Even during ancient Chinese imperial days the Chinese were wanting to overrun Vietnam but often the Chinese went home badly wounded by the tough and ingenious Vietnamese
One example
The Vietnamese hid clay pots in the ground and broke the Chinese invaders horses legs so sent the Chinese crying home
.
Overall, Thai society and government has done an exemplary job in making the country safe for tourists over the last decade.
The rise of local English language media in tourist areas has also made things a lot more transparent and spread info on such crimes and safety issues.
Increased reporting by UK-based media on things that happen to UK nationals read globally over the web has also been important.
Take a look at “Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand” (in YouTube) a British production many years ago that documented every possible bad thing that could happen to a tourist in a tourist area from Pattaya’s Walking Street to the Full Moon Party to the archetypical shotgun toting jet ski scammer.
Crimes involving foreigners or just plain tourism safety is a better way to look at it.
Take for instance, an Australian couple riding a rental motorcycle without a license, as everyone does, who took a left turn into their Koh Samui resort a few years ago.
They were hit by a speeding motorcycle. The woman died and the man found himself arrested because he was driving without a license.
The outrage did not continue for long however, because the Australian media was all over it and there was a viral internet campaign to get the word out, demand justice and help the man.
Tourists in any locality do not know the way things work there, the safety issues.
Without international web-based media, the police would have had a little hidden pocket to conduct extortion operations in or help local powerful influential figures with impunity.
The arrangement or settlement with the police that resolves so many legal cases (especially traffic-related) is always missing from media reports and that could involve some compensation to an accident or crime victim (e.g. stabbing) and/or extortion money paid to the police to obtain release.
Remember that tourism includes long-stay tourists. Take the case of one long stay tourist, a Swiss NGO volunteer named Rolf or Kaew, who hung himself in Chiang Rai prison around 2002, allegedly after several attempts by the police to extort money out of him. If there was a local web-based English language media that got the word out about his case, as there is now, it is unlikely that the case would have had the same outcome.
Since the police are the first-line responder to crimes involving tourists and accidents, the only way to make big improvements is probably to make their operations more transparent, i.e. police reform. On the other hand, that the Thai police has actually reformed itself (self-reform) and will continue to do so is a real possibility but it is pretty difficult to document because this info is not made public. The police launched a very non-transparent reform campaign last week and claims success but with few if any details.
Anyway, there are enough unknowns in this area to form the basis of a PhD contribution to knowledge, but alas one would have to document real miscarriages of justice which would leave one open to some sort of revenge attack or defense of honour such as a defamation case or worse. 🙁
There are usually a few things missed from commentary on the importance of tourism to Thailand – and they are missed because too often the commentary is usually spoken from a Western perspective.
First of all the numbers are not explained properly – yes tourism is important but the Reuters article quoted to back up the 10% figure provides no source itself.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), who are not noted for understating the impact of tourism, puts the direct contribution figure closer to 8% with it raised to 20% when the “indirect” and “induced” numbers are included. These latter numbers would likely be much harder to quantify.
The WTTC also project that the direct financial impact in terms of Thai Baht will almost double in the next ten years.
When it comes to domestic Thai tourism the WTTC report states is that it makes up 30% of Thai tourist revenue.
So, if we take the WTTC’s 8% direct contribution to GDP and take off 30% domestic tourism we’re left with 5.6% of direct contribution by foreign tourists to Thailand – almost 1/2 the 10% stat mentioned here and quoted, unsourced, by Reuters.
According to the Trading Economics website exports to Japan make up 10% of Thailand’s GDP – almost double the entire amount of foreign tourism to Thailand, they have China at 12%.
What’s interesting is some Western commentators obsession with “tourism” – maybe it’s because they don’t bother to look in other places?
Yes, tourism is important but Thailand’s position in the global supply chain is of far more importance.
Wow, what a load of crap. Mahathir, now fighting for the good of the people?? Would you mind putting up another stocking at the chimney for me at Christmas?
That self serving baron robber had robbed the country blind. Now out of power and away from the “feeding trough”, he is trying to muscle his way back in, so that his kids (who are all billionairs BTW) get to control the trough.
Working with him to get rid of Najib is like partnering the ISIS bunch to get rid of Assad – the worst mistake you will ever make, and the last, once ISIS or mahathir is done using you..
In 2003 or thereabouts, I had the great misfortune of attending a meeting of people in the tourism business in Chiang Mai, held at the Alliance Francaise.
I seem to recall a lecture given by a Brit that was aimed at establishing how some particular government policies under consideration at the time were bound to destroy tourism in Chiang Mai.
