The relegation here of terrorism to a lower rung on the prevention ladder than lese majeste is scary. Even pornography is to be relegated. All this to circumvent the wishes of a sovereign who has already told everyone he wants to be criticized. Someone else does not. Courts are up there as well, but who is it exactly that is getting away with all of this?
Anyone know of a good bio for William Stevenson who wrote The Revolutionary King?
I have the book but am interested in some bioinfo on him.
Thanks to anyone…
Frank
Well put Mungo.
I am not sure if this is posted elsewhere on NM yet, but here’s a link to PMThaksin’s open letter to the media after his 2 year jail conviction and also Democrat MP, Korn Chatikavanij’s open letter response to it:
As you have implied, the fundamental problem here is PMThaksin refusing to acknowledge to his darkest side (greed, corruption, conflicts of interests, human rights abuses, unaccountability etc.) and somehow believing his shiniest side (policies that benefit the poor, effective government etc.) and, hence, his popularity entitles him to be above the law…
There are obvious reasons to love (shiny side) and hate (dark side) PMThaksin – or both, but he is not helping things by claiming/lying to the world that those Thais who oppose him because he “represent the principle of liberal democracy”.
Well meaning and true liberal democratic societies can help Thailand along the path to democracy by encouraging PMThaksin and KYPotjaman to return to Thailand and fight their cases in the Thai courts (as was also his original intention post-2007 PPP election victory until his attempts at influencing/bribing the courts failed). In the process this will export to and reinforce in Thailand the best practices of Western democracy in regulating/minimizing conflicts of interests/corruption amongst office holders.
Many Thais in the PAD are sadly willing to give up on democracy just to stop PMThaksin – but not because they are against democracy. It is because PMThaksin’s reduction of democracy/democratic space to the ballot box, while dismantling legislative/judiciary checks and balances, accountability, the rule of law to serve personal business interests. If the ‘world’ cares, please don’t let one man hold Thailand and Thai Democracy to ransom.
PMThaksin has essentially admitted in his letter the crime of conflict of interests. It is a crime according to the 1997 Constitution before PMThaksin took office – as it is a crime in Australia, the UK and US etc. Please at least say it straight to his face – if he listens and repent, that could be a start to reconcilliation… But the price tag of 73 billion baht may be to much to admit to any guilt (and, really, who would?)…
Great to hear of your experiences in SA. I expect that the general picture you paint is one that is common to many campuses around the country. Thanks for sharing!
And, by the sound of it, your experience of Asian Studies is one where isolation (from a broader community of students and scholars) prevails. Can I ask – and here a wider-ranging conversation might be productive – how a website like New Mandala could help in such conditions? Under current circumstances, not every University campus in the country will have a huge Asian Studies program. But, to fill some of that gap, are there specific services that a site like this one could offer?
I am genuinely interested in any resposnes, from Tony, or from anyone else, on these questions.
The other obvious parallel is that the PAD tries to whip up its people into a pro-Royalist fury against its opponents, whom it denigrates — over and over again – as traitors.
The de-humanizing language from the PAD stage is the same as the language that was used to encourage the Red Gaur and other rightists in 1976.
Anyone who doesn’t realize that hasn’t been listening to the PAD.
Hi Leif, thanks for the comment. I don’t think anyone in Baan Tiam thinks of the “lord of the lucky tree” as an actual historical figure in any literal sense. But he is, more generally, associated with historical events – such as the incident with the Burmese soldiers. Some may also see him as representing the former (original?) residents of the area, the Lawa. I should also add that the “lord” has many other names – but I would have to dig around in my field notes to find them!
I’m sorry if my initial post was below the standard Amata expects from contributors to NM. Perhaps a fawning post concerned largely with how well Dr Shinawatra has been coached by his PR team would be more to his liking? Sorry to disappoint.
Evidently the point I was trying to make with my prior sarcastic comment wasn’t clear so I will try to explain further. Thaksin will, in all likelihood remain a billionaire even if his assets within Thailand are permanently confiscated. A majority of his constituents are plagued by poverty, yet he appeared unabashed in making plea for sympathy for his personal financial plight. I’m sure the irony wasn’t lost on all of his 20+ million detractors. Additionally raising the issue of ‘injustice’ in relation to his treatment in open court must have rankled many, bearing in mind the thousands of extra-judicial killings and other human rights abuses “of the worst kind” in which he was complicit during his time in office.
