“One media owner said his monthly business magazine had profits of about US$2,000 an issue, while an affiliated news journal made US$700-US$1,000 a week. It may be measly by world standards but a princely sum in a country where the average government servant earns US$15 a month.”
When I was a boy soldier in the Burmese Army in the early seventies, for a princely sum of US$ 5 a month (exactly 126 Kyats then) I was willing to kill and ready to get killed on the brutal front-line for the army and the country against the Chinese South-Western Army and the ethnic rebels.
Now I am earning that amount in less than a ten minute time here in Australia, while an average Burmese boy soldier is still toiling with his dear life on the battlefield for same US$ 5 (about 5,000 Kyats now) a month salary.
No surprise these thousands of Sirilankan and Burmese boat people have been desperately risking their lives in riding sinking ships to get here prompto.
What the heck is Kasit talking about? I read The Times interview transcript in full and can find no insulting comments about the monarchy. Is there something there “in code” that only the Thais can understand? The Bangkok Post has an online poll in which something like 72% have voted that Thaksin has betrayed his country by becoming an economic adviser to Cambodia. Exactly why is this not allowed? This kind of stirring up of nationalist sentiment scares me, as it appears this “get Thaksin at any cost” beating of the drums will only lead to more looney behavior and possibly more hostilities with Cambodia. I don’t see any willingness on either side to back down, except for PTT with their 50% ownership in the Cambodian petrol distribution network!
Kasit supported Thaksin when he’s in power and turned against him when he’s ousted. Kasit also led the yellow shirted mob to seize the international and domestic airports. Aphisit dodged the draft, yet he’s declaring hostility against Cambodia. Majority of Thais did not choose these two persons. Thais have no channels to voice the concerns that affected their lives. Thais can’t we talk openly about the institution that involves with public affairs. We all know that where there’s an oppression, there’s a struggle against that. Kasit and Aphisit have been causing conflicts both inside Thailand and neighboring countries. Why do we continue to allow Kasit and Aphisit to manipulate the situation?
Chris Beale: “Only problem with this poll ? = NO Isaarn opinion !”
As the excellent Siam Report describes* in detail, there’s a far bigger problem with this poll. Not reported by The Nation and Bangkok Post (and, presumably, most if not all Thai-language media) are the questions asked – and, crucially, the order in which they were asked:
Q 1: Do you know about Hun Sen’s interview in which he attacked the fairness of the Thai judicial system?
Q 2: Do you support the Abhisit government?
Asking the first question sets up the respondents for the second one – it’s a very familiar device and known in the trade as a “push” question. The second question was also asked in a poll on 19 September – but without the Hun Sen question being put first (of course not – Hun Sen hadn’t said anything at that point). In September, an overall 23.3% said “yes” (they did support the Abhisit government). The 6 November overall figure for those saying “yes” to the same question is 68.6%. That’s an astonishing jump – but only if you ignore the Hun Sen question being asked first (81.1% saying they did know about it)……… which entirely predictably turns the Abhisit support question into an Abhisit v. Hun Sen (effectively Thailand v. Cambodia) popularity/loyalty contest. Perhaps the only surprise is that the pro-Abhisit (v. Hun Sen) vote isn’t much, much higher……..
Lies, damned lies, statistics – and opinion polls with very dodgy methodology.
It is really amazing that Ko Kyaw Kyaw will meander about describing past SPDC behavior and mentioning the change in attitude of SPDC , in such negative light.
Hmm “a well-directed bottle of black label whisky” …
Move on we must to make the west realize the grave injustice against the citizenry in their zeal to made SPDC ‘pay’ for the robbing of 1988 legitimacy.
If this video do not show “how far this sanctions approach” to change junta’s mind has impoverish the citizenry, not the junta at all, then the west will bear the responsibility of creating a permanent underclass that is easily exploitable by the like of SPDC.
As it is here in their western host country those who were once persecuted by the junta will unknowingly wish a similar fate on their own with present policies advocated by some utterly irresponsible academics is beyond reason.
The west must uncouple unconditionally education and healthcare from any politics.
Any one who grew up in Myanmar will know well the Education offered is not exactly beyond reading and writing. Under Ne Win Myanmar use to claim 90%+ literacy rate. That was then. Ever since the west decided to get involve actively against the present de facto government self serving entity outside has grown to such extend there are orgs specialized in shutting down any involvement in Education and health care. BEW type of blog typify self serving approach that where one make a name for oneself bash_A_Junta approach.