Over the course of the discussion I began to understand that what was meant by “destroy tourism” was “attract more Chinese tourists and put off caucasians”. The virulent racism that ran through the discussion period was shocking to me at the time.
Since moving to Thailand a decade ago, I have heard again and again from Caucasians living here that Thais are destroying their tourism industry, that Thailand cannot survive without tourism and that therefore Thais are self-destructing.
The 06 coup was going to put an end to the Thai tourism industry, as was the red uprising in 09.
Then it was Rajprasong 2010 that was going to put paid to Thai tourism. For Yellow Farang it was the occupation itself that would bring about the apocalypse. For the Red-leaning it was May 19th.
Then it was the great floods and the mishandling thereof in 2011.
And of course the PDRC insurrection and subsequent coup were surely the final nail in the coffin that would break the donkey’s back.
Scattered in amongst the great historic events that were destroying Thailand tourism in this endless discourse on social media and in bars and restaurants and teachers’ rooms all across the nation there was the low-level buzz of farang suicides (which are always actually murders) and violent crimes against tourists that were also going to finally end the tourist trade and teach the Thais a lesson about how to do business in a changing world.
Nevertheless, tourist arrivals in Thailand have gone from 10 million to 30 million over the past 15 years or so and from 7% of GDP, the tourism sector has “boomed” to around 10%.
This is the second piece NM has published recently on the precarious times facing the Thai tourism industry, so the discourse flows on and ever onward.
I would suggest that when the head of the Thai NHRC points out that “there is no movement to stop the practice” of re-enactments, she touches on a larger and more significant point.
If Thai police and Thai courts and Thai governance in general are not being brought up to “western standards” in order to better serve the sovereign people of Thailand, then it is highly unlikely that this transformation devoutly to be wished will come about from a need to “allay tourists’ fears”, since there seem to be an overabundance of tourists who are more than happy to ignore such things.
The fact that they are Asians is hardly relevant, but does seem to affect the way the discourse is shaped. I suppose that has something to do with a changing world.
A Chinese-Malaysian, or an Indian-Malaysian, leading the government of Malaysia is exactly what is needed to reverse the rot of Malaysia’s Bumitputra (or Malaysia for Malays only) policy.
Yes you are a bigot. Hard for outsiders to understand the blatant sino-phobia displayed by the muslim malays through their bumi putera policy, an outdated apartheid system that also affects indian-malaysians. What’s wrong with having the chinese taking over the country if it leads to prospect of greater prosperity? The Indonesians and the Philipinos don’t seem to mind. And no, contrary to what they believe, malays are not superior to the rest of the south east asians.
Your shrill only shows you playing the man instead of the ball. Your attacking the messenger is so typical of Malaysians who, we know, find that truth hurts them, that they would rather be left in their wholesome ignorance and self-denial. Which would explain why Malaysia is sliding backwards every day. If you disagree with the author at least show where and why you disagree. This way you would earn at least some respect from some people. But don’t play the man when you have nothing intelligent or remotely clever to offer.
There is nothing unambiguous about what Bhatia says. What he is saying here is that Najib and Mahathir are cut from the same cloth. Both are as evil as one another, and none can nor should be trusted. And Bhatia is not taken in by Mahathir’s newest political ploy, with his self-interest being pursued rather than the interest of the country.
Elsewhere in Bhatia’s many writings, he has also put the blame squarely on Malaysians. He says Malaysians are far too afraid to protest in the streets the way, say, the Egyptians did in the Arab Spring days; that the mess Malaysia finds itself today is as much made by Malaysia’s political and economic elites as the people themselves. I quite agree. I have seen this in my African continent. What do you have to say about that (on Malaysia), Philemon Lai?
Stop playing the man; it is cowardly and obtuse. If you find truth hurts, please don’t read his work.
Yes, she is certainly Ma Khin Mar Mar Kyi. In my original text I introduced her as Dr Khin Mar Mar Kyi, but this error was then introduced by The Myanmar Times when they edited my piece. Now fixed in our text above. Thanks for pointing this out.
ASSK has never lived a university student’s life in her home country. Nor was she remotely sympathetic to the students’ education reform protests supported by the , majority of the country’s academics, educationists and not least the public, contrary to what one might expect from her father’s historic record as a militant student leader fighting the colonial education system and ultimately for independence.
Having said that it’s got to be definitely a brighter future in store for education in Burma under the new ‘administration’ (if they are allowed to administer anything) perhaps hopefully even restoring the University of Rangoon to its former glory, in sharp contrast to those philistines who are still trying to maintain their stranglehold on the nation’s political and economic life.
