The first study was done by Harvard in 2009 and subsequent studies have confirmed this.
There is no distinction between northern and southern indians, or between the castes. They are all the same race. There is no evidence of a foreign invasion.
strange – lots thumbs downs on my comments in a very short period of time. Just the comment that i soon will leave Thailand did not receive a thumbs down, yet… some people seem to dislike me quite a bit 😉
While I agree with the critique of Marshall’s summary of the earlier history of the monarchy, dismissing it out of hand by reducing it to a modern form of Orientialism would seem to miss the point, particularly since newer and equally lethal forms of royal prerogative seem alive and well.
This is a work by a journalist, not a scholar. I don’t see many scholars publishing on the subject.
Marshall used a sledgehammer to get his point across and open up dialogue. He also worked his way through hundreds of pages of Wikileaks cables to provide novel material, which deserves acknowledgement.
Criticizing Marshall for not studying peasants, other classes, etc when he was addressing a narrow point about a succession crisis seems a little disingenuous. Same with critiquing the book for insufficient data to support his points. I suspect he was tireless in his quest for informants, most of whom were too terrified to give names.
I look forward to work by Walker and other established scholars on the topic, adding a new, substantial body of verifiable fact and desired nuance from what is essentially a police state. Or perhaps they can produce a textured, direct, detailed anthropology on the monarchy from the viewpoint of the periphery, the Thai working class, or students, or members of the Red Shirt movement. Or military and police perspectives on the monarchy. Or examine the latter’s relationship to the citizenry, providing hard data on exactly how they acquired huge fortunes on a civil servant’s salary.
I would like to see the research proposal for any of the above, which would, of course, go straight to the National Research Council or some equivalent for approval.
Andrew’s done his bit. It’s time to move on. Yes. He’s furious. His cameraman was murdered. He was a journalist who was forbidden to write about the obvious.
The book was powered by grief and outrage, written under less than ideal circumstances.
Covering Bangkok/Thailand with its distinct legal system, history of murdered journalists, and requirements for happiness would seem to radicalize foreign journalists. Perhaps pointing out the obvious is not all that radical, just courageous.
Criticizing Andrew or his book does not take much courage, but it might put one in good stead with the junta, which controls access, or with the entrenched elite, who control business, banking, etc.
It’s time for a respected mainstream scholar to address the topic in the desired scholarly manner.
May I first suggest dropping trendy buzzwords: celestial capital, radial polity, wronged periphery, network monarchy (as if every social formation on earth, human or animal, doesn’t take the form of a network), Deep State (guaranteed to win prize for shockingly hip fecund intellectual cross-fertilization).
“Tapping into new wealth, new social media, and bottled rage and resentment at centuries of maltreatment from the royal capital in Bangkok, forces from the periphery can, for the first time, dominate the capital, the worst nightmare of the Chakri Dynasty and its hangers-on.”
Excuse me, but what a load of hyperbolic pseudo-intellectual pretentiousness.
Has the author actually lived and worked in Thailand?
There are well-functioning low-cost hospitals and schools a short motorcycle ride away from almost every village.
Try to find that in other countries, Philippines, Burma, Laos ….. etc, etc.
Not to mention states that have completely collapsed or that have experienced waves of mass genocide (Cambodia, Syria, Indonesia…etc).
May I suggest switching from creating unfalsifiable prognostications of doom to providing people with something useful they can use to better their lives, that at least would provide some healthy frame of reference for reality while you conduct your researches. 🙂
As much as i appreciate Political Prisoners as an interesting and very useful resource for collecting and analyzing news articles (i regularly read that blog as well), at times he/she/they can be off as well. Doing articles and interviews in the field is a completely different matter from just analyzing them.
The interview of Wiwat just after the arrest may not answer some of the pertinent questions (which, i would dare say Wiwat himself has very little knowledge about either), but just dismissing this interview with such unfair put downs does not do it justice.
This is so far the only long interview with any armed militant of the PDRC. It gives a view into the perspective and mind of a young man who has taken up a gun to fight his opponents. Furthermore, this interview is a clear and indisputable evidence that the PDRC has had armed militants in their ranks, directly connected to their organization, more than just photos which have always been dismissed as “third hand” or “dunno who they are”, or similar ridiculous excuses.
Would anyone of the critics even be able to get close to getting such an interview? Does anyone of the critics imagine even how much dedicated work it takes to get such an interview? Did anyone of the critics even got close to have off the record conversations with PDRC armed militants, or with their counterparts in the Red Shirts? I very much doubt that. So, unless these critics can show us something better, i would rather suggest they do not dismiss a colleague’s work.
