This is a high-quality post; objective, cool-headed, and revelatory.
The Grassberg mine is one of the biggest and (in the present hands)one of most profitable in the world. In my opinion, Indonesia’s share of the profits should go entirely to a Foundation devoted to the teaching and advancement in Indonesia of earth, environmental, and agricultural science and engineering. I can’t think of a better use for the money, or a better way to win support from the Freeport technical management in the contract negotiations.
Another one who has difficulties to understand the role of the media…
It is not the role of the media to hysterically scream FASCIST whenever they encounter the Democrat Party or the military. There is no “media corps” which sits in some dark backroom and conspires about which side all of us have to support.
Every individual reporter will make his own decision how to analyze the situation, and believe it or not – there are quite some conflicts under journalists how to do that. While indeed there are still some who may be accused of being too close to the Democrat Party or powers behind them, it definitely are not the ones who are usually accused of such by the more Red than the Red Shirts farang cyber warrior mob.
The role of the media is to talk to all sides, regardless of personal sympathies or antipathies or personal political view points, report and analyze based on all available facts. That if course brings one always in contact with people one dislikes and disagrees. Journalism is not activism.
Hurt feelings by Jim’s article? Hardly. I simply disagree with the term fascism to describe the present system of governance in Thailand, while other issues he raises i agree with. Yes, i am well aware that many rulers in especially Thailand’s past have been inspired by aspects of Mussolini’s rule, and that there are fascist elements clearly visible, especially on street mob level. However, this is a different time and age, and Thailand’s system of governance is an amalgam of many elements – such as Wilhelminian militarism, neoliberal capitalism, Thai particular sakdina remnants, dhammaraja philosophy, etc. There are already terms that describe this system, as i mentioned already, such as bureaucratic polity, rule of the aphichon, etc.
Your little emotive speech fails to mention that the military presently is using less brutality than the implied threat of it, has incorporated parts of the labor unions into their system (there is no real labor union movement in Thailand and only part of the reason is past suppression, another part is corruption, incompetence and petty ego fights among union leaders themselves).
And of course it can be and is challenged, but with more intelligent strategies than dreams of jungle fighter revolutions that will only fail and along the way will get people killed.
There is a worldwide problem with the dogmatic left – that it relies on terminology, definitions, analyses, and ultimately in strategies, of the past trying to counter present rise of the New Right, and so far fail to achieve much for that reason.
“Managing farang” in general (not by Kings) would be a great subject for research.
Due to the near impossibility of gaining permanent resident status or naturalization, foreigners are always in a precarious and manageable position in Thai companies, universities, etc, often to the point of becoming a mere echoing of their masters in a prestige-enhancing English, a sort of minion-like role. Proofreading, rewriting or even ghostwriting research work of Thai nationals. Only performing research of one’s own, if Thai nationals piggyback on top.
Almost all foreign teachers, have been for quite some time, strung along on one year contract renewals and it only takes one not uncommon visa renewal screw-up to be facing a “get out of the country in 7 days” or be illegal ultimatum, not to mention the xenophobic forces that seek to purge all (always to be) foreigners from the educational system.
Yet ironically, opening up immigration to skilled professionals from computer programmers to engineers to teachers is probably the only feasible short-term (or even long-term) way to facilitate the much discussed need to upgrade education and pull the country out of the export slump, loss of competitiveness and middle income trap that supposedly threatens to sink it. Somkid even oft-handedly once suggested relaxing the immigration laws for skilled professionals, but he probably meant as a BOI boon for corporations with big pockets to unload their cash here.
For a “scholar of the Thai monarchy” (is that a job now? based on one unpublished dissertation?), this is a very simplistic piece. It creates the image of the King as actually acting, which he clearly isn’t anymore. Whereas the CP is. The Thong Daeng “insult” case is obviously damaging the King’s image and position inside and outside of Thailand – so it is fair to ask whether this is actually intended (cui bono?). Hint: It is in the interest of Prayut and the CP (or at least, so they think) and Thaksin, it is not in the interest of Prem, nor the King if he had any say in this.
By the way, I find the offhand cavalier insults to the various CP wives quite disturbing, Camille Pagila-style stuff.
