Was the 1932 revolution the result of religion changing tack? I think not.
Throughout Thailand’s history (1932) when the people rise up to question their masters they are brutally murdered.
The Buddhist religion is split just as other religions are.
The hirachy is firmly in the grip of the state and not the other way round.
A motorcycle is indeed the fastest way to get around town, but it doesn’t have to be a motorcycle taxi.
A professional terrorist with a gang of ten collaborators and a month to plan, could presumable been able to actually get his own motorcycle and have a co-conspirator waiting for him.
Walking up to a motorcycle queue 3 minutes after the explosion with a note and an accent doesn’t seem to be to be the result of a careful plan. In fact motorcycle taxis are what you have to rely on when you forgot to plan,
If that was their best idea, what do you figure the other ones they planned and rejected?
Best article yet in the sudden outpouring from NM.
It isn’t just the junta that is turning this tragic reality into a farce.
Websites like this one rushing to get as much verbal gush online as quickly as possible with articles like the ones from Blaxland and Vatikiotis are doing their part as well.
When Blaxland essentially denies any possibility of RTA responsibility and Vatikiotis points to the “seedy underbelly” of Bangkok with its Arab, African and South Asian denizens in his “analysis”, we are seeing nothing more or less than another version of the BS pouring out of the various Thai officials.
SORRY, RSSPONDING ON A BUS, loads of typos in my last message, please use this one instead. Thanks!
My tweet praised the work of a website that is doing genuine investigation (including identifying the T-shirt the bomber wore). This is very different from the parade of pontification we have seen from self-promoting “analysts” whose articles say nothing new or original. Can anybody identify a single useful or original observation in Michael Vatiokis’s “analysis”? If so, please share here. John Blaxland’s “analysis” was also a carbon copy. Can anyone explain how the analyses differed, or what was enlightening about them? I really don’t mean to be insulting, I would genuinely like to know what the authors, and the readers of their articles, thought was useful about these articles, if anything. So for those who think I am being rude and negative, just tell us what these articles added to our understanding, and prove me wrong!
It’s been sad to watch New Mandala change from a vibrant forum for debate on Thailand to a platform for self-important people to pontificate, and attack anyone who calls them out. New Mandala used to be part of my essential daily reading. Now I rarely come here. That’s a pity, because once upon a time, this forum was great.
It’s pretty clear that Suu Kyi “likes” (I hope this word is not copyrighted by Fakebook) a junta guy, a lot more than she “likes” Ko Ko Gyi, a guy from gen88.
SK&SM = bff or “shwe kyi hsa nwin: ma kin:” (a rich sweet and heavy burmese semolina cake!)
Directly, nothing. if you have experience with Thailand, you know the only way change happens over time is when religions move their previous thinking and positions. Rama IV proactively reformed Buddhism to reject a mystical understanding of humanity and to oppose degrading commoners.
If Christians or Buddhists looking at this coup government sit idly by and never actively oppose the state, they are just another group of conservative contributors to the status quo. It has to do with rejecting nations — entirely — in good anarchist tradition. As for secularists who try to trick the people to believe that the authoritarian state can be an agent for good, they might as well be fundamentalists.
I am what you might regard as an expert in explosives and their uses holding a “ticket” in the Australian Army and also a civilian licence from the old Department of Industrial Relations and Technology. Before retirement from the Australian army I served in Viet Nam as a infantry soldier. On my return I instructed recruits at 2RTB and Officer Cadets at Portsea in the use and handling of weapons.
In the course of 12 months I blew 1016 blinds on the Puckapunyal Range. This, in some peoples’ eyes might qualify me as some sort of “expert”, especially as I also served my final 6 years with the Military Police.
I believe this gives me some sort of grounding or first hand experience to know what I’m talking about.
I’m not peddling anything, I’m just stating facts. I don’t blame one group or individual until I see the evidence, which has not been released yet.
I do not make statements about who could have done it or the reasons why. In other words I don’t guess or hypothesise without the facts and as yet the only facts I have seen are two ball bearings and a piece of shrapnel from the crime scene.
