I too protest that my posts are delayed. I demand that Andrew and his minions watch their blog 24/7 and post my important interventions immediately, if not before.
Supporters of the Real PAD like myself and other prominent Thai individuals are holding our breath in trepidation as our Magical Kingdom appears to be unraveling at the seams. We need to mobilize our resources and we will, rest assured. (However, the Yellow Shirt Movement has fractured quite a bit since our heyday back in late 2008. I am surprised that nobody has taken notice of that development.) Furthermore, we would like nothing more than for the military to take aggressive action to end the crisis, to cleanse the streets of Bangkok of all this Red Shirt filth, to close down that playground known as parliament, and to assert its preeminence openly as the principal stakeholder in the State and government. Many of us who marched, sweated and extorted funds tirelessly for a future free of Thaksin’s tyranny are tired of this game called democracy. It is simply a charade. Thais are an extremely apolitical people with short-term memories and little sense of history unless it’s presented to them in a comic book or gossip magazine.
As an expatriate who has been residing permanently in Thailand since 1997 I have interests to guard and to promote therefore I have thrown in my lot with a particular group. Both my livelihood and the security of my family are paramount. If the military decides to fire live rounds into the protesters or crack some skulls with their batons I will not weep for the dead, whether they are soldiers or Red Shirt gangsters. Indeed, it doesn’t matter how many bodies are left littering the pavement (can’t you picture the carnage already?). The twin goals of any future military operation (also known as an emergency resolution action) should be to return a sense of normality to Bangkok (and finally permit both locals and tourists to indulge our shopping fetishes once more) and to strike fear into the minds of those who dare challenge the power and authority of the State. Yes, tears will be shed and funeral services conducted for both heroes and villains. Bleeding-heart liberals both here in Thailand (do not expect Amnesty International’s Thai office to utter a peep) and overseas will holler and wail at the so-called gross human rights violations and injustice committed against “unarmed” demonstrators. But do you think that ordinary Thais will take up arms and avenge the slaughter of their fellow countrymen? What can the international community do to punish Thailand’s seemingly barbaric behaviour against its own citizens? Will the United Nations Security Council slap economic sanctions on Thailand? Will the Association of Southeast Asian Nations suspend Thailand from the organization? What about you, the educated and privileged readers of New Mandala? Will you risk life and limb for the Red Revolution? Will you stand shoulder to shoulder with your beloved phrai? What can you do to “correct” the associated evils of the Thai State? What can you do to “rectify” the political, economic and social inequities found entrenched in this the Land of Smiles? I will tell you what you can do and, most probably, will end up doing ….. nothing, absolutely nothing.
What will happen is that Life will go on. Alms will be given to passing monks early in the morning and incense will be lit and placed at the pedestal of Lord Buddha. And the Magical Kingdom will be restored.
If I have offended you in my previous comments, I apologize and am very sorry.
ABC television, I protest that you have not been fair on the LM law issue. You would not drink alcohol in Arab countries [ but you can do so in Australia] and you would not insult our royals in our country.
That you interviewed few Thai who committed such mistakes expressing your disagreement, [one even theatened his majesty’s life in public] without interview the majoritys’ views. You even showed just our prince’s clip without mentioning other positive royal contributions to support your disagreement on LM law.
For that, you have deeply insulted our whole country.
Brothers red-shirt, I believe there are a few fractions in your group
– Dear farmers and villagers who have genuinely come for good causes complaining about your living conditions. We apologize if we have long neglected your voices. This government is implementing few programs; free education up to 12 yr. old, pensions for all retirees, pensions for all handicaps, finding ways in solving illegal debts and legal debts in the banks, providing free medical treatments up to heart by-pass surgeries and dental treatments. They also set up community funds, carrier-training, upgrade roads, facilities and other measures to address your problems. I know it’s not enough but only if you give them times. There are also almost 2 millions workers from our neighboring countries in our country who have contributed and are entitle to basic social welfare including same medical services. If our country is so bad, we should not have attracted so many friends from abroad. Kindly be a little patient.
-Friends who believe in different political system, particularly in communist system. I like to point out that if the system is good, our neighboring countries would have faired better than us by now. Not meaning to be unkind.
