“Protests led by the UDD may intensify and develop the infrastructure required for political mobilisation. Open sentiment against aristocratic privilege and bureaucratic/military power may become a political force. The shoddy ambitions of a one-time authoritarian leader might well morph into a more enduring egalitarian ethos that comes to challenge the historical pact of statists and liberals.
But where such politics will end, in the absence of principled political leadership which can speak openly about the failings of its chosen symbol, which can come to terms with the democratic malaise (2001-2006) under the man who promises to return Thailand to a ‘true democracy,’ no one knows.”
For all its faults, the United Nations is concerned mainly with the promotion of the rule of laws that apply equally to all citizens, rather than the rule of patrons and of laws corrupted by patronage. People who only scoff at the UN, or misrepresent it, are usually the tools of some corrupt patron or other.
Really sorry for you, Harry. You should not be in a country that still remains in the Dark Ages. A human life is not worth much in such a country, and social injustice is everywhere. And listen to all nonsensical talk about human rights. The majority of Thai people have no idea what these are. Most of them are nominal Buddhists, but for the several hundred years of the presence of Buddhism in Thailand, the Thai people’s thick hide has not opened to the Buddha’s great teachings at all.
Did you see me jump up for joy? Is being gleeful bad & health hazardous?
In answering your interesting question you posted (why is this important to you?), it’s important because it involves Thailand politics, right/wrong (ethics), and truth/lie. Do you think these matters (Thailand politics, right/wrong (ethics), and truth/lie) should not be viewed as important for Thai citizens who love their country, care about the society & truthulness? For another question of yours, I hope you’re not mad if I were to say, yes, I was so happy that I skipped going to the restroom all day because there was no proof Prem… But seriously, just to help make you happier, I am indifferent on this. To me the questions that need to be asked & Thaksin must provide answers are the long list of allegations of misconduct & the absence of accountability of them that Sondhi Lim & his PAD leaders as well as other non-PAD activists have accused Thaksin & cronies were involved.
As for my thought on the coup, is there a new need to do more beating on the dead horse? What useful purposes for you & I to talk about this except you are looking for the opportunity to criticizing me and/or others who may make the comments?
You do have many interesting questions for others. I wonder why don’t you ask yourself more questions instead of looking for room, however little, to criticize others in a disdainful way that you’re better than the native Thais who don’t agree with your ways of thinking & preference? Some of these questions include:
тАв What you would do if you were another elite ruling class of Thailand but with high ethical standard but opposite Thaksin & his cronies on that juncture of the time (Sep 19, 06) after months of political infighting?
тАв What kind of detail evidence that makes Thaksin a democratic PM?
тАв Do you think people in Thailand and/or in other countries (especially Iraq, Palestine, Somalia,etc.) do not want to live in peace & cooperative society?
тАв In the desire to live in peace & cooperation, should we allow ample opportunities for the govt leaders in power & their exclusive cronies to get rich quick in exponential amount while handling little left over for the average citizens & the poor? Should we allow them to get away with murders, abuses & widespread corruption?
тАв What kind of things that prompted you to conclude that the PAD group is hysterical when you called them Hysterical PAD?
тАв Since you so keen on the issues of human rights among others, would you care to rank the severity of human right violations committed by Thai governments, from the current to previous ones (Somchai, Samak, Surayuth & Thaksin)?
The very same UNHRC that now seeks to impose sharia-inspired blasphemy laws, of which lèse majesté is kith and kin, upon every member of the U.N.? Susie, surely you jest!
If anything, with the global zeitgeist being what it is, except more support for lèse majesté amongst the cacophonous braying that emanates from the collected Yahoos who fill the halls of that overgrown debating-society which calls itself the “United” Nations.
Thanks for pointing out that Matichon printed or reported the story on the tragic day of Oct 7, 2008. Based on the equipment used and preparation as well as actual actions executed, any fair-minded audience who saw the raw VDO clip or live broadcast would not say that it was the PAD-police clashes but rather it was the riot control Police’s brutal assaults on the defenseless protesters!
Based on the coverage you mentioned, if I interpret it correctly, you have fully accepted that Matichon has impartially done its duties as the independent journalists/media, and has not leaned quite heavily toward Thaksin’s camp at all. If this is the case, we should accept any conclusion by the scientists based only on a few experiments and testing.