Amata raises the issue of ‘double standards being applied in today’s politics’. Well I’m sorry but the ‘everyone else was doing it’ excuse never got me very far in the school playground as a child, and I have little patience for those who attempt to use it in defence of Thaksin today. If there is hard evidence that a Democrat MP/PAD Leader/Senator/Privy Councillor is guilty of corruption they can be given accommodation in the cell next to Thaksin’s as far as I’m concerned, and I am certainly not alone in holding that opinion.
I’m not sure how useful the comparison between Thaksin’s rhetoric and that of the PAD leadership is. I live and work in suburban Bangkok, many of my family, friends, work colleagues etc. have been down to government house at some point to wave a hand-clapper and register their opposition to Thaksin/PPP (or more essentially to what they perceive as their brazen corruption). I have yet to meet anyone who believes in “New Politics” in fact many people find the idea embarrassing and would be far happier if the protests were restricted to a more fundamental anti-corruption message. I’m not convinced that the opinions of the PAD leaders themselves are of much interest to anyone other than a few thousand die-hard activists, and those seeking to justify their own emotional subscription to the Thaksin personality cult by using them as bogeymen.
The vehement opposition to Thaksin does not stem from policy issues. The swathe of ordinary Thais who despise him do not do so because they didn’t like implementation of the 30B/ health scheme, or because they question the efficacy of the 1 million cow project. Neither was the anger born from an inherent Bangkokian dislike for democracy. The opposition to Thaksin stems from the heart-felt conviction that he is, greedy, power-crazed, and fundamentally corrupt. His handling of the sale of Shin Corp will never be forgotten or forgiven. His involvement in Thai politics will never be anything other than dangerously divisive as was Saturday’s self-serving intervention in the current crisis. If Thaksin is genuinely concerned for his constituents he will tell the PPP to clean up its act once and for all, and he will retire to write his memoirs in the Bahamas.
I am one of very few at my university who has recently majored in Asian Studies and International Relations (basing much of my study on Thailand and Laos where possible), and the only one attempting honours in Asian Studies this year.
Our uni specialises in Indonesian Studies (and does it well, I believe), but as far as my interest in Thailand and Laos goes…it’s pitiful. Thai or Lao language studies here in SA are non-existent, so I muddle through still trying to learn little bits here and there from native speakers. I am at a distinct disadvantage to the students at ANU for example, where Thai language is taught (at least for now).
In my situation, I believe it would be useful if it were possible to learn Thai or Lao at a private language school as an adjunct to Asian Studies at university level. Only in the last few years Vietnamese has been dropped altogether (incredible given the number of Vietnamese resident in Australia), and now only Japanese, Mandarin, and Indonesian are offered here.
As much as I enjoy my studies, I have increasingly wondered what the hell is the point when there appear to be few if any career paths open to anyone studying Thailand or Laos. So, at year’s end I plan to return to Thailand, go back to teaching English for a pittance, learn a little more language, and hope something better comes up.
PS: Hope this is what you were looking for, Nicholas!
This is a question out of ignorance; is the “lord of the lucky tree” made up or was this some title/character? I ask because among Mien highland neighbors, they would invite the soul of the most powerful local official to become the guardian spirit of a village (these were phaya and jao-luang, some were said to have been Burmese). The Mien are of course not “average” highland people, there is considerable variation within and among ethnic groups, but the patterns in anchoring households and villages to the worlds of states and spirits/divinities are fun to play with in terms of historical configurations of power and place and people.
val: any evidence or actual thinking behind this conclusion? It would be interesting to know how you draw these conclusions. Regular correspondent jonfernquest reckons that the Red Shirts are the commies. Most of the international correspondents refer to PAD as “right wing.” Any suggestions on how to work through this seeming contradiction?
Yes, Harry sat in my office and went through several of the passages of his book with me. He was fairly proud of the book. I did not read the book but discussed it at length with him. I must also say that when he shared his book with me, he showed me passages where discussed the beauty and innocence of the Thai people and his absolute love for the country.
Portman-
>”Raising the standard of rural education is probably the only long-term solution for Thai politics but this is unfortunately and for obvious reasons the last thing that either PPP or the PAD would like to see.”
