the 1997 Constitution as the next drivers
Thaksin took advantage of the process and really tried to get Thai people used to the regular cycle of elections with all elected MPs forming the government
at least Thai people have had a glimpse of the real process and hopefully will recognise that democracy offers equality of opportunity and peaceful management of differences
unlike the current situation where the rulers believe they can only stay in power by force
Simon comment 10: “There’s only way to get off the tyrant => coup => tyrant cycle: Fix the governance. ”
To presuppose your equation, one needs a powerful leader with significant backing and the political will. Thaksin satisfied the first two requirements, but had zero will to make the governance accountable to the rule of law.
So the continuing question arises: where does one find a person with the political will to make a nation represent the will of the people? In the words of Woody Allen, talking about politicians “You know the ethics those guys have? It’s like-uh, a notch underneath child molester.”
“Thaksin and the drive to democratic governments originally inspired by him”. Very questionable. The drive to democratic government began with Pridi, not Thaksin.”
Thaksin’s drive was to corporatocracy not democracy. And it is wise to recall the thoughts of Mussolini: “Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power. ”
And this is not a statement in support for or against the present government — for they are all necessary evils.
First of all, we should write their name correctly both in English and in Thai. Just the first guy “Krisnapong Kiratikorn” is incorrect. You surely have a trouble finding anything about him. The right name is “Krissanapong Kirtikara” (р╕Бр╕др╕йр╕Ур╕Юр╕Зр╕ир╣М р╕Бр╕╡р╕гр╕Хр╕┤р╕Бр╕г)
When spellings are all correct, just a google search will give you anything you want. These people are well-known and produce thousands of search results. You can just give a sentence or two and a few links to source instead of a paragraph-long profile.
the point is, it is a delaying tactic by Abhisit, a means of stalling the process of real democracy: the members of the two committees are simply old hands under Prawet and Anand’s network; the ancien régime never dies- it just gets older! note the following after a quick read through the list who have clear connections to the yellow shirts:
Prawet’s mob:
3. President of the Thai Chamber of Commerce
4. President of the Federation of Thai Industries
5. President of the Thai Bankers Association
these three unamed folk used to chase PPP (Samak/Somchai); are pro-PAD and supporters of the DP after the airport closure in 2008
6. Secretary-general of the National Human Rights Commission
used to reprimand PPP for fictitious “violence” to suppress yellow shirts and said nothing about recent massacres which saw the death of some 90 people
7. Kittipong Kittiyarak (u/Sec MiNistry of Justice & on Khanit Nanakorn’s committee which is supposed to investigate the crackdown)
8. (my old friend) Chaiwat Thiraphan (Civicnet)
Both 7 & 8 absolutely biased against the red shirts and Thaksin
10. Narong Phetprasert (economics, Chula) – pro-Yellow shirt supporter
12. Tuanjai Deetes (ex-Senator – pro PAD)
14. Navarat Pongpaiboon (national artist – PAD supporter)
16. Preeda Tiasuwan (Business Association for Democracy – donor for Sondhi’s New Politics Party & PAD Supporter)
18. Poldej Pinprateep (Thai Public Broadcasting Comm., former Surayud minister, prominent antiThaksinite and and anti-Red shirt)
22. Rewadee Prasertcharoensuk (NGO-Cord, pro-yellow shirt)
23. Wichai Chokviwat (Dr), Health promotion, gave mental support to PAD during their occupation of Gov House for 4 months
24. Son Roopsoong (village elder; his son is PAD core leader in Khon Kaen)
25. Saree Ongsomwang (Consumer Foundation -supported Abhisit suppression of red shirts during Songkhran 2009
Anand’s mob:
3. Chai-anand Samudvanijaya – needs no introduction, pro-yellow supporter; columist for ASTV and the Manager; close to Sondhi Lim
4. Narong Phetprasert (economist, lecturer- pro PAD, and on both committees)
5. Nithi (academic/historian – a wild card?)
11. Ratchanee Thongchai (noted above – wife of PAD core leader)
12. Wichai Chokviwat (also on both committees- known as PAD supporter during illegal occupation of GOv House)
…others later
dont be duped folks!
She was for some years secretary general of all basic education in Thailand. She resigned 10 months ago from this position. I know her as a very down to earth lady with interest in developing the education in the poorer parts of Thailand. She visited very remote mountains schools in Mae Hong Son Province for instance regularly. With her you need to do your homework well and be to the point. She was also accessible even for a foreigner involved in a foundation dealing with poor schools for hill tribe children. She speaks perfect english and is always prepared.
