Right now the lesser of two evils is looking very attractive. One at a time, folks. First the klepto-thugocracy must go. You don’t want to repeat the kind of mistake ASSK made rejecting out of hand U Nu’s offer to join him in an interim government in 1988 just because he was power mad. Vote NLD!
Burma is a country without territorial integrity. “Peace building” just means “divvying up the turf” just like amongst biker gangs, drug syndicates and smugglers. Land mines are used like graffiti to mark “territory” and to blow up innocent “trespassers”.
The late Princess Diane worked very hard against land mines. Prince William should continue his mother’s legacy in this former British colony. Remember the Karens and a lot of ethnic groups were loyal to the British Empire (and the Allies) while the Burmese, such ss Bogyoke Aung San, were striving for independence with the help of the fascist Japanese Imperial Army lol)
Enforced love doesn’t mean a thing! Please abolish Article 112 and let people express their mind freely and see if the Thai king is still loved by the people.
Note for newcomers: Article 112 prohibits people from saying anything negative on the king, queen, heir-apparent and regents. Violators, if convicted, will spend 3-15 years in jail for each offense. Hundreds, if not thousands are now in Thai jail throughout the country.
I fully agree with Rose. Monarchy is by nature unjust, unequal and unfair. And in Thailand it is the basic support for an anti-democratic political system.
I hope that all monarchies in the world would be abolished soon, starting in my own country, Spain. Only in a Republic there is a possibility for a full democrac
One reaction to this piece: the fact that openly voicing sentiments like these as they relate to a country of the size, diversity, complexity and potential of Thailand is anything but normal really makes one wonder in what century many in Thailand are living.
I know, I know, Thailand is special, but there must nevertheless be something to learn from the fact that the new head of Her Majesty’s government in Canberra once chaired the Australian Republican Movement. Australia has–oh, no!–fallen into the hands of a menace to the security of Britain and the Commonwealth!!
………
– the king pay no tax
– He supported the suppression of democracy
– he helped that Thailand’s “democracy” more like half the time was ruled by coup makers and military
– He helped not be adhered to the UN Human Rights
– He was silent as three innocent have been executed for his brother’s death
– etc. etc…
Military and justice are sworn to the king – not on the Constitution or people
I would love to comment but as I live here dare not. So much for Prayuth’s free speech. I wonder how long it will be before this article is blocked? Unfortunately it’s articles like this that will make the Junta even more determined to introduce their ‘single gateway’ for the net.
Myint Aung? Who’s that? There are lots of Myint Aungs in Burma.
Min Aung Hlaing is the name of the current commander-in-chief of the “Tatmadaw”. When I left Burma it was Ne Win, but he is dead.
Thanks for your comment and as I highlighted that world still is a far more dangerous place for women, I am sure Bangkok too or Thailand in general is not the safest place for women. Neither was it my intention to project it as such. I just realised that there are certain steps which India can perhaps borrow from its neighbour to improve the security for women.
Thank you so much for speaking on behalf of millions of Thai people inside Thailand who are so powerless to speak their mind. I’ve worked for the Foreign Affairs Ministry for more than 20 years but I have to pretend to love the king while looking at his mean-spirited portrait on the wall everyday. Besides the ever present threat of being charge with lese majeste law violation is another major fear factor. I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of this environment when I’ll be retiring soon.
Hats off to comrade sister Rose, a brave truth teller. The Emperor has no clothes: Thai King is not a god or demi-god , sacred above common people. He is less than dust beneath their feet, and yet used by the military and Sino-Thai Capitalists, not forgetting USA to counter communism, to rule and abject the diverse peoples of Thailand. He is not just a tool but a vector of violence and death carried out in his name. When will this vile tyranny which is like that in North Korea and Burma end?
“Your First President, My First Puppet,” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent message to her voters.
When I was young, I thought Michael Aung-Thwin was jealous of DASSK. Now I can confirm his sentiments, though I can’t support the alternative, the USDP. If I were in Myanmar, I would rather vote for NDF or Mon party.
“She had an aristcratic air about her,” he said. “She always thought of herself as part of the Burmese aristocracy, and that she had a right to Burma’s throne because of her father…She was charming, intelligent, but very stubborn, very authoritarian. She was in favor of overthrowing the military, but she was personally authoritarian herself. Once, I remember her her saying,’It is my destiny to rule Burma.’ I said,’ You should have a relatively easy time because of your father’s name.’ She bristled. ‘I will do this myself,” she said. ‘It won’t have anything to do with my father.’ ‘Then why do you use your father’s name?’ I asked. But she just repeated, ‘I will do it myself.'”