Not only did the factory worker insult the king by improper reference to the king’s dog – or use of the dog’s image – on Facebook, no less, he used sarcasm, tapping into linguistic and symbolic registers reserved for royalty.
Ten years ago a piece of advice aimed at farang planning to live in Thailand was “Don’t use sarcasm with Thais. They won’t understand it and it unnerves them.”
Look, Indonesia can ban mining and suffer economically and socially, but certainly not get any worse, environmentally. These commercial Sandiwaras have been going on for ages, political versus Capitalist cronyism. No cronyism is always better than the alternative. Any hydrologist or geologist who has studied Indonesia’s water supply and extent of smog and other particulate matter, terrestrial or airborne, knows how unhealthy Indonesia is. I do think this article is accurate, fair and does represent the extant situation in Indonesia. President Jokowi is stuck and assume, for the sake of argument, he wants to do the right thing. Well, if the inmates run the asylum, who do you think has the keys ? Indonesia was told time and again to diversify and it did: Oil palm, logging, fabrics, precious metals, and increasingly, a service economy. Indonesia is not wealthy enough, and far too large and heterogeneous, to rely on a sophisticated service economy alone. I do feel, necessary baby steps notwithstanding, President Jokowi has tried to improve the ethical climate of Indonesia, but he (like everyone) has to watch his back, in case a sharp object may accidentally find its way there. This was true from Merdeka until now. Indonesia has little choice about what it exports, but it does about with whom it exports. In closing, I note you mention it might be hard to swallow having Au and Cu in the hands of an American company. I agree. However, as the Canadians and Australians were there first, and are more experienced in mining as I see it, are precious metals in the hands of English-speaking non-Americans easier to swallow ? The Canadian and Australian records suggest not. There are many winners here, if winning is measured solely monetarily, but the ones who dig in the mines and gather the minerals and metals, and develop emphysema or other ailments, are not one of them. Shouldn’t Indonesia require, at least, that companies that mine the nation’s finite resources, pay much more and more broadly, for the health of those that enable crooked politicians and businessmen to amass such fortunes ?
Some random thoughts on a good post and some really thoughtful responses.
Perhaps the reason there is no “charismatic” leader is because there can only be the king as charismatic. This might add “Thai-style” to notions of fascism. Perhaps that is the “madness”?
That said, “fascism” carries a meaning that is recognised but is not necessarily conceptual or theoretical in academic terms. Look at the way that “bureaucratic polity” has been used as a descriptor rather than a conceptual tool. Like “network monarchy” (which has no theoretical content), it caught people’s attention for describing contemporary situations that were seemingly difficult to understand but where we had an idea of what was going on, and they became useful shorthand references.
Fascist, authoritarian, repressive all seem reasonable descriptors of the current regime.
“Madness” is a relative word. I guess there are some important persons who consider what some of us see as regime madness as really some kind of good sense, returning power to those who deserve it – the great and the morally “good”.
Fascism is authoritarian but this does not mean that all forms of governnance are fascist! To discuss Phibul as fascist makes sense to some degree, but Prayud? The current government does not have any ideological direction!
Sorry Nick but your hurt feelings are pretty far down the list when it comes to making the right call on what has been going on in Thailand.
It’s very clear that, in particular, the Western media corps in Bangkok have not only been far too close to some of the fascistic elements amongst the Thai elites but have, in some instances, actively pandered to them. If the Western journalists are too cowardly to use the correct language to describe the political situation why should everyone else pander to them just so the journalists don’t feel bad for making repeated bad calls on events in Thailand?
If you’re personally upset about Jim’s analysis, well – there’s no other way to say this – but tough.
Fascism has been rife in Thailand as part of the military royalist complex since before Sarit’s time and has obviously contorted itself to fit each historical turn. It’s Thai in flavor and character and to dismiss Jim’s analysis because it doesn’t fit exactly to Italy in the 1920s… well…
Thai fascism explicitly anti-democratic, anti-freedom of speech, anti-trade union, anti-right to assembly, anti-right to take collective action, anti-rule of law etc etc and on and on, for decades, under piles of corpses, persons rotting and broken in prison, attempts at democracy smashed to smithereens, the best and brightest fleeing overseas, intellectuals crushed on and on and on. It’s militaristic, vicious, brutal and above all, attempts to enter into every single area of Thai life, civil, social, legal, cultural, political, economic etc etc. It cannot ever be challenged and it can never be held to account for anything, no matter how heinous the crimes (roasting to death 3000 innocent villages in oil drums is as barbaric as it gets, right?).
