I’m Singaporean. All I say, I myself would go on protests against LKY and PAP if I could. But that’s just not possible in Singapore. Protesting in Singapore would just get people in jail.
I think most of us accept the idea that one must obey the laws of a country when visiting (or in this case been living in for some time). The biggest issue here really is what these laws say about Thailand and its chances of every really becoming a modern society when it is so constrained by feudal thinking. Most foreigners seem to have the impression (and I have heard academics express this view in lectures) that all Thais love the king when if fact there is really not that much quantifiable evidence that one can point to in support of this. I don’t count pictures of the king and queen hanging everywhere with loving them.
We need to ask do Thais have a choice? The ridiculous lèse majesté law means that you cannot say anything about the king or royal family without facing stiff penalties. Remove this law and then perhaps we will be able to see how much the feudal king is loved by his subjects.
i agree with Yongsi. Life in Singapore isn’t as bad as it is portrayed in the news. I think the students and people have a really shrewd perception to Lee Kuan Yew. It is without a doubt, he does certain unjustifiable things to keep PAP intact, however, we Singaporeans are actually aware of them. Correct me if I am wrong, but the only impression I get out of the petition and gatherings is the ‘hipness’ associated with being deviant. Does every single signature = an individul’s aboslute consent that Lee is a dictator? I don’t care if Lee recevies the doctorate or not, more importantly, I hope people start to investigate properly his so called ‘tyrannic’ rule. (At the same time perhaps, we S’poreans ought to question our standard of government as well…)
singapore wouldn’t be what it is today without him. dictatorship? haha. where did these students get that from? the news? i doubt any of them have experienced life here, cause it is far from what they make it out to be. brilliant country, brilliant leader. good enough for me 🙂
We are right off the track here. I would like to suggest to you all that you should read about Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam before you continue posting comments. The whole point being, does L.K.Y. deserve such an honour?
His governments achievements are irrelevant and besides the point.
The only analogy I can think of which comes close to describing the situation in Singapore is it is basically controlled by the ultimate triad gang. One ruler, no opposition worth speaking of, a climate of fear, control of all the press, control of the media, international governments in their pockets.
The government of L.K.Y. has manipulated every aspect of the law to create a city state which is under their complete control while managing to maintain the face of democracy.
He is certainly creative, crook as a dog’s hind leg though.
I have had first hand experience as to the vice like grip that man holds on to power. Poor old J.B.J. has experienced much worse.
The honour bestowed upon him is so far this year the biggest bottom licking exercise I have read about and frankly it disgusts me.
The next honour from the A.N.U. might as well be to the Chinese government for outstanding human rights behaviour and environmental awareness……
Its really nice to see people out there who actually care about what is happening here. Hopefully his regime will collapse soon and we can dig out all the skeletons from his closet.
That is why I say two years may just be “long enough” for all parties concerned. A back-room deal has probably been reached whereby Jufer will receive a “standard” royal pardon on Dec 5th alongside lots of other prisoners. This way his pardon can be not be accused as “special treatment” for a farang.
Sawarin: It is never advisable to “rely” on papers, and certainly not on “single” ones, not even in Europe, the US, or Australia. For this reason, both in Europe etc. and in Thailand, one should use a range of papers and other channels of information. Obviously, however, newspaper consumption in Thailand is very low. Given your “hopeless” perspective, you must be close to living in an internal socio-political exile, maybe as a forest monk?
I happened to surf into your cool site. It’s really good to know there are people who take these things seriously. Alas, there are always those who would do anything in the name economic expedience.
Obviously you do not know enough about Singapore politics. Your references should be credited to Lee Kuan Yew’s son, current Prime Minister Lee (Hsien Loong). If you dug a little deeper and got your facts straight you would no doubt stumble on more interesting material that would at least be attributed to the correct Lee. 🙂
Srithanonchai: the so-called quality papers are really garbage broadsheets (valueless- as in its orginal fr). There’s no single paper you can rely on in Thailand. Both broadsheets and tabloids are equally hopeless, as hopeless as the current social and political reality of Thailand. Think 20 Singapore Straits Times ciculating day-in day-out and you’ll understand why Thai politics is (always) in limbo and a concept of civil society is never materialised.
the junta can block most protesters from upcountry for the time being. however, the thing to watch is the songkran holiday. lots of bangkok residents will go upcountry as usual, when they come back, the protesters can come along in that great wave. it will be hard to bar them at this time, without causing a great deal of hassle to all travelers.
[…] of Southeast Asian logging is a confident move. On the ground – as even a small selection of relevant New Mandala posts make clear – it is not as easy (or as clear) as some politicians might lead us [ ] – more – […]
Yes I saw that interview with Suchinda myself and marvelled at his own open admission of ignorance as well as his unqualified contempt for the Thai people.
