Income disparity in Thailand is one of the worst in SE Asia/Asia Vichai N., there’s strong evidence on that. Having said that, you’ve raised interesting remark about social mobility, it’s uneasy to relate mobility with disparity; how people move up (or down) from one generation to the next is not necessarily correlated to a profile of national disparity. It’s not so certain if Thailand is a country with low social mobility.
so, does it come down to you not understanding how someone can gain wealth in business?
how about checkout Bill Gates or any number of billionaires around the world… Bill did not complete Uni, Thaksin did, they both started off pretty ordinary
Thaksin resigned as a policeman to keep his business alive and then expanded it
Thaksin is a technology entrepreneur, so was Bill Gates
and btw, Thaksins wealth expanded in line with the SET share prices, the Thai banks increased their value much more, he should have sold his business and invested in bank shares when he became PM he would be much more wealthy than he turned out!
I always thought much of the hate Thaksin is jealousy by naive people, seems you are another example… and dear old Sondhi loves to play with these emotions… in between having affairs with influential women
“A privy councillor, a former general, openly came out to criticise him. At the time he was deputy interior minister. He immediately set up a worship shrine with HM the King picture on top and performed a ceremony to ask for Royal pardon.”
This should read.
A privy councillor, a former general, openly came out to criticise him. At the time he (VEERA) was deputy interior minister. Veera in full official uniform immediately set up a worship shrine with HM the King picture on top and performed a ceremony to ask for Royal forgiveness.
I don’t have a shirt color… but I remember only ONE thing that was agreeable to me, by the former policeman turned businessman, turned politician, turned prime-minster, now fugitive/criminal — he stated: “Democracy is not the GOAL.”… this was many years ago, and under a different context, but I often reflect upon this utterance from the Doctor of Criminology. Sure, the people should persuade the government in many issues, but if democracy is to head towards UNIFORM COLORS… we are all in a wicked-mess. Thailand, though, is a nation that loves rank and uniformity… I write as an ex-SSgt in the USAF, there is some comfort in a militarized society for me; but there is never any surprises in this nation – I write this as a scholar of Thai Studies [MA: Chulalongkorn University]… we’ve seen this activities throughout history, as mentioned above… but more and more, I find myself urging my wife [a non-participating yellow-shirt supporter] to find more solace in the principles of the Buddha [mentioning that, as I have recently earned my PhD in Buddhist Studies…]. As I mentioned, or suggested, democracy was not the goal of the ousted ex-PM. It’s just really funny to see all these supporters risking their life for him… but, yes, people did the same for GWB, Hitler, Stalin, Selassie I, Ho Chi Minh… people love these charismatic people…
May I ask a humble, respectful question, to anyone: If Thaksin returns… does he become PM, and a thousand flowers bloom in a new heavenly utopia-nation? Another question: does he kill anyone who was unsupportive of him, as he did with the 3000 druggies? Thaksin has a lot of blood on his hands… more-so than anyone else involved currently.
While my wife [a life-long Democrat supporter] mentioned a few days ago: Why are they all not dead yet? {in reference to the red-shirts} – I’m beginning to wonder which shirt-color would look best on me… is there a party that would eliminate the poverty-situation that my family is enduring… prices go up, but my university salary stays unchanging. Result: the family may disintegrate due to economic-struggle… I welcome any shirt color to save our situation!!!
To conclude: Mr. Askew wrote: “Since coming to power by parliamentary vote in December 2008, the Democrat-Party has tried in vain to squash politics back into the parliamentary box.” –isn’t this were it is supposed to be… people in my neighborhood or the customers in my wife’s salon all love Abhisit… everything seems to be fine from “our perspective”!… Like I mentioned, I’m neutral, but would urge any government to help out with this family-economic crisis, that many are suffering from!
Anyway, I was just writing to wonder about things… I’m not trying to be offensive, I’m just humble and curious, although I’ve been living here in Bangkok since 2002, with a year break in 2003 – almost consecutively. I’m just not feeling good with any shirt color.
I wish all of these people understood Buddhism better… and worked out their problems like Buddhists should do!
“Could you give us a general picture of why he was jailed for lese majeste?”
Veera came to power because he was good at sucking up to powerful people. He was once regarded as Gen Prem’s favourite son and one time was secretary general of the Democrat party whose leader at the time was Bhichai Rattakul.