SPDC and the citizenry of Myanmar are both the victims of these kind of inconsiderate at best unrepentant at worst approach.
That being said SPDC and it historic ilk bear the responsibility of degrading the Q & Q of present system by repeatedly closing and moving institutions. Censoring selective parts of education while promoting what suit them.
If not for the private for profit endeavor called “Tuition”. Supplementing what is lacking the Burmese will be worst off.
The west should take note of “the ordinary Burmese thirst for knowledge” and separate education and healthcare assistance from any other politics.
An educated healthier society is a must no matter who rule.
I don’t suppose anyone has considered the issues of consanguinity and polygamy?
Monarchies throughout history have wrestled with this problem.
Some of the attributed excesses considered unciwilai today were accepted in the time of King RamaV. It was Chulalongkorns concern about the views of western powers of the “civilised” development of Thais that started the adaptation of western “manners” What Thais now mutter and gossip about pruriently was previously acceptable (and understandable) behaviour at court.
The royal families of Europe are notable for their consanguinity and distaff offspring and it is only the christian morality ethic that binds them tiresonely to monogamy.
In fact monogamy and consanguinuity is not a healthy lifestyle as history has shown vis Hapsburgs/Romanovs & Saxe- Coburgs.
Severeal events could be the trigger which tears Thailand apart.
One of these is the election of a government in any way allied to PAD.
PAD’s formula of disenfranchising 50% of the population is a sure-fire recipe for all-out civil war. There is no way the 50% who stand to lose their vote, will accept that without a major fight. Furthermore, we can already see where the PAD is taking Thailand with the fact of the assassination attempt on Sondhi.
If you think that was bad – just see what happens if he gets within an inch of being in government.
Actually Ralph – Handley says a lot more !
But what a stir Thaksin seems to have created by praising the Crown Prince. Should n’t the entire Thai Cabinet, especially Abhisit and Kasit, now be charged with lese majeste for
disrespect to the Crown Prince – when it is quite obvious was doing nothing but heaping praise on His Royal Highness ?
This is the foolish fuse the Democrats are lighting.
As a Thai, I’m ashamed seeing some my fellow Thai are credulous and too easy to ‘panic’ to the news.
One reason that I found, they are under media controlled especially from the Nation, and ASTV.
Both stations have some competition. The Nation is selling its share to public but the major shareholder, from “the Chungrungruangkijs” family (was in Thaksin’s cabinet) is not holding the major stake anymore. The Nation then has to spread its reporter to another TV stations.
This news was twisted by ASTV. Many Thai who already hate Thaksin, would be angrier without considering the whole context.
They are blindly accusing someone they hate, and they call it’s patriotic.
Good interview with a truly great Thai.
But it’s a pity she was not asked how real she thought the danger was that “Thailand” is on the way to breaking-up, disintegrating. This seems to me the very real, fundamental question which very few dare ask. How much is the country going back to some kind of looser, Siamese federalism ?
Or total break-up ?
It seems to me the regional and class divisions are now so great – and alm0st insurmountable. But of course nobody in
Bangkok’s elite – not even in academic / activist circles – wants to face this. For whatever reasons.
Is this hysteria due to fear that Thaksin is gaining the upper hand ?
Is he cynically goading the now very old “Palace circles” into a blind fury of massive over-reaction ?
This is certainly not going to be a repeat of 1976.
Is the PM who followed 1976 still a Privy Councillor ?
Should n’t such gentlemen be asked to retire – before their over-reaction totally splits Thailand apart ?
Burmese are a people of contradictions. Average Burmese is capable of extreme violence at the same time extremely hungry for the knowledge they don’t already possess.
No book or magazine is ever thrown away till it is read into bits in so many hands. Burma is probably the only country in the world where a large-scale industry of book-hiring and repeated-reselling has totally replaced the non-existence public library system.
You can buy a twenty-year-old or even brand-new Readers Digest or Times or Newsweek from a street shop in Rangoon and after thoroughly reading it you can resell it to the same shop with a small profit.
Or you can walk into any book-hiring shop easily found on many street corners and rent a book for a few days or overnight for a small daily fees, and of-course a refundable deposit if you are a complete stranger to the shop owner.