As for the evidence on lie & slander, all you need to do is compare Matichon’s reports against other sources over time & on consistent basis. Llike I told Mr. Ralph Kramden #59 & 60 earlier, if you’re not guilty in manipulating or distorting the facts, there’s no need to get defensive or feel the heat. I did not mention a single name including yours.
I was trying to help you define the pronoun “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” used by Gen Prem on the question you raised in your earlier comment. As long as we agree that it represent “I” or a singular pronounce/person, we’ve concluded that it’s the right answer.
I don’t you know of any 70 plus years old man who uses this pronoun as much as Prem does here either.
Why did you get defensive? Did I mention you for distorting and/or manipulating the facts to justify your view points?
As a occasional visitors here, I made my comments with the constructive wordings (frank & impartial) & brought up the fact on Matinchon newspaper. If you can’t be frank & impartial & if you prefer to include Bangkok Post to whatever category, be my guest! Please don’t tell me that highly educated persons like you do not know & are incapable of being frank & impartial but prefer to do opposite & use negative words such as fool, etc.
By the way, didn’t you know that Thaksi, in his hotel room in NY, had spent hours on the phone directing his designated care-takers in BKK on the situation before & during the coup, according to Jukkrapop & others?
If you’re still uncertainty about the time on the official announcement of the coup, I’d suggest you to read get the news/info from other sources, not solely rely on Bangkok Post.
I can’t say I’m all that interested to read his story about life in prison. I think there have been enough of those stories over the years. I might watch the movie if they ever make one, but only if it doesn’t have Nic Cage in it.
David Brown #61
“I dont understand why your story about Purachai is interesting or relevant… “Thaksin booted him out” presumably because he disagreed with his position….”
It is both interesting and relevant because it contrasts with your unsubstantiated claim that immigration offices were organized to be helpful, efficient and not corrupt under the “democratic” Thaksin regime. Thaksin booted Purachai out, not because he disagreed with his xenophobic and hypocritical position but because he was getting scared that Purachai was getting too popular as a result of his social order campaign and was being mentioned too often in the press as a possible successor to Thaksin. I can’t remember Thaksin doing anything at all during his time in office that was particularly beneficial for foreigners, unless of course you count his amendment to the Telecoms Act to increase foreign ownership in telecoms companies to 49% a few days before he sold his nominee held shares to Temasek or his sponsorship of the Chinese FTA which has wiped out many Northern Thai farmers.
“my people tell me that Thaksin inspired Thai people to be constructive and helpful rather than repressed as they are by the military… hard to quantify bit it means a lot in terms of Thailands productivity and place in the world”
Who are your people and where did they get their information on this? Productivity is very easy to quantify economically and there are no signs that there were productivity gains at the macro level under Thaksin. There were also no signs that corruption which corrudes Thailand’s potential for economic and social development was in any way diminished.
dantampa #66 – not to mention the other coincidence that PMThaksin’s “state of emergency” decree from New York, seemingly pre-written, assumed that there’s violence in Bangkok!
It may be safe to assume that everyone smelt a coup way before the event including PMThaksin, who, remember, retained the support of the Supreme Commander (Yongyuth and Newin fled there on the night if I am not wrong). It was quite literally a power-play chess game for months before with the military shuffle of commanders in and around Bangkok (if I remember correctly).
Hint #1: Have you ever heard of the secret ballot voting method? The secret ballot voting method safeguards integrity because it allows voters to cast their ballot in full independence. If votes are cast in secrecy, there is no guaranteed way for candidates and party organizers to be certain that the vote was cast according to the agreement between voter and briber.
Hint#2: Please try not to embarrass yourself and Oxford U. any more than you already have, by casting aspersions upon the intelligence of others, because your writing is littered with errors.
Hint#3: As a long time U.S. resident (over 30 years), I have no emotional attachment to any Thai politicians, but I will stand and fight with Thai people for democracy. Democracy may not be perfect (and it probably never will be), but I would rather live under a democratic system than under military gun barrels any day.
Peter #62 Gen. Prem used “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” (if directly translated, it’s “WE”), to refer to himself. It’s not uncommon at all, and you should know as a Thai, for Thai people particularly the young ones to use “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” as “I” in normal conversation.
