The fact is all these billboards which can be seen all over the country are being paid by the tax payers. While most Thais are poor and cannot even afford to pay for their food and a proper education, all these propaganda appear to be going on for the last 60 years. If all of these expenses are being recorded, I am sure we can build another country with these waste. All these propaganda should exceed 10% of the Thai GDP. I am sure the Thais can do a lot more with a 10% GDP being made for just one family alone.
P.S. Suppose I’m right that it’s a violation of the law, I really have no idea who should be accountable/responsible. HMK’s “Personal Assets Manger”? Or someone else?
Nudi Samsao: The other day I happened to see the information about the stock holdings of Amarain Printing Enterprise, and lo and behold, both HM and Princess Sirndhorn were listed as stockholders! Isn’t this a kind of conflict of interest?
Actually, it’s not only ‘conflict of interest’, I believe it’s a VIOLATION of the Law! Yes, the 1948 law concerning the management of monarchy’s assets that the royalists themselves enacted. Article 5 paragraph 2 states:
In other word, the law specifically forbids mentioning or even hinting HMK in any personal commercial transaction whatsoever I believe since Sarit evern this provision has been constantly ‘overlooked’. Nowsaday we can find HMK’s name in many Stock Exchange companies, or – to take the famous case a few years ago – the “Suwannachat Shop” which he jointly invested with the CP Group.
There are two huge billboards which are prominently displayed in the Victory Monument area where I pass almost daily. One urges “peace, unity, and devotion to the Father” while the other stresses Bhumi jai Thai party’s determination to solve traffic congestion by introducing NGV buses and offering cheap rates to commuters. I was even given leaflets showing more details about the NGV buses.
To what extent Bangkokians, especially commuters, will take this party’s carrots remains to be seen but a recent survey on Abhisit govt’s performance is very disappointing. Moreover, this party’s defeat in Sakorn Nakorn by-election shows that Isan people still remember who the traitors are and decide to punish them severely. People are getting smarter and they don’t trust what the govt-controlled media are reporting daily and prefer to find their own sources of information.
It seems a bit unfair for HM and members of his family to enjoy all the privileges and yet compete in business like any ordinary Thai. The other day I happened to see the information about the stock holdings of Amarain Printing Enterprise, and lo and behold, both HM and Princess Sirndhorn were listed as stockholders! Isn’t this a kind of conflict of interest?
As Vichai N shows, this result is going to really scare a lot of people. PJT threw everything at this election. Even a couple of bombs. The military helped out and the Dems did all they could (which basically meant staying out of the area and keeping rather quiet). But for all of this they were trounced.
That could have dire consequences because they thought they had won (a redux of 2007 perhaps). What do they do now. Crack down more perhaps?
So the result does have more meaning than the throwing around of a few baht (which sems to have mainly come from PJT).
And, as an aside, I join Steve in not being able to find anything in BP that comes close to “getting wildly ecstatic at ‘Thaksin’s victory’ at Sakon Nakhon by-election.” Vichai’s yellow shirt is showing.
Thanks to Marc for this added and detailed information regarding the signs. When I saw them, back in late May, the signs were most noticeable in areas rather closer to Bangkok. I didn’t see any in the little corner of Korat where I visited. But they seem to be popping up like mushrooms now.
It seems to me that there might be another related explanation for these signs. That is that the people who protect the palace really do fear the consequences flowing from the increasing criticisms that have been aired of the monarchy and the palace’s political role as expressed in the blogosphere and in speeches from the red-shirt platform and so on. It can’t have gone unnoticed that these criticisms have had some purchase amongst groups considered loyal in the past. Just maybe the palace minders have been seriously spooked and are falling back on past strategies in order to demand loyalty.
Of course, this is a related explanation, and by no means diminishes the political points Marc discusses.
I agree, prima facie it does seem to be a very good example of how ‘reasonable consumption and living in moderation’ can reap great rewards (bearing in mind how some inherited fortunes do get squandered:)
However, frugality can only go so far, and there are other factors also worth considering, many of which were covered by Handley:
– not paying tax is a big help
– having the state pay for ceremonies also helps
– having business people fund charities to undertake proujects in your name
– having ‘help’ in times of financial/economic crises
Like LM laws, this is another area in need of reforms
(or even just allowing for discussions & asking for more transparency would be a good start – presumably no politicians are yet calling for any reforms in this area?:)
The most disturbing part of this I heard on NPR this morning. These people who are abusing are Buddhists! Do THEY REALLY THINK THAT..THE BUDDHA WOULD THINK AND DO WHAT THEY ARE DING TO THESE PEOPLE?? BECUASE OF HE DARKER COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, ECT? These people pretend to be followers of Buddha but they are not eben close. Fakes! Pathetic.