So far all the “experts” have done is guess and most of them aren’t even in Bangkok.
I just wish they’d stop doing it. As I said, they demean thenselves and their academic qualifications.
I would have thought that a schism in the junta (or military) would be a fairly prominent theory as to who perpetrated this bombing, and would subsequently explain the misdirection, lies and incompetence of the investigation with the ruling clique caught between a rock and a hard place. I’m not hanging my hat on this theory, but surely it makes as much sense as southern insurgents et al.
As I have understood that the NM formula/praxis would appear to be, quite rightly, that the later one comments on a posting, the less likely it will be read, agreed to or damned, may I abuse my reproducing line a fifth comment that came in 23rd in comments on a previous posting.
Without going into speculation on the culprits – and I for once agree with Peter Cohen (and Lee Jones) in this case, that Malay Muslim militants from the Deep South should not be excluded – I think ‘Dr Watson’ has a point here.
Having just been in Bangkok and Pattani I was struck by the advertising blitz for the ‘Bike for Mum’ event which in the end attracted nearly 300,000 enrolled participants. It has entered the Guinness Book of Records.
‘Bike for Mom’ can be seen as having a twofold objective. On the one hand, part of the civilianized military’s junta’s campaign to prepare the succession to the present king by enhancing the image of the Crown Prince (quite a challenge). He not only led the event, but his daughter also participated. Moreover, now given the theatrical nature of Thai politics, with a new ‘socially acceptable’ wife (his fourth) about to enter ‘centre stage’ and two new legitimate potential princes to boot in the ‘wings’, he can at last aspire to imitating his father’s image of paternal benevolence.
On the other hand, ‘Bike for Mom’ in Bangkok (the antithesis of Copenhagen in terms of bike friendliness), seems designed as part of the ‘thainess’ and ‘happiness’ trope of the present civilianized government, legitimizing its holding onto power as long as possible till a semi-democratic regime is, once again, embedded.
It is pure conjecture, but the tight security put in place for “Bike for Mom” event in Bangkok perhaps inhibited the perpetrators of the bombing who waited till the day after. The site of the bombing – Ratchaprasong Junction – has much symbolic importance for many Thais that goes beyond the Erawan Shrine as such. However the idea that the bombing was an anti-royalist statement (sic) is too hard to contemplate.
quote “as long as they get out of Jakarta to go back to their “villages”, contradicting the fact that many of the residents were born and raised in Kampung Pulo.” THE problem is according to UNHABITAT statement during Sendai UN DR Conference in march 2015, that during this next thirty years, the urban foot print is going to double in size, from what we have achieved during the past 10,000 years. So either the Mayor will become penniless or they need to create a proper strategy for rehousing,and increased housing, not just evicting. Playing King Canute will not work!. Garry de la Pomerai. Chair UNESCO GTFBE
I don’t know where the idea that the British monarchy is largely financially supported by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy comes from. In reality it is funded by the British taxpayer. The cost amounts to slightly less than USD1 for every man, woman and child in the UK. Not exactly an unbearable burden!
My immediate reaction to the bombing was not horror for the victims, but mourning for how it would be mishandled and politicized. I posted this prayer of protest to place Christianity in Thailand clearly against that statists and power-hungry capitalists when someone said “pray for Thailand”:
Pray for change. God of justice and peace, who sent Jesus to us, remove our blindness that we might not crucify you again tonight. Remove our silence as people with no authority nail you again to a cross. Change our attitudes of submission to evil into obedience to you in all things. May your kingdom come to replace what we’ve got . Help us to build our villages into places that worship and live in freedom and in truth, as we await your return. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever.
Congratulations Lee Jones – the best, most comprehensively internally consistent analysis so far. Though it should be noted that any military blaming of police “incompetence” reflects not merely Thaksin [police) v. old Establishment (military) antagonism, but also police-military hostility dating way back into the last century, at least.