I understand the conventional wisdom on why this would be the last thing the PPP would like to see, but since this “problem” seems to be at the heart of the PAD’s New Politics proposals, I’m puzzled: Why would they share that position? It isn’t obvious to me, unless one assumes serious cynicism on their part.
David, just wondering whether you actually ever viewed a copy of Verisimilitudes yourself. FACT has not been able to track down a copy and neither has anyone else I know, not even in Chiang Rai.
I disagree. I believe the Red Shirts are the closest current equivalent to the Red Gaur, and the PAD to the communists, only re-case with different sets of allies.
anti-thaksin says: “No 73 ’s Comment about Saneh Chamarik, chairman of the Commission’s advocation of the coup does not have anything to do much with a dozen of the whole subcommittee 1 who made this official report.”
I pasted the Wikipedia in, so ask Wikipedia, not me, about the significance. My question (again): is the NHRC a regularized and legally constituted organization? It was canceled under the royalist-military junta. Has it been reconstituted with new legislation?
No, i have not been called as a witness by the investigation of the National Human Rights Commission.
I am aware that my name has been forwarded by several people, and i have relayed that i would be glad to testify in any official investigation, but for my own personal safety i do request that this will be done through formal channels and the German embassy. I am accredited as a foreign correspondent in Thailand, therefore it is not difficult to contact me through formal channels (as was done already, but not by the NHRC subcommittee).
Given that my account has had far more coverage than i have expected, i am sure that any commission investigating this incident is aware of what i wrote here, and it is their decision to call me as a witness, or not.
Amberwaves, It is a fair point that urban middle class people have their own resources that enable them to attend high profile rallies in Bangkok, whereas poor rural people can only do such things if transport, food and per diems to make up for lost earnings are laid on for them. On the other hand I don’t notice the same depth of political feeling when I visit northeastern villages and don’t believe that most farmers are highly politicized. At election time you see almost exclusively TRT/PPP posters in the villages but farmers do not seem particularly interested in politics. Villagers openly admit that they sell their votes and vote the way the pooyai baan tells them to. They are happy to get the money and scared not to vote for the person they are paid to vote for because they believe that the buyers will be able to look inside the ballot box and see who they voted for. Their lives are intertwined with the political canvassers who are also the Thai Chinese millers and merchants that control the rice trade and there is not much point in trying to go against the system. Conversations about politics around election times usually revolve around who is paying how much for votes where and nothing much about parties or policies. What is very obvious though is that there is a picture of the King and Queen in each and every rural home.
Raising the standard of rural education is probably the only long-term solution for Thai politics but this is unfortunately and for obvious reasons the last thing that either PPP or the PAD would like to see.
Thank you for illustrating the other, less commented-upon side of money politics.
“…ordinary middle class Thai Chinese house wives and small business owners…” have the time and money to go to high-profile Bangkok demonstrations, and be politically mobilized. Visibility=leverage.
Working class and rural people, who well might have a different political opinion, can not so comfortably do so. Their main opportunity is at the voting booth. It’s difficult for them to take part in a movement, at least one that catches attention in Bangkok.
Some people, such as the Assembly of the Poor, think the best thing to do is to empower the powerless. Others – the PAD and friends – rather weaken them by making their vote worth less.
Dr Tim Rackett does me too great an honour in his review of my book ‘Thailand Beyond the Fringe’. It’s great to have deep sociological substance read into my words, and I cannot but agree with all Dr Rackett says so well — being Thai again.
But to be honest, in as far as that is possible when talking of a land and people economical with the truth, the book was written as a bit of a laugh. There is really nothing too deep about most of the content. When I write the section, ‘On finding your wife dancing naked in your local pub’, the advice I give was in no way to be interpreted a la Levi-Strauss. Many such sub-headings are deliberately ambiguous: did you find i.e. meet your wife while she (or maybe you) were dancing naked in your pub, or did you unexpectedly find your already married (unfortunately to you) wife dancing naked in your local in front of your mates. And as an anthropologist who used to write serious stuff, I rather feel like Dr Goebels — on hearing the name Levi-Strauss, I reach for my gun.