Bu I think your take on the Crispin article however, together with your admiration for the Great Man himself, or perhaps just for the unbridled crony capitalism that he represents, as displayed in your own article “Yes, I understand you!” is mistaken.
I was spending time at a school in a village in Chiang Rai Province at the time of the rally you attended here, there were several rallies outside of Bangkok at that time, and I can remember village folks smiling wanly as they were trucked in the heat from the village and the school to another of the Great Man’s rallies, recounting that they were only getting 50 Baht a head to attend : “It should be 100 Baht”. But the TRT middle men, emulating their mentor, had pocketed half the allocated payout themselves.
I don’t think that the villagers are at all stupid. They were never taken in by the Great Man. They realized that his policies were primarily the means of enriching himself, his family, and his cronies at the county’s expense. But that’s what all the politicians do, yet he offered to share a bit of the spoils with them, and that was a first, and the best choice available to them.
Apparently he still may be. The Thai people are very poorly served, as are the people around the globe, by their entrenched political classes.
Bald heads forgetful of their sins,
Old, learned, respectable bald heads
Edit and annotate the lines
That young men, tossing on their beds,
Rhymed out in love’s despair
To flatter beauty’s ignorant ear.
All shuffle there; all cough in ink;
All wear the carpet with their shoes;
All think what other people think;
All know the man their neighbour knows.
Lord, what would they say
Did their Catullus walk that way?
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“Lee Kuan Yew – ANU is not for you!”
I’m Singaporean. All I say, I myself would go on protests against LKY and PAP if I could. But that’s just not possible in Singapore. Protesting in Singapore would just get people in jail.
Thailand’s climate of repression
I think most of us accept the idea that one must obey the laws of a country when visiting (or in this case been living in for some time). The biggest issue here really is what these laws say about Thailand and its chances of every really becoming a modern society when it is so constrained by feudal thinking. Most foreigners seem to have the impression (and I have heard academics express this view in lectures) that all Thais love the king when if fact there is really not that much quantifiable evidence that one can point to in support of this. I don’t count pictures of the king and queen hanging everywhere with loving them.
We need to ask do Thais have a choice? The ridiculous lèse majesté law means that you cannot say anything about the king or royal family without facing stiff penalties. Remove this law and then perhaps we will be able to see how much the feudal king is loved by his subjects.
“Lee Kuan Yew – ANU is not for you!”
i agree with Yongsi. Life in Singapore isn’t as bad as it is portrayed in the news. I think the students and people have a really shrewd perception to Lee Kuan Yew. It is without a doubt, he does certain unjustifiable things to keep PAP intact, however, we Singaporeans are actually aware of them. Correct me if I am wrong, but the only impression I get out of the petition and gatherings is the ‘hipness’ associated with being deviant. Does every single signature = an individul’s aboslute consent that Lee is a dictator? I don’t care if Lee recevies the doctorate or not, more importantly, I hope people start to investigate properly his so called ‘tyrannic’ rule. (At the same time perhaps, we S’poreans ought to question our standard of government as well…)
“Lee Kuan Yew – ANU is not for you!”
yongsi, what is Singapore today exactly?
If HDB flats are your thing, then I suppose its heaven!
“Lee Kuan Yew – ANU is not for you!”
singapore wouldn’t be what it is today without him. dictatorship? haha. where did these students get that from? the news? i doubt any of them have experienced life here, cause it is far from what they make it out to be. brilliant country, brilliant leader. good enough for me 🙂
ANU honours Lee Kuan Yew. Why?
We are right off the track here. I would like to suggest to you all that you should read about Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam before you continue posting comments. The whole point being, does L.K.Y. deserve such an honour?
His governments achievements are irrelevant and besides the point.
The only analogy I can think of which comes close to describing the situation in Singapore is it is basically controlled by the ultimate triad gang. One ruler, no opposition worth speaking of, a climate of fear, control of all the press, control of the media, international governments in their pockets.
The government of L.K.Y. has manipulated every aspect of the law to create a city state which is under their complete control while managing to maintain the face of democracy.
He is certainly creative, crook as a dog’s hind leg though.
I have had first hand experience as to the vice like grip that man holds on to power. Poor old J.B.J. has experienced much worse.
The honour bestowed upon him is so far this year the biggest bottom licking exercise I have read about and frankly it disgusts me.
The next honour from the A.N.U. might as well be to the Chinese government for outstanding human rights behaviour and environmental awareness……
“Lee Kuan Yew – ANU is not for you!”