So, in short, too bad you feel anyone daring to call Thailand “fascist” upsets you Nick.
Another day, another ‘vantage fidelity deficit'(vfd) article.
For starter only this author’s name come close to being anti vfd. The facts/vantage are all however gleaned from recent articles else with it own vfd from pooled media sources.
Anyone who is interested in Myanmar and Buddhism will immediately know tat Ma Ba tha, a flash in the pants in h/o Myanmar will know this preoccupation by the west at best distracting to real problem the NLD will face at the worst glorifying thus putting it in front and center an organization on the way out.
To be not vfd, the enduring interrelation of Buddhism and Myanmar citizenry anyone will:
!)just have to travel to any myriad of villages just about 1/2 hr of walk from main motor way.
2)Ask to lodge with the austere Sayadaw for a month with the full intention of understanding/ appreciating the function of the monastery and the Sayadaw.
3)If possible participate in all the activities during the month of visit.
This protagonist will boldly assert that the participants to above 3 suggestion will realize how most articles like these trivialize or rather obfuscate the real issues facing Myanmar.
Those issues are neither Kalar in Yakhine nor the Ma Ba Tha related.
Though I agree with Professor Taylor’s over-all analysis I don’t see how he can describe Spain’s Falangists as a “flop’. They were highly successful. Franco not only won the civil war, but kept Spain out of WW2, ruled until the late 1970’s, laid the basis for modern Spain’s prosperity, then seamlessly handed over to his chosen successor, the king of his choice. I think Prayut will flop. But Spain’s Falangists certainly did not.
“Had the group refrained from taking sides in the election, its leaders may have been able to work with NLD politicians, many of whom do not necessarily disagree with all of Ma Ba Tha’s policy positions.”
Eg. The prominent 88 Generation pro-democracy activist Ko Ko Gyi who joined in the Muslim-bashing in the run-up to the elections.
Simple fact is Ma Ba Tha was seen by most for what it is – a creation of the ruling military elite, just like the NDP got up at the last minute. The way they managed to rise and rise fully funded from the outset and the latitude they enjoyed all pointed to their wellspring. People are not stupid.
These monks can still stir up things of course. It’s a time honoured ruling class strategy to form its own support base not just among the business classes but farmers, workers and students with varying degrees of success. The Buddhist clergy is no exemption.
I think that this time the coup group does not want to place their bets on the Democrat Party alone anymore, and in particular Abhisit – the only candidate they have, hence the efforts to create a constitution that leaves very little power in the hand of any future elected government and much control in military/traditional elites dominated “independent” institutions. The Democrats have shown again and again that they cannot win elections. We may see as well efforts to create and empower third parties with the attempt of splitting PT votes with the aim of re-creating a pre TRT parliament of weak coalitions in which military supported third parties will have additional influence. I have doubts that it will work.
I don’t think that international media, and more importantly, foreign governments, have much illusions anymore over the Democrat Party, not after the PDRC. On an international stage that party is quite isolated now, especially compared to before when it was the darling of the media and foreign governments. Australia is maybe the odd man out there, due to its traditional closeness to the Thai military, but EU and US policies are quite clear in their demands of a return to democracy.
But i completely agree that all these attempts to create a “Thai style” democracy will prove to be disastrous.
I recall when I was being “tutored” by the late Ulf Sunhaussen, who many critical scholars considered to be an apologist for the Indonesian military (which he was not) relating how whenever he met Ben Anderson both of them would have a beer a two, agree to disagree and then part company. However, Sunhaussen while being more convinced with the efficacy of the Geertz thesis over that of Anderson’s he recognized the scholarship of Anderson unreservedly.
For Chris Beale. Of course I am aware of the political economy of opium and how it created wealth for Royalist elites (and others as well) in Thailand (but also for some in Laos and Cambodia) but the point I wanted to make is that the wealth of the CPD is more contingent today on its investments and income-generating assets. Al McCoy certainly contributed a seminal piece on the politics of heroin but other scholars (e.g. Nicolas Tapp and Geoffrey Gunn) were also intrepid investigators.