Acrually, such a system is neither democratic nor “modern”. Monarchy is based on ascribed status and genealogy. A monarch is monarch, as the old saying goes, by the “grace of god”. Democracy in contrast is based on the “grace of the people”. In working democracies we do not find an elected “lifetime” president, but that is what monarchs are! Furthermore, modernity is based on achievement! Just being son or daughter of someone should not imply a special status. As a monrach is always the head of state (not government!), the head of the administration, should certainly not be someone who has this position merely due to birth (grace of god). This would be in rather stark contrast to Max Webers discussion of a professional, rational administration!
That some countries in Europe maintain their feudal traditions, has more to do with folklore then anything else. In particular, especially the Britisch monarchy is financed to a large degree by the EU (Uagricultural subventions)! Thus, if Britain would leave the EU, I doubt that they will still be willing to pay for the maintenance of their monarchy!
Now finally a solution has been found: Get some Rohingyas from Southern Thailand and make them the culprits, and all are satisfied. Follow the pattern of Kho Tao.
Facebook 
Twitter 
Soundcloud 
Youtube 
Rss
Solidarity and resilience emerge in Myanmar
Thank you both for the report.
The indomitable resilience and generous spirit of Myanmar citizenry is is again revealed, again.
The Nargis suffering should forever shame the west considering blaming the victim approach, then.
Do report on the ongoing “The Black Ribbon Movement” that is purely humanitarian, against military in charge of Health Care.
Kyan Mah Yeah (Heath Care aspects) An important venue that is politically neutral but nurturing to the citizenry future,
Watch the enemies from your own side
What a Vantage SWH #6
Junta reject but is not. Looks like Ret. SG Than Shwe will has his cake and eat them over again.
This adage that “a villain by the west is always smarter than the west given credit to” is true, again.
A President by the Junta w/o junta public endorsement:
Democratic Electoral success while the fact hand pick by Junta is covered.
1) At best undertake junta approved reform.
2) At the worst become another Khin Nyunt.
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
Was the 1932 revolution the result of religion changing tack? I think not.
Throughout Thailand’s history (1932) when the people rise up to question their masters they are brutally murdered.
The Buddhist religion is split just as other religions are.
The hirachy is firmly in the grip of the state and not the other way round.
Terrorism in the heart of Thailand
A motorcycle is indeed the fastest way to get around town, but it doesn’t have to be a motorcycle taxi.
A professional terrorist with a gang of ten collaborators and a month to plan, could presumable been able to actually get his own motorcycle and have a co-conspirator waiting for him.
Walking up to a motorcycle queue 3 minutes after the explosion with a note and an accent doesn’t seem to be to be the result of a careful plan. In fact motorcycle taxis are what you have to rely on when you forgot to plan,
If that was their best idea, what do you figure the other ones they planned and rejected?
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
Best article yet in the sudden outpouring from NM.
It isn’t just the junta that is turning this tragic reality into a farce.
Websites like this one rushing to get as much verbal gush online as quickly as possible with articles like the ones from Blaxland and Vatikiotis are doing their part as well.
When Blaxland essentially denies any possibility of RTA responsibility and Vatikiotis points to the “seedy underbelly” of Bangkok with its Arab, African and South Asian denizens in his “analysis”, we are seeing nothing more or less than another version of the BS pouring out of the various Thai officials.
Shame on NM for giving them a platform.
Terrorism in the heart of Thailand
SORRY, RSSPONDING ON A BUS, loads of typos in my last message, please use this one instead. Thanks!
My tweet praised the work of a website that is doing genuine investigation (including identifying the T-shirt the bomber wore). This is very different from the parade of pontification we have seen from self-promoting “analysts” whose articles say nothing new or original. Can anybody identify a single useful or original observation in Michael Vatiokis’s “analysis”? If so, please share here. John Blaxland’s “analysis” was also a carbon copy. Can anyone explain how the analyses differed, or what was enlightening about them? I really don’t mean to be insulting, I would genuinely like to know what the authors, and the readers of their articles, thought was useful about these articles, if anything. So for those who think I am being rude and negative, just tell us what these articles added to our understanding, and prove me wrong!