It’s all about stuffing a few baht in a few people’s pockets, and the opposition obviously didn’t pay enough. Thai politicians still have the slave-owning mentality.
Hmmmm… and this is the gentleman pushing for ‘sufficiency economics’ – “HM the King stresses that development is based on self support, reasonable consumption and living in moderation.” Ouch!
I get the feeling that BJT, Dems and EC will somehow find the ways to annul the results of this election victory.
after all, it has become sort of a professional job for EC – to disuqlify any party which is not allied with Dems. and they are pretty good at it – and each time getting better and better.
so, let’s wait and see how long it will take before the results are declared void or whatever other reason found to disqualify the elected MP.
(or if not this one – then there are many others who can be easily disqualified anytime 😉 )
daily eveining news (which are getting shorter and shorter it seems) show only sis, and once in while 1st wife (even last wife is not shown already quite for a while) – nobody else.
CP is not shown since … I don’t know how long – May 30th ?
June 23rd is tomorrow. let’s see who will conduct the ceremony which actually can’t be missed normally
I just re-read Bangkok Pundit’s two posts relating to the Sakon Nakhon by-election – looking for anything that could be rationally viewed as “wild” or “ecstatic”. As usual – plenty of detail, analysis and question-raising………but nothing that fits your imaginative description of it.
Methinks wishful thinking (aka bias) from you is more like it.
So – in the light of that – what to make of your “sidekick” comment?
I agree with Somsak. Of course, this is a deliberate red herring. They want outsiders to believe that this is not the king’s property when it clearly is. Recall also that the figure listed is only for the CPB. The individual members of the royal family have individual holdings and wealth. In addition, no one has ever added up the money and land held by the Chai Pattana foundation. On the latter, it receives considerable donations as does the crown itself. These people are loaded. By the way, for the royal news watchers, this is giving season and Sirindhorn is the one who receives the loot.
1. Why has any scholar initiate a serious studies about Phumipon’s political activities when he is the main actor in the past 60 years? Don’t you think many issues needed to be updated now that “the fact” is known. In 1948, Khuang government obviously didn’t have “the fact”, so Khuang assumed Phumipon would be like Ananda. In my opinion, Thai political studies literature reflects naivete, keeps focusing on the military, the politicians, when the main actor is Phumipon. So would it fair to say that when the axiom of assumption is wrong, we have problem not only with the approach, methodology but the epistemology as well. So how relevant are those writings in the past now that the new fact is present? With 17 coups and various turmoils, after the dust settled, only Phumipon standing there, how could Phumipon be neglected in the analysis?
2. In relation to Phumipon’s richest in the world with 30 billions dollars, the Crown Property Bureau was broke when Phumipon was crowned. Can Phumipon alone in a third world developing country like Siam be able to make 30 billions on his own without external help? Who are those external connection? It is important to know because according to Bangkok Pundit yesterday news, the new symbol of PAD is similar to Swastika symbol of Nazi Germany.
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Signs of the Thai state
The fact is all these billboards which can be seen all over the country are being paid by the tax payers. While most Thais are poor and cannot even afford to pay for their food and a proper education, all these propaganda appear to be going on for the last 60 years. If all of these expenses are being recorded, I am sure we can build another country with these waste. All these propaganda should exceed 10% of the Thai GDP. I am sure the Thais can do a lot more with a 10% GDP being made for just one family alone.
King Bhumibol’s billions
P.S. Suppose I’m right that it’s a violation of the law, I really have no idea who should be accountable/responsible. HMK’s “Personal Assets Manger”? Or someone else?
King Bhumibol’s billions
Nudi Samsao:
The other day I happened to see the information about the stock holdings of Amarain Printing Enterprise, and lo and behold, both HM and Princess Sirndhorn were listed as stockholders! Isn’t this a kind of conflict of interest?