NN 11.1, of course no personal slight intended! The problem is at the summit, “┬бYa Basta!” And of course one can but feel for the lack of freedoms, rights, and liberty in Thailand. For the Falangista the problem transforming an absolute dictatorship (the movement) into a quasi-constitutional monarchy “system” was a concern towards the end (The king reigns but does not govern was an aspiration –). The various far-right elements in Europe made a compact between their fascistic ideology and a reactionary nostalgia for the monarchy. The result was (and will prove to be in Thailand) a disaster.
The current dictatorship fosters class cleverage and class particularism and prevents the coexistence of the disparate elements of Thai society. The problematic for the pro-democracy “movement” (if it is to generate international support) is to define /name the “enemy”. As for the misnamed “Democrat Party” (international media still get confused over this one!), this was to come in after Prayut stepped down, but… as we know, the dictator cannot back out now. The DP, a lackey of the palace network has similarities to the National Monarchist Union (Uni├│n Mon├бrquica Nacional), which in fact ended as a total social and political flop. Where to go from here is a Thai question.
Be aware that the status of old and may be outdated royal laws is far higher then any constitution! A constitution is easily changed, but these royal laws can not be changed within the existing system.
I agree. The red shirt ideology, organisational form etc. is very distinct from the yellow shirts. Just have a look, where the money comes from and what they demand. As far as I know, red shirts never demanded f.e. to give up elections. Yellow shirts, in contrast, are mainly instrumentalized petty bourgois elements. For them, what counts is to feel close to the elites, like f.e. a dog getting some left over from a table.
Suthep is just a gangster, certainly not a charismatic leader.
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Indonesia’s Freeport saga
This is a high-quality post; objective, cool-headed, and revelatory.
The Grassberg mine is one of the biggest and (in the present hands)one of most profitable in the world. In my opinion, Indonesia’s share of the profits should go entirely to a Foundation devoted to the teaching and advancement in Indonesia of earth, environmental, and agricultural science and engineering. I can’t think of a better use for the money, or a better way to win support from the Freeport technical management in the contract negotiations.
A state of madness
Another one who has difficulties to understand the role of the media…
It is not the role of the media to hysterically scream FASCIST whenever they encounter the Democrat Party or the military. There is no “media corps” which sits in some dark backroom and conspires about which side all of us have to support.
Every individual reporter will make his own decision how to analyze the situation, and believe it or not – there are quite some conflicts under journalists how to do that. While indeed there are still some who may be accused of being too close to the Democrat Party or powers behind them, it definitely are not the ones who are usually accused of such by the more Red than the Red Shirts farang cyber warrior mob.
The role of the media is to talk to all sides, regardless of personal sympathies or antipathies or personal political view points, report and analyze based on all available facts. That if course brings one always in contact with people one dislikes and disagrees. Journalism is not activism.
Hurt feelings by Jim’s article? Hardly. I simply disagree with the term fascism to describe the present system of governance in Thailand, while other issues he raises i agree with. Yes, i am well aware that many rulers in especially Thailand’s past have been inspired by aspects of Mussolini’s rule, and that there are fascist elements clearly visible, especially on street mob level. However, this is a different time and age, and Thailand’s system of governance is an amalgam of many elements – such as Wilhelminian militarism, neoliberal capitalism, Thai particular sakdina remnants, dhammaraja philosophy, etc. There are already terms that describe this system, as i mentioned already, such as bureaucratic polity, rule of the aphichon, etc.
Your little emotive speech fails to mention that the military presently is using less brutality than the implied threat of it, has incorporated parts of the labor unions into their system (there is no real labor union movement in Thailand and only part of the reason is past suppression, another part is corruption, incompetence and petty ego fights among union leaders themselves).
And of course it can be and is challenged, but with more intelligent strategies than dreams of jungle fighter revolutions that will only fail and along the way will get people killed.
There is a worldwide problem with the dogmatic left – that it relies on terminology, definitions, analyses, and ultimately in strategies, of the past trying to counter present rise of the New Right, and so far fail to achieve much for that reason.
Dog v dog: Theatrics of the Thai interregnum
“Managing farang” in general (not by Kings) would be a great subject for research.