Raw rather than cooked (a sop to those who, like me spent years thinking Levi Strauss was actually saying something) ‘Beyond the Fringe’ is supposed to make the reader laugh. If he can do that, he is already better placed to cope with a land where people wake up one morning to find tanks and soldiers in the streets and spontaneously (and sensibly) disarm the soldiers by giving them flowers and their babies. I refer to the last coup. Great TV. Unfortunately I published the book before Taksin Shinawat-related follies made foreigners stranded at Phuket’s airport think twice about those smiling faces and the ubiquitous question, ‘Why you come Thailand?’, otherwise dear old Taksin would be in there, probably as the complete and perfect Thai. Which of course he is, or will be upon return.
Anyway, Levi-Strauss was most known for telling anthropologists to spend their time one-third in remote villages, where they refrain from any criticism, and two-thirds at home, where they are rabid radicals. The fact that he himself hardly stepped out of France was perhaps his little joke on the middle-class, who had to buy his books.
‘Fringe’ is a follow up to the rather more serious ‘Culture Shock Thailand’ and if it contains a lesson it is this: don’t take Thailand or the Thais or yourself and your homeland too seriously. If you do, you might make it to the crescent of Thai society, but you are more likely to take the suicide option.
After many many years in thailand, I still like it and its peoples. But I have chosen to live across the river in the good old LPDR. There, inter alia, Ihave written and published ‘Culture Shock Laos’. I think I’ll wait a bit though before doing a Laos Beyond the Fringe. After all, residence visas are a priority and as that remarkable anthropologist Spike Milligan said, “Everybody gotta be some place”. (Or was it Groucho Marx?)
Thanks for the great review. Makes me feel undeservedly good and hopefully will sell some books and encourage Bernard Tink to give it a mention in the Post.
Yours sincerely — and I really mean that — Robert Cooper (Dr).
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Priorities
The relegation here of terrorism to a lower rung on the prevention ladder than lese majeste is scary. Even pornography is to be relegated. All this to circumvent the wishes of a sovereign who has already told everyone he wants to be criticized. Someone else does not. Courts are up there as well, but who is it exactly that is getting away with all of this?
Thai Crisis and “Why we should worry”
Anyone know of a good bio for William Stevenson who wrote The Revolutionary King?
I have the book but am interested in some bioinfo on him.
Thanks to anyone…
Frank
“Speech by a special guest”
Well put Mungo.
I am not sure if this is posted elsewhere on NM yet, but here’s a link to PMThaksin’s open letter to the media after his 2 year jail conviction and also Democrat MP, Korn Chatikavanij’s open letter response to it:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/10/26/politics/politics_30086842.php
As you have implied, the fundamental problem here is PMThaksin refusing to acknowledge to his darkest side (greed, corruption, conflicts of interests, human rights abuses, unaccountability etc.) and somehow believing his shiniest side (policies that benefit the poor, effective government etc.) and, hence, his popularity entitles him to be above the law…
There are obvious reasons to love (shiny side) and hate (dark side) PMThaksin – or both, but he is not helping things by claiming/lying to the world that those Thais who oppose him because he “represent the principle of liberal democracy”.
Well meaning and true liberal democratic societies can help Thailand along the path to democracy by encouraging PMThaksin and KYPotjaman to return to Thailand and fight their cases in the Thai courts (as was also his original intention post-2007 PPP election victory until his attempts at influencing/bribing the courts failed). In the process this will export to and reinforce in Thailand the best practices of Western democracy in regulating/minimizing conflicts of interests/corruption amongst office holders.
Many Thais in the PAD are sadly willing to give up on democracy just to stop PMThaksin – but not because they are against democracy. It is because PMThaksin’s reduction of democracy/democratic space to the ballot box, while dismantling legislative/judiciary checks and balances, accountability, the rule of law to serve personal business interests. If the ‘world’ cares, please don’t let one man hold Thailand and Thai Democracy to ransom.
PMThaksin has essentially admitted in his letter the crime of conflict of interests. It is a crime according to the 1997 Constitution before PMThaksin took office – as it is a crime in Australia, the UK and US etc. Please at least say it straight to his face – if he listens and repent, that could be a start to reconcilliation… But the price tag of 73 billion baht may be to much to admit to any guilt (and, really, who would?)…
Studying up for an Asian future
Thanks Tony,
Great to hear of your experiences in SA. I expect that the general picture you paint is one that is common to many campuses around the country. Thanks for sharing!
