“If Singaporeans decide that such “battles” are fair in democratic politics, then the WP will have a real fight on its hands. However, if Singaporeans are sympathetic towards the WP, then it is the PAP that will have to tread carefully. Either way, the next two years in the run up to the 2016 general elections promises to be an eventful period in the continued political development of this tiny island-state.”
Fair observation. But I don’t think the WP can put up much of a battle; whatever Singaporean’s grievances against the PAP,
most Singaporeans (not all, mind you) will opt for the practical approach and go for the
‘devil’ they know, rather than the one they don’t. The WP is a brave party, no doubt, and it is not their fault they lack anywhere remotely near the financial resources that the PAP has, and because of this, they will not win the election in the coming round. Should the WP win in the future, they could (over time) amass more financial resources to sustain leadership; the only problem is that the PAP will remain strong and dominant whether in power (likely for the near future) or as a putative opposition party, in which they would lose none of their bluster, were they even to lose an election (which is most unlikely).
Was walking along Silom last night and it was very noisy but then when I saw the crowd it was actually quite small. Took the MRT to Asoke which was still pretty busy in the evening (though not the silly numbers Blue Sky TV etc have claimed at times).
Do not understand what is being said but the response of the crowd seems to be quite uniform – the level of noise and enthusiasm. A bit noisy but not wild.
Have not seen any violence but then again probably would not want to start a discussion on democracy with anyone there.
The mood then was very carnevalesque, more like a party than a protest. My impression (personal) was also that Bangkokians were mostly interested in having their photos taken with protest gear.
I went to Lard Prao Monday evening. There were around 8-10,000 people, I would guess. Many participants seemed of the “pale” Bangkok kind. However, there were also 17 busses from the Northeast parked on one side of the road. More people were arriving, while others were leaving.
On Tuesday, I spent an hour until noon at the Prachachuen side of the Chaeng Wattana site. There were not more than a few hundred people. Protesters were erecting a huge tent in anticipation of some more people to come and listen to the evening speeches.
At Don Mueang Airport on Tuesday afternoon, there were many whistle blowers heading home. There were a number of them on my flight to Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Charles f. forgive me for not getting back to you, ive been in and out of hospital quite a bit. i cant find your email address. could you message me if you have a minute please? many thanks
You are completely missing the point here. The information/narration above is not farther from the truth. The inference made is to show readers that corruption at every level of Thai society from top to bottom has been ubiquitous for the very long time. Modern media made it possible for us to ingest more of it, while in the past, people care not (possibly due to hopelessness and fear to speak of truth). In the past, the Thai government spent an insignificant amount of funds developing provincial and rural areas. This fact is well documented by both Thai and foreign academicians. This action by the government set back en masse human and economical development of the north and the northeast by more than 20 plus years. A contributor of the Bangkok Post, a professor/economist at Chulalongkorn University, stated that: “Before 1980, only 5-10% of the nation budget was allowed to the rest of the country outside Bangkok and other big cities.” Based on this fact and other factual information, the amount of money my Granddad would have received to build the schools amount to but a “speck of dust” in the wind. And no, this is NOT a bedtime story. I have lived there, experiencing both joy and sadness.
There is nothing in my early post indicating or implying that I am trying to link King Bhumibol to the coups. I am empathetic for King Bhumipol. Until I wear his shoes I would never know how it is like to be in his position. However, I do not believe that the privileged class and government should pass law to stifle truth, freedom of speech, and universal human rights, for these rights are fundamental to all human beings; no exceptions. Privilege comes with responsibility: a responsibility to bring betterment and prosperity to those who have been working very hard but have not yet to make much progress. The king is stuck between a rock and a hard place: a difficult situation to be in, indeed. I wish him well (nothing sacred, just simply a respect). And I have recognized that he just simply a man who has flaws and has made plenty of mistakes. My interest is to address economic disparity among the rural poor and their hardship and to exercise my freedom of expression, nothing more.
In all these wonderful “progress” where do 5 millions odd invisible, surely inaudible and dispensable non-human coolies (proudly mostly Burmese) fit in?
Not only in Thailand, but in the wonderful United States of Great Exploitations and EU,etc?
Who cleans the toilets in your very buildings?
Any money generating system for the sake of making money based on “Wealth of Nations” where Wealth is MONEY to be used for further exploitation of any other human being/ land/ irreplaceable resources etc would by nature have a sell by date.