Working in the field, being known by actors in the field, some of them very violent, and some having a tendency to quickly build and to also hold grudges, means taking a lot of risks, which one does not need to take while sitting at the computer being anonymous.
Therefore i am not reacting very well to a dedicated colleague’s work being put down and dismissed by people who have not taken the risks he did.
A far too royalist account which perpetuates the myth of their importance. Who calls the shots in Thai politics by defining a state of emergency/ exception ? The military. By doing such and staging coups their exercise sovereign power according to Carl Scmitt. So, so what about succession! The Thai monarchy is ruled by the army and Sino Thai capitalists
It’s a bit surprising to read such harsh comments on this new piece from Nick. Everybody who follows his work knows that he is one of the few journalists actually reporting things he sees by himself, from the streets. It’s obvious that he does not try to excuse or victimize Wiwat, but tries to explain how this guy got used and left. When he says he was the only photograph present, it’s not to ‘overstate’ something but to show that Thai media donnot care about people like Wiwat.
There is of course a midway position between MacGregor Marshall’s agitprop (he is equally dismissive of the British monarchy)and that of those who subscribe uncritically to the Thai royalist mythology.This would be to support the monarchical institution in Thailand as one in harmony with the country’s culture and tradition, but with the hope it can be slimmed down and be less politicised by third parties.
“This is very much a royalist account of Thai history. Like Thailand’s royalists, MacGregor Marshall places the king at the heart of the Thai polity …” This is exactly the problem that I have with the book. It seems difficult to use non-royalist perspectives.
Sorry, Richard III’s defeat at Bosworth Field in 1485 … obviously the Thai Internet snooper and blocker is unhappy about anything to do with the death of a King.
Nick, I have always enjoyed and believed all of your posts, and love all your photos. must be a lot of govt shills here with all the thumbs down. It is a pity that you can’t continue going out with your camera for the world to see what is happening, because of some ignorant fascists.
I assume that Andre MacGregor Marshall will not be holidaying in Thailand anytime soon. When people are imprisoned for 7 years for a comment made in a book years ago, and the Internet site that holds the story of the defeat and death of Henry II is blocked, Thailand is a rather dangerous place for some commentators and authors.
There is a big difference between Trump and Thaksin. Trump is riding on a wave of fear of the future, resentment, nostalgia, and hate (especially xenophobia) as American capitalism withers. Thaksin rode on a wave of social improvement and hope for a better life as Thai capitalism grew. To his credit, he left hate alone. The worst aspect of Thaksin is that he is in many respects just another big, old-style patron for people to crawl to. Network Monarchy hate him and his family because they are displacing the Chakris in that role. For them and their feudal vassals it is a dynastic struggle. Vajiralonkorn is a wild card: the black sheep of the Chakris who is loyal only to himself.
Thank you so much for reminding me, Curtain Call. I actually might have forgotten that i was one of the people Wiwat shot at – little things like this so easily slip the mind.
At no point have i stated that Wiwat should not be judged and sent to prison. However, people should still be reminded of Wiwat’s humanity, and he should not be simplified as a symbol for a radical and brutal street movement.
As well, platitudes such as “unarmed civilians” paint this conflict in a very unrealistic and simplistic black and white sheen. Wiwat was led to believe and convinced that the people he shot at were in fact armed terrorists (well, a few were indeed armed, but just with a couple of handguns, and in this case – they did not initiate the gunfight, but Wiwat and his friends did), and that he saved his people from exactly that. This is the very tragic irony that led to the death of one man, and several more injured that day.
The ones that carry far more guilt than Wiwat on that day got all away. Those are the ones that have misled Wiwat and so many others, fed them over months (years) with poison propaganda instead of educating them with knowledge, dehumanized their political opponents – exactly the same mechanism that takes place when Wiwat’s humanity and tragedy is simply dismissed.
So, yes, as one of the unarmed civilians “shot at and terrorized” during that incident i do claim my right to state that in this sense Wiwat is as much victim as perpetrator.
You are correct.
I apologize to my Thai friends since the tone is ironic. Drumpf is a relatively new joke about Trump’s original family name that is circulating on the Internet. (I heard it from my daughter on Facebook lol).
The comparison does at first seem far fetched.
Donald Trump lives in New York and Thaksin Shinawatra lives in … Dubai.