And, by the sound of it, your experience of Asian Studies is one where isolation (from a broader community of students and scholars) prevails. Can I ask – and here a wider-ranging conversation might be productive – how a website like New Mandala could help in such conditions? Under current circumstances, not every University campus in the country will have a huge Asian Studies program. But, to fill some of that gap, are there specific services that a site like this one could offer?
I am genuinely interested in any resposnes, from Tony, or from anyone else, on these questions.
Thanks for your interest.
Best wishes to all,
Nich
Another extract from Handley’s TKNS
The other obvious parallel is that the PAD tries to whip up its people into a pro-Royalist fury against its opponents, whom it denigrates — over and over again – as traitors.
The de-humanizing language from the PAD stage is the same as the language that was used to encourage the Red Gaur and other rightists in 1976.
Anyone who doesn’t realize that hasn’t been listening to the PAD.
The origins of power
Hi Leif, thanks for the comment. I don’t think anyone in Baan Tiam thinks of the “lord of the lucky tree” as an actual historical figure in any literal sense. But he is, more generally, associated with historical events – such as the incident with the Burmese soldiers. Some may also see him as representing the former (original?) residents of the area, the Lawa. I should also add that the “lord” has many other names – but I would have to dig around in my field notes to find them!
“Speech by a special guest”
I’m sorry if my initial post was below the standard Amata expects from contributors to NM. Perhaps a fawning post concerned largely with how well Dr Shinawatra has been coached by his PR team would be more to his liking? Sorry to disappoint.
Evidently the point I was trying to make with my prior sarcastic comment wasn’t clear so I will try to explain further. Thaksin will, in all likelihood remain a billionaire even if his assets within Thailand are permanently confiscated. A majority of his constituents are plagued by poverty, yet he appeared unabashed in making plea for sympathy for his personal financial plight. I’m sure the irony wasn’t lost on all of his 20+ million detractors. Additionally raising the issue of ‘injustice’ in relation to his treatment in open court must have rankled many, bearing in mind the thousands of extra-judicial killings and other human rights abuses “of the worst kind” in which he was complicit during his time in office.
Amata raises the issue of ‘double standards being applied in today’s politics’. Well I’m sorry but the ‘everyone else was doing it’ excuse never got me very far in the school playground as a child, and I have little patience for those who attempt to use it in defence of Thaksin today. If there is hard evidence that a Democrat MP/PAD Leader/Senator/Privy Councillor is guilty of corruption they can be given accommodation in the cell next to Thaksin’s as far as I’m concerned, and I am certainly not alone in holding that opinion.
I’m not sure how useful the comparison between Thaksin’s rhetoric and that of the PAD leadership is. I live and work in suburban Bangkok, many of my family, friends, work colleagues etc. have been down to government house at some point to wave a hand-clapper and register their opposition to Thaksin/PPP (or more essentially to what they perceive as their brazen corruption). I have yet to meet anyone who believes in “New Politics” in fact many people find the idea embarrassing and would be far happier if the protests were restricted to a more fundamental anti-corruption message. I’m not convinced that the opinions of the PAD leaders themselves are of much interest to anyone other than a few thousand die-hard activists, and those seeking to justify their own emotional subscription to the Thaksin personality cult by using them as bogeymen.
The vehement opposition to Thaksin does not stem from policy issues. The swathe of ordinary Thais who despise him do not do so because they didn’t like implementation of the 30B/ health scheme, or because they question the efficacy of the 1 million cow project. Neither was the anger born from an inherent Bangkokian dislike for democracy. The opposition to Thaksin stems from the heart-felt conviction that he is, greedy, power-crazed, and fundamentally corrupt. His handling of the sale of Shin Corp will never be forgotten or forgiven. His involvement in Thai politics will never be anything other than dangerously divisive as was Saturday’s self-serving intervention in the current crisis. If Thaksin is genuinely concerned for his constituents he will tell the PPP to clean up its act once and for all, and he will retire to write his memoirs in the Bahamas.
Studying up for an Asian future
I am one of very few at my university who has recently majored in Asian Studies and International Relations (basing much of my study on Thailand and Laos where possible), and the only one attempting honours in Asian Studies this year.
