These monks are definitely not strictly following the 227 precepts for Theravada bhikkhus. My perception of a true meditating Buddhist monk who has renounced the deception of the mundane world striving to transcend to a higher level of existence is quite different from these “activist guys” engaging in political activities and chasing Rohingyas.
I wonder who’s funding their activities. I do suspect a fair amount of “Chinese exposure” as is the case in many other unfortunate things happening in Burma.
Rather like the CIA sponsorship of various dodgy outfits that went rogue. Call it the bin Laden syndrome, the reverse of the Stockholm syndrome.
If even the USDP and its chairman can go contrary why not the other stooges?
When empires/dictators fall the whole edifice rotting at the core tends to implode from its own internal contradictions and power struggles with a little help from outside like border wars, invasions or a global financial/economic crisis. The public will be all too happy to lend a hand.
[…] Samet, an independent journalist in Bangkok, writes that the rise of a powerful, xenophobic and politicized movement of Buddhist monks in Myanmar may be aligned with the government, but it is not their creature. He reports that the monks are now […]
While rivers can be widen, but the canals can’t be widen without significant expense. Instead of denouncing the project all together, why don’t you offer suggestions besides a spatial plan.
They can dredge the river without widening it. Or they can deepen the river and widen it at the same time.
The way I see is the communities have to be cleared so dredging can be done. Dredging will restore the natural depth of the river. I know the Indonesian government might not follow through in the future, but right now there is no dredging done at all, because they government doesn’t have access to the river banks. You can dredge the river while keeping the river bank settlement intact. However, Its dangerous and more time consuming.
One thing the Indonesian government does not lack is studies. If you pile all the studies / reports / project doccments they have done on the Ciliwung over the last 50 years, they have enough material to block the flow of the river.
More Buddhism bashing from NM. God knows if NM could move Israel to SE Asia, they would have a field day. Poor souls, they only have Buddhists to pick on (and self-evident ethnic Buddhist Thai terrorists, apparently). Oh, well, there goes that honourary degree to DASSK from ANU; after all, she supports Bamar Buddhist “Apartheid” against Bangladeshi “Rohingya”. Why is it the every Islamic nation, from Morocco to Indonesia, has one problem or another, and Andorra and San Marino and Luxembourg don’t ?
Must be the Crusaders and the Zionists, I know. ISIS and the “Rohingya” are Tony Abbott’s fault, or at least, Netanyahu’s.
A power struggle of that nature shouldn’t and didn’t surprise many Burmese, Naypyidawrians or no. Whoever controls the trigger finger wins – another surprise?
Electoral fraud and other kinds of shenanigans – business as usual – people already expect. When the people start to have a plan B will be when the shit hits the fan.
Contradicting yourself in the same breath… we couldn’t trust the opposition nor the current government. If not for the flimsy hope that Suu Kyi would appoint experts, I trust U Thein Sein 100 times more than I do for Suu Kyi. Talk about transparency.
Recycling the old tiresome line that ASSK/NLD is more autocratic than even the military is beyond a joke.
The NLD and the AFPFL in its anti-colonial heydays are chalk and cheese in both organisational structure and radicalism.
Compromise, collaboration or just capitulation is all the NLD/ASSK has been good at particularly since the recent ‘democratisation process’ was rolled out. In the House, Letpadaung, Letpadan, and yet failing to make a dent in the ironclad constitution by constitutional means never mind the endless mass rallies.
It’s the military rulers that caused the standoffs, not compromise, no matter how long it takes, no matter how much the people suffer, to uphold their sole patent on governance or rather misrule.
Everyone knows who did install a puppet President, Speaker of the House and so forth. Best laid plans and all that, it’s going to be the people whose hopes and aspirations or false expectations as they turn out that will determine the fate of the elite, both the ruling military elite and the loyal opposition.
The puppet master may yet see all the setup he has devised dismantled and discarded like a house of cards.
Widening of the river is not aimed at changing the initial conditions , but to returns (as close as possible) to its original state. Previous width of the river more than 20 meters, but now only 3 meters left. What kind of study needs to restore the river to its previous state?
If it is true that the widening of the river will lead to greater costs for dredging the river later (still an assumption), keep in mind that every year government spent a huge cost for social assistance to them during the flood (this is not an assumption, but a fact).