On the other hand, both are nouveau riche, independently wealthy, masters of new communication media, ethically challenged, vastly upsetting to the old elite, and they both draw on the resentments and legitimate anger of the working classes.
Trump and Thaksin’s enemies disparage their respective supporters as uneducated, unworthy of generating a new wave democratic movement. Both Trump and Thaksin (and the Crown Prince) challenge entrenched elite, including, in America, old(er) wealth such as the Koch brothers, Mitt Romney, etc. Thaksin flat out insulted King Bhumibol in ways that only Thai would really understand. (“The king has only to whisper in my ear…”)
The difference is that Thaksin tapped into a vast, long-suppressed desire for genuine democracy, and his government implemented social policies that provided genuine benefits to the poor and disenfranchised.
Donald Trump, who has no policies, utilizes Twitter and Facebook to insult and confound political commentators on mainstream media (Fox News, MSNBC, etc.). “I replied on Twitter…” — Twitter and Facebook being their competitors, which he knows perfectly well.
American news commentators can’t say this, however, any more than the Thai king or his supporters can explain exactly why the king has been insulted.
Trump and Thaksin are both masters of insult in their respective cultures
In the Thai case, Thaksin’s democratically-elected government/the desire for genuine democracy created a horrendous backlash and unspeakable violence, whereas in America, Trump’s success and ability to play off the electoral process is just embarrassing.
Like the word Democracy, Peace need to be redefined with what happening in Myanmar.
Peace to most westerners generally mean cessation of ALL hostility, an impossible case in Myanmar due to well known Historical fact as well as continuing meddling/taking sides of EU members that Ko Ohn mentioned in his post here.
For now cessation of enough hostility must be used as a temporary definition. So that alternatives can be encouraged and realized.
DASSK and NLD has a big burden and opportunities to start from square one together with patriots within the military to assure a process called peace as defined crudely above in order that Freedom can flourish.
THere will be no U turn desired by no one if the process is allowed to progress.
“From then on Wiwat got radicalized, and it ended in the Laksi incident.”
“The personal tragedy of Wiwat.”
It’s important we’re reminded that Wiwat engaged in acts of very violent terrorism against peaceful unarmed civilians on behalf of an extremist group that was seeking to overthrow democracy.
Wiwat is no victim. The people he shot at and terrorized are the victims. Theirs is the tragedy.
We can seek to understand why the Wiwats of Thailand end up where they are but, quite frankly, in this instance, his lengthy jail term is fully justified.
A lot of people suffer poverty, have friends and family members who express extreme views and very very very few of them then open fire with a war weapon at unarmed civilians.
I would suggest to read MJ’s comment again. he ended it with “Red dreamers like Nick”. Which by all means is a personal attack. So, i replied in kind. You want me to be polite, be polite to me.
I don’t know MJ’s blog, but i do not particularly enjoy being patronized.
Well, you may disagree, but i find the interview very revealing, especially contrasting the quite obvious ineptitude displayed with the myth building around the popcorn shooter at the time.
I concentrated here on the personal tragedy of Wiwat, and not on the discourse on the Salim view on upcountry people. And his known history is exactly that – a upcountry kid with not much political knowledge who joined the Sanam Luang protests preceding the PDRC protests, during which a scandal took place in which their leader Chaiwat Sinsuwong simply disappeared, not paying for stage or protesters. At the time i have written a brief piece on those protests: http://www.newmandala.org/2013/06/10/white-masks-red-masks-and-royalist-communists/ Wiwat, as he stated in the interview, joined these protests because relatives were there, and because he was promised 300 Baht a day. And from then on Wiwat got radicalized, and it ended in the Laksi incident.
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Nationalism and genetics: Thai obsession with race
Analysis of DNA does not support this.
The first study was done by Harvard in 2009 and subsequent studies have confirmed this.
There is no distinction between northern and southern indians, or between the castes. They are all the same race. There is no evidence of a foreign invasion.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
I would imagine the tick count on New Mandala is of great concern to the junta and they likely have a team working on this around the clock.
You are right to draw out attention to this Nick. Thanks.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
strange – lots thumbs downs on my comments in a very short period of time. Just the comment that i soon will leave Thailand did not receive a thumbs down, yet… some people seem to dislike me quite a bit 😉
Andrew MacGregor Marshall’s royalist history
While I agree with the critique of Marshall’s summary of the earlier history of the monarchy, dismissing it out of hand by reducing it to a modern form of Orientialism would seem to miss the point, particularly since newer and equally lethal forms of royal prerogative seem alive and well.
