Perfect opportunity for web-based conference platform. This would allow much broader participation, especially among poorer students in the provinces (of which I have personally taught thousands). These people are always overlooked and they are the ones who would benefit most from being drawn into international events of high intellectual caliber. One could have multiple real physical meeting sights in different places too. 🙂
For a country with weird judicial system based on bribery and connections, this is just another farce by the Indonesia government.
Also, for a country who is willing to hand out death sentence or castration as punishment for drugs, murder and violence, on whatever basis they argue for during the event of the crime, doesn’t anyone find it weird that all form of corrupter has no proper punishment for them?
Countless of high profile corrupter have probably escaped the radar after being caught and “sentenced” (read as let go). Incidents such as the lobbying, Freeport and even the Panama Paper (which has been conveniently deleted from wiki page), have been covered up or hushed up.
All in all, this is just a farce and a diversion game from the government and not to be taken seriously (the so called punishment). Unless a firm and consistent stance of Judicial system is adopted in Indonesia, nothing will change, ever.
I am puzzled at the suggestion to meet in Melbourne rather than Chiang Mai where the University president is a junta supporter. For years Chiang Mai was a hotbed of activism against the Burmese military dictatorship. Surely venues for these conferences would be preferable and help strengthen moves underway against dictatorship in Burma?
PAS Chief Hadi Awang has been trying to outlaw Mak Yong as “Un-Islamic” and Haram. If Hudud laws are instituted, for sure Mak Yong will be outlawed, as will other indigenous pre-Islamic Malay practices. I have studied Mak Yong and lived in Malaysia, most of my life, and I can assure with the current trend, Mak Yong like Wau and other customs (not just in Kelantan) will become anthropological paradigms, as they will be beholden to larger political and religious paradigm, ones that in Malaysia, are ruining the nation and desecrating its multiculturalism and making a mockery of Malaysian dignity. Bomoh in expensive Swiss suits and Hermes ties is the future of Malaysia, as is more abandoned female Malay babies in suitcases in traffic or by the side of the road. Everyone wants a seat at the table, but no one wants to serve. Mak Yong is about serving the people; it is about harmony and respect for nature; it is about the aesthetics of a culture once so rich in oral tradition, dance, art, philosophy and dignity, now reduced to the basest and most repugnant form of cultural hedonism and narcissism, diametrically opposite the very concept of Mak Yong. Twenty years from now, Malaysians and foreigners will be whining again about lost art. My response will be: “Where were you in 2016” ?
Jon the recent Philippine elections could have turned up worse … but just by nose … Bongbong Marcos lost the Vice-Presidential votes! Imagine a Duterte-Marcos regime Jon, that would have been real murrrrder ….
Brighten up Jon. Six years from now, it will be PacMan’s (Pacquiao) to be President of the Republic of the Philippines.
I have great respect toward Prof. Thongchai and I share his concerns about the future of this country. However, a boycott of scholarly conferences in Thailand will hardly help me, my graduate students, and other Thai Studies specialists who cannot afford to go to places like Australia. I think the best way to proceed is to make sure that contributions are tuly scholarly and sophisticated–and if any contributions DO appear to be “censored” (and how would you really know?), then simply hold a follow-up conference elsewhere and/or post the seemingly “banned” papers on the web so we can all read them. Just a thought. Dr. Edwin Zehner, Lecturer, Ph.D. Program in Asian Studies, School of Liberal Arts, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, THAILAND
Critical scholarly discourse in and about Thailand is far from dead in this country. In the past seven days I have sat in a class and in a conference panel where references to recent political events were freely made to illustrate points of social and political theory. One can also point to the very publicly critical works and op-ed pieces of John Draper, Paul Chambers, and David Streckfuss, all of whom live and work in Thailand. On the matter of the Deep South, one can also point to the recent writings of Muhahammadayub (spelling?) Pathan, Don Pathan, and Ramadan Panjor, and others associated with the Deep South Watch and other academic and activist organisations based in the Southern Three Provinces. And, in Thai, there is the still-pointed work of people like Nidhi Iaosriwong (or however he spells his name these days), Anusorn Unno of Thammsat’s Anthropology Department, and many others.