Hi Ricky, thanks for identifying an interesting point concerning rubber. For more intriguing commentaries on rubber in Laos, see posts made by Antonella Diana and Sarinda Singh.
Indeed, as it was implied, industry diversification is not particularly developed in Laos.
With regards to your points about the looming environmental catastrophe, many of those G77 countries are under the 300ppm guideline as it is, so do you think that this is a particularly meaningful target for them to have? Could it not mean that they even use the target as permission to increase emissions while still being within the accepted overgeneralised “300 ppm”?
I don’t think the point of this post was to consider China’s key role in the region’s development, but maybe that’s the only discussion that’s relevant at present!
State avoidance my derriere. These groups fled into the hills to avoid death, not politics or lifestyles, by the hands of groups only slightly more organized and powerful than themselves. I find it hard to swallow that anyone flees land along rivers or valleys for political reasons. By the time the incipient States surrounding “Zomia” (still smoking the ol’ herb in the colleges to make up these names, eh?) began to emerge most of these peoples were already up in the hills. Of all people Scott should know it was /is the absence of “morality” when competing for resources that most often defines humankind. No framework of analysis nor paradigms needed here to understand the desire to avoid death.
Dan, it’s obvious we have very different take on red movement.
Where you see demonstrators exercising their rights I see a movement with one goal – overthrow the government by any means necessary, political, violent, constitutional, unconstitutional, democratic, undemocratic, there are no rules or boundaries, everything goes and no one takes responsibility for anything.
To your point a) – after years of inciting hatred, the foot soldiers better show some “grassroots” activism, too, otherwise all this propaganda would have been in vain.
Tarrin, criminal law violates people’s “right” to steal or murder just as emergency decree violates people right to anti-government activities.
Both groups need an outlet for their tendencies, emergency decree will eventually be lifted, however.
The “steam” hasn’t reached the boiling point yet, I’m pretty sure the government considered that argument, too. Most people are not “steaming” and a few agitated ones would probably raise the temperatures higher if you lift the lid off and unleash them onto the public.
Of course the rally dispersal would leave an emotional scar on many red supporters, government’s concern is to channel those emotions into something other than violence. Time is on govt side as it slowly heals all the wounds.
Every loser promises brutal revenge, winners rarely pay much attention as very few losers actually get round to it.
The situation in the South is more or less stable, btw. It’s still obviously unacceptable but at least it’s stable and it is unlikely to escalate.
It seems absurd that LM applies to CP – the biggest agro-business in Thailand and owner of the 7/11 franchise.
Perhaps you can find other initials when referring to Sia Oh (do I have that correct?) ?
I really do not know how relevant this paper is when it does not stop to consider the environmental catastrophe the World is facing and how Laos will be affected.
Graham fails to mention that not only does Laos aspire to be the Battery of SE Asia but also to be the World’s No. 1 producer of natural rubber. A monk studying in Chiang Mai told me this last week and I asked his if any forest was left in the north of Laos where he comes from. None, was his answer. It’s all rubber now and when the country had 80% natural forest cover after the war now it has 30%.
And who is the rubber grown for? China, the World’s biggest automobile market of course.
So what will happen to Laos if and when China decides to lead the World by cutting carbon emissions to levels which will bring CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere down to 300 which many G77 nations now have as their targets?
That would basically kill the rubber industry as China, US, Japan and all the rest go back to riding bicycles.
As for the Lao, they will have plenty of charcoal from their untapped rubber plantations to cook with and they can go back to growing food crops and living in the old way.
P.S. Then comes the question as to what Thai farmers in Lanna who are now rubber crazy should do with their land?
Pridi initiated it, its end with Salit coup, then reignite by Thaksin.
My criticism to Pridi is that he should be more aggressive with revolution. After he got kick out of the country, he should have write a book or say something about who is responsible for his downfall. Although Pridi is probably the father of Thailand democracy, but he has fail so miserably in maintaining it.
About Pak Moon dam, actually majority of the local population support the dam construction while just minority that has land above the dam actually got affected. In my opinion Sompong is just a selfish villagers who happened to stumble upon the lucrative NGO “business”. However, don’t take my word seriously on this one, I could be wrong, but from what I’ve read so far about the case that’s my conclusion about him.
I would like to do 8. Pongpayom Wasphuti and need to know deadline and any length limits, etc.