Yes, precisely: it’s normal “for ….. the young ones to use “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” as “I” in normal conversation”. But do you know of any 70plus years old man who uses this pronoun as much as Prem does here? I cannot think of any (HM the King excluded).
To prevent mis-understanding, let me state emphatatically that I’m not hinting at the issue of Prem’s sexual orientation because I absolutely reject such frivoluous ‘explanation’. (Many of the anti-Prem webboard writers from the pro-Thaksin camp regratbly resort to this kind of atttack. They’d say that ‘we’ is quite commonly used among adults too if they are female or in the ‘third sex’. Really sorry to have to bring this up, but I don’t want any mis-understanding.
(By the way, the ‘gender’ explanation is implausible too: if one is a closet ‘third-sex’, wouldn’t he be even more careful to hide any possible sign that could lead other to think of him that way?)
What I find particularly ‘odd’ about Prem’s use of this pronoun is more serious and more disturbing, namely I think he seems to be delusional about his own importance. No longer an ordinargy guy, but someone unuusally significant, perhaps kind of institution onto himself that he has to refer to himself with this kind of pronoun.
I admit I speculate a bit here. But I ask if anyone can think of any other explanation or any other example of an old Thai man (who is not a royal prince or a monk) who consistently uses such pronoun as Prem does here.
I’m happy to apologize and withdraw such speculation if a better explanation is offered, or if anyone could tell me how it’s not ‘odd’ here.
AjarnSomsak #56. I understand the pronoun “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” or “we” can be used interchangeably with “I” (it may be incorrect usage but I have heard it used often through the years). The Thai language seem to have many versions of “I” (whether gender based masculine ‘phom’ and feminine ‘deechan’; the neutral ‘chan’; the ‘impolite’ or used amongst close friends ‘ku’; the seniority based ‘pee’, ‘nong’, ‘noo’ etc…etc…).
On an amusing note, PMThaksin seemed to have met his match in Kasit:
The coincidence with the Thailand Ms Universe pageant aside, the ‘Blue-shirts’ are for real and was founded by Mr.Newin, who also initiated the ‘Red-shirts’ when he served as PMThaksin’s field-marshal.
See р╕Ыр╕гр╕▓р╕Бр╕Пр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕Ур╣М”р╣Ар╕кр╕╖р╣Йр╕нр╕Щр╣Йр╕│р╣Ар╕Зр╕┤р╕Щ” or “The Blue-Shirt Phenomenon” in:
I don’t think it’s very fair to call my post a “fact-distorting effort” when it was based precisely on what a Thai publication, the Bangkok Post, reported.
Moreover, the statement made by General Prem two days ago, breaking silence after years of refusing comment on his role in the coup, still varies considerably with the contemporaneous minute-by-minute accounts of the coup published by the Nation, and which indicate that Gen Prem was having “an audience with HM the King, reportedly on a merit-making ceremony for ML Bau Kittiyakala” at 630 PM on the night of the coup. That’s two and a half hours earlier than Prem now claims he arrived at the palace “after the coup was announced.”. http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/20/headlines/headlines_30014092.php
As far as I can determine, the coup was not publicly announced until 11 PM in Bangkok, witness the fact that Thaksin attempted to issue his “state of emergency” decree sacking General Sonthi from New York City at 10:20 PM. What was Prem doing rushing to the palace at 9 pm ?
None of this proves, of course, that General Prem had any prior role in instigating the coup, as claimed by Thaksin, nor does it impugn in any way the appropriate role of a constitutional monarch in this dire constituional crisis.
But Prem certainly appears to have supported the coup post-facto, and he certainly was Johnny on the Spot at precisely the right moment in time, wasn’t he ? Coincidence . . .perhaps. But Thailand’s long history of coups seems full of such coincidences, too many of which are frequently overlooked by the coup makers and their supporters.
Peter said: “.. it’s well-known among Thais that Matichon has been a staunch supporter of Thaksin throughout the time before & after the political crisis/infighting. In fact, Matichon has outwardly acted as a media arm for him & his cronies.
Really? Why don’t you go back and look at Matichon’s front pages reporting the PAD-police clashes of Aug. 29 and Oct. 7, and explain how that helped Thaksin?