Indeed – “eve teasing” or harassment of women has been going on for a very long time in India. Already when i was much around India almost 3 decades ago the term was very common, and regularly newspaper articles were written about this.
While traditionally and culturally in Thailand the position of women has been much better than in India (in Thai villages men have to pay dowry – Kah Singsod – and generally move in to the wife’s households) the supposed safety of Bangkok (and Thailand in general) is very deceptive. Violent crime and rape is very common here, and generally speaking the murder rate is much higher in Thailand than in India, as is the amount of guns – both legal and illegal.
Do not be bedazzled by Bangkok just because it does not appear dangerous and because of personal perception. There is a huge discrepancy of image and reality here.
Global economics/politics has now become rather like a religion. Believe implicitly what the good books say, turn off all your critical faculties and tune into the top-down ‘free-market’ commandments from on high – with an inquisition provided gratis by the constantly-demonising mass media. And if you pray hard-enough to the all-knowing monetarist god, he might even grant you some space on the first ark to Mars when the deluge eventually hits – leaving the rest of us poor sinners behind in some Monsanto-cursed hell.
Not that I’m really that keen on politics myself – but it seems to me that a barren, deserted and austere ‘heaven’ is no proper substitute for what used to be (and what still sometimes remains – when the moronic idealogues and their loony-libetarian outriders are nowhere in sight) an interesting & diverse home planet. It seems utterly nonsensical how the establishment justifies rigorously defending its property-owning rights, when the inevitable result of massive short-term profit-taking is the wholesale degradation of such ‘property’. It seems that we learned/gained absolutely nothing from the collapse of that other top-down ideology.
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NLD needs to lift the standard
Right now the lesser of two evils is looking very attractive. One at a time, folks. First the klepto-thugocracy must go. You don’t want to repeat the kind of mistake ASSK made rejecting out of hand U Nu’s offer to join him in an interim government in 1988 just because he was power mad. Vote NLD!
Myanmar’s minefields
Burma is a country without territorial integrity. “Peace building” just means “divvying up the turf” just like amongst biker gangs, drug syndicates and smugglers. Land mines are used like graffiti to mark “territory” and to blow up innocent “trespassers”.
The late Princess Diane worked very hard against land mines. Prince William should continue his mother’s legacy in this former British colony. Remember the Karens and a lot of ethnic groups were loyal to the British Empire (and the Allies) while the Burmese, such ss Bogyoke Aung San, were striving for independence with the help of the fascist Japanese Imperial Army lol)
Why I speak out against the Thai Monarchy
Enforced love doesn’t mean a thing! Please abolish Article 112 and let people express their mind freely and see if the Thai king is still loved by the people.
Note for newcomers: Article 112 prohibits people from saying anything negative on the king, queen, heir-apparent and regents. Violators, if convicted, will spend 3-15 years in jail for each offense. Hundreds, if not thousands are now in Thai jail throughout the country.
Why I speak out against the Thai Monarchy
I fully agree with Rose. Monarchy is by nature unjust, unequal and unfair. And in Thailand it is the basic support for an anti-democratic political system.
I hope that all monarchies in the world would be abolished soon, starting in my own country, Spain. Only in a Republic there is a possibility for a full democrac
Why I speak out against the Thai Monarchy
Can’t speak, can’t question, can’t listen, can’t read, can’t write. To hell with article 112, we are not free
Why I speak out against the Thai Monarchy
One reaction to this piece: the fact that openly voicing sentiments like these as they relate to a country of the size, diversity, complexity and potential of Thailand is anything but normal really makes one wonder in what century many in Thailand are living.
I know, I know, Thailand is special, but there must nevertheless be something to learn from the fact that the new head of Her Majesty’s government in Canberra once chaired the Australian Republican Movement. Australia has–oh, no!–fallen into the hands of a menace to the security of Britain and the Commonwealth!!
Why I speak out against the Thai Monarchy
………
– the king pay no tax
– He supported the suppression of democracy
– he helped that Thailand’s “democracy” more like half the time was ruled by coup makers and military
– He helped not be adhered to the UN Human Rights
– He was silent as three innocent have been executed for his brother’s death
– etc. etc…
Military and justice are sworn to the king – not on the Constitution or people
NLD needs to lift the standard
Lock up your kids, the straw man cometh!
Why I speak out against the Thai Monarchy
I would love to comment but as I live here dare not. So much for Prayuth’s free speech. I wonder how long it will be before this article is blocked? Unfortunately it’s articles like this that will make the Junta even more determined to introduce their ‘single gateway’ for the net.