Our uni specialises in Indonesian Studies (and does it well, I believe), but as far as my interest in Thailand and Laos goes…it’s pitiful. Thai or Lao language studies here in SA are non-existent, so I muddle through still trying to learn little bits here and there from native speakers. I am at a distinct disadvantage to the students at ANU for example, where Thai language is taught (at least for now).
In my situation, I believe it would be useful if it were possible to learn Thai or Lao at a private language school as an adjunct to Asian Studies at university level. Only in the last few years Vietnamese has been dropped altogether (incredible given the number of Vietnamese resident in Australia), and now only Japanese, Mandarin, and Indonesian are offered here.
As much as I enjoy my studies, I have increasingly wondered what the hell is the point when there appear to be few if any career paths open to anyone studying Thailand or Laos. So, at year’s end I plan to return to Thailand, go back to teaching English for a pittance, learn a little more language, and hope something better comes up.
PS: Hope this is what you were looking for, Nicholas!
Same old story…Asian Studies on the decline
[…] in 2006, I wrote a piece examining the issue of “Asia-literacy” that attempted to draw out the reasons for […]
The origins of power
This is a question out of ignorance; is the “lord of the lucky tree” made up or was this some title/character? I ask because among Mien highland neighbors, they would invite the soul of the most powerful local official to become the guardian spirit of a village (these were phaya and jao-luang, some were said to have been Burmese). The Mien are of course not “average” highland people, there is considerable variation within and among ethnic groups, but the patterns in anchoring households and villages to the worlds of states and spirits/divinities are fun to play with in terms of historical configurations of power and place and people.
Another extract from Handley’s TKNS
val: any evidence or actual thinking behind this conclusion? It would be interesting to know how you draw these conclusions. Regular correspondent jonfernquest reckons that the Red Shirts are the commies. Most of the international correspondents refer to PAD as “right wing.” Any suggestions on how to work through this seeming contradiction?
Lèse majesté and Harry Nicolaides
Val;
Yes, Harry sat in my office and went through several of the passages of his book with me. He was fairly proud of the book. I did not read the book but discussed it at length with him. I must also say that when he shared his book with me, he showed me passages where discussed the beauty and innocence of the Thai people and his absolute love for the country.
What happened on 7/10/2008?
Portman-
>”Raising the standard of rural education is probably the only long-term solution for Thai politics but this is unfortunately and for obvious reasons the last thing that either PPP or the PAD would like to see.”
I understand the conventional wisdom on why this would be the last thing the PPP would like to see, but since this “problem” seems to be at the heart of the PAD’s New Politics proposals, I’m puzzled: Why would they share that position? It isn’t obvious to me, unless one assumes serious cynicism on their part.
Lèse majesté and Harry Nicolaides
David, just wondering whether you actually ever viewed a copy of Verisimilitudes yourself. FACT has not been able to track down a copy and neither has anyone else I know, not even in Chiang Rai.
Another extract from Handley’s TKNS
I disagree. I believe the Red Shirts are the closest current equivalent to the Red Gaur, and the PAD to the communists, only re-case with different sets of allies.
What happened on 7/10/2008?
anti-thaksin says: “No 73 ’s Comment about Saneh Chamarik, chairman of the Commission’s advocation of the coup does not have anything to do much with a dozen of the whole subcommittee 1 who made this official report.”
I pasted the Wikipedia in, so ask Wikipedia, not me, about the significance. My question (again): is the NHRC a regularized and legally constituted organization? It was canceled under the royalist-military junta. Has it been reconstituted with new legislation?
What happened on 7/10/2008?
Post #77 and #80:
No, i have not been called as a witness by the investigation of the National Human Rights Commission.
I am aware that my name has been forwarded by several people, and i have relayed that i would be glad to testify in any official investigation, but for my own personal safety i do request that this will be done through formal channels and the German embassy. I am accredited as a foreign correspondent in Thailand, therefore it is not difficult to contact me through formal channels (as was done already, but not by the NHRC subcommittee).
Given that my account has had far more coverage than i have expected, i am sure that any commission investigating this incident is aware of what i wrote here, and it is their decision to call me as a witness, or not.
What happened on 7/10/2008?