As a Burmese I am proud to state that despite many herculean efforts by Aung San and U Nu’s AFPFL, then Ne Win’s BSPP, and later the Army to violently suppress the freedom of speech and press the insatiable thirst for knowledge is still well alive among the people of Burma for all these long years of literary oppression.
Interesting to read the comments in The Times to Lloyd-Parry’s article at least those from obviously Thai readers.Ignoring the generally execrable English (which is obviously forgivable), one is struck not only by the ferocity and intellectual incoherence of most of them but particularly the fanatical attachment to the “peculiar institution”, to use a possibly useful euphemism borrowed from the United States.
I’m assuming this response is an ASTV organised one but perhaps it’s not.I suppose there could be hordes of Thai- Chinese urbanites who routinely turn to the Times web edition for edification and enlightenment.
Pasuk, as other academics get confused between policy and practice, and for that matter the real distribution of power in Thailand; quoting Thaksin “violent way he approached the drug problem and the southern problem. Many people, including me, would like to see him being put on trial on these issues…” OK, so what about the military that as we now know he had little power to control (other than dissolving sor-or-por-tor in the south) and have to account for the outcome that everyone seems so concerned about highlighting? As Head of GOV he should shoulder some blame, as indeed any Head of GOV, but how much of events in Thailand could he actually control? Evn as “CEO” he had to listen to advice; and as CEO he may have been, but geez, Pasuk should know who really holds power to make things happen in Thailand. Or how about the breach of human rights by the current unelected fascist regime? If you want to apply standards then these should be applied across the board.
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The state of Myanmar media
“One media owner said his monthly business magazine had profits of about US$2,000 an issue, while an affiliated news journal made US$700-US$1,000 a week. It may be measly by world standards but a princely sum in a country where the average government servant earns US$15 a month.”
When I was a boy soldier in the Burmese Army in the early seventies, for a princely sum of US$ 5 a month (exactly 126 Kyats then) I was willing to kill and ready to get killed on the brutal front-line for the army and the country against the Chinese South-Western Army and the ethnic rebels.
Now I am earning that amount in less than a ten minute time here in Australia, while an average Burmese boy soldier is still toiling with his dear life on the battlefield for same US$ 5 (about 5,000 Kyats now) a month salary.
No surprise these thousands of Sirilankan and Burmese boat people have been desperately risking their lives in riding sinking ships to get here prompto.
The core pillar
What the heck is Kasit talking about? I read The Times interview transcript in full and can find no insulting comments about the monarchy. Is there something there “in code” that only the Thais can understand? The Bangkok Post has an online poll in which something like 72% have voted that Thaksin has betrayed his country by becoming an economic adviser to Cambodia. Exactly why is this not allowed? This kind of stirring up of nationalist sentiment scares me, as it appears this “get Thaksin at any cost” beating of the drums will only lead to more looney behavior and possibly more hostilities with Cambodia. I don’t see any willingness on either side to back down, except for PTT with their 50% ownership in the Cambodian petrol distribution network!
The core pillar
Kasit supported Thaksin when he’s in power and turned against him when he’s ousted. Kasit also led the yellow shirted mob to seize the international and domestic airports. Aphisit dodged the draft, yet he’s declaring hostility against Cambodia. Majority of Thais did not choose these two persons. Thais have no channels to voice the concerns that affected their lives. Thais can’t we talk openly about the institution that involves with public affairs. We all know that where there’s an oppression, there’s a struggle against that. Kasit and Aphisit have been causing conflicts both inside Thailand and neighboring countries. Why do we continue to allow Kasit and Aphisit to manipulate the situation?
Commentary on Thailand’s Crown Prince
Chris Beale: “Only problem with this poll ? = NO Isaarn opinion !”
As the excellent Siam Report describes* in detail, there’s a far bigger problem with this poll. Not reported by The Nation and Bangkok Post (and, presumably, most if not all Thai-language media) are the questions asked – and, crucially, the order in which they were asked:
Q 1: Do you know about Hun Sen’s interview in which he attacked the fairness of the Thai judicial system?
Q 2: Do you support the Abhisit government?