It’s been sad to watch New Mandala change from a vibrant forum for debate on Thailand to a platform for self-important people to pontificate, and attack anyone who calls them out. New Mandala used to be part of my essential daily reading. Now I rarely come here. That’s a pity, because once upon a time, this forum was great.
Watch the enemies from your own side
It’s pretty clear that Suu Kyi “likes” (I hope this word is not copyrighted by Fakebook) a junta guy, a lot more than she “likes” Ko Ko Gyi, a guy from gen88.
SK&SM = bff or “shwe kyi hsa nwin: ma kin:” (a rich sweet and heavy burmese semolina cake!)
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
Directly, nothing. if you have experience with Thailand, you know the only way change happens over time is when religions move their previous thinking and positions. Rama IV proactively reformed Buddhism to reject a mystical understanding of humanity and to oppose degrading commoners.
If Christians or Buddhists looking at this coup government sit idly by and never actively oppose the state, they are just another group of conservative contributors to the status quo. It has to do with rejecting nations — entirely — in good anarchist tradition. As for secularists who try to trick the people to believe that the authoritarian state can be an agent for good, they might as well be fundamentalists.
Terrorism in the heart of Thailand
I am what you might regard as an expert in explosives and their uses holding a “ticket” in the Australian Army and also a civilian licence from the old Department of Industrial Relations and Technology. Before retirement from the Australian army I served in Viet Nam as a infantry soldier. On my return I instructed recruits at 2RTB and Officer Cadets at Portsea in the use and handling of weapons.
In the course of 12 months I blew 1016 blinds on the Puckapunyal Range. This, in some peoples’ eyes might qualify me as some sort of “expert”, especially as I also served my final 6 years with the Military Police.
I believe this gives me some sort of grounding or first hand experience to know what I’m talking about.
I’m not peddling anything, I’m just stating facts. I don’t blame one group or individual until I see the evidence, which has not been released yet.
I do not make statements about who could have done it or the reasons why. In other words I don’t guess or hypothesise without the facts and as yet the only facts I have seen are two ball bearings and a piece of shrapnel from the crime scene.
So far all the “experts” have done is guess and most of them aren’t even in Bangkok.
I just wish they’d stop doing it. As I said, they demean thenselves and their academic qualifications.
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
I would have thought that a schism in the junta (or military) would be a fairly prominent theory as to who perpetrated this bombing, and would subsequently explain the misdirection, lies and incompetence of the investigation with the ruling clique caught between a rock and a hard place. I’m not hanging my hat on this theory, but surely it makes as much sense as southern insurgents et al.
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
“Then [2006-7] as now, the military ruler, Surayud Chulanont, instantly (and baselessly) blamed the Red Shirts.”
Technical point: there were no “Red Shirts” in 2006-7.
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
As I have understood that the NM formula/praxis would appear to be, quite rightly, that the later one comments on a posting, the less likely it will be read, agreed to or damned, may I abuse my reproducing line a fifth comment that came in 23rd in comments on a previous posting.
Without going into speculation on the culprits – and I for once agree with Peter Cohen (and Lee Jones) in this case, that Malay Muslim militants from the Deep South should not be excluded – I think ‘Dr Watson’ has a point here.
Having just been in Bangkok and Pattani I was struck by the advertising blitz for the ‘Bike for Mum’ event which in the end attracted nearly 300,000 enrolled participants. It has entered the Guinness Book of Records.
‘Bike for Mom’ can be seen as having a twofold objective. On the one hand, part of the civilianized military’s junta’s campaign to prepare the succession to the present king by enhancing the image of the Crown Prince (quite a challenge). He not only led the event, but his daughter also participated. Moreover, now given the theatrical nature of Thai politics, with a new ‘socially acceptable’ wife (his fourth) about to enter ‘centre stage’ and two new legitimate potential princes to boot in the ‘wings’, he can at last aspire to imitating his father’s image of paternal benevolence.