I have to assume you are one of the crowd that believes any criticism of the PAD makes a person or institution pro-Thaksin.
You say: “It’s a sin to lie & slander against others without evidence.”
Chris Baker #53
“I wonder if Somsak or anyone else would like to comment on Thaksin’s use of the phrase р╣Ар╕кр╕╡р╕вр╕Зр╕Ыр╕╖р╕Щр╣Бр╕Хр╕Б (sound of gunfire) in his speech last night. He doesn’t know what it ‘means’? He knows exactly?”
I would suggest the latter. He knows exactly what it means because he is going to organize some violent incidents, like the RPG attacks on the yellow shirts encamped at Don Muang, in the hope of provoking a conflagration between the army and the red shirts.
This he hopes will force out the Abhisit government and allow Pheua Thai to form a new government that will change the constitution, amnesty him and give him back his loot. Using this to advantage he will come back in triumph in new elections. After a few of years of unbridled corruption, gruesome attrocities committed by police and military, repression of freedom of expression and liberal use of criminal defamation and LM suits against his enemies, foreign academics will express deep disappointment with the restoration of “democracy” and start digging out those old yellow shirts from the bottom of the wardrobe.
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901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
From Michael Connors article in Bkk Post today. Full article here http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/14383/country-needs-change-so-he-wants-to-make-history
“Protests led by the UDD may intensify and develop the infrastructure required for political mobilisation. Open sentiment against aristocratic privilege and bureaucratic/military power may become a political force. The shoddy ambitions of a one-time authoritarian leader might well morph into a more enduring egalitarian ethos that comes to challenge the historical pact of statists and liberals.
But where such politics will end, in the absence of principled political leadership which can speak openly about the failings of its chosen symbol, which can come to terms with the democratic malaise (2001-2006) under the man who promises to return Thailand to a ‘true democracy,’ no one knows.”
The fate of Suwicha Thakhor
For all its faults, the United Nations is concerned mainly with the promotion of the rule of laws that apply equally to all citizens, rather than the rule of patrons and of laws corrupted by patronage. People who only scoff at the UN, or misrepresent it, are usually the tools of some corrupt patron or other.
Burmese crime magazines
Oops, my typo for news in the previous comment. Here is the correct one.
сАЮсАРсАДсА║сА╕ is “news
Burmese crime magazines
Regarding “Shu-htaunt Hmu-hkin”:
The name of the journal is “Shu-htaunt”.
“hmu. gin: (сАЩсА╛сАпсАБсАДсА║сА╕) and thi din: (сАЮсАосАРсАДсА║сА╕)” means “crime and news.”
“Life in a Bangkok prison”
Really sorry for you, Harry. You should not be in a country that still remains in the Dark Ages. A human life is not worth much in such a country, and social injustice is everywhere. And listen to all nonsensical talk about human rights. The majority of Thai people have no idea what these are. Most of them are nominal Buddhists, but for the several hundred years of the presence of Buddhism in Thailand, the Thai people’s thick hide has not opened to the Buddha’s great teachings at all.
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
Mr. David Brown #61:
Did you see me jump up for joy? Is being gleeful bad & health hazardous?
In answering your interesting question you posted (why is this important to you?), it’s important because it involves Thailand politics, right/wrong (ethics), and truth/lie. Do you think these matters (Thailand politics, right/wrong (ethics), and truth/lie) should not be viewed as important for Thai citizens who love their country, care about the society & truthulness? For another question of yours, I hope you’re not mad if I were to say, yes, I was so happy that I skipped going to the restroom all day because there was no proof Prem… But seriously, just to help make you happier, I am indifferent on this. To me the questions that need to be asked & Thaksin must provide answers are the long list of allegations of misconduct & the absence of accountability of them that Sondhi Lim & his PAD leaders as well as other non-PAD activists have accused Thaksin & cronies were involved.
As for my thought on the coup, is there a new need to do more beating on the dead horse? What useful purposes for you & I to talk about this except you are looking for the opportunity to criticizing me and/or others who may make the comments?