Asking the first question sets up the respondents for the second one – it’s a very familiar device and known in the trade as a “push” question. The second question was also asked in a poll on 19 September – but without the Hun Sen question being put first (of course not – Hun Sen hadn’t said anything at that point). In September, an overall 23.3% said “yes” (they did support the Abhisit government). The 6 November overall figure for those saying “yes” to the same question is 68.6%. That’s an astonishing jump – but only if you ignore the Hun Sen question being asked first (81.1% saying they did know about it)……… which entirely predictably turns the Abhisit support question into an Abhisit v. Hun Sen (effectively Thailand v. Cambodia) popularity/loyalty contest. Perhaps the only surprise is that the pro-Abhisit (v. Hun Sen) vote isn’t much, much higher……..
Lies, damned lies, statistics – and opinion polls with very dodgy methodology.
*http://siamreport.blogspot.com/2009/11/abhisits-popularity-jumps-30.html
Commentary on Thailand’s Crown Prince
So tell me what more Handley says about Duntroon Chris. My copy only has 3-4 references listed in the index. Is the index inaccurate?
The state of Myanmar media
It is really amazing that Ko Kyaw Kyaw will meander about describing past SPDC behavior and mentioning the change in attitude of SPDC , in such negative light.
Hmm “a well-directed bottle of black label whisky” …
Burmese hunger for knowledge
Hla Oo
Move on we must to make the west realize the grave injustice against the citizenry in their zeal to made SPDC ‘pay’ for the robbing of 1988 legitimacy.
If this video do not show “how far this sanctions approach” to change junta’s mind has impoverish the citizenry, not the junta at all, then the west will bear the responsibility of creating a permanent underclass that is easily exploitable by the like of SPDC.
As it is here in their western host country those who were once persecuted by the junta will unknowingly wish a similar fate on their own with present policies advocated by some utterly irresponsible academics is beyond reason.
The west must uncouple unconditionally education and healthcare from any politics.
Burmese hunger for knowledge
Any one who grew up in Myanmar will know well the Education offered is not exactly beyond reading and writing. Under Ne Win Myanmar use to claim 90%+ literacy rate. That was then. Ever since the west decided to get involve actively against the present de facto government self serving entity outside has grown to such extend there are orgs specialized in shutting down any involvement in Education and health care. BEW type of blog typify self serving approach that where one make a name for oneself bash_A_Junta approach.
SPDC and the citizenry of Myanmar are both the victims of these kind of inconsiderate at best unrepentant at worst approach.
That being said SPDC and it historic ilk bear the responsibility of degrading the Q & Q of present system by repeatedly closing and moving institutions. Censoring selective parts of education while promoting what suit them.
If not for the private for profit endeavor called “Tuition”. Supplementing what is lacking the Burmese will be worst off.
The west should take note of “the ordinary Burmese thirst for knowledge” and separate education and healthcare assistance from any other politics.
An educated healthier society is a must no matter who rule.
Commentary on Thailand’s Crown Prince
I don’t suppose anyone has considered the issues of consanguinity and polygamy?
Monarchies throughout history have wrestled with this problem.
Some of the attributed excesses considered unciwilai today were accepted in the time of King RamaV. It was Chulalongkorns concern about the views of western powers of the “civilised” development of Thais that started the adaptation of western “manners” What Thais now mutter and gossip about pruriently was previously acceptable (and understandable) behaviour at court.
The royal families of Europe are notable for their consanguinity and distaff offspring and it is only the christian morality ethic that binds them tiresonely to monogamy.
In fact monogamy and consanguinuity is not a healthy lifestyle as history has shown vis Hapsburgs/Romanovs & Saxe- Coburgs.
Webcast on McCargo’s Tearing the Land Apart
Is there a transcript of the webcast available somewhere?
Sondhi Limthongkul takes the helm of the New Politics Party
Severeal events could be the trigger which tears Thailand apart.
One of these is the election of a government in any way allied to PAD.
PAD’s formula of disenfranchising 50% of the population is a sure-fire recipe for all-out civil war. There is no way the 50% who stand to lose their vote, will accept that without a major fight. Furthermore, we can already see where the PAD is taking Thailand with the fact of the assassination attempt on Sondhi.
If you think that was bad – just see what happens if he gets within an inch of being in government.
Commentary on Thailand’s Crown Prince
Actually Ralph – Handley says a lot more !
But what a stir Thaksin seems to have created by praising the Crown Prince. Should n’t the entire Thai Cabinet, especially Abhisit and Kasit, now be charged with lese majeste for
disrespect to the Crown Prince – when it is quite obvious was doing nothing but heaping praise on His Royal Highness ?