Actually, it’s not only ‘conflict of interest’, I believe it’s a VIOLATION of the Law! Yes, the 1948 law concerning the management of monarchy’s assets that the royalists themselves enacted. Article 5 paragraph 2 states:
“…. р╣Гр╕Щр╕Бр╕гр╕Ур╕╡р╕Чр╕▒р╣Йр╕Зр╕Ыр╕зр╕Зр╣Ар╕Бр╕╡р╣Ир╕вр╕зр╕Бр╕▒р╕Ър╕Чр╕гр╕▒р╕Юр╕вр╣Мр╕кр╕┤р╕Щр╕кр╣Ир╕зр╕Щр╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕нр╕Зр╕Др╣М р╕лр╣Йр╕▓р╕бр╕бр╕┤р╣Гр╕лр╣Йр╕гр╕░р╕Ър╕╕р╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕Ыр╕гр╕бр╕▓р╕ар╕┤р╣Др╕Шр╕вр╕лр╕гр╕╖р╕нр╕Вр╣Йр╕нр╕Др╕зр╕▓р╕бр╣Гр╕Фр╣Жр╕нр╕▒р╕Щр╣Бр╕кр╕Фр╕Зр╕лр╕гр╕╖р╕нр╕нр╕Щр╕╕р╕бр╕▓р╕Щр╣Др╕Фр╣Йр╕зр╣Ир╕▓р╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕бр╕лр╕▓р╕Бр╕йр╕▒р╕Хр╕гр╕┤р╕вр╣Мр╣Ар╕Ыр╣Зр╕Щр╕Др╕╣р╣Ир╕Бр╕гр╕Ур╕╡р╕лр╕гр╕╖р╕нр╕Др╕╣р╣Ир╕Др╕зр╕▓р╕б р╣Гр╕лр╣Йр╕гр╕░р╕Ър╕╕р╣Ар╕Юр╕╡р╕вр╕Зр╕Кр╕╖р╣Ир╕нр╕Ър╕╕р╕Др╕Др╕ер╕Ьр╕╣р╣Йр╣Др╕Фр╣Йр╕гр╕▒р╕Ър╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╣Бр╕Хр╣Ир╕Зр╕Хр╕▒р╣Йр╕Зр╕Фр╕▒р╕Зр╕Бр╕ер╣Ир╕▓р╕з р╣Бр╕ер╣Йр╕зр╕Хр╣Ир╕нр╕Чр╣Йр╕▓р╕вр╕Фр╣Йр╕зр╕вр╕Др╕│р╕зр╣Ир╕▓ “р╕Ьр╕╣р╣Йр╕Ир╕▒р╕Фр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕Чр╕гр╕▒р╕Юр╕вр╣Мр╕кр╕┤р╕Щр╕кр╣Ир╕зр╕Щр╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕нр╕Зр╕Др╣М” р╣Ар╕Чр╣Ир╕▓р╕Щр╣Йр╕Щ”
In other word, the law specifically forbids mentioning or even hinting HMK in any personal commercial transaction whatsoever I believe since Sarit evern this provision has been constantly ‘overlooked’. Nowsaday we can find HMK’s name in many Stock Exchange companies, or – to take the famous case a few years ago – the “Suwannachat Shop” which he jointly invested with the CP Group.
Signs of the Thai state
There are two huge billboards which are prominently displayed in the Victory Monument area where I pass almost daily. One urges “peace, unity, and devotion to the Father” while the other stresses Bhumi jai Thai party’s determination to solve traffic congestion by introducing NGV buses and offering cheap rates to commuters. I was even given leaflets showing more details about the NGV buses.
To what extent Bangkokians, especially commuters, will take this party’s carrots remains to be seen but a recent survey on Abhisit govt’s performance is very disappointing. Moreover, this party’s defeat in Sakorn Nakorn by-election shows that Isan people still remember who the traitors are and decide to punish them severely. People are getting smarter and they don’t trust what the govt-controlled media are reporting daily and prefer to find their own sources of information.
King Bhumibol’s billions
It seems a bit unfair for HM and members of his family to enjoy all the privileges and yet compete in business like any ordinary Thai. The other day I happened to see the information about the stock holdings of Amarain Printing Enterprise, and lo and behold, both HM and Princess Sirndhorn were listed as stockholders! Isn’t this a kind of conflict of interest?
Signs of the Thai state
Certainly it is good business for billboard makers. It is also a proof that those crooks in the government really waste the people’s money.
Thaksin trounces the populists
As Vichai N shows, this result is going to really scare a lot of people. PJT threw everything at this election. Even a couple of bombs. The military helped out and the Dems did all they could (which basically meant staying out of the area and keeping rather quiet). But for all of this they were trounced.
That could have dire consequences because they thought they had won (a redux of 2007 perhaps). What do they do now. Crack down more perhaps?
So the result does have more meaning than the throwing around of a few baht (which sems to have mainly come from PJT).
And, as an aside, I join Steve in not being able to find anything in BP that comes close to “getting wildly ecstatic at ‘Thaksin’s victory’ at Sakon Nakhon by-election.” Vichai’s yellow shirt is showing.
Signs of the Thai state
Thanks to Marc for this added and detailed information regarding the signs. When I saw them, back in late May, the signs were most noticeable in areas rather closer to Bangkok. I didn’t see any in the little corner of Korat where I visited. But they seem to be popping up like mushrooms now.
It seems to me that there might be another related explanation for these signs. That is that the people who protect the palace really do fear the consequences flowing from the increasing criticisms that have been aired of the monarchy and the palace’s political role as expressed in the blogosphere and in speeches from the red-shirt platform and so on. It can’t have gone unnoticed that these criticisms have had some purchase amongst groups considered loyal in the past. Just maybe the palace minders have been seriously spooked and are falling back on past strategies in order to demand loyalty.