This is a work by a journalist, not a scholar. I don’t see many scholars publishing on the subject.
Marshall used a sledgehammer to get his point across and open up dialogue. He also worked his way through hundreds of pages of Wikileaks cables to provide novel material, which deserves acknowledgement.
Criticizing Marshall for not studying peasants, other classes, etc when he was addressing a narrow point about a succession crisis seems a little disingenuous. Same with critiquing the book for insufficient data to support his points. I suspect he was tireless in his quest for informants, most of whom were too terrified to give names.
I look forward to work by Walker and other established scholars on the topic, adding a new, substantial body of verifiable fact and desired nuance from what is essentially a police state. Or perhaps they can produce a textured, direct, detailed anthropology on the monarchy from the viewpoint of the periphery, the Thai working class, or students, or members of the Red Shirt movement. Or military and police perspectives on the monarchy. Or examine the latter’s relationship to the citizenry, providing hard data on exactly how they acquired huge fortunes on a civil servant’s salary.
I would like to see the research proposal for any of the above, which would, of course, go straight to the National Research Council or some equivalent for approval.
Andrew’s done his bit. It’s time to move on. Yes. He’s furious. His cameraman was murdered. He was a journalist who was forbidden to write about the obvious.
The book was powered by grief and outrage, written under less than ideal circumstances.
Covering Bangkok/Thailand with its distinct legal system, history of murdered journalists, and requirements for happiness would seem to radicalize foreign journalists. Perhaps pointing out the obvious is not all that radical, just courageous.
Criticizing Andrew or his book does not take much courage, but it might put one in good stead with the junta, which controls access, or with the entrenched elite, who control business, banking, etc.
It’s time for a respected mainstream scholar to address the topic in the desired scholarly manner.
Thailand’s new politics and a double wrecking ball
May I first suggest dropping trendy buzzwords: celestial capital, radial polity, wronged periphery, network monarchy (as if every social formation on earth, human or animal, doesn’t take the form of a network), Deep State (guaranteed to win prize for shockingly hip fecund intellectual cross-fertilization).
“Tapping into new wealth, new social media, and bottled rage and resentment at centuries of maltreatment from the royal capital in Bangkok, forces from the periphery can, for the first time, dominate the capital, the worst nightmare of the Chakri Dynasty and its hangers-on.”
Excuse me, but what a load of hyperbolic pseudo-intellectual pretentiousness.
Has the author actually lived and worked in Thailand?
There are well-functioning low-cost hospitals and schools a short motorcycle ride away from almost every village.
Try to find that in other countries, Philippines, Burma, Laos ….. etc, etc.
Not to mention states that have completely collapsed or that have experienced waves of mass genocide (Cambodia, Syria, Indonesia…etc).
May I suggest switching from creating unfalsifiable prognostications of doom to providing people with something useful they can use to better their lives, that at least would provide some healthy frame of reference for reality while you conduct your researches. 🙂
The myth of the popcorn gunman
Ron Torrence, Newsahape – thank you 🙂
As much as i appreciate Political Prisoners as an interesting and very useful resource for collecting and analyzing news articles (i regularly read that blog as well), at times he/she/they can be off as well. Doing articles and interviews in the field is a completely different matter from just analyzing them.
The interview of Wiwat just after the arrest may not answer some of the pertinent questions (which, i would dare say Wiwat himself has very little knowledge about either), but just dismissing this interview with such unfair put downs does not do it justice.
This is so far the only long interview with any armed militant of the PDRC. It gives a view into the perspective and mind of a young man who has taken up a gun to fight his opponents. Furthermore, this interview is a clear and indisputable evidence that the PDRC has had armed militants in their ranks, directly connected to their organization, more than just photos which have always been dismissed as “third hand” or “dunno who they are”, or similar ridiculous excuses.
Would anyone of the critics even be able to get close to getting such an interview? Does anyone of the critics imagine even how much dedicated work it takes to get such an interview? Did anyone of the critics even got close to have off the record conversations with PDRC armed militants, or with their counterparts in the Red Shirts? I very much doubt that. So, unless these critics can show us something better, i would rather suggest they do not dismiss a colleague’s work.
Working in the field, being known by actors in the field, some of them very violent, and some having a tendency to quickly build and to also hold grudges, means taking a lot of risks, which one does not need to take while sitting at the computer being anonymous.
