Why is the word democracy being bandied about here as though it is something tangible? Democracy is an ideal, not a toy.
It was simply a coup that overthrew ruler Thaksin. Maybe it also overthrew western hope of a more rapidly liberalised South East Asia, but that’s not going to be objectively articulated for some time.
Nevermind the subversions of ‘democracy’, Thaksin is going to use all of that illegal Singtel sale money to buy Manchester City FC! Damn. That’s well worth having a coup over!
Was there any mention of the elephant in the room? (the influence of fundamental islamists, global jihad, even possible ethnic cleansing?)
Despite the mishandling of the issue under Thaksin (and continuing), somehow I think the beheadings are a result of something more than mere cultural & linguistic differences.
[…] where cultural differences were more profound. In my question I referred to the argument put by McCargo that key dimensions of the southern conflict could be understand in terms of the conflict between […]
[…] is the question that was left hanging in the air at last weeks ANU-hosted seminar on “The Crisis in Southern Thailand: Cultural Policy, Gender Issues and Reconciliation Prospects” As the title suggests, the discussion was primarily on cultural issues. Considerable […]
Seeing democracy at death’s throes, the generals merely gave the ‘coup de grace’. From destruction will bloom forth a new creation.
But I generally agree with you Taxi Driver (#14). Public love shall quickly turn to public wrath specially on shotgun marriages.
But I do think the generals will be listening to you Taxi Driver. Did not one of your kind, because of unrequited love, suicidally rammed his cab to a tank?
What title Thaksin used is of minor concern. If he was using the wrong one, the courts could have set him straight. This issue cannot justify or explain a military coup. The conditions for the coup were created by the Constitutional Court’s decision to nullify the April election. The court’s reasoning lacked legal logic; It was a response to public comments made by the king. In other words, the king was the prime mover and was preparing the way for a coup before the military or even the “Ok pai! Ok pai!” protestors seriously considered the idea. Thaksin and the king got along well earlier, so perhaps the issue relates to royal succession. There’s been a shift in media coverage to the Crown Prince since the coup, so this issue is has gained prominence in the mind of the palace.
Thaksin has a lot of support in Bangkok as well, so I too reject the idea that he was elected because he bribed the hicks into voting for him. His crackdown on drugs was hugely popular, and few pervious prime ministers can claim any dramatic positive accomplishment of this kind. Thailand uses proportional representation, so TRT represention in parliament was a result of people voting for the national party. It can’t be explained by the theory the peasents voted for a “big man” MP because they believed he would pave a road or address some other purely local concern.
Often with Andrew, my ‘Talking-Dict’ would be of little help. Makes me wonder sometimes whether Andrew, along with a few others ANU alumni who post at New Mandala, were intentionally being cruel to 2ndLanguage trained readers like me.
But reading Mr. Stiglitz (thanks to Vichai N) was specially easy (no Talking Dict necessary!).
When people are writing with real substance, they (like Mr. Stiglitz), I appreciate their making that special effort to not let pretensions get in the way.
Sufficiency Economy and capitalism are the same. Read more about some Thai’s bizarre attempts at transforming the SEP into the apex of globalization and capitalist philosophy.
“Pipat believes that the SEP is neither anti-globalisation nor anti-profit-maximisation, as feared by some Western observers. Instead, the SEP is helpful for businesses adapting changes resulting from globalisation because it minimises the downside risk while increasing the upside potential.
The SEP also helps businesses optimise their profit-making capability so that growth is more sustainable and risk is further reduced.
After all, elements of the SEP, when translated into business action, are not new, since enterprises have been using modern management practices such as EVA, Balanced Scorecard, key performance indicator and scenario-planning for years.
It is just that the SEP views the application of these practices in a more integrated and holistic manner.”
Jeru (#11) is spot on, and you only have to look back as the events in Sept06 to see that it was not just academics who thought that Thaksin was methodically dismantling democracy.
Flowes on tanks – Have a look at the November06 issue of digitaljournalist for evidence (unable to post link for some reason – what’s going on Andrew?).
I also agree with Srithanonchai in this instance, even though I am not part of the collective (being a ‘New Mandala anti-academic’).
I had read the Stiglitz before but could not remember where – that was the point I have been trying to get across both here and over at Tosakan (Fonzi’s TJTS) site.
Thanks for another excellent post, Vichai.
Jeru, if under Thaksin “Thailand’s democracy was methodically being dismembered to meaninglessness”, then the Junta completely destroyed it. Defending the overthrow of Thaksin as a move to save democracy is absurd.
Funny thing is, I think as time passes you and a lot of Thais who supported the coup will end up hating the Junta too.
Indeed, Vichai. If it were so easy and cheap to discover successful new drugs, I wonder why the Thai government hasn’t tried developing any? Thaksin was probably under the payroll of Big Pharma…
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What about an anti-coup-coup coup?
Why is the word democracy being bandied about here as though it is something tangible? Democracy is an ideal, not a toy.
It was simply a coup that overthrew ruler Thaksin. Maybe it also overthrew western hope of a more rapidly liberalised South East Asia, but that’s not going to be objectively articulated for some time.
Nevermind the subversions of ‘democracy’, Thaksin is going to use all of that illegal Singtel sale money to buy Manchester City FC! Damn. That’s well worth having a coup over!
Sticking to the southern script
Nganadeeleg, I don’t recall any discussion of this at all.
Sticking to the southern script
Was there any mention of the elephant in the room? (the influence of fundamental islamists, global jihad, even possible ethnic cleansing?)
Despite the mishandling of the issue under Thaksin (and continuing), somehow I think the beheadings are a result of something more than mere cultural & linguistic differences.