Dear Zach,
Quite laughable if the widening of the river is considered inefficient simply because there has been no research on it.
If the reason is the occurrence of sedimentation, it is necessary to study how and by what sedimentation occurs. Sedimentation occurs when water is not flowing. If the water flow, the sedimentation will not take place.
Moreover, the handling of the problem of flooding not only widen the river but also dredge the sediment at the bottom of the river which caused silting.
When the river not widened, the settlers not relocated, sedimentation occurs even worse, because the riverbank settlers throw garbage into rivers, reclaiming the river banks to acquire more land. While the heavy equipment can not dredge the shallow river bottom because there is no road access into the river (enclosed by houses of settlers along the river).
If the widening of the river and dredge the riverbed is NOT A SOLUTION to cope with flooding, then occupy riverbanks, throw garbage into the river more so IS NOT THE SOLUTION either.
Thailand’s true nightmare is the sinister alliance between the monarchy, the army and the oligarchy that deprives Thais of their rights to justice, freedom and democracy
Business as usual because we couldn’t trust the opposition nor the current government. If not for the flimsy hope that Suu Kyi would appoint experts, I trust U Thein Sein 100 times more than I do for Suu Kyi. Just read the headlines from the Irrawaddy: “Suu Kyi: Burma’s rebels shouldn’t sign peace deal in haste”. In the other words, let’s not credits for Thein Sein and continue fighting and dying until I become President.
Was the Erawan bomb really the most deadly in Thailand’s history? Can somedboy confirm if there have been any more deadly bomb attacks in the southern provinces?
Yeah. I thought he was ousted because he wanted to change the constitution, and assumed that Suu Kyi would honor her agreement. There are now many doubts. He was ousted because he went too far to remove Thein Sein and military influence within USDP. Army will think he’s a traitor. But I don’t think there will be anymore move against him. So practically, Suu Kyi can still nominate her if he agrees to transfer to NLD.
But will she? Or will she install a puppet President and create a new position for herself like Lee Hsien-Loong did or Lee Kuan Yew? (Minister Mentor!). Judging from recent talks, the latter is more likely. Even more fearful is the case that she will nominate herself and fight an endless battle. If the history is a guide, NLD loves standoffs, not compromise, no matter how long it takes, no matter how much the people suffer, to uphold “NLD’s values” (i.e. fight! fight! fight!). Just look at aftermath of 1990 elections. A group of arrogant “winners” grew impatient in thirst for power and started asking immediate power transfer without even writing the constitution.
For all Suu Kyi’s meddling, Shwe Mann now serves no useful purpose for her, and it was also an illusion that he did in the past because military retains effective veto in her dreams to become head of state. A suitable compromise becomes a casualty. The reality here is Thein Sein would come again, giving the ministerial posts away to ex-army officers, not experts, and creating more posts to relieve “power competition” within the military. According to most recent polls, “24pc identified the National League for Democracy, 5pc the National Unity Party and 17pc the Union Solidarity and Development Party [the rest refused to answer]”. So NLD is leading USDP by just 7 percent. USDP only needs 25% to install their government while NLD needs 50%. No doubt, ethnic parties also prefer Thein Sein over any NLD candidate. KNU leaders waited for hours to meet with that celebrity. None will forget that insult.
So overall, we have better chance by lobbying Thein Sein to appoint experts than Suu Kyi to compromise, and not to fight endless battles. What Myanmar needs most is to have the right people in the right places. Will NLD realize? I don’t think so. Their party is more autocratic than even the military. After Suu Kyi, NLD will become just another AFPFL.
Apologies for including too many “nots” in my third sentence. It should read:
“President Monroe’s intention in developing his policy in 1823 should not be confused with how it was cited (and distorted) many years later by other presidents.”
Dominic, it is true, of course, that the United States has frequently intervened in Latin America. My point, however, was an historical one. President Monroe’s intention in developing his policy in 1823 should not be not confused with how it was cited (and distorted) many years later by other presidents.Forcible US intervention in Latin America was not overt until the 1898 Spanish-American conflict over Cuba and even that intervention was against a European colonial power (Spain) and in support of a local anti-colonial drive for independence, which came in 1902 after the Spanish defeat. It really wasn’t until later in the 20th century that US interventions in Latin America began for reasons of perceived US self-interest. If hegemony had been Monroe’s intention, he was must have been unusually prescient about situations that weren’t to take place until nearly a century later.