Pongpayom was governor of Korat while I was there, and he has been to our home a few times. We have had differences but know where the other comes from. He was Perm. Sec. of Interior in his last job before being retired.
[Thanks Frank, no particular deadline, but it would be nice to start building the profile of the committees over the next week. For this purpose I was thinking of rather brief profiles, but we could also link to a longer piece. AW]
Kuhn Noumi #2
You forgot the roller skates for your slimiest eel. And that original honour went to the late PM Chartchai Choonawan before he went up, a stage with a huge James Bond’s invincibility poster ‘Tomorror Never Die(s)’, on his chopper. Do you notice the VIPs you mentioned are mostly Chinese or half-Chinese of ethnic origin?
Your #1 scenario: He doesn’t sue nor make heaps of money but pardons the culprit when he shows remorse for breaking that LM Thai law. My church pastor was hacked to death for trying to convert Sultan’s niece in Malaysia. So try LM in Malaysia!
Scenario #2: Life goes on as normal if northern Thailand (Thaksinistan) turned republic.
They have different management styles. Thaksin can be Lee Kuan Yew if he could refrain from committing his honest mistakes. Team player AV will do fine in owner-horse-jockey (king-army-jockey) democracy.
kuhn chris beale, AV was merely repeating what was written.
Kuhn Fredkorat, Nai Banharn was not only thinking of his ricebowl or his constituency ‘vote for CTP Suphanburi will be in good hands’. Rakesh Saxena is in town and it is always safer to be with the Democrats, the party with many lawyers. He is looking at a narrow perspective. Why the principle?
ASEAN members do deserve much but not all the blame as far as their Myanmar policy.
1)Self Serving describe the whole enchilada.
2)Distrustful of the west is also the underlying sentiment.
Look at one result of the west policy of sanction itself. That indirectly if not directly effect the refugees migration towards the neighboring countries.
With Vietnam, Lao ,Cambodia and Sri Lanka as exception in refugess destination these countries are as anti west as can be for known reasons.
That leave Singapore whose survival is trade dependent. So following a western strategy to ensure a “GOOD” Myanmar is out of the question.
China and India the 2 largest neighbor even though not part of ASEAN in an absolute sense involve even more complex sphere of influences issues that trounce the west concern.
Sincerity aside what alternative that ASEAN has besides #1.
None.
The west policy or rather negligently applied to Myanmar has determined now the irreversible China’s dominance.
ASEAN has very little alternative.
It present policy reflect well #1 2┬║ to China and the West.
The west blaming ASEAN for failure to change Myanmar Junta’s mind is as lame as using “domino theory” to justify War against Vietnam.
“Restrain of trade ” in US constitution can be construe as declaring war on US.
So much more specific “Sanction” mean less than that effect to an ASEAN member, Myanmar?
ASEAN is just enjoying the spoil of undeclared WAR US policy is reflecting.
The very fact that the west equating an entity whose repeatedly proven knavery, tenacity and calculated acts to hold on to power as a backward superstitious buffoon, exemplified by this article and the comments says a lot about concerning west approach to Myanmar Future.
SPDC is an entity even though recognized by a few named generals consist of a cohort of Burmese who sincerely belief in their destiny and are extremely nationalistic.
Dealing with an entity like SPDC must transcend beyond periodic news like this that titillate the west to become complacent and dismissive in their obviously failing and useless approach.
“Sompong Viengchan, a committee member, yesterday called on the general public to support the reform panel in order to ensure success of the efforts.
A leader of rural villagers protesting against the Pak Moon Dam, she said she wanted the reform to result in more participation by rural residents in managing the natural resources in their communities.”
(from today’s Nation, 10-7-2010)
Other Anand panel members – such as Seksan and Chai-Anan need no introduction. There’s a brilliant film about Seksan’s earlier life as a student leader, in case anyone on NM has forgotten.
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Big questions for Thailand
I agree Pridi was the first driver to democracy
I suspect we should respect the people and process behind the 1997 Constitution as the next drivers
Thaksin took advantage of the process and really tried to get Thai people used to the regular cycle of elections with all elected MPs forming the government
at least Thai people have had a glimpse of the real process and hopefully will recognise that democracy offers equality of opportunity and peaceful management of differences
unlike the current situation where the rulers believe they can only stay in power by force
International Crisis Group on Thailand’s divide
Simon comment 10: “There’s only way to get off the tyrant => coup => tyrant cycle: Fix the governance. ”
To presuppose your equation, one needs a powerful leader with significant backing and the political will. Thaksin satisfied the first two requirements, but had zero will to make the governance accountable to the rule of law.