Southern insight
[…] where cultural differences were more profound. In my question I referred to the argument put by McCargo that key dimensions of the southern conflict could be understand in terms of the conflict between […]
Seminar on Thailand’s southern crisis
[…] is the question that was left hanging in the air at last weeks ANU-hosted seminar on “The Crisis in Southern Thailand: Cultural Policy, Gender Issues and Reconciliation Prospects” As the title suggests, the discussion was primarily on cultural issues. Considerable […]
What about an anti-coup-coup coup?
Seeing democracy at death’s throes, the generals merely gave the ‘coup de grace’. From destruction will bloom forth a new creation.
But I generally agree with you Taxi Driver (#14). Public love shall quickly turn to public wrath specially on shotgun marriages.
But I do think the generals will be listening to you Taxi Driver. Did not one of your kind, because of unrequited love, suicidally rammed his cab to a tank?
New Mandala in Bangkok
Peter, the answer is voodoo, Khmer voodoo. Thaksin bribed the forces of darkness to get people to overlook his evils and vote for him. Seriously.
What about an anti-coup-coup coup?
Nganadeeleg: On flowers on tanks, here is what blogger Nui says:
“The Thai people giving flowers and food to the soldiers? Isn’t that how they appease powerful spirits? “
What about an anti-coup-coup coup?
What title Thaksin used is of minor concern. If he was using the wrong one, the courts could have set him straight. This issue cannot justify or explain a military coup. The conditions for the coup were created by the Constitutional Court’s decision to nullify the April election. The court’s reasoning lacked legal logic; It was a response to public comments made by the king. In other words, the king was the prime mover and was preparing the way for a coup before the military or even the “Ok pai! Ok pai!” protestors seriously considered the idea. Thaksin and the king got along well earlier, so perhaps the issue relates to royal succession. There’s been a shift in media coverage to the Crown Prince since the coup, so this issue is has gained prominence in the mind of the palace.
New Mandala in Bangkok
Thaksin has a lot of support in Bangkok as well, so I too reject the idea that he was elected because he bribed the hicks into voting for him. His crackdown on drugs was hugely popular, and few pervious prime ministers can claim any dramatic positive accomplishment of this kind. Thailand uses proportional representation, so TRT represention in parliament was a result of people voting for the national party. It can’t be explained by the theory the peasents voted for a “big man” MP because they believed he would pave a road or address some other purely local concern.
New Mandala in Bangkok
Often with Andrew, my ‘Talking-Dict’ would be of little help. Makes me wonder sometimes whether Andrew, along with a few others ANU alumni who post at New Mandala, were intentionally being cruel to 2ndLanguage trained readers like me.
But reading Mr. Stiglitz (thanks to Vichai N) was specially easy (no Talking Dict necessary!).
When people are writing with real substance, they (like Mr. Stiglitz), I appreciate their making that special effort to not let pretensions get in the way.
New Mandala in Bangkok
What’s the matter, jeru? Forgot your “Talking-Dict”?
The practice of sufficiency economy
Sufficiency Economy and capitalism are the same. Read more about some Thai’s bizarre attempts at transforming the SEP into the apex of globalization and capitalist philosophy.
“Pipat believes that the SEP is neither anti-globalisation nor anti-profit-maximisation, as feared by some Western observers. Instead, the SEP is helpful for businesses adapting changes resulting from globalisation because it minimises the downside risk while increasing the upside potential.
The SEP also helps businesses optimise their profit-making capability so that growth is more sustainable and risk is further reduced.
After all, elements of the SEP, when translated into business action, are not new, since enterprises have been using modern management practices such as EVA, Balanced Scorecard, key performance indicator and scenario-planning for years.
It is just that the SEP views the application of these practices in a more integrated and holistic manner.”
WOW!
The Nation, 13 May 2007
Seminar on Thailand’s southern crisis
New Mandala readers may be interested in this excellent site:
Richard Humphries: “Shrouded Insurgency” is a long term personal project documenting the daily lives of Southern Thailand’s Muslim population as is struggles to deal with a violent Islamic Insurgency.
http://www.digitalrailroad.net/richpix/Production/PhotoGroupView.aspx?pbid=4&msa=1&pgid=1923391
What about an anti-coup-coup coup?
Flowers on Tanks: Here is the link:
http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0611/dis_humphries.html
What about an anti-coup-coup coup?
Jeru (#11) is spot on, and you only have to look back as the events in Sept06 to see that it was not just academics who thought that Thaksin was methodically dismantling democracy.
Flowes on tanks – Have a look at the November06 issue of digitaljournalist for evidence (unable to post link for some reason – what’s going on Andrew?).
I also agree with Srithanonchai in this instance, even though I am not part of the collective (being a ‘New Mandala anti-academic’).
More on patents and capitalism
I had read the Stiglitz before but could not remember where – that was the point I have been trying to get across both here and over at Tosakan (Fonzi’s TJTS) site.
Thanks for another excellent post, Vichai.
What about an anti-coup-coup coup?
Jeru, if under Thaksin “Thailand’s democracy was methodically being dismembered to meaninglessness”, then the Junta completely destroyed it. Defending the overthrow of Thaksin as a move to save democracy is absurd.
Funny thing is, I think as time passes you and a lot of Thais who supported the coup will end up hating the Junta too.
More on patents and capitalism
Indeed, Vichai. If it were so easy and cheap to discover successful new drugs, I wonder why the Thai government hasn’t tried developing any? Thaksin was probably under the payroll of Big Pharma…
What about an anti-coup-coup coup?
jeru, maybe because many Thai “academics” were being paid by the military to criticize Thaksin…