The theory of the white skinned Aryan ‘race’ has largely been debunked. It was a deliberate distortion of Max Muller’s theory of an ‘Aryan’ people, used by the British for imperialist propaganda.
If i would take myself out of the frame, you will get a classic agency or dry news piece. This of course is very valid and also important.
But my approach is quite different, and so is my way of working and writing. I use a combination of immersion and investigative journalism (however – this piece is not investigative, more a commentary), with a small measure of Gonzo journalism strewn in – but only in as much as bringing myself into the story to some degree but I still believe in the importance of factual reporting and objectivity in this subject matter.
Of course it is legitimate not to like this style. However, i do believe that this way of working can help to draw the reader closer into the subject matter. My aim is to bring the reader as close to the events i describe as possible, not just on a factual level, but also on an emotional level. Understanding is never just intellectual, but also emotional.
Great piece and really shows how ordinary Thais are totally expendable to those seeking power.
One small criticism with Nick’s work is his constant need to overstate his being the only journalist there or the only one who witnessed this or that. We know that anyway as you’re the only one telling the story!
So, just tell the story (it’s a good enough piece of journalism without the self-obsession) and take yourself out of the frame as much as possible or, imho, it just ends up reading like a kind of “selfie journalism”.
I am not back in Bangkok, i have not yet been able to leave. We have just a few weeks ago applied for the visas for my family to Germany, and are waiting for them. As to the new rules – i don’t know if i would be denied as well. But as we are on our way out, i don’t think i will find out. I have extended my visa about three months ago without a glitch.
A very sad story indeed.
I guess there were no questions during the trial about his accomplices and whoever hired him.
Nick, I did not know you were back to Bangkok. No problem with the new media visa rules?
True RN. But who laugh last loudest, WHEN the now inevitable counter coup happens. It ain’t n’t going to be like previous, it ain’t going to be pretty.
One thing about your analysis that no-one else has picked up on.
You say that if you add a third teaspoon of sugar to the one already in your Nescafe Blend 43, your coffee would definitely be sweeter, indeed “the sugar becomes the centre of how my coffee tastes”. At the risk of lending repute to Bayesian probability here, I would say that based on all past experience with Nescafe Blend 43 (NB. it took them 42 attempts to make the cheapest, nastiest roasted coffee beans taste vaguely like coffee), when you add sugar to instant coffee the sweetness invariably increases. Your problem is not sweetness. You’re simply trying to mask a reality you seem unable to grasp: the increasingly desperate, crisis-prone and deeply scandalous fact that Nescafe Blend 43 tastes nasty. The sooner we understand this, the less likely we are to exaggerate claims that the coffee is being subsumed by adding more sugar.
The “serious” side of this kind of humour, Chris, is that laughing at oppressive power makes ordinary people feel better about not volunteering to perpetuate it.
Ms. Mirante is somewhat understated when she says that Orang Asli were “nominally” converted to Islam. Through at least 30 years of UMNO leadership, Orang Asli children and adults have been both bribed and forcibly converted to Islam by Malays with active involvement of the Malaysian Government. Ms. Mirante’s reference to Phillip Noyce’s film, “Rabbit Proof Fence” is indeed apt. As with colonial administration in Australia, UMNO has had an active and specific goal, to Islamize the Orang Asli, encourage miscegenation with Malays and genetically reduce (if not remove) Orang Asli genes and culture. There are many such Malays with Orang Asli ancestry. One knows this, but would be difficult to surreptitiously do DNA tests. Genocide takes different forms in different places (when it meets the criteria for what constitutes “genocide”), but in the case of the Orang Asli and the non-passive Malayanization and Islamization of indigenous peoples in Sabah and Sarawak, for all the ironic and bogus talk of Malays being under cultural threat, it is in fact overzealous Ketuanan Melayu Malays that ARE the threat.
Any chance NM can get back to more serious discussion ? There is, for example, increasing talk of a counter coup in Thailand. Or is all this school boy humour part of the build ups to that? There’s a lot of chatter, not all lavatorial.
The twin sister of TTIP, shall we say if it ain’t hurting it ain’t working. Like S&M. Perhaps that’s also why they say give them enough rope and they’ll hang themselves.
Facebook 
Twitter 
Soundcloud 
Youtube 
Rss
Nationalism and genetics: Thai obsession with race
The theory of the white skinned Aryan ‘race’ has largely been debunked. It was a deliberate distortion of Max Muller’s theory of an ‘Aryan’ people, used by the British for imperialist propaganda.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
If i would take myself out of the frame, you will get a classic agency or dry news piece. This of course is very valid and also important.
But my approach is quite different, and so is my way of working and writing. I use a combination of immersion and investigative journalism (however – this piece is not investigative, more a commentary), with a small measure of Gonzo journalism strewn in – but only in as much as bringing myself into the story to some degree but I still believe in the importance of factual reporting and objectivity in this subject matter.