The name Ko Khin Mar Mar Kyi sounds wrong and androgynous BTW.
As you may be aware, Indonesia is a mess of a cesspit with plethora of problems the world decidedly ignore. LGBT rights would not be normally a concern unless there is an attempt to deflect attention from other issues. Culturally in general, Indonesia is not comfortable with anything to do with sex or orientation. They believe it is a private matter that needs to be kept, well, private. To bring it into attention would be a taboo with consequences, amongst others are social and economical. That’s why for most LGB (except T who are more visible), laying low is the only sensible option. And they prefer not to be labelled as such. That’s not to say there are no activities. In fact, for example, the Men-Sex-Men culture is huge and well established. In a conservative culture whorshipping manliness and no sex before marriage, same sex action is rampant. This is one of the many unspoken traits that only Indonesian themselves understand and knows about, just like saying yes when they actually means no. What the government disagree with is the formation of organization to justify it into a western style liberal movement normalizing those ‘deviant’ values, which doesn’t sit well with the values of the general conservative society, who actually tolerates it so long as it is out of sight.
Of course having the same rights as those in wealthy developed nations would be excellent, but for now that is more of a pipe dream. And being left alone by the society, being free of violent prejudices is more of a priority. What NGOs can do to help the LGBT and MSM of Indonesia is actually of more pressing matters, like accessability to anonymous HIV testing and affordable anti-retroviral medicines. More importantly is the campaign of sexual health, especially in absence of open gathering spaces, in places prone to these activities like gyms, fitness and sports centres, also on dating and location based social apps. Horror stories of body beautiful men dropping like flies and husbands infecting their wives are not uncommon. Most would state cause of death as pneumonia or meningitis, as to protect the dignity of those left behind. But this distorts statistic of HIV rates in Indonesia as, unlike in developed countries, most patients rapidly detoriating due to refusal of adknowledging being infected thus, no acces to anti-retroviral drugs.
Hope this will bring attention to UN body dealing with the matter. On how to convince the government of Indonesia to allow campaign of sexual health without being accused of promoting promiscuity. This may be the biggest challange.
PS: On lighter note, to see this scenario for yourself, in Jakarta for example, a visit to your local gym downstairs, will prove to be an eye opener. Men admiring each other exhanging numbers while their wives/girlfriends in the yoga/cardio corner, groups of steroid pumped men dismissing and revolted by the skinny effiminate newbie, the personal trainer earning 200 bucks a month moonlighting as escort while juggling time between his buddies and his wife. Just don’t go to the shower.
I don’t have a good grasp of Malaysia’s government system but from the escalating scandals linked to Najib, including murder and billion dollars of deposits to Najib’s bank accounts — sumting wong pardon my Chinese.
Najib should resign and skeddadle to Saudi Arabia. Sooner rather than later …..
Could a coup in Malaysia be in the process …… or very near?
The Khmer Rouge policy of utterly destroying the ancien régime before attempting to build anew seems to have been copied by the US and its allies in Iraq, Lybia, and now Syria, with similar results in each case.
I guess I am bound to reply to rebut you spinning of the facts.
First I am no cyber trooper and just because I choose to put forward arguments in support of Najib doesn’t make me one.
1. 1 MDB
– Well the head of PAC was a government MP and he was promoted as a Minister in the cabinet shake-up. He was replaced by another government MP. It makes no sense to promote the head of PAC if the govt. thinks he might uncover the truth. Also there is no proof or whatsoever the replace chief is closer to Najib or attempting to derail the investigation from his conduct so far. As such allegations that the old chief was replaced to sabotage the investigation is not just speculative but also without any proof.
– The final meeting was postponed a few times because of delay in Auditor’s report on 1MDB and not even the Opposition MPs within the PAC has said otherwise. Perhaps you have more information than Tony Pua? Care to share with us?
– In any case the main report was prepared by the AG and not the PAC. The changing of the PAC head changes nothing. Tony Pua himself have expressed satisfaction with the report and yet you seem to cast doubts. Wonder if you again some inside information that even PAC members don’t.
2. Xavier Justo : Well, Xavier has given pages and pages of Whatsapp messages between supporters of Opposition and Sarawak Report’s Claire Rewcastle. These messages clearly indicate the extent of these shenanigans have gone to obtain and doctor these documents and use them to frame 1MDB and Najib. Infact Justo is suing these people for failing to honour their pledge of paying him $2 million. The cyber security firm is universally acknowledged as the best in the world and headed by top experts in the field. There are no independent experts who disagreed with them. Please do tell us who they are to back up your claim.