Therefore i am not reacting very well to a dedicated colleague’s work being put down and dismissed by people who have not taken the risks he did.
Andrew MacGregor Marshall’s royalist history
A far too royalist account which perpetuates the myth of their importance. Who calls the shots in Thai politics by defining a state of emergency/ exception ? The military. By doing such and staging coups their exercise sovereign power according to Carl Scmitt. So, so what about succession! The Thai monarchy is ruled by the army and Sino Thai capitalists
The myth of the popcorn gunman
It’s a bit surprising to read such harsh comments on this new piece from Nick. Everybody who follows his work knows that he is one of the few journalists actually reporting things he sees by himself, from the streets. It’s obvious that he does not try to excuse or victimize Wiwat, but tries to explain how this guy got used and left. When he says he was the only photograph present, it’s not to ‘overstate’ something but to show that Thai media donnot care about people like Wiwat.
Andrew MacGregor Marshall’s royalist history
There is of course a midway position between MacGregor Marshall’s agitprop (he is equally dismissive of the British monarchy)and that of those who subscribe uncritically to the Thai royalist mythology.This would be to support the monarchical institution in Thailand as one in harmony with the country’s culture and tradition, but with the hope it can be slimmed down and be less politicised by third parties.
Andrew MacGregor Marshall’s royalist history
“This is very much a royalist account of Thai history. Like Thailand’s royalists, MacGregor Marshall places the king at the heart of the Thai polity …” This is exactly the problem that I have with the book. It seems difficult to use non-royalist perspectives.
Andrew MacGregor Marshall’s royalist history
Sorry, Richard III’s defeat at Bosworth Field in 1485 … obviously the Thai Internet snooper and blocker is unhappy about anything to do with the death of a King.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
Nick, I have always enjoyed and believed all of your posts, and love all your photos. must be a lot of govt shills here with all the thumbs down. It is a pity that you can’t continue going out with your camera for the world to see what is happening, because of some ignorant fascists.
Andrew MacGregor Marshall’s royalist history
I assume that Andre MacGregor Marshall will not be holidaying in Thailand anytime soon. When people are imprisoned for 7 years for a comment made in a book years ago, and the Internet site that holds the story of the defeat and death of Henry II is blocked, Thailand is a rather dangerous place for some commentators and authors.
Thailand’s new politics and a double wrecking ball
There is a big difference between Trump and Thaksin. Trump is riding on a wave of fear of the future, resentment, nostalgia, and hate (especially xenophobia) as American capitalism withers. Thaksin rode on a wave of social improvement and hope for a better life as Thai capitalism grew. To his credit, he left hate alone. The worst aspect of Thaksin is that he is in many respects just another big, old-style patron for people to crawl to. Network Monarchy hate him and his family because they are displacing the Chakris in that role. For them and their feudal vassals it is a dynastic struggle. Vajiralonkorn is a wild card: the black sheep of the Chakris who is loyal only to himself.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
Oh really, Wiwat shot at people?
Thank you so much for reminding me, Curtain Call. I actually might have forgotten that i was one of the people Wiwat shot at – little things like this so easily slip the mind.
At no point have i stated that Wiwat should not be judged and sent to prison. However, people should still be reminded of Wiwat’s humanity, and he should not be simplified as a symbol for a radical and brutal street movement.
As well, platitudes such as “unarmed civilians” paint this conflict in a very unrealistic and simplistic black and white sheen. Wiwat was led to believe and convinced that the people he shot at were in fact armed terrorists (well, a few were indeed armed, but just with a couple of handguns, and in this case – they did not initiate the gunfight, but Wiwat and his friends did), and that he saved his people from exactly that. This is the very tragic irony that led to the death of one man, and several more injured that day.
The ones that carry far more guilt than Wiwat on that day got all away. Those are the ones that have misled Wiwat and so many others, fed them over months (years) with poison propaganda instead of educating them with knowledge, dehumanized their political opponents – exactly the same mechanism that takes place when Wiwat’s humanity and tragedy is simply dismissed.
So, yes, as one of the unarmed civilians “shot at and terrorized” during that incident i do claim my right to state that in this sense Wiwat is as much victim as perpetrator.
Thailand’s new politics and a double wrecking ball
Dear Khun Mythai:
You are correct.
I apologize to my Thai friends since the tone is ironic. Drumpf is a relatively new joke about Trump’s original family name that is circulating on the Internet. (I heard it from my daughter on Facebook lol).