Veera came from Phattalung, a southern native like Prem. One time he was campaigning for fellow Democrats in two provinces in Isan. During both occasions, he mentioned that he was not born rich and thus could not lead a lazy life like a Raja (King) in a palace. This was widely reported in the place and caused an uproar. A privy councillor, a former general, openly came out to criticise him. At the time he was deputy interior minister. He immediately set up a worship shrine with HM the King picture on top and performed a ceremony to ask for Royal pardon.
However, this case was forwarded to the criminal court. He was sentenced to jail. I think he surrendered and was granted bail and sought Royal pardon officially and duly granted.
This ruined his political career as later he was not successul in the powerful struggle to control Democrat party and had to leave the party like Khun Samak who had left before him.
Veera and his finacier set up Prachachon (People) party but was not successful.
He was in political wildnerness for several years before Gen Chavalit plucked him in to help coordinate running the general election for his New Aspiration Party.
During his hiatus year, he did not live as a poor man at all. His 30-million baht mansion could attest to that.
How could a mere Temple boy earn that much from being a career politician to afford a 30-million baht mansion?
I am quite sure that with his leadership of the Red Shirts, he will become even richer and does not have to work again unless he gets addicted to his rhetorics!
#18
Indeed, try proving it ain’t true. I think you will find it impossible unless you make a clean break with the Chiang-Mai parasite clan. a hard move for you, but one which is likely to prove far more more productive than all this posturing macho-man civil war, no compromise malarkey.
If, as one sign says, PAD are terrorists, the UDD are most definitely (by the same standards) terrorists too.
The strength of these color-coded succession terrorists is a sure sign that the succession is really weak. And that Thai Democracy has never been anything more than an opium dream. But how could they ever be truly honest with us, when the real source of a lot of this conflict is just a flat-out cynical power-grab, financed by the nation’s no. 1 private enterprise parasite.
I never cease to amaze me that an educated Thai like Khun Tarrin could be so naive and accuse other poster as ranting when he did not refute the argument about how corrupted Thaksin was.
How could a mere general could have assets worth more than 500 million baht when he died?
How could AIS, Shin Satellite amend the original contracts during this general’s time in power?
Another poster even accused me as listening to Pae Lim (a derogatory term referred to Sondhi) without ascertaining the fact? He was no better than most corrupted politicians and Thaksin.
An Aussie alumnus like me who was not educated in Thailand during my formative years would not be easily prone to rhetorics/rants of seasoned politicians or businessman/cum politicians. I can read foreign sources as well.
It never ceases to amaze me if someone sees through Thaksin’s evil way is lumped as being a YELLOW.
I hereby state categorically that I am not a royalist and in a private conversation I and a few of my friends often ridicule the notorious PRINCE. He is the same age like me and was in Australia at the same time like me. I know him well, too well to be a cast as a royalist. 555
I don’t even care if Thailand is republic, period.
I just don’t like corruption whether it is committed by seasoned politicians, businessman cum politicians or generals or even by the notorious PRINCE.
NM bloggers pick a few isolated cases of abusive government officials and they generalize that the whole could be divided by privileged Thai aristocrats and Thai serfs in perpetual bondage.
Go to very remote villages of the Philippines, Malaysia,India, China . . . and maybe even some developed countries . . . and the practice of abuse . . . obedient bending poor villagers bending to powerful town mayors, tax assessors or police officers manifest themselves.
Get real folks at New Mandala and stop inciting more social rift in the Thai Kingdom because of your own ignorance.
I quote the most important variable and unanswered question mentioned in Mark Askew’s essay: there remain unresolved “questions about both the capacity of the authorities and the unity of the army itself.”
The events of Friday 16 April, in which the government badly botched their highly publicized attempt to capture the top Red Shirt leaders, tell us two things: (1) that there are Red Shirt informants within the military command structure, and (2) the police and Army really have no stomach for following orders that will result in another violent confrontation with the demonstrators resulting in a greater loss of life.
Now it is possible that the so-called elite units that have been brought in will ruthlessly go about the business of shooting the rabble when ordered to do so, but the larger question remains just how the rank-and-file troops will respond to that. Perhaps Sae Daeng was correct when he claimed that, except for the top military commanders, the Army is full of Red Shirt sympathizers. It is after all a conscript army made up mainly of the rural poor. Do the commanders really trust their troops?