You do have many interesting questions for others. I wonder why don’t you ask yourself more questions instead of looking for room, however little, to criticize others in a disdainful way that you’re better than the native Thais who don’t agree with your ways of thinking & preference? Some of these questions include:
тАв What you would do if you were another elite ruling class of Thailand but with high ethical standard but opposite Thaksin & his cronies on that juncture of the time (Sep 19, 06) after months of political infighting?
тАв What kind of detail evidence that makes Thaksin a democratic PM?
тАв Do you think people in Thailand and/or in other countries (especially Iraq, Palestine, Somalia,etc.) do not want to live in peace & cooperative society?
тАв In the desire to live in peace & cooperation, should we allow ample opportunities for the govt leaders in power & their exclusive cronies to get rich quick in exponential amount while handling little left over for the average citizens & the poor? Should we allow them to get away with murders, abuses & widespread corruption?
тАв What kind of things that prompted you to conclude that the PAD group is hysterical when you called them Hysterical PAD?
тАв Since you so keen on the issues of human rights among others, would you care to rank the severity of human right violations committed by Thai governments, from the current to previous ones (Somchai, Samak, Surayuth & Thaksin)?
The fate of Suwicha Thakhor
re: Susie Wong
The very same UNHRC that now seeks to impose sharia-inspired blasphemy laws, of which lèse majesté is kith and kin, upon every member of the U.N.? Susie, surely you jest!
If anything, with the global zeitgeist being what it is, except more support for lèse majesté amongst the cacophonous braying that emanates from the collected Yahoos who fill the halls of that overgrown debating-society which calls itself the “United” Nations.
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
Amberwaves #65:
Thanks for pointing out that Matichon printed or reported the story on the tragic day of Oct 7, 2008. Based on the equipment used and preparation as well as actual actions executed, any fair-minded audience who saw the raw VDO clip or live broadcast would not say that it was the PAD-police clashes but rather it was the riot control Police’s brutal assaults on the defenseless protesters!
Based on the coverage you mentioned, if I interpret it correctly, you have fully accepted that Matichon has impartially done its duties as the independent journalists/media, and has not leaned quite heavily toward Thaksin’s camp at all. If this is the case, we should accept any conclusion by the scientists based only on a few experiments and testing.
As for the evidence on lie & slander, all you need to do is compare Matichon’s reports against other sources over time & on consistent basis. Llike I told Mr. Ralph Kramden #59 & 60 earlier, if you’re not guilty in manipulating or distorting the facts, there’s no need to get defensive or feel the heat. I did not mention a single name including yours.
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
Somsak Jeamteerasakul #68:
I was trying to help you define the pronoun “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” used by Gen Prem on the question you raised in your earlier comment. As long as we agree that it represent “I” or a singular pronounce/person, we’ve concluded that it’s the right answer.
I don’t you know of any 70 plus years old man who uses this pronoun as much as Prem does here either.
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
Ralph Kramden #59 & 60:
Why did you get defensive? Did I mention you for distorting and/or manipulating the facts to justify your view points?
As a occasional visitors here, I made my comments with the constructive wordings (frank & impartial) & brought up the fact on Matinchon newspaper. If you can’t be frank & impartial & if you prefer to include Bangkok Post to whatever category, be my guest! Please don’t tell me that highly educated persons like you do not know & are incapable of being frank & impartial but prefer to do opposite & use negative words such as fool, etc.
By the way, didn’t you know that Thaksi, in his hotel room in NY, had spent hours on the phone directing his designated care-takers in BKK on the situation before & during the coup, according to Jukkrapop & others?
If you’re still uncertainty about the time on the official announcement of the coup, I’d suggest you to read get the news/info from other sources, not solely rely on Bangkok Post.
Peter
“Life in a Bangkok prison”
I can’t say I’m all that interested to read his story about life in prison. I think there have been enough of those stories over the years. I might watch the movie if they ever make one, but only if it doesn’t have Nic Cage in it.
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
David Brown #61
“I dont understand why your story about Purachai is interesting or relevant… “Thaksin booted him out” presumably because he disagreed with his position….”