So the continuing question arises: where does one find a person with the political will to make a nation represent the will of the people? In the words of Woody Allen, talking about politicians “You know the ethics those guys have? It’s like-uh, a notch underneath child molester.”
Good luck Thailand. Good luck America.
Thailand: A Battle Ground for the New Cold War?
Christoffer Larsson #15
I am interested to read the paper, can you give me a link?
if necessary I can give you my email
thanks
Big questions for Thailand
“Thaksin and the drive to democratic governments originally inspired by him”. Very questionable. The drive to democratic government began with Pridi, not Thaksin.”
Thaksin’s drive was to corporatocracy not democracy. And it is wise to recall the thoughts of Mussolini: “Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power. ”
And this is not a statement in support for or against the present government — for they are all necessary evils.
Help us profile Thailand’s national reform committees
First of all, we should write their name correctly both in English and in Thai. Just the first guy “Krisnapong Kiratikorn” is incorrect. You surely have a trouble finding anything about him. The right name is “Krissanapong Kirtikara” (р╕Бр╕др╕йр╕Ур╕Юр╕Зр╕ир╣М р╕Бр╕╡р╕гр╕Хр╕┤р╕Бр╕г)
When spellings are all correct, just a google search will give you anything you want. These people are well-known and produce thousands of search results. You can just give a sentence or two and a few links to source instead of a paragraph-long profile.
In this case, I recommend http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/р╕Бр╕др╕йр╕Ур╕Юр╕Зр╕ир╣М_р╕Бр╕╡р╕гр╕Хр╕┤р╕Бр╕г
Help us profile Thailand’s national reform committees
the point is, it is a delaying tactic by Abhisit, a means of stalling the process of real democracy: the members of the two committees are simply old hands under Prawet and Anand’s network; the ancien régime never dies- it just gets older! note the following after a quick read through the list who have clear connections to the yellow shirts:
Prawet’s mob:
3. President of the Thai Chamber of Commerce
4. President of the Federation of Thai Industries
5. President of the Thai Bankers Association
these three unamed folk used to chase PPP (Samak/Somchai); are pro-PAD and supporters of the DP after the airport closure in 2008
6. Secretary-general of the National Human Rights Commission
used to reprimand PPP for fictitious “violence” to suppress yellow shirts and said nothing about recent massacres which saw the death of some 90 people
7. Kittipong Kittiyarak (u/Sec MiNistry of Justice & on Khanit Nanakorn’s committee which is supposed to investigate the crackdown)
8. (my old friend) Chaiwat Thiraphan (Civicnet)
Both 7 & 8 absolutely biased against the red shirts and Thaksin
10. Narong Phetprasert (economics, Chula) – pro-Yellow shirt supporter
12. Tuanjai Deetes (ex-Senator – pro PAD)
14. Navarat Pongpaiboon (national artist – PAD supporter)
16. Preeda Tiasuwan (Business Association for Democracy – donor for Sondhi’s New Politics Party & PAD Supporter)
18. Poldej Pinprateep (Thai Public Broadcasting Comm., former Surayud minister, prominent antiThaksinite and and anti-Red shirt)
22. Rewadee Prasertcharoensuk (NGO-Cord, pro-yellow shirt)
23. Wichai Chokviwat (Dr), Health promotion, gave mental support to PAD during their occupation of Gov House for 4 months
24. Son Roopsoong (village elder; his son is PAD core leader in Khon Kaen)
25. Saree Ongsomwang (Consumer Foundation -supported Abhisit suppression of red shirts during Songkhran 2009
Anand’s mob:
3. Chai-anand Samudvanijaya – needs no introduction, pro-yellow supporter; columist for ASTV and the Manager; close to Sondhi Lim
4. Narong Phetprasert (economist, lecturer- pro PAD, and on both committees)
5. Nithi (academic/historian – a wild card?)
11. Ratchanee Thongchai (noted above – wife of PAD core leader)
12. Wichai Chokviwat (also on both committees- known as PAD supporter during illegal occupation of GOv House)
…others later
dont be duped folks!
Help us profile Thailand’s national reform committees
No 2 Khunying Kasema Voravan Na Ayuttaya
She was for some years secretary general of all basic education in Thailand. She resigned 10 months ago from this position. I know her as a very down to earth lady with interest in developing the education in the poorer parts of Thailand. She visited very remote mountains schools in Mae Hong Son Province for instance regularly. With her you need to do your homework well and be to the point. She was also accessible even for a foreigner involved in a foundation dealing with poor schools for hill tribe children. She speaks perfect english and is always prepared.