I recall that in October 1973 it was not the student demonstrators themselves, but gunpoint to gunpoint confrontation with the Thai Navy, that stopped Narong’s column of tanks from entering Bangkok and further slaughtering people.
Why bother inviting Thai academics if no one would listen to them anyway?
Scroll back through archives to a conference in the UK a few months ago and see what kind of reception they got here.
Alladin, it’s a widely accepted fact among non-reds that there was no massacre last Songkran and the army did their job very professionally. This time the same commander was specifically targeted and killed by a grenade.
He used to be Queen’s personal bodyguard, too. Why would she NOT turn up for his funeral?
The palace will cover medical expenses of all Apr 10 victims regardless of political affiliation.
I posted a reply suggesting that Thailand needs to work its way toward a post 1688 settlement. i.e. William & Mary. aka A Ring In.
History being the beast that it is, you don’t get to 1688 without your Cromwells and your Restorations and your digging up and desecration of signatory corpses, and so on.
I also included a little quip to the effect that the Thais had their own Inglorious Revolution in 1688, and perhaps might wish to look to the English version (peaceful and by no means republican) next time around.
Unfortunately this prior posting seems to have been censored by the censors who do not censor.
[…] of Yellow Shirts on the last day during their occupation of the government house in January 2009 on New Mandala. What follows are slogans used by emerging Pink, No Color and Multi-colored Shirts during April […]
I am sorry for what other Thai people like jothestrong say.
Many people here think differently now but dare not express themselves – especially the real Thais – the rural people. Sadly, many of the ruling (mostly Thai-Chinese) elite consider themselves educated, but know nothing because Daddy bought their degrees. Like Mai (32) who has little grammar, but has done well to learn the ‘F’ word – he clearly associates with the best kind of company and his opinion is eloquently expressed! I know what goes on because I am a university lecturer here. Most of the work students produce is plagiarised by email networking and they don’t even come to a lot of the lectures. At the end, enough baht under the table gets the piece of paper. Still, they have the temerity to call the rural people ‘buffaloes’. They openly ridicule and mock the Issan people who have struggled for generations to survive with a long line of indifferent government unbroken only by whom…? You guessed it – love him or hate him – THAKSIN!
I don’t dare comment on the monarchy of course – I value my freedom. But ‘Tony thai’ (31) says, “…would u still love them or judge if they are a criminal?” Clearly he infers something here and maybe should be locked up for acknowledging such a thing on the Internet…? Maybe someone who is safe in a free country like Australia would like to comment on the interpretation here?
Of course, if you Google some of the other members of our noble establishment, you will find it hard to get the real facts. Like what the Deputy Prime Minister, Suthep of Surat Thani, does in his spare time. Maybe it is not fair to single out an individual who is still in that exalted position, despite having to resign his seat in parliament for breaking electoral law…
Sorry, I digressed a little. What was the topic – informed and researched opinion from my fellow-Thais? Or about the nice, smiling, gentle Thai characteristics that are exhibited in their posts? For my part, congratulations to Australia for maintaining an open media!
Whether or not our Feudal system collapses, I hope you will still visit our beautiful country and enjoy the majority of nice people here!
I’d like to add that Cromwells interregnum, like Pibulsongkrams was followed by a popular return to monarchy for much the same reasons and I see the Thai peoples need for a popular monarchy will be remain undiminished likewise for many generations to come. The only alternative would be a Kim Il Jong at worst or Lee Kwan Thaksin at slightly better.
Life within “The Matrix” is much to be preferred to life outside of it by most folk. Few in Thailand can see any sanuk in western stoicism, atheism, puritanism or marxism. So bread, circuses, nai and nak leng will continue their stranglehold on social development whether or not the commonly perceived Bangkok elites remain enfranchised.
did anyone mention that democracy has accountability to the people
provided everyone accepts the rules then all the politicians must face the people on a regular basis
it is at elections that the people control the “dictators” that you fear
when the rules of democracy are over-ridden, who controls the powerful?
the redshirts are trying to get Abhisit and all the current MPs to throw themselves on the mercy (or otherwise) of the people
when challenged by the yellowshirts in 2006 Thaksin called an election… quite right and proper in a democracy, he was prepared to fight hard to win but, if the Democrats and others had tried to be useful to the country instead of just falling back on the old military dictatorship they had their chance to displace Thaksin
the ongoing issue for Thailand is how to make the military accountable… currently noone can control them, they avoid responsibility by claiming they support the monarchy not the people and through Prem the monarch is not willing/able to control them!