Working in Thailand as a jobless academic without any income on two highly critical papers on the Meechai constitution and the PDRC, which I plan to present at the ICTS and ICAS, I can only say that I feel extremely uncomfortable.
Talk about a voice crying in the wilderness! Thongchai is adopting precisely the right approach to this issue. If we all followed the naysayers who tell us there’s no point we might as well pack up and go home now.
What is more the approach should be extended to other areas. Pressure should be exerted on trade conferences. Uncritical performances by celebrities such as Madonna, Santana and Elton John should be challenged. Steven Seagal setting up a film company in Thailand is another example as is the presence of sporting personalities such as Nadal and Djokovic.
Are we really prepared to sit back and say “Business as Usual”?
There was an online campaign against the holding last October in Bangkok of the One Young World Summit. The summit was not prevented but more than a few feathers were ruffled and some very productive alliances were made.
what’s the point? when I called for a boycott in 2007 who listened? And when I called for a boycott in 2011, who listened?
Thai Studies conference in Melbourne
BY NICHOLAS FARRELLY – 4 MAY 2011
POSTED IN: CONFERENCES, THAILAND
Posted Jim Taylor May 4, 2011 at 1:28 PM
what’s the point when all opposition are harassed, imprisoned and critical voices against the falangist regime silenced (permanently or temporarily)? Is this a cynical international exercise like the Ambassdor’s sojourns around Australian campuses to give academic credibility to the ruling amaat regime? Participation must be free to all. If people are under threat in Thailand right now why should we support the appearance of liberal democracy on Australian campuses hosted by the representatives of the repressive and duplicitous Thai regime?
REPLY
Andrew Walker
Posted May 4, 2011 at 5:48 PM
I will certainly be submitting a paper for consideration, and I encourage other New Mandala readers to do so too. The more discussion we can have on Thailand here in Australia the better. Melbourne is a perfect place for a conference! AW
“. . . there is more more deAth, not depth, to who DuMuerte, was, is, will be” . . . probably what Mish Khan meant to convey.
The extra-judicial police sanctioned killings of drug and criminal suspects has begun, ala Thaksin, it now appears, and DuMuerte has yet to be formally inaugurated as the Philippine President. Expediency to satisfy mob-like thirst for blood means death to lots of innnocents in the Philippines, and, death to the Phillipine constitution … death to Philippine democracy.
[…] Thongchai Winichakul has a post at New Mandala asking questions about three academic conferences to be held in Thailand in 2017 and using the word “boycott.” Clipped from his post, these are: […]
Indonesia should first work out how to manage an evidence based prosecution and court system. The laws and punishment in existence are an adequate deterrent as far as such things can be deterred.
A cleaner was beaten to death in front of his 6 workmates by police, who subsequently confessed to pack raping a 7 year old in a high security international school. The scientific evidence against a crime was overwhelming, yet the cleaners were convicted and the child’s mother lodged a $US125 law suit against the school.Trial by media was a major contribution to the result. Now you want to castrate the men (and woman) accused of this crime, even though NGOs are actively fighting the verdict.
The fear is that this sort of brutal punishment draws attention from the structural problems in the legal system by leveraging populist sentiment for political purposes. A scion of the elite can kill ten people in a drug fueled road accident and walk free, while a low social class cleaner is caught in a scam to extort money, locked up for 10 years and castrated on no evidence.
In Malaysia, one is an immigrant even if you are born in Malaysia to Chinese or Indian parents, which the government considers as non-Bumiputeras and thus not entitled to the Special Privileges the Malays are entitled to. Perhaps Myanmar can adopt this approach.
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Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
Perfect opportunity for web-based conference platform. This would allow much broader participation, especially among poorer students in the provinces (of which I have personally taught thousands). These people are always overlooked and they are the ones who would benefit most from being drawn into international events of high intellectual caliber. One could have multiple real physical meeting sights in different places too. 🙂
The cost of castration in Indonesia
Totally agree.
For a country with weird judicial system based on bribery and connections, this is just another farce by the Indonesia government.
Also, for a country who is willing to hand out death sentence or castration as punishment for drugs, murder and violence, on whatever basis they argue for during the event of the crime, doesn’t anyone find it weird that all form of corrupter has no proper punishment for them?