3. Mahatir’s plot : Yes this is difficult to proof and I can only offer indirect one. That when the WSJ made their allegation, these data could only come from the AG office, Central Bank and the MACC. It is impossible for any layperson to put together that level of information without highest level of authority. At this point of time, no one even made any accusation but investigation has already been completed and evidence gathered. How this is possible unless there is a high-level group of people has been working on it for months?
As for the Edge, 100% of they published came from Sarawak Report and the documents they stole it from Jusco which they subsequently doctored.
4. Saudi donation – well let’s not change story here. The Saudi’s did confirm it came from them and it was published in the BBC and the New York Times. This was from highest level of their govt instead of some unnamed sources that the WSJ quoted.
Najib never denied receiving the money and he always maintained from day 1 that the money was not for his personal use.
Just because the Saudis gave it doesn’t make it a bribe as Najib did not ask for it.
Also the fact that most of the money was returned to the Saudis was confirmed by MACC. As for proof, I don’t think MACC has the obligation to provide it. If this was not the case, I am sure the WSJ would have jumped in and disputed it. Their silence speaks volume.
At the present the Malaysian laws do not prohibit political donations and legally Najib has nothing wrong.
And let’s not pretend that the Opposition don’t receive local and foreign donation as well. In fact they have refused to reveal their sources of donation.
You see, the reason why the WSJ and the SR did not provide more details is because by doing so will incriminate them and show the truth behind the issue.
Secondly, the WSJ recently claimed that the money came from 1MDB and not the Saudis. Well, they did not provide any evidence to back this up.
Thirdly, if the money was stolen from 1MDB, surely the AG report would show it. I am sure the external auditing firms would have fingered that too.
I found Scott’s analysis compelling and I look forward to seeing more of his work. As for Shane Tarr’s comments, there are very few anecdotes that Michael Vickery has not shared with me in the 50 years that we have known each other.
When a person is caught of wrong doing especially to the people who gave their trust by electing them to govern the country, they should step down because there is no more trust…mahathir is already a prominent figure not only in Malaysia but also internationally…. He does not need to be famous anymore by bringing down najib….infact, he is humiliated and criticised for his wrong doing when he governs the country for 22 years….no matter what his wrong doing were, he is now fighting for the future of Malaysia- for my sons,your sons and daughters, ie our future generation… So please help the people now that are helping us to get rid of the cancer that will bring down Malaysia one day…najib has not prove to be an excellent leader so far…a leader must gain trust from the people and not from those umno cabinet who he had admitted paying them to support him…we are talking about a leader running a country and not a company…so please support those who are getting rid of a not so efficient leader and be replaced by an excellent one…I m sure his brother nazir can even run the country better than his eldest brother… So please stop criticising mahathir for his past performance unless you yourself is the one looking for fame!
The military cocked a snook at everyone by nominating Myint Swe for the second time, apparently no longer in violation of Article 59(f) designed for ASSK, and electing him their VP.
As to instability and communal violence…. er.. the elephant in the room. Hopefully we shall see the beast proceeding down a slippery slope. Heave ho!
I got as far as 3rd para and thought to myself ‘this is written by a Chinese Malay’. Indulge me for a moment I am not a bigot. While I agree this PM should step down, and may well be really corrupt, readers need to understand the undercurrent to this. The PM party (UMNO) majority ethic Malay have kept the minority (but wealthier) Chinese out of power. The latter see their best hope ever at gaining power. That is the undercurrent. No excuses for the PM.. but this is not really about altruistic fight against corruption. Not at all. It is orchestrated even copying Chinese Thai yellow shirt vs majority Thai redshirts and the chinese-thai inspired coup that followed. So perspective is needed here. UMNO needs to dump this guy.. before the wealthy ethnic elite squash the majority like has happened in Thailand
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ASEAN deconstructs
> 17 Mar 2016
Even during ancient Chinese imperial days the Chinese were wanting to overrun Vietnam but often the Chinese went home badly wounded by the tough and ingenious Vietnamese
One example
The Vietnamese hid clay pots in the ground and broke the Chinese invaders horses legs so sent the Chinese crying home
.
Horror headlines, tourism and the Thai junta
Overall, Thai society and government has done an exemplary job in making the country safe for tourists over the last decade.
The rise of local English language media in tourist areas has also made things a lot more transparent and spread info on such crimes and safety issues.