-Friends who fervor Mr. Thaksin. He is a businessman. When he became a politician, he still practiced and run the country like a business set-up, part for self interests, finding legal lope-holes and changing laws to support his business. He would go about telling international community that he is always right but the country. If only you set up the rally without his financial supports?
Pro-communist and pro-Thaksin, Stop your free rides with the farmers.
I could only hear the first 38 minutes for some reason. Perhaps my connection is bad, or perhaps the Thai censors stopped it at that point as Craig Reynolds was discussing Oz at that moment, my favorite topic.
My favorite quote was when Reynolds said that Thai politics would never be able to move forward until the knot that binds the King and the military was broken, or something to that effect.
Way to go Reynolds! Thank you for getting to the heart of what’s going on, in my opinion. I’ve been in countless arguments with Yellows and the first thing that comes out of their mouth is about the King. As I’ve always felt, it’s a waste of time to get bogged down in the minutia of parliamentary politics, and who is cheating, etc unless the role of the monarchy is dealt with. It has implicated itself into everything here in Thailand and I believe the Yellows hide behind it to oppress the Reds.
I do have a question for the professor, who discussed historical symbols, that I’m just dying to know more about: At these red shirt protests I see this shrine with King Taksin’s picture above those of Bumiphol and Chulalongkorn. What political significance is there in this gesture?
There are some who say, when a government / ruling class loses its moral compass – then Civil Disobedience is the only remedy.
Case in point; the United States during and after the “secret” Cambodian bombing (a secret only from the American public), to Cambodians on the ground there certainly was no “secret.”
A secret in fact, that led to the killings a Kent State University; Americans killing Americans which set American universities on fire, and reversed Nixon’s extra-constitutional war in Indochina.
With all of this history in plain sight, I pray the Thais will take the high road, and bend with the breeze. But, in either case, some say the die is cast. Thailand is soon to enter a new political era.
“Can we just accept the fact that the private sector, politicians and bureaucrats (including soldiers) all conspire with each other to loot the country – and always have?”
This is my point exactly, but some posters here don’t seem to get this, defending Thaksin to the point that accusing me as being naive, don’t even know how wealth is created, etc.
Another poster asked why the comment about Veera, Thaksin etc are here when we talk about Eric’s lese majesty report? It is a legitimate question. The simple answer is the lese majesty law is always linked up with power struggle. It is a tool to use like any other tools including money, soldiers, politicians-for-hire so as to win over power to rule at the expense of hard working men/women.
There is no ideology struggle/class struggle here at all, unlike some posters who think otherwise.
The middle class in Bangkok, the working class from Isan/North are simply tools to be used and cast aside when convenience.
If we don’t discuss about the corruption, power struggle, you won’t understand why some academics are so hung up with lese majesty law. This law is really nothing bad in itself. It is the people who use this law to win power to govern in Thailand, period.
Ah, so we’re starting to admit that the UDD leaders might be bad people? Of course that doesn’t matter if all we are debating is the role and future direction of the monarchy, but this can’t be discussed in isolation from the motives and actions of powerful state, military and business actors.
I’ve been trying to point out to the numerous pro-reds on this forum that the UDD is not simply a movement of the repressed poor rising up against a self-serving elite. The point Aussie Alumus is trying to make is that Veera is not holier-than-thou if one cares to dig a bit into their political history and actions. This applies to the cohort around him too.
Whilst the current polarisation will undoubtably assist in raising consciousness and broadening the debate amonst ordinary people, to think that the UDD is some kind of pure and honest gathering of the disenfranchised is nonsense. Thai social structure will ensure that it is the powerful and influential of whatever colour that will, for the foreseeable future, continue to call the shots and fight to try and make sure their own interests are protected…..
Vichai’s constant reference to buffaloes provides all the munition needed to argue that the elite constantly and deliberately look down and step on the poor “brown”
[…] just 2 concentrated in the North and Northeast areas where the old TRT core factions are strongest. Mapping the result Also, as noted in the analysis, there is an interesting dichotomy in the 2007 results. Even though […]
It was plain and simple that Thaksin was bribing elite bureaucrats to gain advantages for AIS and Shin. If your memory was not too short, Gen Sunthorn, former Armed Forces Chief, who presided over 1992 coup, was so rich that when he died, he was reported to have assets worth more than 500 million baht.