NLD needs to lift the standard
Myint Aung? Who’s that? There are lots of Myint Aungs in Burma.
Min Aung Hlaing is the name of the current commander-in-chief of the “Tatmadaw”. When I left Burma it was Ne Win, but he is dead.
Treading the night in Thailand
Thanks for your comment and as I highlighted that world still is a far more dangerous place for women, I am sure Bangkok too or Thailand in general is not the safest place for women. Neither was it my intention to project it as such. I just realised that there are certain steps which India can perhaps borrow from its neighbour to improve the security for women.
Why I speak out against the Thai Monarchy
Thank you so much for speaking on behalf of millions of Thai people inside Thailand who are so powerless to speak their mind. I’ve worked for the Foreign Affairs Ministry for more than 20 years but I have to pretend to love the king while looking at his mean-spirited portrait on the wall everyday. Besides the ever present threat of being charge with lese majeste law violation is another major fear factor. I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of this environment when I’ll be retiring soon.
NLD needs to lift the standard
DASSK is hardly more authoritarian than New Mandala and likely far less so than Thein Sein and Myint Aung.
Why I speak out against the Thai Monarchy
I cannot comment with my real name, because as you know I will be locked away for the rest of my life.
I respect you with all my heart.
Thorns of the Thai rose
Hats off to comrade sister Rose, a brave truth teller. The Emperor has no clothes: Thai King is not a god or demi-god , sacred above common people. He is less than dust beneath their feet, and yet used by the military and Sino-Thai Capitalists, not forgetting USA to counter communism, to rule and abject the diverse peoples of Thailand. He is not just a tool but a vector of violence and death carried out in his name. When will this vile tyranny which is like that in North Korea and Burma end?
NLD needs to lift the standard
“Your First President, My First Puppet,” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent message to her voters.
When I was young, I thought Michael Aung-Thwin was jealous of DASSK. Now I can confirm his sentiments, though I can’t support the alternative, the USDP. If I were in Myanmar, I would rather vote for NDF or Mon party.
“She had an aristcratic air about her,” he said. “She always thought of herself as part of the Burmese aristocracy, and that she had a right to Burma’s throne because of her father…She was charming, intelligent, but very stubborn, very authoritarian. She was in favor of overthrowing the military, but she was personally authoritarian herself. Once, I remember her her saying,’It is my destiny to rule Burma.’ I said,’ You should have a relatively easy time because of your father’s name.’ She bristled. ‘I will do this myself,” she said. ‘It won’t have anything to do with my father.’ ‘Then why do you use your father’s name?’ I asked. But she just repeated, ‘I will do it myself.'”
http://www.burmalibrary.org/reg.burma/archives/199509/msg00106.html
Treading the night in Thailand
Indeed – “eve teasing” or harassment of women has been going on for a very long time in India. Already when i was much around India almost 3 decades ago the term was very common, and regularly newspaper articles were written about this.
While traditionally and culturally in Thailand the position of women has been much better than in India (in Thai villages men have to pay dowry – Kah Singsod – and generally move in to the wife’s households) the supposed safety of Bangkok (and Thailand in general) is very deceptive. Violent crime and rape is very common here, and generally speaking the murder rate is much higher in Thailand than in India, as is the amount of guns – both legal and illegal.
Do not be bedazzled by Bangkok just because it does not appear dangerous and because of personal perception. There is a huge discrepancy of image and reality here.
Hot on the hustings–Indonesia’s ‘caleg cantik’
just know there are English language sites that discuss candidates dpr Indonesia 😀
Political implications of Thailand’s royal succession
[…] Great site…. Political implications of Thailand?s royal succession […]
A conversation with Chomsky
Global economics/politics has now become rather like a religion. Believe implicitly what the good books say, turn off all your critical faculties and tune into the top-down ‘free-market’ commandments from on high – with an inquisition provided gratis by the constantly-demonising mass media. And if you pray hard-enough to the all-knowing monetarist god, he might even grant you some space on the first ark to Mars when the deluge eventually hits – leaving the rest of us poor sinners behind in some Monsanto-cursed hell.
Not that I’m really that keen on politics myself – but it seems to me that a barren, deserted and austere ‘heaven’ is no proper substitute for what used to be (and what still sometimes remains – when the moronic idealogues and their loony-libetarian outriders are nowhere in sight) an interesting & diverse home planet. It seems utterly nonsensical how the establishment justifies rigorously defending its property-owning rights, when the inevitable result of massive short-term profit-taking is the wholesale degradation of such ‘property’. It seems that we learned/gained absolutely nothing from the collapse of that other top-down ideology.