As some or most of these well drilled monks (young men now fully eschewing avoidance of Lawba, Mawha and Dawtha or contemplating finding the Noble Truths but hell-bent on usurping centuries-old high regard and reverence of laity to them for social manipulation and concentration of power to themselves) have long been used to being instructed by their American preachers in clandestine camps along the border or in town secretly. By the likes of Robert Helvey and Peter Ackerman’s crowd in the same vein of their wildly successful production of “Color Revolutions” -(http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0710/S00277.htm, (http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32110.htm) fully hatched at humble abode of Gene Sharp in Boston with such grand name as Albert Einstein Institute.
Of course Sharpy’s endeavours have thus far failed in Venezuela and Iran with or without ex-marine Helvey and it will be interesting to see how long and indeed how far the majority Burmese public can be taken for a ride by these highly influential army of indoctrinated self-important well organised (and supported) monks before people realise what they really are.
Thaksinomics results, according to Bloomberg, is just at par with other Asean countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines – Shinawatra Era Brings Average Growth to Thai
” … Thailand’s per-capita spending power rose 89 percent to $9,660 (from 2002) through 2012, based on data compiled by Bloomberg. Growth ranged from Indonesia’s 96 percent to 76 percent in the Philippines. Malaysia’s average income was highest at $16,919 and the Philippines’ lowest at $4,339. Among budgets, Thailand’s deficit averaged 1.8 percent in the 11 years ended 2012, compared with average deficits of 1.4 percent in Indonesia, 2.7 percent in the Philippines and 4.7 percent in Malaysia.”
Under Yingluck regime(AKA her brother Thaksin skype cabinet) thai farmers got robbed by the rice trading scheme, I’m sure that the princess would care more about these issues more than what you have said.
That might be true and Giles Ungpakorn might agree with you on that (not sure though is you stand on the same side of the fence). It is still a valid point that the king didn’t have any problems with these unsavoury dictators. So he was/is either a mere tool of the conservative elite or an important player fighting his whole life for the monarchist status quo.
1. Thaksinomics may have looked impressive but what’s it’s worth when so much is disappearing into graft with an upward trend. Graft corrupts more than just the money flow.
2. When a man has such a solid mandate, all sorts of things are possible, and would equally be so under an Oxford educated economist.
3. The movement has moved on from Democrats opposition to Peua Thai govt, this has now become a groundswell of disgust against hegemonic political corruption of the system and a need for change, mis-guided by leader Suthep.
4. A civil war would be a complicated split, the army might fracture, Bangkok is a mix of both sides, and the Red side would end up with the much poorer and under-resourced share of the pie. Those that control the money and the army are mostly on the opposite side.
5. I recognise that Thaksin had some very commendable leadership and socio-economic policy skills, what a pity he’s such an ethically flawed individual.
Ambassador Mitchell spoke to hastily herded monks in June 2013 at the height of burning and killing orgies by government thugs on defenceless Indian communities where being Muslim is just coincidence.
One real perk of going to Burmese schools is that being anti-semite means absolutely nothing neither positive nor negative.Scary sounding word though.
The BBC News this morning reported that the crowds have been dwindling in the PCAD “Shutdown Bangkok” protests over the last day or two. This was also obvious from looking at the morning news on TNN and Channel 3. Only a few dozen hardcore supporters could be seen at Victory Monument, and elsewhere a few teams of black-shirted, black ski-mask wearing men forcing taxis and motorcycles to turn around at sandbagged roadblocks. Perhaps the colder than normal weather has dampened the desire by many to camp out on the streets?
Meanwhile, pro-government “Respect My Vote” rallies continue to grow. The following account is from The Thai Report Blog, which reported on Wednesday that by searching the internet and tweets “I came up with at least 37 provinces with pro-election rallies countering the Bangkok shutdown. That includes all but 3 provinces in the North/NE and they probably had events that I couldn’t find. How many people showed up to these rallies? Take a look below and see what you think.” http://www.thethaireport.com/
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Claiming credit in Singapore
“If Singaporeans decide that such “battles” are fair in democratic politics, then the WP will have a real fight on its hands. However, if Singaporeans are sympathetic towards the WP, then it is the PAP that will have to tread carefully. Either way, the next two years in the run up to the 2016 general elections promises to be an eventful period in the continued political development of this tiny island-state.”
Fair observation. But I don’t think the WP can put up much of a battle; whatever Singaporean’s grievances against the PAP,
most Singaporeans (not all, mind you) will opt for the practical approach and go for the
‘devil’ they know, rather than the one they don’t. The WP is a brave party, no doubt, and it is not their fault they lack anywhere remotely near the financial resources that the PAP has, and because of this, they will not win the election in the coming round. Should the WP win in the future, they could (over time) amass more financial resources to sustain leadership; the only problem is that the PAP will remain strong and dominant whether in power (likely for the near future) or as a putative opposition party, in which they would lose none of their bluster, were they even to lose an election (which is most unlikely).