Laos versus Paraguay
Hi Ricky, thanks for identifying an interesting point concerning rubber. For more intriguing commentaries on rubber in Laos, see posts made by Antonella Diana and Sarinda Singh.
Indeed, as it was implied, industry diversification is not particularly developed in Laos.
With regards to your points about the looming environmental catastrophe, many of those G77 countries are under the 300ppm guideline as it is, so do you think that this is a particularly meaningful target for them to have? Could it not mean that they even use the target as permission to increase emissions while still being within the accepted overgeneralised “300 ppm”?
I don’t think the point of this post was to consider China’s key role in the region’s development, but maybe that’s the only discussion that’s relevant at present!
Review of The Art of Not Being Governed
State avoidance my derriere. These groups fled into the hills to avoid death, not politics or lifestyles, by the hands of groups only slightly more organized and powerful than themselves. I find it hard to swallow that anyone flees land along rivers or valleys for political reasons. By the time the incipient States surrounding “Zomia” (still smoking the ol’ herb in the colleges to make up these names, eh?) began to emerge most of these peoples were already up in the hills. Of all people Scott should know it was /is the absence of “morality” when competing for resources that most often defines humankind. No framework of analysis nor paradigms needed here to understand the desire to avoid death.
International Crisis Group on Thailand’s divide
Dan, it’s obvious we have very different take on red movement.
Where you see demonstrators exercising their rights I see a movement with one goal – overthrow the government by any means necessary, political, violent, constitutional, unconstitutional, democratic, undemocratic, there are no rules or boundaries, everything goes and no one takes responsibility for anything.
To your point a) – after years of inciting hatred, the foot soldiers better show some “grassroots” activism, too, otherwise all this propaganda would have been in vain.
Tarrin, criminal law violates people’s “right” to steal or murder just as emergency decree violates people right to anti-government activities.
Both groups need an outlet for their tendencies, emergency decree will eventually be lifted, however.
The “steam” hasn’t reached the boiling point yet, I’m pretty sure the government considered that argument, too. Most people are not “steaming” and a few agitated ones would probably raise the temperatures higher if you lift the lid off and unleash them onto the public.
Of course the rally dispersal would leave an emotional scar on many red supporters, government’s concern is to channel those emotions into something other than violence. Time is on govt side as it slowly heals all the wounds.
Every loser promises brutal revenge, winners rarely pay much attention as very few losers actually get round to it.
The situation in the South is more or less stable, btw. It’s still obviously unacceptable but at least it’s stable and it is unlikely to escalate.
Big questions for Thailand
Dear Portman
It seems absurd that LM applies to CP – the biggest agro-business in Thailand and owner of the 7/11 franchise.
Perhaps you can find other initials when referring to Sia Oh (do I have that correct?) ?
Laos versus Paraguay
I really do not know how relevant this paper is when it does not stop to consider the environmental catastrophe the World is facing and how Laos will be affected.
Graham fails to mention that not only does Laos aspire to be the Battery of SE Asia but also to be the World’s No. 1 producer of natural rubber. A monk studying in Chiang Mai told me this last week and I asked his if any forest was left in the north of Laos where he comes from. None, was his answer. It’s all rubber now and when the country had 80% natural forest cover after the war now it has 30%.
And who is the rubber grown for? China, the World’s biggest automobile market of course.
So what will happen to Laos if and when China decides to lead the World by cutting carbon emissions to levels which will bring CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere down to 300 which many G77 nations now have as their targets?
That would basically kill the rubber industry as China, US, Japan and all the rest go back to riding bicycles.
As for the Lao, they will have plenty of charcoal from their untapped rubber plantations to cook with and they can go back to growing food crops and living in the old way.
P.S. Then comes the question as to what Thai farmers in Lanna who are now rubber crazy should do with their land?
Big questions for Thailand
Agree with Nuomi – 6
Pridi initiated it, its end with Salit coup, then reignite by Thaksin.
My criticism to Pridi is that he should be more aggressive with revolution. After he got kick out of the country, he should have write a book or say something about who is responsible for his downfall. Although Pridi is probably the father of Thailand democracy, but he has fail so miserably in maintaining it.