Due to the near impossibility of gaining permanent resident status or naturalization, foreigners are always in a precarious and manageable position in Thai companies, universities, etc, often to the point of becoming a mere echoing of their masters in a prestige-enhancing English, a sort of minion-like role. Proofreading, rewriting or even ghostwriting research work of Thai nationals. Only performing research of one’s own, if Thai nationals piggyback on top.
Almost all foreign teachers, have been for quite some time, strung along on one year contract renewals and it only takes one not uncommon visa renewal screw-up to be facing a “get out of the country in 7 days” or be illegal ultimatum, not to mention the xenophobic forces that seek to purge all (always to be) foreigners from the educational system.
Yet ironically, opening up immigration to skilled professionals from computer programmers to engineers to teachers is probably the only feasible short-term (or even long-term) way to facilitate the much discussed need to upgrade education and pull the country out of the export slump, loss of competitiveness and middle income trap that supposedly threatens to sink it. Somkid even oft-handedly once suggested relaxing the immigration laws for skilled professionals, but he probably meant as a BOI boon for corporations with big pockets to unload their cash here.
Dog v dog: Theatrics of the Thai interregnum
Nice one, Christine!
Lucid, factual, strong!
(and no, you can’t come back to Thailand, either!)
🙂
Dog v dog: Theatrics of the Thai interregnum
For a “scholar of the Thai monarchy” (is that a job now? based on one unpublished dissertation?), this is a very simplistic piece. It creates the image of the King as actually acting, which he clearly isn’t anymore. Whereas the CP is. The Thong Daeng “insult” case is obviously damaging the King’s image and position inside and outside of Thailand – so it is fair to ask whether this is actually intended (cui bono?). Hint: It is in the interest of Prayut and the CP (or at least, so they think) and Thaksin, it is not in the interest of Prem, nor the King if he had any say in this.
By the way, I find the offhand cavalier insults to the various CP wives quite disturbing, Camille Pagila-style stuff.
Dog v dog: Theatrics of the Thai interregnum
Not only did the factory worker insult the king by improper reference to the king’s dog – or use of the dog’s image – on Facebook, no less, he used sarcasm, tapping into linguistic and symbolic registers reserved for royalty.
Ten years ago a piece of advice aimed at farang planning to live in Thailand was “Don’t use sarcasm with Thais. They won’t understand it and it unnerves them.”
No longer, it seems.
Indonesia’s Freeport saga
Look, Indonesia can ban mining and suffer economically and socially, but certainly not get any worse, environmentally. These commercial Sandiwaras have been going on for ages, political versus Capitalist cronyism. No cronyism is always better than the alternative. Any hydrologist or geologist who has studied Indonesia’s water supply and extent of smog and other particulate matter, terrestrial or airborne, knows how unhealthy Indonesia is. I do think this article is accurate, fair and does represent the extant situation in Indonesia. President Jokowi is stuck and assume, for the sake of argument, he wants to do the right thing. Well, if the inmates run the asylum, who do you think has the keys ? Indonesia was told time and again to diversify and it did: Oil palm, logging, fabrics, precious metals, and increasingly, a service economy. Indonesia is not wealthy enough, and far too large and heterogeneous, to rely on a sophisticated service economy alone. I do feel, necessary baby steps notwithstanding, President Jokowi has tried to improve the ethical climate of Indonesia, but he (like everyone) has to watch his back, in case a sharp object may accidentally find its way there. This was true from Merdeka until now. Indonesia has little choice about what it exports, but it does about with whom it exports. In closing, I note you mention it might be hard to swallow having Au and Cu in the hands of an American company. I agree. However, as the Canadians and Australians were there first, and are more experienced in mining as I see it, are precious metals in the hands of English-speaking non-Americans easier to swallow ? The Canadian and Australian records suggest not. There are many winners here, if winning is measured solely monetarily, but the ones who dig in the mines and gather the minerals and metals, and develop emphysema or other ailments, are not one of them. Shouldn’t Indonesia require, at least, that companies that mine the nation’s finite resources, pay much more and more broadly, for the health of those that enable crooked politicians and businessmen to amass such fortunes ?
A state of madness
Some random thoughts on a good post and some really thoughtful responses.