Since the point of Mr. Marston’s article was to cite the lessons of history for the present, he should have been more careful not distort his historical references.
The article says: “For Thailand’s military government and ordinary Thai people, the most worrying possibility is that the 17 August attack signaled (sic) a dramatic escalation of domestic political violence,”
Actually for the junta, I think an escalation of domestic violence may be the least worrying possibility.
I would guess that the most worrying would be inter-factional military conflict, which could threaten the regime in many ways.
A close second would be Turkish terrorists. Thailand has always prided itself on avoiding being the victim international conflicts by not meddling in the affairs of others If Prayuth’s self-serving coddling of the Chinese led to deaths at home, it could be viewed as among the worst foreign policy blunders in Thai history.
No one should be surprised that the concerns of the “military government and ordinary Thai people” are not same. In fact, I expect this will become much more obvious very soon.
Domestic political violence seems to be something that benefits the military immensely, which may have something to do with why much of it happens.
“Mr. Marston also somewhat misrepresents the intent of President Monroe’s policy. It was not to declare “hegemony” over the waters of the region, but to deter European powers from trying to re-colonize countries in the Americas that had recently won independence. The key clause states: “the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.””
Considering that the US has always intervened in Latin America to prevent the rise of a government that would be “Anti-American” the claim of establishing hegemony is spot on. True you quote language of the Monroe doctrine which places the US as a guardian of the independence of Latin American states. But then again every hegemon in history has couched its hegemony in selfless and idealistic language
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The threat of Myanmar’s extremist monks
These monks are definitely not strictly following the 227 precepts for Theravada bhikkhus. My perception of a true meditating Buddhist monk who has renounced the deception of the mundane world striving to transcend to a higher level of existence is quite different from these “activist guys” engaging in political activities and chasing Rohingyas.
I wonder who’s funding their activities. I do suspect a fair amount of “Chinese exposure” as is the case in many other unfortunate things happening in Burma.
The threat of Myanmar’s extremist monks
Rather like the CIA sponsorship of various dodgy outfits that went rogue. Call it the bin Laden syndrome, the reverse of the Stockholm syndrome.
If even the USDP and its chairman can go contrary why not the other stooges?
When empires/dictators fall the whole edifice rotting at the core tends to implode from its own internal contradictions and power struggles with a little help from outside like border wars, invasions or a global financial/economic crisis. The public will be all too happy to lend a hand.
The threat of Myanmar’s extremist monks
[…] Samet, an independent journalist in Bangkok, writes that the rise of a powerful, xenophobic and politicized movement of Buddhist monks in Myanmar may be aligned with the government, but it is not their creature. He reports that the monks are now […]
Floods and forced evictions in Jakarta
While rivers can be widen, but the canals can’t be widen without significant expense. Instead of denouncing the project all together, why don’t you offer suggestions besides a spatial plan.
They can dredge the river without widening it. Or they can deepen the river and widen it at the same time.
The way I see is the communities have to be cleared so dredging can be done. Dredging will restore the natural depth of the river. I know the Indonesian government might not follow through in the future, but right now there is no dredging done at all, because they government doesn’t have access to the river banks. You can dredge the river while keeping the river bank settlement intact. However, Its dangerous and more time consuming.
One thing the Indonesian government does not lack is studies. If you pile all the studies / reports / project doccments they have done on the Ciliwung over the last 50 years, they have enough material to block the flow of the river.
The threat of Myanmar’s extremist monks
More Buddhism bashing from NM. God knows if NM could move Israel to SE Asia, they would have a field day. Poor souls, they only have Buddhists to pick on (and self-evident ethnic Buddhist Thai terrorists, apparently). Oh, well, there goes that honourary degree to DASSK from ANU; after all, she supports Bamar Buddhist “Apartheid” against Bangladeshi “Rohingya”. Why is it the every Islamic nation, from Morocco to Indonesia, has one problem or another, and Andorra and San Marino and Luxembourg don’t ?
Must be the Crusaders and the Zionists, I know. ISIS and the “Rohingya” are Tony Abbott’s fault, or at least, Netanyahu’s.