The comparison does at first seem far fetched.
Donald Trump lives in New York and Thaksin Shinawatra lives in … Dubai.
On the other hand, both are nouveau riche, independently wealthy, masters of new communication media, ethically challenged, vastly upsetting to the old elite, and they both draw on the resentments and legitimate anger of the working classes.
Trump and Thaksin’s enemies disparage their respective supporters as uneducated, unworthy of generating a new wave democratic movement. Both Trump and Thaksin (and the Crown Prince) challenge entrenched elite, including, in America, old(er) wealth such as the Koch brothers, Mitt Romney, etc. Thaksin flat out insulted King Bhumibol in ways that only Thai would really understand. (“The king has only to whisper in my ear…”)
The difference is that Thaksin tapped into a vast, long-suppressed desire for genuine democracy, and his government implemented social policies that provided genuine benefits to the poor and disenfranchised.
Donald Trump, who has no policies, utilizes Twitter and Facebook to insult and confound political commentators on mainstream media (Fox News, MSNBC, etc.). “I replied on Twitter…” — Twitter and Facebook being their competitors, which he knows perfectly well.
American news commentators can’t say this, however, any more than the Thai king or his supporters can explain exactly why the king has been insulted.
Trump and Thaksin are both masters of insult in their respective cultures
In the Thai case, Thaksin’s democratically-elected government/the desire for genuine democracy created a horrendous backlash and unspeakable violence, whereas in America, Trump’s success and ability to play off the electoral process is just embarrassing.
Thailand’s new politics and a double wrecking ball
My English is not perfect,
“Thaksin would seem to be like Donald Drumpf – a wrecking ball to the status quo. The Crown Prince always has been.
I do not see ANY similarities between Thaksin & Trump. I know you spelt it a drumpf. I had to search for “Drumpf” – now I understand “somewhat”.
Many Thais may be confused by your nuances… But, maybe I underestimate them?
The second sentence seems unfinished, but, it could mean he is also a “wrecking ball”.
Short but reasonable article.
Thank You
Peace in President Thein Sein’s time?
Like the word Democracy, Peace need to be redefined with what happening in Myanmar.
Peace to most westerners generally mean cessation of ALL hostility, an impossible case in Myanmar due to well known Historical fact as well as continuing meddling/taking sides of EU members that Ko Ohn mentioned in his post here.
For now cessation of enough hostility must be used as a temporary definition. So that alternatives can be encouraged and realized.
DASSK and NLD has a big burden and opportunities to start from square one together with patriots within the military to assure a process called peace as defined crudely above in order that Freedom can flourish.
THere will be no U turn desired by no one if the process is allowed to progress.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
“From then on Wiwat got radicalized, and it ended in the Laksi incident.”
“The personal tragedy of Wiwat.”
It’s important we’re reminded that Wiwat engaged in acts of very violent terrorism against peaceful unarmed civilians on behalf of an extremist group that was seeking to overthrow democracy.
Wiwat is no victim. The people he shot at and terrorized are the victims. Theirs is the tragedy.
We can seek to understand why the Wiwats of Thailand end up where they are but, quite frankly, in this instance, his lengthy jail term is fully justified.
A lot of people suffer poverty, have friends and family members who express extreme views and very very very few of them then open fire with a war weapon at unarmed civilians.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
I would suggest to read MJ’s comment again. he ended it with “Red dreamers like Nick”. Which by all means is a personal attack. So, i replied in kind. You want me to be polite, be polite to me.
I don’t know MJ’s blog, but i do not particularly enjoy being patronized.
Well, you may disagree, but i find the interview very revealing, especially contrasting the quite obvious ineptitude displayed with the myth building around the popcorn shooter at the time.
I concentrated here on the personal tragedy of Wiwat, and not on the discourse on the Salim view on upcountry people. And his known history is exactly that – a upcountry kid with not much political knowledge who joined the Sanam Luang protests preceding the PDRC protests, during which a scandal took place in which their leader Chaiwat Sinsuwong simply disappeared, not paying for stage or protesters. At the time i have written a brief piece on those protests: http://www.newmandala.org/2013/06/10/white-masks-red-masks-and-royalist-communists/ Wiwat, as he stated in the interview, joined these protests because relatives were there, and because he was promised 300 Baht a day. And from then on Wiwat got radicalized, and it ended in the Laksi incident.
Sometime things simply are as they are.