Amberwaves, It is a fair point that urban middle class people have their own resources that enable them to attend high profile rallies in Bangkok, whereas poor rural people can only do such things if transport, food and per diems to make up for lost earnings are laid on for them. On the other hand I don’t notice the same depth of political feeling when I visit northeastern villages and don’t believe that most farmers are highly politicized. At election time you see almost exclusively TRT/PPP posters in the villages but farmers do not seem particularly interested in politics. Villagers openly admit that they sell their votes and vote the way the pooyai baan tells them to. They are happy to get the money and scared not to vote for the person they are paid to vote for because they believe that the buyers will be able to look inside the ballot box and see who they voted for. Their lives are intertwined with the political canvassers who are also the Thai Chinese millers and merchants that control the rice trade and there is not much point in trying to go against the system. Conversations about politics around election times usually revolve around who is paying how much for votes where and nothing much about parties or policies. What is very obvious though is that there is a picture of the King and Queen in each and every rural home.
Raising the standard of rural education is probably the only long-term solution for Thai politics but this is unfortunately and for obvious reasons the last thing that either PPP or the PAD would like to see.
What happened on 7/10/2008?
Portman:
Thank you for illustrating the other, less commented-upon side of money politics.
“…ordinary middle class Thai Chinese house wives and small business owners…” have the time and money to go to high-profile Bangkok demonstrations, and be politically mobilized. Visibility=leverage.
Working class and rural people, who well might have a different political opinion, can not so comfortably do so. Their main opportunity is at the voting booth. It’s difficult for them to take part in a movement, at least one that catches attention in Bangkok.
Some people, such as the Assembly of the Poor, think the best thing to do is to empower the powerless. Others – the PAD and friends – rather weaken them by making their vote worth less.
Review of Thailand Beyond The Fringe by Robert Cooper
The author replies
Dr Tim Rackett does me too great an honour in his review of my book ‘Thailand Beyond the Fringe’. It’s great to have deep sociological substance read into my words, and I cannot but agree with all Dr Rackett says so well — being Thai again.
But to be honest, in as far as that is possible when talking of a land and people economical with the truth, the book was written as a bit of a laugh. There is really nothing too deep about most of the content. When I write the section, ‘On finding your wife dancing naked in your local pub’, the advice I give was in no way to be interpreted a la Levi-Strauss. Many such sub-headings are deliberately ambiguous: did you find i.e. meet your wife while she (or maybe you) were dancing naked in your pub, or did you unexpectedly find your already married (unfortunately to you) wife dancing naked in your local in front of your mates. And as an anthropologist who used to write serious stuff, I rather feel like Dr Goebels — on hearing the name Levi-Strauss, I reach for my gun.
Raw rather than cooked (a sop to those who, like me spent years thinking Levi Strauss was actually saying something) ‘Beyond the Fringe’ is supposed to make the reader laugh. If he can do that, he is already better placed to cope with a land where people wake up one morning to find tanks and soldiers in the streets and spontaneously (and sensibly) disarm the soldiers by giving them flowers and their babies. I refer to the last coup. Great TV. Unfortunately I published the book before Taksin Shinawat-related follies made foreigners stranded at Phuket’s airport think twice about those smiling faces and the ubiquitous question, ‘Why you come Thailand?’, otherwise dear old Taksin would be in there, probably as the complete and perfect Thai. Which of course he is, or will be upon return.
Anyway, Levi-Strauss was most known for telling anthropologists to spend their time one-third in remote villages, where they refrain from any criticism, and two-thirds at home, where they are rabid radicals. The fact that he himself hardly stepped out of France was perhaps his little joke on the middle-class, who had to buy his books.
‘Fringe’ is a follow up to the rather more serious ‘Culture Shock Thailand’ and if it contains a lesson it is this: don’t take Thailand or the Thais or yourself and your homeland too seriously. If you do, you might make it to the crescent of Thai society, but you are more likely to take the suicide option.
After many many years in thailand, I still like it and its peoples. But I have chosen to live across the river in the good old LPDR. There, inter alia, Ihave written and published ‘Culture Shock Laos’. I think I’ll wait a bit though before doing a Laos Beyond the Fringe. After all, residence visas are a priority and as that remarkable anthropologist Spike Milligan said, “Everybody gotta be some place”. (Or was it Groucho Marx?)
Thanks for the great review. Makes me feel undeservedly good and hopefully will sell some books and encourage Bernard Tink to give it a mention in the Post.
Yours sincerely — and I really mean that — Robert Cooper (Dr).