Increased reporting by UK-based media on things that happen to UK nationals read globally over the web has also been important.
Take a look at “Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand” (in YouTube) a British production many years ago that documented every possible bad thing that could happen to a tourist in a tourist area from Pattaya’s Walking Street to the Full Moon Party to the archetypical shotgun toting jet ski scammer.
Crimes involving foreigners or just plain tourism safety is a better way to look at it.
Take for instance, an Australian couple riding a rental motorcycle without a license, as everyone does, who took a left turn into their Koh Samui resort a few years ago.
They were hit by a speeding motorcycle. The woman died and the man found himself arrested because he was driving without a license.
The outrage did not continue for long however, because the Australian media was all over it and there was a viral internet campaign to get the word out, demand justice and help the man.
Tourists in any locality do not know the way things work there, the safety issues.
Without international web-based media, the police would have had a little hidden pocket to conduct extortion operations in or help local powerful influential figures with impunity.
The arrangement or settlement with the police that resolves so many legal cases (especially traffic-related) is always missing from media reports and that could involve some compensation to an accident or crime victim (e.g. stabbing) and/or extortion money paid to the police to obtain release.
Remember that tourism includes long-stay tourists. Take the case of one long stay tourist, a Swiss NGO volunteer named Rolf or Kaew, who hung himself in Chiang Rai prison around 2002, allegedly after several attempts by the police to extort money out of him. If there was a local web-based English language media that got the word out about his case, as there is now, it is unlikely that the case would have had the same outcome.
Since the police are the first-line responder to crimes involving tourists and accidents, the only way to make big improvements is probably to make their operations more transparent, i.e. police reform. On the other hand, that the Thai police has actually reformed itself (self-reform) and will continue to do so is a real possibility but it is pretty difficult to document because this info is not made public. The police launched a very non-transparent reform campaign last week and claims success but with few if any details.
Anyway, there are enough unknowns in this area to form the basis of a PhD contribution to knowledge, but alas one would have to document real miscarriages of justice which would leave one open to some sort of revenge attack or defense of honour such as a defamation case or worse. 🙁
Horror headlines, tourism and the Thai junta
Arrivals are not neccesarily tourists. Numbers from Thai Government are known to be inflated also.
Horror headlines, tourism and the Thai junta
There are usually a few things missed from commentary on the importance of tourism to Thailand – and they are missed because too often the commentary is usually spoken from a Western perspective.
First of all the numbers are not explained properly – yes tourism is important but the Reuters article quoted to back up the 10% figure provides no source itself.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), who are not noted for understating the impact of tourism, puts the direct contribution figure closer to 8% with it raised to 20% when the “indirect” and “induced” numbers are included. These latter numbers would likely be much harder to quantify.
The WTTC also project that the direct financial impact in terms of Thai Baht will almost double in the next ten years.
When it comes to domestic Thai tourism the WTTC report states is that it makes up 30% of Thai tourist revenue.
So, if we take the WTTC’s 8% direct contribution to GDP and take off 30% domestic tourism we’re left with 5.6% of direct contribution by foreign tourists to Thailand – almost 1/2 the 10% stat mentioned here and quoted, unsourced, by Reuters.
According to the Trading Economics website exports to Japan make up 10% of Thailand’s GDP – almost double the entire amount of foreign tourism to Thailand, they have China at 12%.
What’s interesting is some Western commentators obsession with “tourism” – maybe it’s because they don’t bother to look in other places?
Yes, tourism is important but Thailand’s position in the global supply chain is of far more importance.
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/exports
https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/countries%202015/thailand2015.pdf
Mahathir no solution for Malaysia’s mess
Wow, what a load of crap. Mahathir, now fighting for the good of the people?? Would you mind putting up another stocking at the chimney for me at Christmas?
That self serving baron robber had robbed the country blind. Now out of power and away from the “feeding trough”, he is trying to muscle his way back in, so that his kids (who are all billionairs BTW) get to control the trough.
Working with him to get rid of Najib is like partnering the ISIS bunch to get rid of Assad – the worst mistake you will ever make, and the last, once ISIS or mahathir is done using you..
Horror headlines, tourism and the Thai junta
In 2003 or thereabouts, I had the great misfortune of attending a meeting of people in the tourism business in Chiang Mai, held at the Alliance Francaise.
I seem to recall a lecture given by a Brit that was aimed at establishing how some particular government policies under consideration at the time were bound to destroy tourism in Chiang Mai.