Countless of high profile corrupter have probably escaped the radar after being caught and “sentenced” (read as let go). Incidents such as the lobbying, Freeport and even the Panama Paper (which has been conveniently deleted from wiki page), have been covered up or hushed up.
All in all, this is just a farce and a diversion game from the government and not to be taken seriously (the so called punishment). Unless a firm and consistent stance of Judicial system is adopted in Indonesia, nothing will change, ever.
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
I am puzzled at the suggestion to meet in Melbourne rather than Chiang Mai where the University president is a junta supporter. For years Chiang Mai was a hotbed of activism against the Burmese military dictatorship. Surely venues for these conferences would be preferable and help strengthen moves underway against dictatorship in Burma?
Mak Yong in May: Sembah Guru
PAS Chief Hadi Awang has been trying to outlaw Mak Yong as “Un-Islamic” and Haram. If Hudud laws are instituted, for sure Mak Yong will be outlawed, as will other indigenous pre-Islamic Malay practices. I have studied Mak Yong and lived in Malaysia, most of my life, and I can assure with the current trend, Mak Yong like Wau and other customs (not just in Kelantan) will become anthropological paradigms, as they will be beholden to larger political and religious paradigm, ones that in Malaysia, are ruining the nation and desecrating its multiculturalism and making a mockery of Malaysian dignity. Bomoh in expensive Swiss suits and Hermes ties is the future of Malaysia, as is more abandoned female Malay babies in suitcases in traffic or by the side of the road. Everyone wants a seat at the table, but no one wants to serve. Mak Yong is about serving the people; it is about harmony and respect for nature; it is about the aesthetics of a culture once so rich in oral tradition, dance, art, philosophy and dignity, now reduced to the basest and most repugnant form of cultural hedonism and narcissism, diametrically opposite the very concept of Mak Yong. Twenty years from now, Malaysians and foreigners will be whining again about lost art. My response will be: “Where were you in 2016” ?
How to introduce Duterte in Southeast Asia
Jon the recent Philippine elections could have turned up worse … but just by nose … Bongbong Marcos lost the Vice-Presidential votes! Imagine a Duterte-Marcos regime Jon, that would have been real murrrrder ….
Brighten up Jon. Six years from now, it will be PacMan’s (Pacquiao) to be President of the Republic of the Philippines.
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
I have great respect toward Prof. Thongchai and I share his concerns about the future of this country. However, a boycott of scholarly conferences in Thailand will hardly help me, my graduate students, and other Thai Studies specialists who cannot afford to go to places like Australia. I think the best way to proceed is to make sure that contributions are tuly scholarly and sophisticated–and if any contributions DO appear to be “censored” (and how would you really know?), then simply hold a follow-up conference elsewhere and/or post the seemingly “banned” papers on the web so we can all read them. Just a thought. Dr. Edwin Zehner, Lecturer, Ph.D. Program in Asian Studies, School of Liberal Arts, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, THAILAND
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
Critical scholarly discourse in and about Thailand is far from dead in this country. In the past seven days I have sat in a class and in a conference panel where references to recent political events were freely made to illustrate points of social and political theory. One can also point to the very publicly critical works and op-ed pieces of John Draper, Paul Chambers, and David Streckfuss, all of whom live and work in Thailand. On the matter of the Deep South, one can also point to the recent writings of Muhahammadayub (spelling?) Pathan, Don Pathan, and Ramadan Panjor, and others associated with the Deep South Watch and other academic and activist organisations based in the Southern Three Provinces. And, in Thai, there is the still-pointed work of people like Nidhi Iaosriwong (or however he spells his name these days), Anusorn Unno of Thammsat’s Anthropology Department, and many others.
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
You repeatedly post this “80% approve of the junta” statement and refuse to cite a source.
Banharn and Suphan: the end of an era
Sure.
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
Working in Thailand as a jobless academic without any income on two highly critical papers on the Meechai constitution and the PDRC, which I plan to present at the ICTS and ICAS, I can only say that I feel extremely uncomfortable.
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
Do you have a reliable source for your figure of “80%”?
