The silence of Thai Khadi Research Institute, the organizers of the conference, on this issue is deafening. Why don’t they come out to make a statement of where they stand? In particular they should respond to NM’s questions as to whether academic freedom would be guaranteed at the conference for panels and papers regarding the monarchy and the September 19 coup, sufficiency theory, the Crown Property Bureau, lese majeste, etc. At the very least, foreign participants at the conference who do make references to the monarchy would surely want a guarantee from Thai Khadi that they will not be given a 10 year prison term (or longer) like the Swiss convicted of lese majeste in Chiang Mai last month. If they fail to make that guarantee then we will know that this conference is indeed purely ” to celebrate the auspicious occasion of the 80th birth anniversary ….” and has absolutely no academic value whatsoever.
de reasons because u’re called a ‘bloody ang moh’ are more complicated than juz being high on money. bloody grow up. people are people, no one’s perfect, we can only count on values and principles to guide us.
Just read a collection of Chang noi’s writings on geocities as DE recommended. Ok, think it’s a Thai chang. I find most of his/her commentaries rather bland but they are probably helpful for outsiders who want to be in, and insiders who want to be out.
For those interested in finding out the role of Thai intellectuals/ academics and their ‘contribution’ towards the materialisation of this coup, check out blog postings by a Thai historian Somsak Jiamteerasethakul. Leaving aside his politics, these short essays are more penetrating than the others I came across. See if you can connect them to the current debate on Thai studies conference.
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Boycotts and boundaries
The silence of Thai Khadi Research Institute, the organizers of the conference, on this issue is deafening. Why don’t they come out to make a statement of where they stand? In particular they should respond to NM’s questions as to whether academic freedom would be guaranteed at the conference for panels and papers regarding the monarchy and the September 19 coup, sufficiency theory, the Crown Property Bureau, lese majeste, etc. At the very least, foreign participants at the conference who do make references to the monarchy would surely want a guarantee from Thai Khadi that they will not be given a 10 year prison term (or longer) like the Swiss convicted of lese majeste in Chiang Mai last month. If they fail to make that guarantee then we will know that this conference is indeed purely ” to celebrate the auspicious occasion of the 80th birth anniversary ….” and has absolutely no academic value whatsoever.
Boycotts and boundaries
and I agree with Andrew that this chang is not so ‘noi’ 🙂
“Lee Kuan Yew – ANU is not for you!”
de reasons because u’re called a ‘bloody ang moh’ are more complicated than juz being high on money. bloody grow up. people are people, no one’s perfect, we can only count on values and principles to guide us.
Boycotts and boundaries
Just read a collection of Chang noi’s writings on geocities as DE recommended. Ok, think it’s a Thai chang. I find most of his/her commentaries rather bland but they are probably helpful for outsiders who want to be in, and insiders who want to be out.
For those interested in finding out the role of Thai intellectuals/ academics and their ‘contribution’ towards the materialisation of this coup, check out blog postings by a Thai historian Somsak Jiamteerasethakul. Leaving aside his politics, these short essays are more penetrating than the others I came across. See if you can connect them to the current debate on Thai studies conference.
http://somsakcouppostings.blogspot.com/
ps. your Thai must be good.