The shutdown: In honor of NN
Dark and paler? Please stop your stereotyping, shameful for an academic!
The shutdown: In honor of NN
Was walking along Silom last night and it was very noisy but then when I saw the crowd it was actually quite small. Took the MRT to Asoke which was still pretty busy in the evening (though not the silly numbers Blue Sky TV etc have claimed at times).
Do not understand what is being said but the response of the crowd seems to be quite uniform – the level of noise and enthusiasm. A bit noisy but not wild.
Have not seen any violence but then again probably would not want to start a discussion on democracy with anyone there.
The shutdown: In honor of NN
Some impressions from Silom Road on Monday
http://www.flickr.com/photos/timokl/sets/72157639883405043/
The mood then was very carnevalesque, more like a party than a protest. My impression (personal) was also that Bangkokians were mostly interested in having their photos taken with protest gear.
The shutdown: In honor of NN
Some impressions from Silom Road on Monday.
The shutdown: In honor of NN
Not that different a picture, I would say.
The shutdown: In honor of NN
I went to Lard Prao Monday evening. There were around 8-10,000 people, I would guess. Many participants seemed of the “pale” Bangkok kind. However, there were also 17 busses from the Northeast parked on one side of the road. More people were arriving, while others were leaving.
On Tuesday, I spent an hour until noon at the Prachachuen side of the Chaeng Wattana site. There were not more than a few hundred people. Protesters were erecting a huge tent in anticipation of some more people to come and listen to the evening speeches.
At Don Mueang Airport on Tuesday afternoon, there were many whistle blowers heading home. There were a number of them on my flight to Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The shutdown: In honor of NN
This post from StickmanBangkok has some remarkable pictures and paints a very different picture of the situation at Asoke at night.
http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Bangkok-Protests-2013/Bangkok-Protests-2013-12.htm
Dave Everett and fighting for the KNLA
Charles f. forgive me for not getting back to you, ive been in and out of hospital quite a bit. i cant find your email address. could you message me if you have a minute please? many thanks
Princess Chulabhorn’s politics
You are completely missing the point here. The information/narration above is not farther from the truth. The inference made is to show readers that corruption at every level of Thai society from top to bottom has been ubiquitous for the very long time. Modern media made it possible for us to ingest more of it, while in the past, people care not (possibly due to hopelessness and fear to speak of truth). In the past, the Thai government spent an insignificant amount of funds developing provincial and rural areas. This fact is well documented by both Thai and foreign academicians. This action by the government set back en masse human and economical development of the north and the northeast by more than 20 plus years. A contributor of the Bangkok Post, a professor/economist at Chulalongkorn University, stated that: “Before 1980, only 5-10% of the nation budget was allowed to the rest of the country outside Bangkok and other big cities.” Based on this fact and other factual information, the amount of money my Granddad would have received to build the schools amount to but a “speck of dust” in the wind. And no, this is NOT a bedtime story. I have lived there, experiencing both joy and sadness.
There is nothing in my early post indicating or implying that I am trying to link King Bhumibol to the coups. I am empathetic for King Bhumipol. Until I wear his shoes I would never know how it is like to be in his position. However, I do not believe that the privileged class and government should pass law to stifle truth, freedom of speech, and universal human rights, for these rights are fundamental to all human beings; no exceptions. Privilege comes with responsibility: a responsibility to bring betterment and prosperity to those who have been working very hard but have not yet to make much progress. The king is stuck between a rock and a hard place: a difficult situation to be in, indeed. I wish him well (nothing sacred, just simply a respect). And I have recognized that he just simply a man who has flaws and has made plenty of mistakes. My interest is to address economic disparity among the rural poor and their hardship and to exercise my freedom of expression, nothing more.
Beyond bigotry: Unravelling ethnic violence in Rakhine
Ohn,
Ambassador Mitchell is not a “Jew American”
and your commentary is revolting at best.
Thaksinomics, poverty and inequality
In all these wonderful “progress” where do 5 millions odd invisible, surely inaudible and dispensable non-human coolies (proudly mostly Burmese) fit in?
Not only in Thailand, but in the wonderful United States of Great Exploitations and EU,etc?
Who cleans the toilets in your very buildings?
Any money generating system for the sake of making money based on “Wealth of Nations” where Wealth is MONEY to be used for further exploitation of any other human being/ land/ irreplaceable resources etc would by nature have a sell by date.
Beyond bigotry: Unravelling ethnic violence in Rakhine
Yet the bizarre-ness is only to degree.