But your conclusions seems strange and inverted. The conclusion is not that Thaksin alone was bribing senior bureaucrats, it is that senior bureaucrats were (and still are) extracting bribes from the entire private sector.
As you your question about how Gen Suntorn got that rich, the answer seems obvious. The same way other soldiers and bureaucrats got rich, extracting bribes from the private sector. You don’t think the current bunch of generals are living on $1000/month do you?
The sole function of CAT and TOT appears to be to tax mobile phone revenues and return them to soldiers and bureaucrats. It is said that sometimes this is done through fake employees, technology purchases, and selling rights and concessions that are the property of Thai citizens to the private sector.
In the Sunthorn-Thaksin transaction, Sunthorn is more guilty than Thaksin as he was the one who was shopping the concession. Thaksin just happened to buy it.
But even if you dispute that, you have to admit that it is extremely hypocritical for army generals to hold a coup to stop corruption activities and then point to a transaction made by the last general to hold a coup to stop corruption as an example of how politicians are corrupt.
Can we just accept the fact that the private sector, politicians and bureaucrats (including soldiers) all conspire with each other to loot the country – and always have?
Your analysis is thick and difficult to follow. I don’t see your thesis or get what you mean by “right-wing backlash.” Do you mean the PAD’s response to the early April protests that you mentioned in your last two paragraphs? From those paragraphs, the Yellow Shirts’s response is thus: What the Red Shirts did was illegal; the government should forcibly stop them; and if the government won’t do it, we will. That seems to be a pretty mild and predictable response if you ask me. I mean shouldn’t an opposition party respond when antagonized?
I don’t get it. This piece seems to be mere ramblings of a partisan observer disguised as possibly scholarly work. If so, that’s very consistent with this blog. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, I just ask that you be more coherent.
Aussie Alumnus and everybody else: I’m at a loss as to how the corruption of the Thaksin government excuses or mitigates in any way the censorship and political use of the lese majeste law of the current government. Or how the wealth of one man (Veera) who was involved in a coup and convicted of lese majeste twenty years and thirty ago provides the palace with any greater legitimacy. It all just seems like a bunch of obfuscation. This is, after all, a comments section on Eric Campbell’s royal report.
Or are you all saying that just because the leaders of the protest are bad people that we must stick with the current government and current ways of managing dialog about the monarchy?
Alladin, I said there was no massacre last Songkran, not this Songkran. Your casualty numbers and media censorship arguments are about this Songkran, the verdict on which is nowhere in sight yet.
Last Songkran is a different story. Claims of hundreds of dead, military trucks frisking away their bodies, massive government cover-up etc are for the red consumption only.
Fact of life is that the red media can be directed to propagandize absolutely anything – massacres, class wars, ammarts, prais, republicanism, Prem’s sexual preferences – anything. If their leadership decides it’s time to stoke up hatred towards Queen’s guards and the Queen personally, that’s what reds would believe regardless of facts or circumstances, because they heard this from the stage and on Truth Today, confirmed by the Voice of Thaksin, so it must be true.
So far reds haven’t picked up this line of attack yet, thankfully.
so, does it come down to you not understanding how someone can gain wealth in business”
You presumed too much without reading my background. I was educated in Australia during McMahan/Whitlam govts. My Bachelor degree is in Economics (Money and Banking).
If I don’t know how wealth is created, my Aussie degree from a state university in 1976 must be worth nothing. Do you really think that low about higher education in Australia?
If that is not enough, do you think the standard of education in USA is also that low too? A few years after that I got another scholarship to study in America, earning an MA in SE Asia Studies (International Trade).
I was there when Microsoft was still a small start-up company, buying a crude DOS code for Intel X86 microprocessor and then repackaged with some changes to IMB to and was called IMB DOS, while retaining the right to seel separately under MS DOS.
Wealth creation through innovation is not one and the same with earning state concession to run telecom business by bribing politicians/bureaucrats in power.
The reason that AIS was successful was due to its concession from TOT with favourable term than the competitors who got them through CAT. That was why Singtel agreed to pay premium for a chunk of AIS stake, making it possible for AIS to expand faster than the competitors at the time.