Thailand needs a strong democratically elected leader who with the authority of the people can reduce the military budget, sack most of the generals, interfere with their reshuffle, ban all serving soldiers from involvement in any business and politics, and prohibit any involvement internal to the country (except humanitarian disasters to keep them busy).
I was in Thailand last week and saw another episode of “Political Hotspot’ on TanTV. Apart from Sophon Ongkara there was also journalist called Paisal Sricharatchanya who said esssentially that there was a ‘difference in civilisation’ between the red shirt protesters and everyone else. Can anyone tells me who owns/controls Tan TV which is trying to become an ASEAN station?
Polyphemus: I fully agree with you re Thaksin. He’s a Bad Egg. I do not like him. I also agree that stirring the pot and peturbing the status quo is a dangerous game. However, in the affairs of men, sometimes pots do come to a boil whether we like it or no.
The Contention is that there is a Putrescent Boil or Three (be thinking Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch here) upon the Very Fundamental of the Thai Body Politic which is Needful of Lancing. I speak not of Amputation.
Eventually, via a commodius vicus of recirculation, the Thais will arrive back at the year 1688. Hint to Thais: in the last 1688 you got that one quite wrong :). What *do* you guys learn at Oxford, Cambridge, LSE?
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Anti-pro-democracy
Income disparity in Thailand is one of the worst in SE Asia/Asia Vichai N., there’s strong evidence on that. Having said that, you’ve raised interesting remark about social mobility, it’s uneasy to relate mobility with disparity; how people move up (or down) from one generation to the next is not necessarily correlated to a profile of national disparity. It’s not so certain if Thailand is a country with low social mobility.
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
Aussie Alumnus #72
so, does it come down to you not understanding how someone can gain wealth in business?
how about checkout Bill Gates or any number of billionaires around the world… Bill did not complete Uni, Thaksin did, they both started off pretty ordinary
Thaksin resigned as a policeman to keep his business alive and then expanded it
Thaksin is a technology entrepreneur, so was Bill Gates
and btw, Thaksins wealth expanded in line with the SET share prices, the Thai banks increased their value much more, he should have sold his business and invested in bank shares when he became PM he would be much more wealthy than he turned out!
I always thought much of the hate Thaksin is jealousy by naive people, seems you are another example… and dear old Sondhi loves to play with these emotions… in between having affairs with influential women
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
“A privy councillor, a former general, openly came out to criticise him. At the time he was deputy interior minister. He immediately set up a worship shrine with HM the King picture on top and performed a ceremony to ask for Royal pardon.”
This should read.
A privy councillor, a former general, openly came out to criticise him. At the time he (VEERA) was deputy interior minister. Veera in full official uniform immediately set up a worship shrine with HM the King picture on top and performed a ceremony to ask for Royal forgiveness.
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
I don’t have a shirt color… but I remember only ONE thing that was agreeable to me, by the former policeman turned businessman, turned politician, turned prime-minster, now fugitive/criminal — he stated: “Democracy is not the GOAL.”… this was many years ago, and under a different context, but I often reflect upon this utterance from the Doctor of Criminology. Sure, the people should persuade the government in many issues, but if democracy is to head towards UNIFORM COLORS… we are all in a wicked-mess. Thailand, though, is a nation that loves rank and uniformity… I write as an ex-SSgt in the USAF, there is some comfort in a militarized society for me; but there is never any surprises in this nation – I write this as a scholar of Thai Studies [MA: Chulalongkorn University]… we’ve seen this activities throughout history, as mentioned above… but more and more, I find myself urging my wife [a non-participating yellow-shirt supporter] to find more solace in the principles of the Buddha [mentioning that, as I have recently earned my PhD in Buddhist Studies…]. As I mentioned, or suggested, democracy was not the goal of the ousted ex-PM. It’s just really funny to see all these supporters risking their life for him… but, yes, people did the same for GWB, Hitler, Stalin, Selassie I, Ho Chi Minh… people love these charismatic people…
May I ask a humble, respectful question, to anyone: If Thaksin returns… does he become PM, and a thousand flowers bloom in a new heavenly utopia-nation? Another question: does he kill anyone who was unsupportive of him, as he did with the 3000 druggies? Thaksin has a lot of blood on his hands… more-so than anyone else involved currently.