Perhaps the reason there is no “charismatic” leader is because there can only be the king as charismatic. This might add “Thai-style” to notions of fascism. Perhaps that is the “madness”?
That said, “fascism” carries a meaning that is recognised but is not necessarily conceptual or theoretical in academic terms. Look at the way that “bureaucratic polity” has been used as a descriptor rather than a conceptual tool. Like “network monarchy” (which has no theoretical content), it caught people’s attention for describing contemporary situations that were seemingly difficult to understand but where we had an idea of what was going on, and they became useful shorthand references.
Fascist, authoritarian, repressive all seem reasonable descriptors of the current regime.
“Madness” is a relative word. I guess there are some important persons who consider what some of us see as regime madness as really some kind of good sense, returning power to those who deserve it – the great and the morally “good”.
A state of madness
Fascism is authoritarian but this does not mean that all forms of governnance are fascist! To discuss Phibul as fascist makes sense to some degree, but Prayud? The current government does not have any ideological direction!
A state of madness
Sorry Nick but your hurt feelings are pretty far down the list when it comes to making the right call on what has been going on in Thailand.
It’s very clear that, in particular, the Western media corps in Bangkok have not only been far too close to some of the fascistic elements amongst the Thai elites but have, in some instances, actively pandered to them. If the Western journalists are too cowardly to use the correct language to describe the political situation why should everyone else pander to them just so the journalists don’t feel bad for making repeated bad calls on events in Thailand?
If you’re personally upset about Jim’s analysis, well – there’s no other way to say this – but tough.
Fascism has been rife in Thailand as part of the military royalist complex since before Sarit’s time and has obviously contorted itself to fit each historical turn. It’s Thai in flavor and character and to dismiss Jim’s analysis because it doesn’t fit exactly to Italy in the 1920s… well…
Thai fascism explicitly anti-democratic, anti-freedom of speech, anti-trade union, anti-right to assembly, anti-right to take collective action, anti-rule of law etc etc and on and on, for decades, under piles of corpses, persons rotting and broken in prison, attempts at democracy smashed to smithereens, the best and brightest fleeing overseas, intellectuals crushed on and on and on. It’s militaristic, vicious, brutal and above all, attempts to enter into every single area of Thai life, civil, social, legal, cultural, political, economic etc etc. It cannot ever be challenged and it can never be held to account for anything, no matter how heinous the crimes (roasting to death 3000 innocent villages in oil drums is as barbaric as it gets, right?).
So, in short, too bad you feel anyone daring to call Thailand “fascist” upsets you Nick.
Really, too bad.
Buddhist extremism after the vote
Another day, another ‘vantage fidelity deficit'(vfd) article.
For starter only this author’s name come close to being anti vfd. The facts/vantage are all however gleaned from recent articles else with it own vfd from pooled media sources.
Anyone who is interested in Myanmar and Buddhism will immediately know tat Ma Ba tha, a flash in the pants in h/o Myanmar will know this preoccupation by the west at best distracting to real problem the NLD will face at the worst glorifying thus putting it in front and center an organization on the way out.
To be not vfd, the enduring interrelation of Buddhism and Myanmar citizenry anyone will:
!)just have to travel to any myriad of villages just about 1/2 hr of walk from main motor way.
2)Ask to lodge with the austere Sayadaw for a month with the full intention of understanding/ appreciating the function of the monastery and the Sayadaw.
3)If possible participate in all the activities during the month of visit.
This protagonist will boldly assert that the participants to above 3 suggestion will realize how most articles like these trivialize or rather obfuscate the real issues facing Myanmar.
Those issues are neither Kalar in Yakhine nor the Ma Ba Tha related.
A state of madness
Though I agree with Professor Taylor’s over-all analysis I don’t see how he can describe Spain’s Falangists as a “flop’. They were highly successful. Franco not only won the civil war, but kept Spain out of WW2, ruled until the late 1970’s, laid the basis for modern Spain’s prosperity, then seamlessly handed over to his chosen successor, the king of his choice. I think Prayut will flop. But Spain’s Falangists certainly did not.
Buddhist extremism after the vote
“Had the group refrained from taking sides in the election, its leaders may have been able to work with NLD politicians, many of whom do not necessarily disagree with all of Ma Ba Tha’s policy positions.”