Do you think Singtel was stupid? 555
The fact that Temasek agreed to take over AIS and Shin corp, paying premium was due to two factors. One it is for long-term investment as AIS and Shin Sat were regarded as good assets. Second, Singapore govt thought that Thaksin would stay in power for long, so want to gain favour with him so that Singapore could participate in Cobra Gold exercise and could rent facilities in Thailand for army and airforce training.
An MA in SE Asia Studies and B.E. from state universities in two countries by scholarships may still be not enough for someone who may still regard me as an ignorant fool, daring to open my mouth here to criticise All Mighty Thaksin. 555
Just another timeline clarification – Samak left Democrats in the mid 70s, Veera in the mid 80s, Sanan in the mid 00s. Sanan, unlike two others, was a spent force by then.
Democrats lost dozens of MPs to Thaksin’s TRT, and it was probably a good riddance.
However, as it the case of Amazing Thailand. All served prison time less than a year and then were granted amnesty on December 2, 1977, allegedly to heal the rift. 555
86 Tarrin // Apr 21, 2010 at 11:25 am
Khun Tarrin,
You’re so fixed with your preconception that you did not even read my post carefully.
December 2, 1977, allegedly to heal the rift. >
This event did not even talk about the students or CPT. It was about the military faction that Veera was involved in. What I meant to say that the amnesty was designed to heal the rift within the army itself. There was nothing in my post about students’ activists or the CPT.
You are so fixed with the hatred with the present establishment installed by the military that and educated person like you could not even avoid ranting about something which I did not even post.
May be you like your own rhetoric so much like that you forgot to read carefully?
MediaWar – It does ring the bell, don’t forget to mention about the formation of Red Gaurs and NawaPol (Yellow/Pink) in the 1976. However, the situation is vastly different as the number of people involved is much larger and was fought on a totally different ideology. Although I have to admitted that the remnant of the ex 1976 students who are still hold grudge against the establishment is running deep within the red themselves.
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Statement by students and academics at ANU
I too protest that my posts are delayed. I demand that Andrew and his minions watch their blog 24/7 and post my important interventions immediately, if not before.
Statement by students and academics at ANU
Enrico,
For another bloody crackdown, followed by a coup, what about the US suspending diplomatic relations with your Magical Kingdom just as a first step ?
Statement by students and academics at ANU
Supporters of the Real PAD like myself and other prominent Thai individuals are holding our breath in trepidation as our Magical Kingdom appears to be unraveling at the seams. We need to mobilize our resources and we will, rest assured. (However, the Yellow Shirt Movement has fractured quite a bit since our heyday back in late 2008. I am surprised that nobody has taken notice of that development.) Furthermore, we would like nothing more than for the military to take aggressive action to end the crisis, to cleanse the streets of Bangkok of all this Red Shirt filth, to close down that playground known as parliament, and to assert its preeminence openly as the principal stakeholder in the State and government. Many of us who marched, sweated and extorted funds tirelessly for a future free of Thaksin’s tyranny are tired of this game called democracy. It is simply a charade. Thais are an extremely apolitical people with short-term memories and little sense of history unless it’s presented to them in a comic book or gossip magazine.
As an expatriate who has been residing permanently in Thailand since 1997 I have interests to guard and to promote therefore I have thrown in my lot with a particular group. Both my livelihood and the security of my family are paramount. If the military decides to fire live rounds into the protesters or crack some skulls with their batons I will not weep for the dead, whether they are soldiers or Red Shirt gangsters. Indeed, it doesn’t matter how many bodies are left littering the pavement (can’t you picture the carnage already?). The twin goals of any future military operation (also known as an emergency resolution action) should be to return a sense of normality to Bangkok (and finally permit both locals and tourists to indulge our shopping fetishes once more) and to strike fear into the minds of those who dare challenge the power and authority of the State. Yes, tears will be shed and funeral services conducted for both heroes and villains. Bleeding-heart liberals both here in Thailand (do not expect Amnesty International’s Thai office to utter a peep) and overseas will holler and wail at the so-called gross human rights violations and injustice committed against “unarmed” demonstrators. But do you think that ordinary Thais will take up arms and avenge the slaughter of their fellow countrymen? What can the international community do to punish Thailand’s seemingly barbaric behaviour against its own citizens? Will the United Nations Security Council slap economic sanctions on Thailand? Will the Association of Southeast Asian Nations suspend Thailand from the organization? What about you, the educated and privileged readers of New Mandala? Will you risk life and limb for the Red Revolution? Will you stand shoulder to shoulder with your beloved phrai? What can you do to “correct” the associated evils of the Thai State? What can you do to “rectify” the political, economic and social inequities found entrenched in this the Land of Smiles? I will tell you what you can do and, most probably, will end up doing ….. nothing, absolutely nothing.