This is the foolish fuse the Democrats are lighting.
Thaksin on Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn
As a Thai, I’m ashamed seeing some my fellow Thai are credulous and too easy to ‘panic’ to the news.
One reason that I found, they are under media controlled especially from the Nation, and ASTV.
Both stations have some competition. The Nation is selling its share to public but the major shareholder, from “the Chungrungruangkijs” family (was in Thaksin’s cabinet) is not holding the major stake anymore. The Nation then has to spread its reporter to another TV stations.
This news was twisted by ASTV. Many Thai who already hate Thaksin, would be angrier without considering the whole context.
They are blindly accusing someone they hate, and they call it’s patriotic.
“One missionary plus one Ford equals three missionaries”
Harley Davidson’s were much preferred in Naga Hills….
Interview with Professor Pasuk Phongpaichit
Good interview with a truly great Thai.
But it’s a pity she was not asked how real she thought the danger was that “Thailand” is on the way to breaking-up, disintegrating. This seems to me the very real, fundamental question which very few dare ask. How much is the country going back to some kind of looser, Siamese federalism ?
Or total break-up ?
It seems to me the regional and class divisions are now so great – and alm0st insurmountable. But of course nobody in
Bangkok’s elite – not even in academic / activist circles – wants to face this. For whatever reasons.
Thaksin on Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn
Is this hysteria due to fear that Thaksin is gaining the upper hand ?
Is he cynically goading the now very old “Palace circles” into a blind fury of massive over-reaction ?
This is certainly not going to be a repeat of 1976.
Is the PM who followed 1976 still a Privy Councillor ?
Should n’t such gentlemen be asked to retire – before their over-reaction totally splits Thailand apart ?
Burmese hunger for knowledge
Burmese are a people of contradictions. Average Burmese is capable of extreme violence at the same time extremely hungry for the knowledge they don’t already possess.
No book or magazine is ever thrown away till it is read into bits in so many hands. Burma is probably the only country in the world where a large-scale industry of book-hiring and repeated-reselling has totally replaced the non-existence public library system.
You can buy a twenty-year-old or even brand-new Readers Digest or Times or Newsweek from a street shop in Rangoon and after thoroughly reading it you can resell it to the same shop with a small profit.
Or you can walk into any book-hiring shop easily found on many street corners and rent a book for a few days or overnight for a small daily fees, and of-course a refundable deposit if you are a complete stranger to the shop owner.
As a Burmese I am proud to state that despite many herculean efforts by Aung San and U Nu’s AFPFL, then Ne Win’s BSPP, and later the Army to violently suppress the freedom of speech and press the insatiable thirst for knowledge is still well alive among the people of Burma for all these long years of literary oppression.
Thaksin on Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn
Interesting to read the comments in The Times to Lloyd-Parry’s article at least those from obviously Thai readers.Ignoring the generally execrable English (which is obviously forgivable), one is struck not only by the ferocity and intellectual incoherence of most of them but particularly the fanatical attachment to the “peculiar institution”, to use a possibly useful euphemism borrowed from the United States.
I’m assuming this response is an ASTV organised one but perhaps it’s not.I suppose there could be hordes of Thai- Chinese urbanites who routinely turn to the Times web edition for edification and enlightenment.
Interview with Professor Pasuk Phongpaichit
Pasuk, as other academics get confused between policy and practice, and for that matter the real distribution of power in Thailand; quoting Thaksin “violent way he approached the drug problem and the southern problem. Many people, including me, would like to see him being put on trial on these issues…” OK, so what about the military that as we now know he had little power to control (other than dissolving sor-or-por-tor in the south) and have to account for the outcome that everyone seems so concerned about highlighting? As Head of GOV he should shoulder some blame, as indeed any Head of GOV, but how much of events in Thailand could he actually control? Evn as “CEO” he had to listen to advice; and as CEO he may have been, but geez, Pasuk should know who really holds power to make things happen in Thailand. Or how about the breach of human rights by the current unelected fascist regime? If you want to apply standards then these should be applied across the board.
The Devil’s Discus – in Thai
There was never an official ban of Stevenson’s book, written as it was, with unprecedented Royal cooperation and access.
However, the book was also never officially acknowledged by the Palace.
At the time of its publication, booksellers were wary of carrying any book about the monarchy so The Revolutionary King fell through the cracks.