Eg. The prominent 88 Generation pro-democracy activist Ko Ko Gyi who joined in the Muslim-bashing in the run-up to the elections.
http://asiancorrespondent.com/2012/06/the-hypocrisy-of-burmas-pro-democracy-movement/
Buddhist extremism after the vote
Simple fact is Ma Ba Tha was seen by most for what it is – a creation of the ruling military elite, just like the NDP got up at the last minute. The way they managed to rise and rise fully funded from the outset and the latitude they enjoyed all pointed to their wellspring. People are not stupid.
These monks can still stir up things of course. It’s a time honoured ruling class strategy to form its own support base not just among the business classes but farmers, workers and students with varying degrees of success. The Buddhist clergy is no exemption.
A state of madness
I think that this time the coup group does not want to place their bets on the Democrat Party alone anymore, and in particular Abhisit – the only candidate they have, hence the efforts to create a constitution that leaves very little power in the hand of any future elected government and much control in military/traditional elites dominated “independent” institutions. The Democrats have shown again and again that they cannot win elections. We may see as well efforts to create and empower third parties with the attempt of splitting PT votes with the aim of re-creating a pre TRT parliament of weak coalitions in which military supported third parties will have additional influence. I have doubts that it will work.
I don’t think that international media, and more importantly, foreign governments, have much illusions anymore over the Democrat Party, not after the PDRC. On an international stage that party is quite isolated now, especially compared to before when it was the darling of the media and foreign governments. Australia is maybe the odd man out there, due to its traditional closeness to the Thai military, but EU and US policies are quite clear in their demands of a return to democracy.
But i completely agree that all these attempts to create a “Thai style” democracy will prove to be disastrous.
Ben Anderson: the one and only
I recall when I was being “tutored” by the late Ulf Sunhaussen, who many critical scholars considered to be an apologist for the Indonesian military (which he was not) relating how whenever he met Ben Anderson both of them would have a beer a two, agree to disagree and then part company. However, Sunhaussen while being more convinced with the efficacy of the Geertz thesis over that of Anderson’s he recognized the scholarship of Anderson unreservedly.
The last king of Thailand?
For Chris Beale. Of course I am aware of the political economy of opium and how it created wealth for Royalist elites (and others as well) in Thailand (but also for some in Laos and Cambodia) but the point I wanted to make is that the wealth of the CPD is more contingent today on its investments and income-generating assets. Al McCoy certainly contributed a seminal piece on the politics of heroin but other scholars (e.g. Nicolas Tapp and Geoffrey Gunn) were also intrepid investigators.
A state of madness
NN 11.1, of course no personal slight intended! The problem is at the summit, “┬бYa Basta!” And of course one can but feel for the lack of freedoms, rights, and liberty in Thailand. For the Falangista the problem transforming an absolute dictatorship (the movement) into a quasi-constitutional monarchy “system” was a concern towards the end (The king reigns but does not govern was an aspiration –). The various far-right elements in Europe made a compact between their fascistic ideology and a reactionary nostalgia for the monarchy. The result was (and will prove to be in Thailand) a disaster.
The current dictatorship fosters class cleverage and class particularism and prevents the coexistence of the disparate elements of Thai society. The problematic for the pro-democracy “movement” (if it is to generate international support) is to define /name the “enemy”. As for the misnamed “Democrat Party” (international media still get confused over this one!), this was to come in after Prayut stepped down, but… as we know, the dictator cannot back out now. The DP, a lackey of the palace network has similarities to the National Monarchist Union (Uni├│n Mon├бrquica Nacional), which in fact ended as a total social and political flop. Where to go from here is a Thai question.
The last king of Thailand?
Be aware that the status of old and may be outdated royal laws is far higher then any constitution! A constitution is easily changed, but these royal laws can not be changed within the existing system.
A state of madness
I agree. The red shirt ideology, organisational form etc. is very distinct from the yellow shirts. Just have a look, where the money comes from and what they demand. As far as I know, red shirts never demanded f.e. to give up elections. Yellow shirts, in contrast, are mainly instrumentalized petty bourgois elements. For them, what counts is to feel close to the elites, like f.e. a dog getting some left over from a table.
Suthep is just a gangster, certainly not a charismatic leader.