Over the course of the discussion I began to understand that what was meant by “destroy tourism” was “attract more Chinese tourists and put off caucasians”. The virulent racism that ran through the discussion period was shocking to me at the time.
Since moving to Thailand a decade ago, I have heard again and again from Caucasians living here that Thais are destroying their tourism industry, that Thailand cannot survive without tourism and that therefore Thais are self-destructing.
The 06 coup was going to put an end to the Thai tourism industry, as was the red uprising in 09.
Then it was Rajprasong 2010 that was going to put paid to Thai tourism. For Yellow Farang it was the occupation itself that would bring about the apocalypse. For the Red-leaning it was May 19th.
Then it was the great floods and the mishandling thereof in 2011.
And of course the PDRC insurrection and subsequent coup were surely the final nail in the coffin that would break the donkey’s back.
Scattered in amongst the great historic events that were destroying Thailand tourism in this endless discourse on social media and in bars and restaurants and teachers’ rooms all across the nation there was the low-level buzz of farang suicides (which are always actually murders) and violent crimes against tourists that were also going to finally end the tourist trade and teach the Thais a lesson about how to do business in a changing world.
Nevertheless, tourist arrivals in Thailand have gone from 10 million to 30 million over the past 15 years or so and from 7% of GDP, the tourism sector has “boomed” to around 10%.
This is the second piece NM has published recently on the precarious times facing the Thai tourism industry, so the discourse flows on and ever onward.
I would suggest that when the head of the Thai NHRC points out that “there is no movement to stop the practice” of re-enactments, she touches on a larger and more significant point.
If Thai police and Thai courts and Thai governance in general are not being brought up to “western standards” in order to better serve the sovereign people of Thailand, then it is highly unlikely that this transformation devoutly to be wished will come about from a need to “allay tourists’ fears”, since there seem to be an overabundance of tourists who are more than happy to ignore such things.
The fact that they are Asians is hardly relevant, but does seem to affect the way the discourse is shaped. I suppose that has something to do with a changing world.
Why Najib Razak is still in power
Matt Saleh is right on.
A Chinese-Malaysian, or an Indian-Malaysian, leading the government of Malaysia is exactly what is needed to reverse the rot of Malaysia’s Bumitputra (or Malaysia for Malays only) policy.
Why Najib Razak is still in power
Yes you are a bigot. Hard for outsiders to understand the blatant sino-phobia displayed by the muslim malays through their bumi putera policy, an outdated apartheid system that also affects indian-malaysians. What’s wrong with having the chinese taking over the country if it leads to prospect of greater prosperity? The Indonesians and the Philipinos don’t seem to mind. And no, contrary to what they believe, malays are not superior to the rest of the south east asians.
Mahathir no solution for Malaysia’s mess
Your shrill only shows you playing the man instead of the ball. Your attacking the messenger is so typical of Malaysians who, we know, find that truth hurts them, that they would rather be left in their wholesome ignorance and self-denial. Which would explain why Malaysia is sliding backwards every day. If you disagree with the author at least show where and why you disagree. This way you would earn at least some respect from some people. But don’t play the man when you have nothing intelligent or remotely clever to offer.
There is nothing unambiguous about what Bhatia says. What he is saying here is that Najib and Mahathir are cut from the same cloth. Both are as evil as one another, and none can nor should be trusted. And Bhatia is not taken in by Mahathir’s newest political ploy, with his self-interest being pursued rather than the interest of the country.
Elsewhere in Bhatia’s many writings, he has also put the blame squarely on Malaysians. He says Malaysians are far too afraid to protest in the streets the way, say, the Egyptians did in the Arab Spring days; that the mess Malaysia finds itself today is as much made by Malaysia’s political and economic elites as the people themselves. I quite agree. I have seen this in my African continent. What do you have to say about that (on Malaysia), Philemon Lai?
Stop playing the man; it is cowardly and obtuse. If you find truth hurts, please don’t read his work.
Universities in a democratic Myanmar
Thanks Moe Aung,
Yes, she is certainly Ma Khin Mar Mar Kyi. In my original text I introduced her as Dr Khin Mar Mar Kyi, but this error was then introduced by The Myanmar Times when they edited my piece. Now fixed in our text above. Thanks for pointing this out.
Best wishes to all,
Nich
Universities in a democratic Myanmar
ASSK has never lived a university student’s life in her home country. Nor was she remotely sympathetic to the students’ education reform protests supported by the , majority of the country’s academics, educationists and not least the public, contrary to what one might expect from her father’s historic record as a militant student leader fighting the colonial education system and ultimately for independence.