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
Talk about a voice crying in the wilderness! Thongchai is adopting precisely the right approach to this issue. If we all followed the naysayers who tell us there’s no point we might as well pack up and go home now.
What is more the approach should be extended to other areas. Pressure should be exerted on trade conferences. Uncritical performances by celebrities such as Madonna, Santana and Elton John should be challenged. Steven Seagal setting up a film company in Thailand is another example as is the presence of sporting personalities such as Nadal and Djokovic.
Are we really prepared to sit back and say “Business as Usual”?
There was an online campaign against the holding last October in Bangkok of the One Young World Summit. The summit was not prevented but more than a few feathers were ruffled and some very productive alliances were made.
Ghosts in the forest
[…] Traduction : Michelle Boileau Source Corinne Purtill / New Mandala : Ghosts in the Forest […]
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
When considering your participation, bear in mind that
1. 80% of Thais support the current government and its policies Vs. a high 44% support for either of the corrupt and incompetent ‘democratic’ parties.
2. No country has ever developed under a democracy and Thailand is a developing nation.
3. Both the USA, the UK and Australia are oligarchies that allow voting – nothing more.
Banharn and Suphan: the end of an era
Did anyone else notice the Mercedes Police car?
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
what’s the point? when I called for a boycott in 2007 who listened? And when I called for a boycott in 2011, who listened?
Thai Studies conference in Melbourne
BY NICHOLAS FARRELLY – 4 MAY 2011
POSTED IN: CONFERENCES, THAILAND
Posted Jim Taylor May 4, 2011 at 1:28 PM
what’s the point when all opposition are harassed, imprisoned and critical voices against the falangist regime silenced (permanently or temporarily)? Is this a cynical international exercise like the Ambassdor’s sojourns around Australian campuses to give academic credibility to the ruling amaat regime? Participation must be free to all. If people are under threat in Thailand right now why should we support the appearance of liberal democracy on Australian campuses hosted by the representatives of the repressive and duplicitous Thai regime?
REPLY
Andrew Walker
Posted May 4, 2011 at 5:48 PM
I will certainly be submitting a paper for consideration, and I encourage other New Mandala readers to do so too. The more discussion we can have on Thailand here in Australia the better. Melbourne is a perfect place for a conference! AW
so who is going to listen?
How to introduce Duterte in Southeast Asia
“. . . there is more more deAth, not depth, to who DuMuerte, was, is, will be” . . . probably what Mish Khan meant to convey.
The extra-judicial police sanctioned killings of drug and criminal suspects has begun, ala Thaksin, it now appears, and DuMuerte has yet to be formally inaugurated as the Philippine President. Expediency to satisfy mob-like thirst for blood means death to lots of innnocents in the Philippines, and, death to the Phillipine constitution … death to Philippine democracy.
Questions about international conferences in Thailand in 2017
[…] Thongchai Winichakul has a post at New Mandala asking questions about three academic conferences to be held in Thailand in 2017 and using the word “boycott.” Clipped from his post, these are: […]
The cost of castration in Indonesia
Indonesia should first work out how to manage an evidence based prosecution and court system. The laws and punishment in existence are an adequate deterrent as far as such things can be deterred.
A cleaner was beaten to death in front of his 6 workmates by police, who subsequently confessed to pack raping a 7 year old in a high security international school. The scientific evidence against a crime was overwhelming, yet the cleaners were convicted and the child’s mother lodged a $US125 law suit against the school.Trial by media was a major contribution to the result. Now you want to castrate the men (and woman) accused of this crime, even though NGOs are actively fighting the verdict.
The fear is that this sort of brutal punishment draws attention from the structural problems in the legal system by leveraging populist sentiment for political purposes. A scion of the elite can kill ten people in a drug fueled road accident and walk free, while a low social class cleaner is caught in a scam to extort money, locked up for 10 years and castrated on no evidence.
Should ethnicity be reconsidered?
In Malaysia, one is an immigrant even if you are born in Malaysia to Chinese or Indian parents, which the government considers as non-Bumiputeras and thus not entitled to the Special Privileges the Malays are entitled to. Perhaps Myanmar can adopt this approach.