It is both interesting and relevant because it contrasts with your unsubstantiated claim that immigration offices were organized to be helpful, efficient and not corrupt under the “democratic” Thaksin regime. Thaksin booted Purachai out, not because he disagreed with his xenophobic and hypocritical position but because he was getting scared that Purachai was getting too popular as a result of his social order campaign and was being mentioned too often in the press as a possible successor to Thaksin. I can’t remember Thaksin doing anything at all during his time in office that was particularly beneficial for foreigners, unless of course you count his amendment to the Telecoms Act to increase foreign ownership in telecoms companies to 49% a few days before he sold his nominee held shares to Temasek or his sponsorship of the Chinese FTA which has wiped out many Northern Thai farmers.
“my people tell me that Thaksin inspired Thai people to be constructive and helpful rather than repressed as they are by the military… hard to quantify bit it means a lot in terms of Thailands productivity and place in the world”
Who are your people and where did they get their information on this? Productivity is very easy to quantify economically and there are no signs that there were productivity gains at the macro level under Thaksin. There were also no signs that corruption which corrudes Thailand’s potential for economic and social development was in any way diminished.
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
dantampa #66 – not to mention the other coincidence that PMThaksin’s “state of emergency” decree from New York, seemingly pre-written, assumed that there’s violence in Bangkok!
It may be safe to assume that everyone smelt a coup way before the event including PMThaksin, who, remember, retained the support of the Supreme Commander (Yongyuth and Newin fled there on the night if I am not wrong). It was quite literally a power-play chess game for months before with the military shuffle of commanders in and around Bangkok (if I remember correctly).
Full text of Abhisit speech in Oxford
Hint #1: Have you ever heard of the secret ballot voting method? The secret ballot voting method safeguards integrity because it allows voters to cast their ballot in full independence. If votes are cast in secrecy, there is no guaranteed way for candidates and party organizers to be certain that the vote was cast according to the agreement between voter and briber.
Hint#2: Please try not to embarrass yourself and Oxford U. any more than you already have, by casting aspersions upon the intelligence of others, because your writing is littered with errors.
Hint#3: As a long time U.S. resident (over 30 years), I have no emotional attachment to any Thai politicians, but I will stand and fight with Thai people for democracy. Democracy may not be perfect (and it probably never will be), but I would rather live under a democratic system than under military gun barrels any day.
Hint#4: You apparently think that Oxford U. is the ultimate place for higher learning, but in reality, there has been a brain drain from the U.K. to the U.S. top Universities for more than two decades. Here’s one of many examples; http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/flight-of-the-dashing-dons-ferguson-joins-brain-drain-to-us-606972.html
Noi
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
Peter #62
Gen. Prem used “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” (if directly translated, it’s “WE”), to refer to himself. It’s not uncommon at all, and you should know as a Thai, for Thai people particularly the young ones to use “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” as “I” in normal conversation.
Yes, precisely: it’s normal “for ….. the young ones to use “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” as “I” in normal conversation”. But do you know of any 70plus years old man who uses this pronoun as much as Prem does here? I cannot think of any (HM the King excluded).
To prevent mis-understanding, let me state emphatatically that I’m not hinting at the issue of Prem’s sexual orientation because I absolutely reject such frivoluous ‘explanation’. (Many of the anti-Prem webboard writers from the pro-Thaksin camp regratbly resort to this kind of atttack. They’d say that ‘we’ is quite commonly used among adults too if they are female or in the ‘third sex’. Really sorry to have to bring this up, but I don’t want any mis-understanding.
(By the way, the ‘gender’ explanation is implausible too: if one is a closet ‘third-sex’, wouldn’t he be even more careful to hide any possible sign that could lead other to think of him that way?)
What I find particularly ‘odd’ about Prem’s use of this pronoun is more serious and more disturbing, namely I think he seems to be delusional about his own importance. No longer an ordinargy guy, but someone unuusally significant, perhaps kind of institution onto himself that he has to refer to himself with this kind of pronoun.
I admit I speculate a bit here. But I ask if anyone can think of any other explanation or any other example of an old Thai man (who is not a royal prince or a monk) who consistently uses such pronoun as Prem does here.
I’m happy to apologize and withdraw such speculation if a better explanation is offered, or if anyone could tell me how it’s not ‘odd’ here.