On the other hand, ‘Bike for Mom’ in Bangkok (the antithesis of Copenhagen in terms of bike friendliness), seems designed as part of the ‘thainess’ and ‘happiness’ trope of the present civilianized government, legitimizing its holding onto power as long as possible till a semi-democratic regime is, once again, embedded.
It is pure conjecture, but the tight security put in place for “Bike for Mom” event in Bangkok perhaps inhibited the perpetrators of the bombing who waited till the day after. The site of the bombing – Ratchaprasong Junction – has much symbolic importance for many Thais that goes beyond the Erawan Shrine as such. However the idea that the bombing was an anti-royalist statement (sic) is too hard to contemplate.
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
What the heck has this to do with Christianity fairy tales???
Floods and forced evictions in Jakarta
quote “as long as they get out of Jakarta to go back to their “villages”, contradicting the fact that many of the residents were born and raised in Kampung Pulo.” THE problem is according to UNHABITAT statement during Sendai UN DR Conference in march 2015, that during this next thirty years, the urban foot print is going to double in size, from what we have achieved during the past 10,000 years. So either the Mayor will become penniless or they need to create a proper strategy for rehousing,and increased housing, not just evicting. Playing King Canute will not work!. Garry de la Pomerai. Chair UNESCO GTFBE
Lèse-majesté today
I don’t know where the idea that the British monarchy is largely financially supported by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy comes from. In reality it is funded by the British taxpayer. The cost amounts to slightly less than USD1 for every man, woman and child in the UK. Not exactly an unbearable burden!
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
My immediate reaction to the bombing was not horror for the victims, but mourning for how it would be mishandled and politicized. I posted this prayer of protest to place Christianity in Thailand clearly against that statists and power-hungry capitalists when someone said “pray for Thailand”:
Pray for change. God of justice and peace, who sent Jesus to us, remove our blindness that we might not crucify you again tonight. Remove our silence as people with no authority nail you again to a cross. Change our attitudes of submission to evil into obedience to you in all things. May your kingdom come to replace what we’ve got . Help us to build our villages into places that worship and live in freedom and in truth, as we await your return. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever.
Thai junta turning tragedy to farce
Congratulations Lee Jones – the best, most comprehensively internally consistent analysis so far. Though it should be noted that any military blaming of police “incompetence” reflects not merely Thaksin [police) v. old Establishment (military) antagonism, but also police-military hostility dating way back into the last century, at least.
Terrorism in the heart of Thailand
Yes it is becoming depressing to watch the ongoing parade of self-styled “experts”.
Now please remind us who recently tweeted
“CSI LA already doing great investigative work on the Erawan bombing”
It seems some self-styled experts are good and others are bad. Completely subjective which is which though, right?
Pot, kettles etc etc.
https://twitter.com/zenjournalist/status/633687546392809472
Lèse-majesté today
Acrually, such a system is neither democratic nor “modern”. Monarchy is based on ascribed status and genealogy. A monarch is monarch, as the old saying goes, by the “grace of god”. Democracy in contrast is based on the “grace of the people”. In working democracies we do not find an elected “lifetime” president, but that is what monarchs are! Furthermore, modernity is based on achievement! Just being son or daughter of someone should not imply a special status. As a monrach is always the head of state (not government!), the head of the administration, should certainly not be someone who has this position merely due to birth (grace of god). This would be in rather stark contrast to Max Webers discussion of a professional, rational administration!
That some countries in Europe maintain their feudal traditions, has more to do with folklore then anything else. In particular, especially the Britisch monarchy is financed to a large degree by the EU (Uagricultural subventions)! Thus, if Britain would leave the EU, I doubt that they will still be willing to pay for the maintenance of their monarchy!
Who is behind the Bangkok blast?
Now finally a solution has been found: Get some Rohingyas from Southern Thailand and make them the culprits, and all are satisfied. Follow the pattern of Kho Tao.