Help us profile Thailand’s national reform committees
Supalak – 4
About Pak Moon dam, actually majority of the local population support the dam construction while just minority that has land above the dam actually got affected. In my opinion Sompong is just a selfish villagers who happened to stumble upon the lucrative NGO “business”. However, don’t take my word seriously on this one, I could be wrong, but from what I’ve read so far about the case that’s my conclusion about him.
Help us profile Thailand’s national reform committees
I would like to do 8. Pongpayom Wasphuti and need to know deadline and any length limits, etc.
Pongpayom was governor of Korat while I was there, and he has been to our home a few times. We have had differences but know where the other comes from. He was Perm. Sec. of Interior in his last job before being retired.
[Thanks Frank, no particular deadline, but it would be nice to start building the profile of the committees over the next week. For this purpose I was thinking of rather brief profiles, but we could also link to a longer piece. AW]
Abhisit’s distinction
Kuhn Noumi #2
You forgot the roller skates for your slimiest eel. And that original honour went to the late PM Chartchai Choonawan before he went up, a stage with a huge James Bond’s invincibility poster ‘Tomorror Never Die(s)’, on his chopper. Do you notice the VIPs you mentioned are mostly Chinese or half-Chinese of ethnic origin?
Your #1 scenario: He doesn’t sue nor make heaps of money but pardons the culprit when he shows remorse for breaking that LM Thai law. My church pastor was hacked to death for trying to convert Sultan’s niece in Malaysia. So try LM in Malaysia!
Scenario #2: Life goes on as normal if northern Thailand (Thaksinistan) turned republic.
They have different management styles. Thaksin can be Lee Kuan Yew if he could refrain from committing his honest mistakes. Team player AV will do fine in owner-horse-jockey (king-army-jockey) democracy.
kuhn chris beale, AV was merely repeating what was written.
Kuhn Fredkorat, Nai Banharn was not only thinking of his ricebowl or his constituency ‘vote for CTP Suphanburi will be in good hands’. Rakesh Saxena is in town and it is always safer to be with the Democrats, the party with many lawyers. He is looking at a narrow perspective. Why the principle?
On ASEAN’s Burma policy
ASEAN members do deserve much but not all the blame as far as their Myanmar policy.
1)Self Serving describe the whole enchilada.
2)Distrustful of the west is also the underlying sentiment.
Look at one result of the west policy of sanction itself. That indirectly if not directly effect the refugees migration towards the neighboring countries.
With Vietnam, Lao ,Cambodia and Sri Lanka as exception in refugess destination these countries are as anti west as can be for known reasons.
That leave Singapore whose survival is trade dependent. So following a western strategy to ensure a “GOOD” Myanmar is out of the question.
China and India the 2 largest neighbor even though not part of ASEAN in an absolute sense involve even more complex sphere of influences issues that trounce the west concern.
Sincerity aside what alternative that ASEAN has besides #1.
None.
The west policy or rather negligently applied to Myanmar has determined now the irreversible China’s dominance.
ASEAN has very little alternative.
It present policy reflect well #1 2┬║ to China and the West.
The west blaming ASEAN for failure to change Myanmar Junta’s mind is as lame as using “domino theory” to justify War against Vietnam.
“Restrain of trade ” in US constitution can be construe as declaring war on US.
So much more specific “Sanction” mean less than that effect to an ASEAN member, Myanmar?
ASEAN is just enjoying the spoil of undeclared WAR US policy is reflecting.
An auspicious gift for the Senior General
The very fact that the west equating an entity whose repeatedly proven knavery, tenacity and calculated acts to hold on to power as a backward superstitious buffoon, exemplified by this article and the comments says a lot about concerning west approach to Myanmar Future.
SPDC is an entity even though recognized by a few named generals consist of a cohort of Burmese who sincerely belief in their destiny and are extremely nationalistic.
Dealing with an entity like SPDC must transcend beyond periodic news like this that titillate the west to become complacent and dismissive in their obviously failing and useless approach.
Help us profile Thailand’s national reform committees
Never the elite establishment will recognize that the old consensus on the nature of Thailand has broken down,the soap opera will go on and on……………..
Help us profile Thailand’s national reform committees
“Sompong Viengchan, a committee member, yesterday called on the general public to support the reform panel in order to ensure success of the efforts.
A leader of rural villagers protesting against the Pak Moon Dam, she said she wanted the reform to result in more participation by rural residents in managing the natural resources in their communities.”
(from today’s Nation, 10-7-2010)
Other Anand panel members – such as Seksan and Chai-Anan need no introduction. There’s a brilliant film about Seksan’s earlier life as a student leader, in case anyone on NM has forgotten.