What will happen is that Life will go on. Alms will be given to passing monks early in the morning and incense will be lit and placed at the pedestal of Lord Buddha. And the Magical Kingdom will be restored.
ABC TV on Thai politics
Dear respected Australians,
If I have offended you in my previous comments, I apologize and am very sorry.
ABC television, I protest that you have not been fair on the LM law issue. You would not drink alcohol in Arab countries [ but you can do so in Australia] and you would not insult our royals in our country.
That you interviewed few Thai who committed such mistakes expressing your disagreement, [one even theatened his majesty’s life in public] without interview the majoritys’ views. You even showed just our prince’s clip without mentioning other positive royal contributions to support your disagreement on LM law.
For that, you have deeply insulted our whole country.
ABC TV on Thai politics
Dear my fellow Thais,
Brothers red-shirt, I believe there are a few fractions in your group
– Dear farmers and villagers who have genuinely come for good causes complaining about your living conditions. We apologize if we have long neglected your voices. This government is implementing few programs; free education up to 12 yr. old, pensions for all retirees, pensions for all handicaps, finding ways in solving illegal debts and legal debts in the banks, providing free medical treatments up to heart by-pass surgeries and dental treatments. They also set up community funds, carrier-training, upgrade roads, facilities and other measures to address your problems. I know it’s not enough but only if you give them times. There are also almost 2 millions workers from our neighboring countries in our country who have contributed and are entitle to basic social welfare including same medical services. If our country is so bad, we should not have attracted so many friends from abroad. Kindly be a little patient.
-Friends who believe in different political system, particularly in communist system. I like to point out that if the system is good, our neighboring countries would have faired better than us by now. Not meaning to be unkind.
-Friends who fervor Mr. Thaksin. He is a businessman. When he became a politician, he still practiced and run the country like a business set-up, part for self interests, finding legal lope-holes and changing laws to support his business. He would go about telling international community that he is always right but the country. If only you set up the rally without his financial supports?
Pro-communist and pro-Thaksin, Stop your free rides with the farmers.
Thailand on the verge – podcast
I could only hear the first 38 minutes for some reason. Perhaps my connection is bad, or perhaps the Thai censors stopped it at that point as Craig Reynolds was discussing Oz at that moment, my favorite topic.
My favorite quote was when Reynolds said that Thai politics would never be able to move forward until the knot that binds the King and the military was broken, or something to that effect.
Way to go Reynolds! Thank you for getting to the heart of what’s going on, in my opinion. I’ve been in countless arguments with Yellows and the first thing that comes out of their mouth is about the King. As I’ve always felt, it’s a waste of time to get bogged down in the minutia of parliamentary politics, and who is cheating, etc unless the role of the monarchy is dealt with. It has implicated itself into everything here in Thailand and I believe the Yellows hide behind it to oppress the Reds.
I do have a question for the professor, who discussed historical symbols, that I’m just dying to know more about: At these red shirt protests I see this shrine with King Taksin’s picture above those of Bumiphol and Chulalongkorn. What political significance is there in this gesture?
Statement by students and academics at ANU
There are some who say, when a government / ruling class loses its moral compass – then Civil Disobedience is the only remedy.
Case in point; the United States during and after the “secret” Cambodian bombing (a secret only from the American public), to Cambodians on the ground there certainly was no “secret.”
A secret in fact, that led to the killings a Kent State University; Americans killing Americans which set American universities on fire, and reversed Nixon’s extra-constitutional war in Indochina.
With all of this history in plain sight, I pray the Thais will take the high road, and bend with the breeze. But, in either case, some say the die is cast. Thailand is soon to enter a new political era.
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
“Can we just accept the fact that the private sector, politicians and bureaucrats (including soldiers) all conspire with each other to loot the country – and always have?”