Its really nice to see people out there who actually care about what is happening here. Hopefully his regime will collapse soon and we can dig out all the skeletons from his closet.
ANU honours Lee Kuan Yew. Why?
If the ANU proposed to honor King Bhumipol with an honorary law degree, will New Mandala protest?
Thailand’s climate of repression
That is why I say two years may just be “long enough” for all parties concerned. A back-room deal has probably been reached whereby Jufer will receive a “standard” royal pardon on Dec 5th alongside lots of other prisoners. This way his pardon can be not be accused as “special treatment” for a farang.
ANU honours Lee Kuan Yew. Why?
Sawarin: It is never advisable to “rely” on papers, and certainly not on “single” ones, not even in Europe, the US, or Australia. For this reason, both in Europe etc. and in Thailand, one should use a range of papers and other channels of information. Obviously, however, newspaper consumption in Thailand is very low. Given your “hopeless” perspective, you must be close to living in an internal socio-political exile, maybe as a forest monk?
Lee’s degree broke ANU rules
I happened to surf into your cool site. It’s really good to know there are people who take these things seriously. Alas, there are always those who would do anything in the name economic expedience.
BTW, I have an opt-ed piece on this matter at http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/articleop-ed1_johntan.html
cheers,
john
“Lee Kuan Yew – ANU is not for you!”
Obviously you do not know enough about Singapore politics. Your references should be credited to Lee Kuan Yew’s son, current Prime Minister Lee (Hsien Loong). If you dug a little deeper and got your facts straight you would no doubt stumble on more interesting material that would at least be attributed to the correct Lee. 🙂
ANU honours Lee Kuan Yew. Why?
Srithanonchai: the so-called quality papers are really garbage broadsheets (valueless- as in its orginal fr). There’s no single paper you can rely on in Thailand. Both broadsheets and tabloids are equally hopeless, as hopeless as the current social and political reality of Thailand. Think 20 Singapore Straits Times ciculating day-in day-out and you’ll understand why Thai politics is (always) in limbo and a concept of civil society is never materialised.
The Economist on Burma’s pipeline possibilities
Tara –
I’m sorry Jotman.com doesn’t have comments. Good point about the Western media. I checked out narinjara.com — it looks very informative.
– Blogger Jotman
Thoughts for the week
the junta can block most protesters from upcountry for the time being. however, the thing to watch is the songkran holiday. lots of bangkok residents will go upcountry as usual, when they come back, the protesters can come along in that great wave. it will be hard to bar them at this time, without causing a great deal of hassle to all travelers.
Diversity economy
[…] of Southeast Asian logging is a confident move. On the ground – as even a small selection of relevant New Mandala posts make clear – it is not as easy (or as clear) as some politicians might lead us [ ] – more – […]
ANU honours Lee Kuan Yew. Why?
I did not know that Bangkok Post, The Nation, Matichon, Krungthep Thurakit (by implication: all Thai newspapers) are “garbage broadsheets.”
Thoughts for the week
Yes I saw that interview with Suchinda myself and marvelled at his own open admission of ignorance as well as his unqualified contempt for the Thai people.
Bu I think your take on the Crispin article however, together with your admiration for the Great Man himself, or perhaps just for the unbridled crony capitalism that he represents, as displayed in your own article “Yes, I understand you!” is mistaken.
I was spending time at a school in a village in Chiang Rai Province at the time of the rally you attended here, there were several rallies outside of Bangkok at that time, and I can remember village folks smiling wanly as they were trucked in the heat from the village and the school to another of the Great Man’s rallies, recounting that they were only getting 50 Baht a head to attend : “It should be 100 Baht”. But the TRT middle men, emulating their mentor, had pocketed half the allocated payout themselves.
I don’t think that the villagers are at all stupid. They were never taken in by the Great Man. They realized that his policies were primarily the means of enriching himself, his family, and his cronies at the county’s expense. But that’s what all the politicians do, yet he offered to share a bit of the spoils with them, and that was a first, and the best choice available to them.
Apparently he still may be. The Thai people are very poorly served, as are the people around the globe, by their entrenched political classes.
“Frankly very disturbing”
In reply to a comment,
kin mun NOT EQUAL TO Brown
Lee’s degree broke ANU rules
Bald heads forgetful of their sins,
Old, learned, respectable bald heads
Edit and annotate the lines
That young men, tossing on their beds,
Rhymed out in love’s despair
To flatter beauty’s ignorant ear.
All shuffle there; all cough in ink;
All wear the carpet with their shoes;
All think what other people think;
All know the man their neighbour knows.
Lord, what would they say
Did their Catullus walk that way?