Of course, this is a related explanation, and by no means diminishes the political points Marc discusses.
King Bhumibol’s billions
I agree, prima facie it does seem to be a very good example of how ‘reasonable consumption and living in moderation’ can reap great rewards (bearing in mind how some inherited fortunes do get squandered:)
However, frugality can only go so far, and there are other factors also worth considering, many of which were covered by Handley:
– not paying tax is a big help
– having the state pay for ceremonies also helps
– having business people fund charities to undertake proujects in your name
– having ‘help’ in times of financial/economic crises
Like LM laws, this is another area in need of reforms
(or even just allowing for discussions & asking for more transparency would be a good start – presumably no politicians are yet calling for any reforms in this area?:)
The crisis in Northern Rakhine State
The most disturbing part of this I heard on NPR this morning. These people who are abusing are Buddhists! Do THEY REALLY THINK THAT..THE BUDDHA WOULD THINK AND DO WHAT THEY ARE DING TO THESE PEOPLE?? BECUASE OF HE DARKER COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, ECT? These people pretend to be followers of Buddha but they are not eben close. Fakes! Pathetic.
Thaksin trounces the populists
It’s all about stuffing a few baht in a few people’s pockets, and the opposition obviously didn’t pay enough. Thai politicians still have the slave-owning mentality.
King Bhumibol’s billions
Hmmmm… and this is the gentleman pushing for ‘sufficiency economics’ – “HM the King stresses that development is based on self support, reasonable consumption and living in moderation.” Ouch!
Thaksin trounces the populists
I get the feeling that BJT, Dems and EC will somehow find the ways to annul the results of this election victory.
after all, it has become sort of a professional job for EC – to disuqlify any party which is not allied with Dems. and they are pretty good at it – and each time getting better and better.
so, let’s wait and see how long it will take before the results are declared void or whatever other reason found to disqualify the elected MP.
(or if not this one – then there are many others who can be easily disqualified anytime 😉 )
Rumours, rumours
daily eveining news (which are getting shorter and shorter it seems) show only sis, and once in while 1st wife (even last wife is not shown already quite for a while) – nobody else.
CP is not shown since … I don’t know how long – May 30th ?
June 23rd is tomorrow. let’s see who will conduct the ceremony which actually can’t be missed normally
Thaksin trounces the populists
A typo?… or maybe it’s really right when you say “The by-election in Sakon Nakhon (3) was bought about”
King Bhumibol’s billions
What a great comment by Suzie Wong!
Thaksin trounces the populists
To Steve– Wildly ecstatic’ and ‘drooling’ and ‘sidekick’ are not understatements and Andrew W and BP both would get it even if Steve you don’t.
Thaksin trounces the populists
@ Vichai N
I just re-read Bangkok Pundit’s two posts relating to the Sakon Nakhon by-election – looking for anything that could be rationally viewed as “wild” or “ecstatic”. As usual – plenty of detail, analysis and question-raising………but nothing that fits your imaginative description of it.
Methinks wishful thinking (aka bias) from you is more like it.
So – in the light of that – what to make of your “sidekick” comment?
King Bhumibol’s billions
I agree with Somsak. Of course, this is a deliberate red herring. They want outsiders to believe that this is not the king’s property when it clearly is. Recall also that the figure listed is only for the CPB. The individual members of the royal family have individual holdings and wealth. In addition, no one has ever added up the money and land held by the Chai Pattana foundation. On the latter, it receives considerable donations as does the crown itself. These people are loaded. By the way, for the royal news watchers, this is giving season and Sirindhorn is the one who receives the loot.
King Bhumibol’s billions
There are two issues that I would like to raise:
1. Why has any scholar initiate a serious studies about Phumipon’s political activities when he is the main actor in the past 60 years? Don’t you think many issues needed to be updated now that “the fact” is known. In 1948, Khuang government obviously didn’t have “the fact”, so Khuang assumed Phumipon would be like Ananda. In my opinion, Thai political studies literature reflects naivete, keeps focusing on the military, the politicians, when the main actor is Phumipon. So would it fair to say that when the axiom of assumption is wrong, we have problem not only with the approach, methodology but the epistemology as well. So how relevant are those writings in the past now that the new fact is present? With 17 coups and various turmoils, after the dust settled, only Phumipon standing there, how could Phumipon be neglected in the analysis?
2. In relation to Phumipon’s richest in the world with 30 billions dollars, the Crown Property Bureau was broke when Phumipon was crowned. Can Phumipon alone in a third world developing country like Siam be able to make 30 billions on his own without external help? Who are those external connection? It is important to know because according to Bangkok Pundit yesterday news, the new symbol of PAD is similar to Swastika symbol of Nazi Germany.