It does not matter in a frighteningly wide manner what was said or how. It just takes one loose nut to tip the wagon.
The absolutely amazing thing in all of this reinvigorated mania is that it proves beyond any doubt the looseness of thinking by Thainess slaves. Nonsensical, brutal, ignorant and self-righteous. Amazing, and pitiful.
Thanks for the comment. I am not sure I get what you are trying to say. I personally would agree with the proposal that democracy is perhaps the best means to limit corruption, in comparison to other political systems.
Anyway, could you please clarify your criteria for “banning” candidates, and explain why that is considered “real democracy”.
There are 138 reasons why TalentCorp is barking at the wrong tree. Our ultimate goal is to fully utilize the talents we have. What’s the point to ask Michelle Yeo to work in Malaywood?? Our economy will be ruined if 400,000 in Singapore to return to work in Malaysia! What’s wrong with Malaysians working in Silicon Valley, Wall Street, etc.?? Working outside Malaysia is a SOLUTION to a PROBLEM. Tackle the problem, NOT the solution. For example, 138 with excellent STPM results, are denied IPTA placements.
“Handiplast” is no cure to skin cancer, i.e. the politics of race and religion. But thinking outside the box, even better, WORKING OUTSIDE THE BOX may provide relief. If only these 138 see beyond Malaysia. What harm could it be if the PM of Australia were Malaysian-born!?
As I quoted above, Hla Kyaw Zaw the CPB is more than confirming what Khin Nyunt said 25 years later! By the way Hla Kyaw Zaw is the daughter of Brigadier Kyaw Zaw, a “comrade” of Aung San (father of Suu Kyi), who fought (in collaboration with Mao’s PLA) the CIA-supported KMT Chinese (now Taiwanese!) in the 50’s. Chinese, Chinese ├╝berall (everywhere) in Burma! Kyaw Zaw later defected to China and his children still live there. That’s why the recent editorial in the Taiwanese newspaper China Post that I quoted above says a lot about how Chinese (not just PRC) in general, view Burma. Bullies might be feared but never liked.
About corruption and drug dealers in Burma:
Khin Nyunt, Lo Hsinghan, Stephen Lo, Khun Sa, … I don’t care whether they are in the “Tatmadaw” or in one of the insurgent groups. They all hang out together to do “Chinese-style-guanxi-business” (that’s call cease-fire agreement in Burmese-Orwellian double-speak!) Just ask Lee Kwan Yew. He knows these things because most of the drug money ends up in the squeaky clean money-laundromat Singapore (“Nirvana” for many Burmese).
P.S. Rohingyas and Chinese were also not invited to Panglong LOL
I don’t want to comment on the circular arguments, non-sequitors and blatant falsehoods that litter the piece this so called academic has bothered to write.
However there is a way to control corruption in politics. Thais are generally pragmatic about corruption, and really it should be left up to them to decide on the level of corruption they find acceptable.
This can be done via the ballot box; the short-coming of the current system is that it only allows a voter to choose between who will rip them off, and often the choices available are such that its almost impossible to exert any kind of restraining influence on the avarice and incompetence on offer before them.
It should be the case that a ‘None of the Above’ option is meaningfully available and if it comes first the candidates in that constituency, amphoe, tambon etc are banned from running until the next election cycle (whatever that happens to be) and new candidates are put forward and the election is re-run ASAP.
This will give the electorate considerable power on choosing someone who they feel is fit to represent them, rather having to choose someone one of the parties has chosen to stick in front of them.
Its a game changer IMO. Even if the ‘NOA’ option did not come first, large numbers of people choosing this option would give incentive to the second place candidate to capture them and win in the next election and the one who came first would always have to look fearfully over his shoulder. And thats a fine thing in my opinion for a politician to have to do.
This device will keep the avarice in check to acceptable levels and will actually make Thailand far more democratic.
So Thorn, there’s a solution handed to you on a platter. What are you going to do about it? Or does real democracy scare you?