As some or most of these well drilled monks (young men now fully eschewing avoidance of Lawba, Mawha and Dawtha or contemplating finding the Noble Truths but hell-bent on usurping centuries-old high regard and reverence of laity to them for social manipulation and concentration of power to themselves) have long been used to being instructed by their American preachers in clandestine camps along the border or in town secretly. By the likes of Robert Helvey and Peter Ackerman’s crowd in the same vein of their wildly successful production of “Color Revolutions” -(http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0710/S00277.htm, (http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32110.htm) fully hatched at humble abode of Gene Sharp in Boston with such grand name as Albert Einstein Institute.
Of course Sharpy’s endeavours have thus far failed in Venezuela and Iran with or without ex-marine Helvey and it will be interesting to see how long and indeed how far the majority Burmese public can be taken for a ride by these highly influential army of indoctrinated self-important well organised (and supported) monks before people realise what they really are.
How bad is Thaksinomics?
Thaksinomics results, according to Bloomberg, is just at par with other Asean countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines – Shinawatra Era Brings Average Growth to Thai
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-14/shinawatra-era-brings-average-growth-to-thais-chart-of-the-day.html
” … Thailand’s per-capita spending power rose 89 percent to $9,660 (from 2002) through 2012, based on data compiled by Bloomberg. Growth ranged from Indonesia’s 96 percent to 76 percent in the Philippines. Malaysia’s average income was highest at $16,919 and the Philippines’ lowest at $4,339. Among budgets, Thailand’s deficit averaged 1.8 percent in the 11 years ended 2012, compared with average deficits of 1.4 percent in Indonesia, 2.7 percent in the Philippines and 4.7 percent in Malaysia.”
Princess Chulabhorn’s politics
Under Yingluck regime(AKA her brother Thaksin skype cabinet) thai farmers got robbed by the rice trading scheme, I’m sure that the princess would care more about these issues more than what you have said.
Princess Chulabhorn’s politics
That might be true and Giles Ungpakorn might agree with you on that (not sure though is you stand on the same side of the fence). It is still a valid point that the king didn’t have any problems with these unsavoury dictators. So he was/is either a mere tool of the conservative elite or an important player fighting his whole life for the monarchist status quo.
How bad is Thaksinomics?
1. Thaksinomics may have looked impressive but what’s it’s worth when so much is disappearing into graft with an upward trend. Graft corrupts more than just the money flow.
2. When a man has such a solid mandate, all sorts of things are possible, and would equally be so under an Oxford educated economist.
3. The movement has moved on from Democrats opposition to Peua Thai govt, this has now become a groundswell of disgust against hegemonic political corruption of the system and a need for change, mis-guided by leader Suthep.
4. A civil war would be a complicated split, the army might fracture, Bangkok is a mix of both sides, and the Red side would end up with the much poorer and under-resourced share of the pie. Those that control the money and the army are mostly on the opposite side.
5. I recognise that Thaksin had some very commendable leadership and socio-economic policy skills, what a pity he’s such an ethically flawed individual.
Beyond bigotry: Unravelling ethnic violence in Rakhine
#12.2.1.1.1
Ambassador Mitchell spoke to hastily herded monks in June 2013 at the height of burning and killing orgies by government thugs on defenceless Indian communities where being Muslim is just coincidence.
One real perk of going to Burmese schools is that being anti-semite means absolutely nothing neither positive nor negative.Scary sounding word though.
Review of Worshipping the Great Moderniser
The British legitimized the Sultan then the ruler of Malay, even though most of the Malayan were Buddhist.
Creating present Muslim supremacy = Malay first.
Until Malay First do not mean Muslim First is clearly established the division will continue along religions.
This is our struggle, no doubt
The BBC News this morning reported that the crowds have been dwindling in the PCAD “Shutdown Bangkok” protests over the last day or two. This was also obvious from looking at the morning news on TNN and Channel 3. Only a few dozen hardcore supporters could be seen at Victory Monument, and elsewhere a few teams of black-shirted, black ski-mask wearing men forcing taxis and motorcycles to turn around at sandbagged roadblocks. Perhaps the colder than normal weather has dampened the desire by many to camp out on the streets?
Meanwhile, pro-government “Respect My Vote” rallies continue to grow. The following account is from The Thai Report Blog, which reported on Wednesday that by searching the internet and tweets “I came up with at least 37 provinces with pro-election rallies countering the Bangkok shutdown. That includes all but 3 provinces in the North/NE and they probably had events that I couldn’t find. How many people showed up to these rallies? Take a look below and see what you think.”
http://www.thethaireport.com/