This is my point exactly, but some posters here don’t seem to get this, defending Thaksin to the point that accusing me as being naive, don’t even know how wealth is created, etc.
Another poster asked why the comment about Veera, Thaksin etc are here when we talk about Eric’s lese majesty report? It is a legitimate question. The simple answer is the lese majesty law is always linked up with power struggle. It is a tool to use like any other tools including money, soldiers, politicians-for-hire so as to win over power to rule at the expense of hard working men/women.
There is no ideology struggle/class struggle here at all, unlike some posters who think otherwise.
The middle class in Bangkok, the working class from Isan/North are simply tools to be used and cast aside when convenience.
If we don’t discuss about the corruption, power struggle, you won’t understand why some academics are so hung up with lese majesty law. This law is really nothing bad in itself. It is the people who use this law to win power to govern in Thailand, period.
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
Anon – #90
Ah, so we’re starting to admit that the UDD leaders might be bad people? Of course that doesn’t matter if all we are debating is the role and future direction of the monarchy, but this can’t be discussed in isolation from the motives and actions of powerful state, military and business actors.
I’ve been trying to point out to the numerous pro-reds on this forum that the UDD is not simply a movement of the repressed poor rising up against a self-serving elite. The point Aussie Alumus is trying to make is that Veera is not holier-than-thou if one cares to dig a bit into their political history and actions. This applies to the cohort around him too.
Whilst the current polarisation will undoubtably assist in raising consciousness and broadening the debate amonst ordinary people, to think that the UDD is some kind of pure and honest gathering of the disenfranchised is nonsense. Thai social structure will ensure that it is the powerful and influential of whatever colour that will, for the foreseeable future, continue to call the shots and fight to try and make sure their own interests are protected…..
Thailand’s military: perpetually political, forever factionalized, again ascendant
[…] […]
Anti-pro-democracy
Vichai’s constant reference to buffaloes provides all the munition needed to argue that the elite constantly and deliberately look down and step on the poor “brown”
I rest my case QED
Mapping the result
[…] just 2 concentrated in the North and Northeast areas where the old TRT core factions are strongest. Mapping the result Also, as noted in the analysis, there is an interesting dichotomy in the 2007 results. Even though […]
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
Assie Alum,
According to wikipedia, Gen Sunthorn was a lot richer than you claim.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunthorn_Kongsompon
But your conclusions seems strange and inverted. The conclusion is not that Thaksin alone was bribing senior bureaucrats, it is that senior bureaucrats were (and still are) extracting bribes from the entire private sector.
As you your question about how Gen Suntorn got that rich, the answer seems obvious. The same way other soldiers and bureaucrats got rich, extracting bribes from the private sector. You don’t think the current bunch of generals are living on $1000/month do you?
The sole function of CAT and TOT appears to be to tax mobile phone revenues and return them to soldiers and bureaucrats. It is said that sometimes this is done through fake employees, technology purchases, and selling rights and concessions that are the property of Thai citizens to the private sector.
In the Sunthorn-Thaksin transaction, Sunthorn is more guilty than Thaksin as he was the one who was shopping the concession. Thaksin just happened to buy it.
But even if you dispute that, you have to admit that it is extremely hypocritical for army generals to hold a coup to stop corruption activities and then point to a transaction made by the last general to hold a coup to stop corruption as an example of how politicians are corrupt.
Can we just accept the fact that the private sector, politicians and bureaucrats (including soldiers) all conspire with each other to loot the country – and always have?
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
Sir:
Your analysis is thick and difficult to follow. I don’t see your thesis or get what you mean by “right-wing backlash.” Do you mean the PAD’s response to the early April protests that you mentioned in your last two paragraphs? From those paragraphs, the Yellow Shirts’s response is thus: What the Red Shirts did was illegal; the government should forcibly stop them; and if the government won’t do it, we will. That seems to be a pretty mild and predictable response if you ask me. I mean shouldn’t an opposition party respond when antagonized?
I don’t get it. This piece seems to be mere ramblings of a partisan observer disguised as possibly scholarly work. If so, that’s very consistent with this blog. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, I just ask that you be more coherent.