To suggest the Burmese communists a Chinese proxy is indicative of the same superficial B&W view (caricature) as calling the generals’ Burma a colony of Yunnan Province, or Castro’s Cuba a Soviet puppet.
#1 Making generic favourable noises about amending the Nargis Constitution ostensibly to accommodate ASSK’s single minded ambition remids us of the Burmese expression “keeping the dog happy by passing wind every now and then”.
Let’s skip to #4. Portraying the call for federalism by the ethnic groups as no more than a turf war by drug barons/war lords smacks of the generals’ own brand of hypocritical and irredeemable chauvinism. Drug trafficking is exactly what they themselves let the anti-communist Kokang militia before and decades later former CPB Kokang group that made a deal with Khin Nyunt engage in and thrive on.
The Rakhine, or the Mon for that matter, would vehemently disagree with your assertion that they do not constitute a distinct entity with a different history of their own ancient nations. The British lumped them together under Ministerial Burma or Burma Proper, and for that reason they were never invited to Panglong in 1947.
World War II might be the world’s deadliest conflict, but there are several other candidates with death tolls in similar order of magnitude that could also hold this dubious honor, including China’s Tai Ping rebellion, Mao Zedong’s rule and the Mongol conquests.
It’s when you look at death toll as a percentage of the world’s then population that things change dramatically. For example, the most deadly conflicts ever are then reckoned to be wars such as the An Lushan rebellion, with World War II barely squeaking into the top ten.
I strongly agree that spaces between words and punctuation would facilitate reading and writing for Thais and non-Thais alike. Eliminating multiple same-sound consonants, having a single consonant class, and having tone marks consistently indicate the same tone would do the same and decrease the need for rote memorization. This would lead to students learning how to read and write, liberating time for teaching of other subjects and possibly increasing the drive to learn through faster experiences of success. Given the unnecessary complexity of the present system, one is tempted to suspect that there may be a lack of interest in having an educated and literate population with the ability to debate in written Thai…
About the 4 points made in the article about the constitution:
#1 This is designed against Suu Kyi. Although her husband is dead, her two sons, (who like Suu Kyi’s elder brother, actually don’t really care that much about Burmese politics) are still alive. One should however remember that in order to become US President you have to be born in US territory (Obama had a birth certificate problem!)
#2 The ex-generals and their business cronies want to keep their money stashed away in Singaporean banks and want to maintain the economic clout of their families (it’s all nepotism and patronage)
#3 The ex-generals are of course scared to death of being persecuted (a trial like in N├╝rnberg/Nuremberg? LOL)
#4 In Burma federalism is mainly about fighting for turf to be able to engage in illegal operations along the border, such as smuggling, all kinds of trafficking etc. without paying taxes to the central governent. The tribal/ethnic stuff is oxymoronic and is just smoke and mirrors (I could never understood the difference between “Rakhines” and “Burmans”, except for a faint difference in dialect)
Who said anything about like or dislike? Better curb those emotive reactions, matey. Why not try and deal with it a bit more objectively?
This thread has, in case you persist with your all too predictable anti-Chinese tirade whatever the topic, nothing to do with Sino-Burmese relations. This obsession just ain’t healthy.
[…] calls for their cessation. Australian academic Nicholas Farrelly makes an interesting point in the New Mandala blog: “Parts of the emerging story suggest that within the regime Thein Sein needs to bolster wavering […]
What’s wrong about being “half Rohingya”? Am I supposed to be ashamed of that?
So, you don’t like WASPs, you don’t like Rohingyas, you don’t like Muslims.
Where do you actually live? No Muslims, no WASPs but full of Chinese? Must be Burma LOL
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Defending the monarchy
It does not matter in a frighteningly wide manner what was said or how. It just takes one loose nut to tip the wagon.
The absolutely amazing thing in all of this reinvigorated mania is that it proves beyond any doubt the looseness of thinking by Thainess slaves. Nonsensical, brutal, ignorant and self-righteous. Amazing, and pitiful.