While my wife [a life-long Democrat supporter] mentioned a few days ago: Why are they all not dead yet? {in reference to the red-shirts} – I’m beginning to wonder which shirt-color would look best on me… is there a party that would eliminate the poverty-situation that my family is enduring… prices go up, but my university salary stays unchanging. Result: the family may disintegrate due to economic-struggle… I welcome any shirt color to save our situation!!!
To conclude: Mr. Askew wrote: “Since coming to power by parliamentary vote in December 2008, the Democrat-Party has tried in vain to squash politics back into the parliamentary box.” –isn’t this were it is supposed to be… people in my neighborhood or the customers in my wife’s salon all love Abhisit… everything seems to be fine from “our perspective”!… Like I mentioned, I’m neutral, but would urge any government to help out with this family-economic crisis, that many are suffering from!
Anyway, I was just writing to wonder about things… I’m not trying to be offensive, I’m just humble and curious, although I’ve been living here in Bangkok since 2002, with a year break in 2003 – almost consecutively. I’m just not feeling good with any shirt color.
I wish all of these people understood Buddhism better… and worked out their problems like Buddhists should do!
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
“Could you give us a general picture of why he was jailed for lese majeste?”
Veera came to power because he was good at sucking up to powerful people. He was once regarded as Gen Prem’s favourite son and one time was secretary general of the Democrat party whose leader at the time was Bhichai Rattakul.
Veera came from Phattalung, a southern native like Prem. One time he was campaigning for fellow Democrats in two provinces in Isan. During both occasions, he mentioned that he was not born rich and thus could not lead a lazy life like a Raja (King) in a palace. This was widely reported in the place and caused an uproar. A privy councillor, a former general, openly came out to criticise him. At the time he was deputy interior minister. He immediately set up a worship shrine with HM the King picture on top and performed a ceremony to ask for Royal pardon.
However, this case was forwarded to the criminal court. He was sentenced to jail. I think he surrendered and was granted bail and sought Royal pardon officially and duly granted.
This ruined his political career as later he was not successul in the powerful struggle to control Democrat party and had to leave the party like Khun Samak who had left before him.
Veera and his finacier set up Prachachon (People) party but was not successful.
He was in political wildnerness for several years before Gen Chavalit plucked him in to help coordinate running the general election for his New Aspiration Party.
During his hiatus year, he did not live as a poor man at all. His 30-million baht mansion could attest to that.
How could a mere Temple boy earn that much from being a career politician to afford a 30-million baht mansion?
I am quite sure that with his leadership of the Red Shirts, he will become even richer and does not have to work again unless he gets addicted to his rhetorics!
This is Amazing Thailand.
“Thailand want р╕вр╕╕р╕Ър╕кр╕ар╕▓”: Red signs in English
#18
Indeed, try proving it ain’t true. I think you will find it impossible unless you make a clean break with the Chiang-Mai parasite clan. a hard move for you, but one which is likely to prove far more more productive than all this posturing macho-man civil war, no compromise malarkey.
“Thailand want р╕вр╕╕р╕Ър╕кр╕ар╕▓”: Red signs in English
If, as one sign says, PAD are terrorists, the UDD are most definitely (by the same standards) terrorists too.
The strength of these color-coded succession terrorists is a sure sign that the succession is really weak. And that Thai Democracy has never been anything more than an opium dream. But how could they ever be truly honest with us, when the real source of a lot of this conflict is just a flat-out cynical power-grab, financed by the nation’s no. 1 private enterprise parasite.
Reflections on Eric Campbell’s royal report
I never cease to amaze me that an educated Thai like Khun Tarrin could be so naive and accuse other poster as ranting when he did not refute the argument about how corrupted Thaksin was.
How could a mere general could have assets worth more than 500 million baht when he died?
How could AIS, Shin Satellite amend the original contracts during this general’s time in power?