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
Aussie Alumnus and everybody else: I’m at a loss as to how the corruption of the Thaksin government excuses or mitigates in any way the censorship and political use of the lese majeste law of the current government. Or how the wealth of one man (Veera) who was involved in a coup and convicted of lese majeste twenty years and thirty ago provides the palace with any greater legitimacy. It all just seems like a bunch of obfuscation. This is, after all, a comments section on Eric Campbell’s royal report.
Or are you all saying that just because the leaders of the protest are bad people that we must stick with the current government and current ways of managing dialog about the monarchy?
Thailand on the verge
Alladin, I said there was no massacre last Songkran, not this Songkran. Your casualty numbers and media censorship arguments are about this Songkran, the verdict on which is nowhere in sight yet.
Last Songkran is a different story. Claims of hundreds of dead, military trucks frisking away their bodies, massive government cover-up etc are for the red consumption only.
Fact of life is that the red media can be directed to propagandize absolutely anything – massacres, class wars, ammarts, prais, republicanism, Prem’s sexual preferences – anything. If their leadership decides it’s time to stoke up hatred towards Queen’s guards and the Queen personally, that’s what reds would believe regardless of facts or circumstances, because they heard this from the stage and on Truth Today, confirmed by the Voice of Thaksin, so it must be true.
So far reds haven’t picked up this line of attack yet, thankfully.
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
“David Brown // Apr 20, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Aussie Alumnus #72
so, does it come down to you not understanding how someone can gain wealth in business”
You presumed too much without reading my background. I was educated in Australia during McMahan/Whitlam govts. My Bachelor degree is in Economics (Money and Banking).
If I don’t know how wealth is created, my Aussie degree from a state university in 1976 must be worth nothing. Do you really think that low about higher education in Australia?
If that is not enough, do you think the standard of education in USA is also that low too? A few years after that I got another scholarship to study in America, earning an MA in SE Asia Studies (International Trade).
I was there when Microsoft was still a small start-up company, buying a crude DOS code for Intel X86 microprocessor and then repackaged with some changes to IMB to and was called IMB DOS, while retaining the right to seel separately under MS DOS.
Wealth creation through innovation is not one and the same with earning state concession to run telecom business by bribing politicians/bureaucrats in power.
The reason that AIS was successful was due to its concession from TOT with favourable term than the competitors who got them through CAT. That was why Singtel agreed to pay premium for a chunk of AIS stake, making it possible for AIS to expand faster than the competitors at the time.
Do you think Singtel was stupid? 555
The fact that Temasek agreed to take over AIS and Shin corp, paying premium was due to two factors. One it is for long-term investment as AIS and Shin Sat were regarded as good assets. Second, Singapore govt thought that Thaksin would stay in power for long, so want to gain favour with him so that Singapore could participate in Cobra Gold exercise and could rent facilities in Thailand for army and airforce training.
An MA in SE Asia Studies and B.E. from state universities in two countries by scholarships may still be not enough for someone who may still regard me as an ignorant fool, daring to open my mouth here to criticise All Mighty Thaksin. 555
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
Just another timeline clarification – Samak left Democrats in the mid 70s, Veera in the mid 80s, Sanan in the mid 00s. Sanan, unlike two others, was a spent force by then.
Democrats lost dozens of MPs to Thaksin’s TRT, and it was probably a good riddance.
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
However, as it the case of Amazing Thailand. All served prison time less than a year and then were granted amnesty on December 2, 1977, allegedly to heal the rift. 555
86 Tarrin // Apr 21, 2010 at 11:25 am
Khun Tarrin,
You’re so fixed with your preconception that you did not even read my post carefully.
December 2, 1977, allegedly to heal the rift. >
This event did not even talk about the students or CPT. It was about the military faction that Veera was involved in. What I meant to say that the amnesty was designed to heal the rift within the army itself. There was nothing in my post about students’ activists or the CPT.
You are so fixed with the hatred with the present establishment installed by the military that and educated person like you could not even avoid ranting about something which I did not even post.
May be you like your own rhetoric so much like that you forgot to read carefully?
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
MediaWar – It does ring the bell, don’t forget to mention about the formation of Red Gaurs and NawaPol (Yellow/Pink) in the 1976. However, the situation is vastly different as the number of people involved is much larger and was fought on a totally different ideology. Although I have to admitted that the remnant of the ex 1976 students who are still hold grudge against the establishment is running deep within the red themselves.