Review of Man who accused king
Here is another very different review of the same book in the Asian Review of Books:
http://www.asianreviewofbooks.com/new/#!
The cost of clean politics
longway
Thanks for the comment. I am not sure I get what you are trying to say. I personally would agree with the proposal that democracy is perhaps the best means to limit corruption, in comparison to other political systems.
Anyway, could you please clarify your criteria for “banning” candidates, and explain why that is considered “real democracy”.
Behind Malaysia’s brain drain, surprise! Real people
There are 138 reasons why TalentCorp is barking at the wrong tree. Our ultimate goal is to fully utilize the talents we have. What’s the point to ask Michelle Yeo to work in Malaywood?? Our economy will be ruined if 400,000 in Singapore to return to work in Malaysia! What’s wrong with Malaysians working in Silicon Valley, Wall Street, etc.?? Working outside Malaysia is a SOLUTION to a PROBLEM. Tackle the problem, NOT the solution. For example, 138 with excellent STPM results, are denied IPTA placements.
“Handiplast” is no cure to skin cancer, i.e. the politics of race and religion. But thinking outside the box, even better, WORKING OUTSIDE THE BOX may provide relief. If only these 138 see beyond Malaysia. What harm could it be if the PM of Australia were Malaysian-born!?
Constitutional amendment for Myanmar
As I quoted above, Hla Kyaw Zaw the CPB is more than confirming what Khin Nyunt said 25 years later! By the way Hla Kyaw Zaw is the daughter of Brigadier Kyaw Zaw, a “comrade” of Aung San (father of Suu Kyi), who fought (in collaboration with Mao’s PLA) the CIA-supported KMT Chinese (now Taiwanese!) in the 50’s. Chinese, Chinese ├╝berall (everywhere) in Burma! Kyaw Zaw later defected to China and his children still live there. That’s why the recent editorial in the Taiwanese newspaper China Post that I quoted above says a lot about how Chinese (not just PRC) in general, view Burma. Bullies might be feared but never liked.
About corruption and drug dealers in Burma:
Khin Nyunt, Lo Hsinghan, Stephen Lo, Khun Sa, … I don’t care whether they are in the “Tatmadaw” or in one of the insurgent groups. They all hang out together to do “Chinese-style-guanxi-business” (that’s call cease-fire agreement in Burmese-Orwellian double-speak!) Just ask Lee Kwan Yew. He knows these things because most of the drug money ends up in the squeaky clean money-laundromat Singapore (“Nirvana” for many Burmese).
P.S. Rohingyas and Chinese were also not invited to Panglong LOL
Constitutional amendment for Myanmar
Sorry about the link to Khin Nyunt’s press conference held on 5 August 1989: http://www.ibiblio.org/obl/docs/BCP_Conspiracy.htm
The cost of clean politics
I don’t want to comment on the circular arguments, non-sequitors and blatant falsehoods that litter the piece this so called academic has bothered to write.
However there is a way to control corruption in politics. Thais are generally pragmatic about corruption, and really it should be left up to them to decide on the level of corruption they find acceptable.
This can be done via the ballot box; the short-coming of the current system is that it only allows a voter to choose between who will rip them off, and often the choices available are such that its almost impossible to exert any kind of restraining influence on the avarice and incompetence on offer before them.
It should be the case that a ‘None of the Above’ option is meaningfully available and if it comes first the candidates in that constituency, amphoe, tambon etc are banned from running until the next election cycle (whatever that happens to be) and new candidates are put forward and the election is re-run ASAP.
This will give the electorate considerable power on choosing someone who they feel is fit to represent them, rather having to choose someone one of the parties has chosen to stick in front of them.
Its a game changer IMO. Even if the ‘NOA’ option did not come first, large numbers of people choosing this option would give incentive to the second place candidate to capture them and win in the next election and the one who came first would always have to look fearfully over his shoulder. And thats a fine thing in my opinion for a politician to have to do.