Another poster even accused me as listening to Pae Lim (a derogatory term referred to Sondhi) without ascertaining the fact? He was no better than most corrupted politicians and Thaksin.
An Aussie alumnus like me who was not educated in Thailand during my formative years would not be easily prone to rhetorics/rants of seasoned politicians or businessman/cum politicians. I can read foreign sources as well.
It never ceases to amaze me if someone sees through Thaksin’s evil way is lumped as being a YELLOW.
I hereby state categorically that I am not a royalist and in a private conversation I and a few of my friends often ridicule the notorious PRINCE. He is the same age like me and was in Australia at the same time like me. I know him well, too well to be a cast as a royalist. 555
I don’t even care if Thailand is republic, period.
I just don’t like corruption whether it is committed by seasoned politicians, businessman cum politicians or generals or even by the notorious PRINCE.
I rest my case.
Anti-pro-democracy
NM bloggers pick a few isolated cases of abusive government officials and they generalize that the whole could be divided by privileged Thai aristocrats and Thai serfs in perpetual bondage.
Go to very remote villages of the Philippines, Malaysia,India, China . . . and maybe even some developed countries . . . and the practice of abuse . . . obedient bending poor villagers bending to powerful town mayors, tax assessors or police officers manifest themselves.
Get real folks at New Mandala and stop inciting more social rift in the Thai Kingdom because of your own ignorance.
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
I quote the most important variable and unanswered question mentioned in Mark Askew’s essay: there remain unresolved “questions about both the capacity of the authorities and the unity of the army itself.”
The events of Friday 16 April, in which the government badly botched their highly publicized attempt to capture the top Red Shirt leaders, tell us two things: (1) that there are Red Shirt informants within the military command structure, and (2) the police and Army really have no stomach for following orders that will result in another violent confrontation with the demonstrators resulting in a greater loss of life.
Now it is possible that the so-called elite units that have been brought in will ruthlessly go about the business of shooting the rabble when ordered to do so, but the larger question remains just how the rank-and-file troops will respond to that. Perhaps Sae Daeng was correct when he claimed that, except for the top military commanders, the Army is full of Red Shirt sympathizers. It is after all a conscript army made up mainly of the rural poor. Do the commanders really trust their troops?
I recall that in October 1973 it was not the student demonstrators themselves, but gunpoint to gunpoint confrontation with the Thai Navy, that stopped Narong’s column of tanks from entering Bangkok and further slaughtering people.
Thailand on the verge
Why bother inviting Thai academics if no one would listen to them anyway?
Scroll back through archives to a conference in the UK a few months ago and see what kind of reception they got here.
Alladin, it’s a widely accepted fact among non-reds that there was no massacre last Songkran and the army did their job very professionally. This time the same commander was specifically targeted and killed by a grenade.
He used to be Queen’s personal bodyguard, too. Why would she NOT turn up for his funeral?
The palace will cover medical expenses of all Apr 10 victims regardless of political affiliation.
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
Polyphemus:
I posted a reply suggesting that Thailand needs to work its way toward a post 1688 settlement. i.e. William & Mary. aka A Ring In.
History being the beast that it is, you don’t get to 1688 without your Cromwells and your Restorations and your digging up and desecration of signatory corpses, and so on.
I also included a little quip to the effect that the Thais had their own Inglorious Revolution in 1688, and perhaps might wish to look to the English version (peaceful and by no means republican) next time around.
Unfortunately this prior posting seems to have been censored by the censors who do not censor.
PAD’s last day at Government House
[…] of Yellow Shirts on the last day during their occupation of the government house in January 2009 on New Mandala. What follows are slogans used by emerging Pink, No Color and Multi-colored Shirts during April […]
ABC TV on Thai politics
I am sorry for what other Thai people like jothestrong say.
Many people here think differently now but dare not express themselves – especially the real Thais – the rural people. Sadly, many of the ruling (mostly Thai-Chinese) elite consider themselves educated, but know nothing because Daddy bought their degrees. Like Mai (32) who has little grammar, but has done well to learn the ‘F’ word – he clearly associates with the best kind of company and his opinion is eloquently expressed! I know what goes on because I am a university lecturer here. Most of the work students produce is plagiarised by email networking and they don’t even come to a lot of the lectures. At the end, enough baht under the table gets the piece of paper. Still, they have the temerity to call the rural people ‘buffaloes’. They openly ridicule and mock the Issan people who have struggled for generations to survive with a long line of indifferent government unbroken only by whom…? You guessed it – love him or hate him – THAKSIN!