Business as usual in Naypyitaw
A power struggle of that nature shouldn’t and didn’t surprise many Burmese, Naypyidawrians or no. Whoever controls the trigger finger wins – another surprise?
Electoral fraud and other kinds of shenanigans – business as usual – people already expect. When the people start to have a plan B will be when the shit hits the fan.
Watch the enemies from your own side
“a villain by the west is always smarter than the west ” It stops there.
Business as usual in Naypyitaw
Contradicting yourself in the same breath… we couldn’t trust the opposition nor the current government. If not for the flimsy hope that Suu Kyi would appoint experts, I trust U Thein Sein 100 times more than I do for Suu Kyi. Talk about transparency.
Watch the enemies from your own side
Recycling the old tiresome line that ASSK/NLD is more autocratic than even the military is beyond a joke.
The NLD and the AFPFL in its anti-colonial heydays are chalk and cheese in both organisational structure and radicalism.
Compromise, collaboration or just capitulation is all the NLD/ASSK has been good at particularly since the recent ‘democratisation process’ was rolled out. In the House, Letpadaung, Letpadan, and yet failing to make a dent in the ironclad constitution by constitutional means never mind the endless mass rallies.
It’s the military rulers that caused the standoffs, not compromise, no matter how long it takes, no matter how much the people suffer, to uphold their sole patent on governance or rather misrule.
Everyone knows who did install a puppet President, Speaker of the House and so forth. Best laid plans and all that, it’s going to be the people whose hopes and aspirations or false expectations as they turn out that will determine the fate of the elite, both the ruling military elite and the loyal opposition.
The puppet master may yet see all the setup he has devised dismantled and discarded like a house of cards.
Floods and forced evictions in Jakarta
Adding two important things.
Widening of the river is not aimed at changing the initial conditions , but to returns (as close as possible) to its original state. Previous width of the river more than 20 meters, but now only 3 meters left. What kind of study needs to restore the river to its previous state?
If it is true that the widening of the river will lead to greater costs for dredging the river later (still an assumption), keep in mind that every year government spent a huge cost for social assistance to them during the flood (this is not an assumption, but a fact).
Floods and forced evictions in Jakarta
Dear Zach,
Quite laughable if the widening of the river is considered inefficient simply because there has been no research on it.
If the reason is the occurrence of sedimentation, it is necessary to study how and by what sedimentation occurs. Sedimentation occurs when water is not flowing. If the water flow, the sedimentation will not take place.
Moreover, the handling of the problem of flooding not only widen the river but also dredge the sediment at the bottom of the river which caused silting.
When the river not widened, the settlers not relocated, sedimentation occurs even worse, because the riverbank settlers throw garbage into rivers, reclaiming the river banks to acquire more land. While the heavy equipment can not dredge the shallow river bottom because there is no road access into the river (enclosed by houses of settlers along the river).
If the widening of the river and dredge the riverbed is NOT A SOLUTION to cope with flooding, then occupy riverbanks, throw garbage into the river more so IS NOT THE SOLUTION either.
Thailand’s nightmare scenario
Thailand’s true nightmare is the sinister alliance between the monarchy, the army and the oligarchy that deprives Thais of their rights to justice, freedom and democracy
Business as usual in Naypyitaw
Business as usual because we couldn’t trust the opposition nor the current government. If not for the flimsy hope that Suu Kyi would appoint experts, I trust U Thein Sein 100 times more than I do for Suu Kyi. Just read the headlines from the Irrawaddy: “Suu Kyi: Burma’s rebels shouldn’t sign peace deal in haste”. In the other words, let’s not credits for Thein Sein and continue fighting and dying until I become President.
Thailand’s unheard voices
Was the Erawan bomb really the most deadly in Thailand’s history? Can somedboy confirm if there have been any more deadly bomb attacks in the southern provinces?
Watch the enemies from your own side
Yeah. I thought he was ousted because he wanted to change the constitution, and assumed that Suu Kyi would honor her agreement. There are now many doubts. He was ousted because he went too far to remove Thein Sein and military influence within USDP. Army will think he’s a traitor. But I don’t think there will be anymore move against him. So practically, Suu Kyi can still nominate her if he agrees to transfer to NLD.