Having said that it’s got to be definitely a brighter future in store for education in Burma under the new ‘administration’ (if they are allowed to administer anything) perhaps hopefully even restoring the University of Rangoon to its former glory, in sharp contrast to those philistines who are still trying to maintain their stranglehold on the nation’s political and economic life.
The name Ko Khin Mar Mar Kyi sounds wrong and androgynous BTW.
Morality and LGBT rights in Indonesia
As you may be aware, Indonesia is a mess of a cesspit with plethora of problems the world decidedly ignore. LGBT rights would not be normally a concern unless there is an attempt to deflect attention from other issues. Culturally in general, Indonesia is not comfortable with anything to do with sex or orientation. They believe it is a private matter that needs to be kept, well, private. To bring it into attention would be a taboo with consequences, amongst others are social and economical. That’s why for most LGB (except T who are more visible), laying low is the only sensible option. And they prefer not to be labelled as such. That’s not to say there are no activities. In fact, for example, the Men-Sex-Men culture is huge and well established. In a conservative culture whorshipping manliness and no sex before marriage, same sex action is rampant. This is one of the many unspoken traits that only Indonesian themselves understand and knows about, just like saying yes when they actually means no. What the government disagree with is the formation of organization to justify it into a western style liberal movement normalizing those ‘deviant’ values, which doesn’t sit well with the values of the general conservative society, who actually tolerates it so long as it is out of sight.
Of course having the same rights as those in wealthy developed nations would be excellent, but for now that is more of a pipe dream. And being left alone by the society, being free of violent prejudices is more of a priority. What NGOs can do to help the LGBT and MSM of Indonesia is actually of more pressing matters, like accessability to anonymous HIV testing and affordable anti-retroviral medicines. More importantly is the campaign of sexual health, especially in absence of open gathering spaces, in places prone to these activities like gyms, fitness and sports centres, also on dating and location based social apps. Horror stories of body beautiful men dropping like flies and husbands infecting their wives are not uncommon. Most would state cause of death as pneumonia or meningitis, as to protect the dignity of those left behind. But this distorts statistic of HIV rates in Indonesia as, unlike in developed countries, most patients rapidly detoriating due to refusal of adknowledging being infected thus, no acces to anti-retroviral drugs.
Hope this will bring attention to UN body dealing with the matter. On how to convince the government of Indonesia to allow campaign of sexual health without being accused of promoting promiscuity. This may be the biggest challange.
PS: On lighter note, to see this scenario for yourself, in Jakarta for example, a visit to your local gym downstairs, will prove to be an eye opener. Men admiring each other exhanging numbers while their wives/girlfriends in the yoga/cardio corner, groups of steroid pumped men dismissing and revolted by the skinny effiminate newbie, the personal trainer earning 200 bucks a month moonlighting as escort while juggling time between his buddies and his wife. Just don’t go to the shower.
Why Najib Razak is still in power
I don’t have a good grasp of Malaysia’s government system but from the escalating scandals linked to Najib, including murder and billion dollars of deposits to Najib’s bank accounts — sumting wong pardon my Chinese.
Najib should resign and skeddadle to Saudi Arabia. Sooner rather than later …..
Could a coup in Malaysia be in the process …… or very near?
Lawlessness and mass violence in Cambodia
The Khmer Rouge policy of utterly destroying the ancien régime before attempting to build anew seems to have been copied by the US and its allies in Iraq, Lybia, and now Syria, with similar results in each case.
Why Najib Razak is still in power
Fred,
I guess I am bound to reply to rebut you spinning of the facts.
First I am no cyber trooper and just because I choose to put forward arguments in support of Najib doesn’t make me one.
1. 1 MDB
– Well the head of PAC was a government MP and he was promoted as a Minister in the cabinet shake-up. He was replaced by another government MP. It makes no sense to promote the head of PAC if the govt. thinks he might uncover the truth. Also there is no proof or whatsoever the replace chief is closer to Najib or attempting to derail the investigation from his conduct so far. As such allegations that the old chief was replaced to sabotage the investigation is not just speculative but also without any proof.
– The final meeting was postponed a few times because of delay in Auditor’s report on 1MDB and not even the Opposition MPs within the PAC has said otherwise. Perhaps you have more information than Tony Pua? Care to share with us?
– In any case the main report was prepared by the AG and not the PAC. The changing of the PAC head changes nothing. Tony Pua himself have expressed satisfaction with the report and yet you seem to cast doubts. Wonder if you again some inside information that even PAC members don’t.