I don’t dare comment on the monarchy of course – I value my freedom. But ‘Tony thai’ (31) says, “…would u still love them or judge if they are a criminal?” Clearly he infers something here and maybe should be locked up for acknowledging such a thing on the Internet…? Maybe someone who is safe in a free country like Australia would like to comment on the interpretation here?
Of course, if you Google some of the other members of our noble establishment, you will find it hard to get the real facts. Like what the Deputy Prime Minister, Suthep of Surat Thani, does in his spare time. Maybe it is not fair to single out an individual who is still in that exalted position, despite having to resign his seat in parliament for breaking electoral law…
Sorry, I digressed a little. What was the topic – informed and researched opinion from my fellow-Thais? Or about the nice, smiling, gentle Thai characteristics that are exhibited in their posts? For my part, congratulations to Australia for maintaining an open media!
Whether or not our Feudal system collapses, I hope you will still visit our beautiful country and enjoy the majority of nice people here!
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
I’d like to add that Cromwells interregnum, like Pibulsongkrams was followed by a popular return to monarchy for much the same reasons and I see the Thai peoples need for a popular monarchy will be remain undiminished likewise for many generations to come. The only alternative would be a Kim Il Jong at worst or Lee Kwan Thaksin at slightly better.
Life within “The Matrix” is much to be preferred to life outside of it by most folk. Few in Thailand can see any sanuk in western stoicism, atheism, puritanism or marxism. So bread, circuses, nai and nak leng will continue their stranglehold on social development whether or not the commonly perceived Bangkok elites remain enfranchised.
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
Polyphemus #4
did anyone mention that democracy has accountability to the people
provided everyone accepts the rules then all the politicians must face the people on a regular basis
it is at elections that the people control the “dictators” that you fear
when the rules of democracy are over-ridden, who controls the powerful?
the redshirts are trying to get Abhisit and all the current MPs to throw themselves on the mercy (or otherwise) of the people
when challenged by the yellowshirts in 2006 Thaksin called an election… quite right and proper in a democracy, he was prepared to fight hard to win but, if the Democrats and others had tried to be useful to the country instead of just falling back on the old military dictatorship they had their chance to displace Thaksin
the ongoing issue for Thailand is how to make the military accountable… currently noone can control them, they avoid responsibility by claiming they support the monarchy not the people and through Prem the monarch is not willing/able to control them!
Thailand needs a strong democratically elected leader who with the authority of the people can reduce the military budget, sack most of the generals, interfere with their reshuffle, ban all serving soldiers from involvement in any business and politics, and prohibit any involvement internal to the country (except humanitarian disasters to keep them busy).
Who do you think might be up to this task?
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
I was in Thailand last week and saw another episode of “Political Hotspot’ on TanTV. Apart from Sophon Ongkara there was also journalist called Paisal Sricharatchanya who said esssentially that there was a ‘difference in civilisation’ between the red shirt protesters and everyone else. Can anyone tells me who owns/controls Tan TV which is trying to become an ASEAN station?
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
Polyphemus: I fully agree with you re Thaksin. He’s a Bad Egg. I do not like him. I also agree that stirring the pot and peturbing the status quo is a dangerous game. However, in the affairs of men, sometimes pots do come to a boil whether we like it or no.
The Contention is that there is a Putrescent Boil or Three (be thinking Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch here) upon the Very Fundamental of the Thai Body Politic which is Needful of Lancing. I speak not of Amputation.
Eventually, via a commodius vicus of recirculation, the Thais will arrive back at the year 1688. Hint to Thais: in the last 1688 you got that one quite wrong :). What *do* you guys learn at Oxford, Cambridge, LSE?
🙂
“Thailand want р╕вр╕╕р╕Ър╕кр╕ар╕▓”: Red signs in English
[…] >>see more Red Shirt signs both in Thai and English at New Mandala […]
Thai style chaos and the right wing backlash
This is a terrific, balanced summary of the political situation by Marc Askew.