Comments

I think Thai Tax Payer was making a joke. Same as “some developing countries have a thing or two to learn from the west about eficient ways to crap up the environment.”

Per Giles- absolutely agree with Susie about the style of the article- the first thing struck me about the article was how simple and unaffected its word choice was, versus the ore academic tone he is both capable of, and normally employs, in his writing. Viewing that as intentional is important to understanding the point of the piece, as a whole.

I caught myself very clearly arriving at the word “trash” to describe certain dismissive comments regarding the Hmong, and probably other issues, but then realized that trash is only trash. But then why make a career out of it unless you are really, really, really…bored…

Perhaps Chris Beale isn’t entirely convinced by the everyone-pays-VAT argument, which I guess is understandable as he (like many other people I’ve met) might be ignorant of just how much the Thai govt’s annual revenue is made up of indirect taxation.

So let me provide you with some data. In the 2008 fiscal year, the total tax revenue of the government was Bht 1,276,247.896, of which 503,483.553 was from VAT. That is 39.45% of total tax revenue. Certainly not an insignificant amount.

Giles is a socialist; that’s always going to be used against much of what he says, since modern politics is about tarring and ignoring information we don’t like. The majority of Thais will continue to reject socialism so long as it is within their culture to embrace elitism. Unfortunately the outright renouncement of communism/socialism is usually accompanied by a refusal to understand why people turn to socialism. No one’s born a communist; you have to believe the system is hopelessly stacked against you before you’re willing to burn it down. Poor Thais on the red side appear to have reached that point, and the ruling class knows the king is one of the few icons that has placated the poor in the past — it’s no coincidence that he’s portrayed in quasi-socialist, populist agrarian terms all the time (walking the fields, sweating, surveying, touching disabled children). The message has always been “No need for revolution because the Top Man is listening.”

Giles couldn’t have designed a better Crown Prince: the perfect regressive royal with his Mercedes fleet, indulgent vacations, serial concubines and jet fighter toys. Giles is reminding Thais of what they already whisper, that the Crown Prince is not one of them. The secondary message is that without the king as moral cover, the real emperor (generals, the other royals) will finally have no clothes.

I don’t know if he’s right but it’s a good move. If there’s one thing the average Bangkok elite has in common with the average Isaan farmer, it’s ownership of a CD of a certain birthday party.

Chris Beale

“Well said Nick – Kavi is an otherwise highly intelligent man”

I said it somewhere else before – eloquence does not equate intelligence and certainly not wisdom!

Youngyuth’s forest rangers disrupted Sondhi’s rally in Lumphini park about a year earlier. At that time they didn’t carry guns, though.

It’s a shame Yoongyuth didn’t issue press releases with information on their movements, when and how they were going to arrive in Bangkok and whether the rifles would have been shipped separately and how they were planning to attack PAD rally exactly. Then the army could have set up checkpoints and stop them, even without orders.

Instead Yongyuth denied everything. Now that’s the evidence that the whole story was a hoax!

seems a stretch to claim that the forestry officers even with guns and 4WDs could comprise a secret army that could challenge or justify a military coup….

meanwhile of course there is never any justification for the military (and police and all the other servants of the people) to be not under the control and direction of a democratically elected government…

claiming allegiance to some higher authority or god or whatever never replaces allegiance and subservience to the people of the country represented by the elected government…

very simple, straightforward, only idiots try to wriggle around this essential civilising truth!

of course, if the government is not elected into power by the people then there is room for discussion….

With unfaithfulreader’s lead, I was able to find the rifle type used in Thailand via Wikipedia and then found this one story in the nation from about 3 weeks prior to the coup, listing quite a few details and a comment on the source of the rumor: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/option/print.php?newsid=30012213

Giving the current rate of corruption among Aphisit’s cabinet, it seems any system is better. Recently, there was corruption cases every week about the government proposed project, “thai kamkang”. Today, a sister of Phumjaithai Party got appointed as deputy minister of health, simply to make sure that the Machima faction can maintain their slice of economic pie. They are not serious about solving the country problems.

Chris, in the context of corrupted Thailand, I think a Troyskyist will help get rid of corruption. By the way, Tryoskyist is so common in England and Europe, so why can’t it be in Thailand. Look at China for example, communism has made the country transforms to a market economy.

Srithanonchai, Giles Ji is accepted by the south, the north, the northeast, and Bangkok. It’s not an opinion, it’s the fact.

Lastly, Wachiralongkorn prefers to live in Germany, I think it’s good for him and also for the majority of Thai people. His family is the richest family in the world, he wants a comfortable life there and they can afford it. He’s very alienated and also not interested in developing country’s problems, Germany would be a good option for him.

I think violent conflicts occurred in Malaysia because there is imbalance of power. When there is balance of power, the chance of violent conflicts will be reduced. At the same time, the State should impose high costs for racial conflicts.

1. The Chinese Christian should make themselves strong i.e. learn martial arts, know how to use weapons, walk in group and carries some small personal things for self defense. When you are stronger and organized, the other side will unlikely dare to attack you. Peace only comes when you are strong. For example, Singapore is very strong, Malaysia wouldn’t dare to attack. Likewise, if the Chinese in Malaysia make themselves strong and organized, peace will break out.
That’s how people in Europe and the U.S. live, no one dares to touch another person because each person is strong and ready for self- defense.

2. The U.S. officials recognize the seriousness of racial conflict between white American and African American, so the law was promulgated that the penalty of racial conflict will be double. If the fight is racially motivated, the fine will be double. In short, instead of 5 years jail time, it will be 10 years instead.

So if the civil society becomes strong and the State implements preventive measures, the chance of violent conflict will not happen. Be prepare otherwise tragedy will occur.