2. Xavier Justo : Well, Xavier has given pages and pages of Whatsapp messages between supporters of Opposition and Sarawak Report’s Claire Rewcastle. These messages clearly indicate the extent of these shenanigans have gone to obtain and doctor these documents and use them to frame 1MDB and Najib. Infact Justo is suing these people for failing to honour their pledge of paying him $2 million. The cyber security firm is universally acknowledged as the best in the world and headed by top experts in the field. There are no independent experts who disagreed with them. Please do tell us who they are to back up your claim.
3. Mahatir’s plot : Yes this is difficult to proof and I can only offer indirect one. That when the WSJ made their allegation, these data could only come from the AG office, Central Bank and the MACC. It is impossible for any layperson to put together that level of information without highest level of authority. At this point of time, no one even made any accusation but investigation has already been completed and evidence gathered. How this is possible unless there is a high-level group of people has been working on it for months?
As for the Edge, 100% of they published came from Sarawak Report and the documents they stole it from Jusco which they subsequently doctored.
4. Saudi donation – well let’s not change story here. The Saudi’s did confirm it came from them and it was published in the BBC and the New York Times. This was from highest level of their govt instead of some unnamed sources that the WSJ quoted.
Najib never denied receiving the money and he always maintained from day 1 that the money was not for his personal use.
Just because the Saudis gave it doesn’t make it a bribe as Najib did not ask for it.
Also the fact that most of the money was returned to the Saudis was confirmed by MACC. As for proof, I don’t think MACC has the obligation to provide it. If this was not the case, I am sure the WSJ would have jumped in and disputed it. Their silence speaks volume.
At the present the Malaysian laws do not prohibit political donations and legally Najib has nothing wrong.
And let’s not pretend that the Opposition don’t receive local and foreign donation as well. In fact they have refused to reveal their sources of donation.
You see, the reason why the WSJ and the SR did not provide more details is because by doing so will incriminate them and show the truth behind the issue.
Secondly, the WSJ recently claimed that the money came from 1MDB and not the Saudis. Well, they did not provide any evidence to back this up.
Thirdly, if the money was stolen from 1MDB, surely the AG report would show it. I am sure the external auditing firms would have fingered that too.
Lawlessness and mass violence in Cambodia
I found Scott’s analysis compelling and I look forward to seeing more of his work. As for Shane Tarr’s comments, there are very few anecdotes that Michael Vickery has not shared with me in the 50 years that we have known each other.
Mahathir no solution for Malaysia’s mess
When a person is caught of wrong doing especially to the people who gave their trust by electing them to govern the country, they should step down because there is no more trust…mahathir is already a prominent figure not only in Malaysia but also internationally…. He does not need to be famous anymore by bringing down najib….infact, he is humiliated and criticised for his wrong doing when he governs the country for 22 years….no matter what his wrong doing were, he is now fighting for the future of Malaysia- for my sons,your sons and daughters, ie our future generation… So please help the people now that are helping us to get rid of the cancer that will bring down Malaysia one day…najib has not prove to be an excellent leader so far…a leader must gain trust from the people and not from those umno cabinet who he had admitted paying them to support him…we are talking about a leader running a country and not a company…so please support those who are getting rid of a not so efficient leader and be replaced by an excellent one…I m sure his brother nazir can even run the country better than his eldest brother… So please stop criticising mahathir for his past performance unless you yourself is the one looking for fame!
Silencing the media in Malaysia
Very troubling news for Malaysians all round.
Myanmar’s next president
The military cocked a snook at everyone by nominating Myint Swe for the second time, apparently no longer in violation of Article 59(f) designed for ASSK, and electing him their VP.
As to instability and communal violence…. er.. the elephant in the room. Hopefully we shall see the beast proceeding down a slippery slope. Heave ho!
Why Najib Razak is still in power
I got as far as 3rd para and thought to myself ‘this is written by a Chinese Malay’. Indulge me for a moment I am not a bigot. While I agree this PM should step down, and may well be really corrupt, readers need to understand the undercurrent to this. The PM party (UMNO) majority ethic Malay have kept the minority (but wealthier) Chinese out of power. The latter see their best hope ever at gaining power. That is the undercurrent. No excuses for the PM.. but this is not really about altruistic fight against corruption. Not at all. It is orchestrated even copying Chinese Thai yellow shirt vs majority Thai redshirts and the chinese-thai inspired coup that followed. So perspective is needed here. UMNO needs to dump this guy.. before the wealthy ethnic elite squash the majority like has happened in Thailand