Of course it is legitimate not to like this style. However, i do believe that this way of working can help to draw the reader closer into the subject matter. My aim is to bring the reader as close to the events i describe as possible, not just on a factual level, but also on an emotional level. Understanding is never just intellectual, but also emotional.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
Great writing Nick and great presence
To TPP or not to TPP – that is Jokowi’s question
http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/tpp-ttip-tisa-isds-acronyms-to-end-democracy/
Peace in President Thein Sein’s time?
The following is a link to quick pick up on Prof. Kipgen article above.
https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/myanmar/20151213.aspx
UNFC is basically a conglomerate of anti government ethnic group with UWSA as the main group.
The dry season offensive will see the divide and conquer of the weakest links among the UNFC.
Wishful thinking to sign peace with proven nationalistic fervor of Thein Sein govt.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
What Myth?
The myth of the popcorn gunman
Great piece and really shows how ordinary Thais are totally expendable to those seeking power.
One small criticism with Nick’s work is his constant need to overstate his being the only journalist there or the only one who witnessed this or that. We know that anyway as you’re the only one telling the story!
So, just tell the story (it’s a good enough piece of journalism without the self-obsession) and take yourself out of the frame as much as possible or, imho, it just ends up reading like a kind of “selfie journalism”.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
I am not back in Bangkok, i have not yet been able to leave. We have just a few weeks ago applied for the visas for my family to Germany, and are waiting for them. As to the new rules – i don’t know if i would be denied as well. But as we are on our way out, i don’t think i will find out. I have extended my visa about three months ago without a glitch.
The myth of the popcorn gunman
Whichever way I look at it, it is a tragedy for ALL involved.
Wasted lives…
The myth of the popcorn gunman
A very sad story indeed.
I guess there were no questions during the trial about his accomplices and whoever hired him.
Nick, I did not know you were back to Bangkok. No problem with the new media visa rules?
Polishing the plin-plan president
You know what else symbol of great power? Skyscrapers. The longer the taller the better. Funny that most of those are in Asia.
Who are the ‘Naypyitawrians’?
Looking forward to Theme Park Naypyitaw.
Who are the ‘Naypyitawrians’?
On the subject, Roland Watson’s article makes immense sense.
http://www.dictatorwatch.org/articles/racisminburma.pdf
The Thai princess and her loo by the lake
And this was an overnight stay? The royal powers are truly extraordinary.
The Thai princess and her loo by the lake
True RN. But who laugh last loudest, WHEN the now inevitable counter coup happens. It ain’t n’t going to be like previous, it ain’t going to be pretty.
Muslim politics is not subsuming Malaysian politics
One thing about your analysis that no-one else has picked up on.
You say that if you add a third teaspoon of sugar to the one already in your Nescafe Blend 43, your coffee would definitely be sweeter, indeed “the sugar becomes the centre of how my coffee tastes”. At the risk of lending repute to Bayesian probability here, I would say that based on all past experience with Nescafe Blend 43 (NB. it took them 42 attempts to make the cheapest, nastiest roasted coffee beans taste vaguely like coffee), when you add sugar to instant coffee the sweetness invariably increases. Your problem is not sweetness. You’re simply trying to mask a reality you seem unable to grasp: the increasingly desperate, crisis-prone and deeply scandalous fact that Nescafe Blend 43 tastes nasty. The sooner we understand this, the less likely we are to exaggerate claims that the coffee is being subsumed by adding more sugar.
The Thai princess and her loo by the lake
The “serious” side of this kind of humour, Chris, is that laughing at oppressive power makes ordinary people feel better about not volunteering to perpetuate it.
An education in captivity
Ms. Mirante is somewhat understated when she says that Orang Asli were “nominally” converted to Islam. Through at least 30 years of UMNO leadership, Orang Asli children and adults have been both bribed and forcibly converted to Islam by Malays with active involvement of the Malaysian Government. Ms. Mirante’s reference to Phillip Noyce’s film, “Rabbit Proof Fence” is indeed apt. As with colonial administration in Australia, UMNO has had an active and specific goal, to Islamize the Orang Asli, encourage miscegenation with Malays and genetically reduce (if not remove) Orang Asli genes and culture. There are many such Malays with Orang Asli ancestry. One knows this, but would be difficult to surreptitiously do DNA tests. Genocide takes different forms in different places (when it meets the criteria for what constitutes “genocide”), but in the case of the Orang Asli and the non-passive Malayanization and Islamization of indigenous peoples in Sabah and Sarawak, for all the ironic and bogus talk of Malays being under cultural threat, it is in fact overzealous Ketuanan Melayu Malays that ARE the threat.
The Thai princess and her loo by the lake
Any chance NM can get back to more serious discussion ? There is, for example, increasing talk of a counter coup in Thailand. Or is all this school boy humour part of the build ups to that? There’s a lot of chatter, not all lavatorial.
To TPP or not to TPP – that is Jokowi’s question
The twin sister of TTIP, shall we say if it ain’t hurting it ain’t working. Like S&M. Perhaps that’s also why they say give them enough rope and they’ll hang themselves.