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
AjarnSomsak #56. I understand the pronoun “р╣Ар╕гр╕▓” or “we” can be used interchangeably with “I” (it may be incorrect usage but I have heard it used often through the years). The Thai language seem to have many versions of “I” (whether gender based masculine ‘phom’ and feminine ‘deechan’; the neutral ‘chan’; the ‘impolite’ or used amongst close friends ‘ku’; the seniority based ‘pee’, ‘nong’, ‘noo’ etc…etc…).
On an amusing note, PMThaksin seemed to have met his match in Kasit:
http://www.thairath.co.th/offline.php?section=hotnews&content=130707
http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.php?newsid=1238508867&grpid=00&catid=01
It is this kind of strong, emotional language that gets you on the Thai dailies front page! Cool, rational language is boring!
New political force
The coincidence with the Thailand Ms Universe pageant aside, the ‘Blue-shirts’ are for real and was founded by Mr.Newin, who also initiated the ‘Red-shirts’ when he served as PMThaksin’s field-marshal.
See р╕Ыр╕гр╕▓р╕Бр╕Пр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕Ур╣М”р╣Ар╕кр╕╖р╣Йр╕нр╕Щр╣Йр╕│р╣Ар╕Зр╕┤р╕Щ” or “The Blue-Shirt Phenomenon” in:
http://www.matichon.co.th/matichon/view_news.php?newsid=01pol02010452§ionid=0133&day=2009-04-01
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
I don’t think it’s very fair to call my post a “fact-distorting effort” when it was based precisely on what a Thai publication, the Bangkok Post, reported.
Moreover, the statement made by General Prem two days ago, breaking silence after years of refusing comment on his role in the coup, still varies considerably with the contemporaneous minute-by-minute accounts of the coup published by the Nation, and which indicate that Gen Prem was having “an audience with HM the King, reportedly on a merit-making ceremony for ML Bau Kittiyakala” at 630 PM on the night of the coup. That’s two and a half hours earlier than Prem now claims he arrived at the palace “after the coup was announced.”. http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/20/headlines/headlines_30014092.php
As far as I can determine, the coup was not publicly announced until 11 PM in Bangkok, witness the fact that Thaksin attempted to issue his “state of emergency” decree sacking General Sonthi from New York City at 10:20 PM. What was Prem doing rushing to the palace at 9 pm ?
None of this proves, of course, that General Prem had any prior role in instigating the coup, as claimed by Thaksin, nor does it impugn in any way the appropriate role of a constitutional monarch in this dire constituional crisis.
But Prem certainly appears to have supported the coup post-facto, and he certainly was Johnny on the Spot at precisely the right moment in time, wasn’t he ? Coincidence . . .perhaps. But Thailand’s long history of coups seems full of such coincidences, too many of which are frequently overlooked by the coup makers and their supporters.
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
Peter said: “.. it’s well-known among Thais that Matichon has been a staunch supporter of Thaksin throughout the time before & after the political crisis/infighting. In fact, Matichon has outwardly acted as a media arm for him & his cronies.
Really? Why don’t you go back and look at Matichon’s front pages reporting the PAD-police clashes of Aug. 29 and Oct. 7, and explain how that helped Thaksin?
I have to assume you are one of the crowd that believes any criticism of the PAD makes a person or institution pro-Thaksin.
You say: “It’s a sin to lie & slander against others without evidence.”
Where’s your evidence?
901, royal politics and Thaksin Shinawatra
Chris Baker #53
“I wonder if Somsak or anyone else would like to comment on Thaksin’s use of the phrase р╣Ар╕кр╕╡р╕вр╕Зр╕Ыр╕╖р╕Щр╣Бр╕Хр╕Б (sound of gunfire) in his speech last night. He doesn’t know what it ‘means’? He knows exactly?”
I would suggest the latter. He knows exactly what it means because he is going to organize some violent incidents, like the RPG attacks on the yellow shirts encamped at Don Muang, in the hope of provoking a conflagration between the army and the red shirts.
This he hopes will force out the Abhisit government and allow Pheua Thai to form a new government that will change the constitution, amnesty him and give him back his loot. Using this to advantage he will come back in triumph in new elections. After a few of years of unbridled corruption, gruesome attrocities committed by police and military, repression of freedom of expression and liberal use of criminal defamation and LM suits against his enemies, foreign academics will express deep disappointment with the restoration of “democracy” and start digging out those old yellow shirts from the bottom of the wardrobe.