But will she? Or will she install a puppet President and create a new position for herself like Lee Hsien-Loong did or Lee Kuan Yew? (Minister Mentor!). Judging from recent talks, the latter is more likely. Even more fearful is the case that she will nominate herself and fight an endless battle. If the history is a guide, NLD loves standoffs, not compromise, no matter how long it takes, no matter how much the people suffer, to uphold “NLD’s values” (i.e. fight! fight! fight!). Just look at aftermath of 1990 elections. A group of arrogant “winners” grew impatient in thirst for power and started asking immediate power transfer without even writing the constitution.
For all Suu Kyi’s meddling, Shwe Mann now serves no useful purpose for her, and it was also an illusion that he did in the past because military retains effective veto in her dreams to become head of state. A suitable compromise becomes a casualty. The reality here is Thein Sein would come again, giving the ministerial posts away to ex-army officers, not experts, and creating more posts to relieve “power competition” within the military. According to most recent polls, “24pc identified the National League for Democracy, 5pc the National Unity Party and 17pc the Union Solidarity and Development Party [the rest refused to answer]”. So NLD is leading USDP by just 7 percent. USDP only needs 25% to install their government while NLD needs 50%. No doubt, ethnic parties also prefer Thein Sein over any NLD candidate. KNU leaders waited for hours to meet with that celebrity. None will forget that insult.
So overall, we have better chance by lobbying Thein Sein to appoint experts than Suu Kyi to compromise, and not to fight endless battles. What Myanmar needs most is to have the right people in the right places. Will NLD realize? I don’t think so. Their party is more autocratic than even the military. After Suu Kyi, NLD will become just another AFPFL.
War in ASEAN’s troubled waters
Apologies for including too many “nots” in my third sentence. It should read:
“President Monroe’s intention in developing his policy in 1823 should not be confused with how it was cited (and distorted) many years later by other presidents.”
War in ASEAN’s troubled waters
Dominic, it is true, of course, that the United States has frequently intervened in Latin America. My point, however, was an historical one. President Monroe’s intention in developing his policy in 1823 should not be not confused with how it was cited (and distorted) many years later by other presidents.Forcible US intervention in Latin America was not overt until the 1898 Spanish-American conflict over Cuba and even that intervention was against a European colonial power (Spain) and in support of a local anti-colonial drive for independence, which came in 1902 after the Spanish defeat. It really wasn’t until later in the 20th century that US interventions in Latin America began for reasons of perceived US self-interest. If hegemony had been Monroe’s intention, he was must have been unusually prescient about situations that weren’t to take place until nearly a century later.
Since the point of Mr. Marston’s article was to cite the lessons of history for the present, he should have been more careful not distort his historical references.
Thailand’s nightmare scenario
The article says: “For Thailand’s military government and ordinary Thai people, the most worrying possibility is that the 17 August attack signaled (sic) a dramatic escalation of domestic political violence,”
Actually for the junta, I think an escalation of domestic violence may be the least worrying possibility.
I would guess that the most worrying would be inter-factional military conflict, which could threaten the regime in many ways.
A close second would be Turkish terrorists. Thailand has always prided itself on avoiding being the victim international conflicts by not meddling in the affairs of others If Prayuth’s self-serving coddling of the Chinese led to deaths at home, it could be viewed as among the worst foreign policy blunders in Thai history.
No one should be surprised that the concerns of the “military government and ordinary Thai people” are not same. In fact, I expect this will become much more obvious very soon.
Domestic political violence seems to be something that benefits the military immensely, which may have something to do with why much of it happens.
War in ASEAN’s troubled waters
“Mr. Marston also somewhat misrepresents the intent of President Monroe’s policy. It was not to declare “hegemony” over the waters of the region, but to deter European powers from trying to re-colonize countries in the Americas that had recently won independence. The key clause states: “the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.””
Considering that the US has always intervened in Latin America to prevent the rise of a government that would be “Anti-American” the claim of establishing hegemony is spot on. True you quote language of the Monroe doctrine which places the US as a guardian of the independence of Latin American states. But then again every hegemon in history has couched its hegemony in selfless and idealistic language
Thailand’s unheard voices
Are you saying there is racial discrimination in Thailand? How shocking!