This device will keep the avarice in check to acceptable levels and will actually make Thailand far more democratic.
So Thorn, there’s a solution handed to you on a platter. What are you going to do about it? Or does real democracy scare you?
Constitutional amendment for Myanmar
The CPB was blamed for the 1988 uprising in Khin Nyunt’s six hour long press conference the following year in case you have forgotten.
To suggest the Burmese communists a Chinese proxy is indicative of the same superficial B&W view (caricature) as calling the generals’ Burma a colony of Yunnan Province, or Castro’s Cuba a Soviet puppet.
#1 Making generic favourable noises about amending the Nargis Constitution ostensibly to accommodate ASSK’s single minded ambition remids us of the Burmese expression “keeping the dog happy by passing wind every now and then”.
Let’s skip to #4. Portraying the call for federalism by the ethnic groups as no more than a turf war by drug barons/war lords smacks of the generals’ own brand of hypocritical and irredeemable chauvinism. Drug trafficking is exactly what they themselves let the anti-communist Kokang militia before and decades later former CPB Kokang group that made a deal with Khin Nyunt engage in and thrive on.
The Rakhine, or the Mon for that matter, would vehemently disagree with your assertion that they do not constitute a distinct entity with a different history of their own ancient nations. The British lumped them together under Ministerial Burma or Burma Proper, and for that reason they were never invited to Panglong in 1947.
Hitler again
World War II might be the world’s deadliest conflict, but there are several other candidates with death tolls in similar order of magnitude that could also hold this dubious honor, including China’s Tai Ping rebellion, Mao Zedong’s rule and the Mongol conquests.
It’s when you look at death toll as a percentage of the world’s then population that things change dramatically. For example, the most deadly conflicts ever are then reckoned to be wars such as the An Lushan rebellion, with World War II barely squeaking into the top ten.
Reforming Thai language structure
I strongly agree that spaces between words and punctuation would facilitate reading and writing for Thais and non-Thais alike. Eliminating multiple same-sound consonants, having a single consonant class, and having tone marks consistently indicate the same tone would do the same and decrease the need for rote memorization. This would lead to students learning how to read and write, liberating time for teaching of other subjects and possibly increasing the drive to learn through faster experiences of success. Given the unnecessary complexity of the present system, one is tempted to suspect that there may be a lack of interest in having an educated and literate population with the ability to debate in written Thai…
Constitutional amendment for Myanmar
Here is an interesting tidbit about the 8888 “revolution”:
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/communist-08082013195849.html
So, The Chinese master hand is never far away when it comes to politics in Miandian!
About the 4 points made in the article about the constitution:
#1 This is designed against Suu Kyi. Although her husband is dead, her two sons, (who like Suu Kyi’s elder brother, actually don’t really care that much about Burmese politics) are still alive. One should however remember that in order to become US President you have to be born in US territory (Obama had a birth certificate problem!)
#2 The ex-generals and their business cronies want to keep their money stashed away in Singaporean banks and want to maintain the economic clout of their families (it’s all nepotism and patronage)
#3 The ex-generals are of course scared to death of being persecuted (a trial like in N├╝rnberg/Nuremberg? LOL)
#4 In Burma federalism is mainly about fighting for turf to be able to engage in illegal operations along the border, such as smuggling, all kinds of trafficking etc. without paying taxes to the central governent. The tribal/ethnic stuff is oxymoronic and is just smoke and mirrors (I could never understood the difference between “Rakhines” and “Burmans”, except for a faint difference in dialect)
Prisoner writes to Amnesty International
[…] Prisoner writes to Amnesty International (asiapacific.anu.edu.au) […]
Thai royals and the Border Patrol Police
(Belatedly) Absolutely great stuff! I hadn’t seen some of those before, including the pink dress pix.
And, yeah, I’ll admit, he appears to be smiling in the top picture. But only that one!
All things Malaysia and Singapore @ ANU
Great, thanks Greg. That works just as well.
Cheers!
Constitutional amendment for Myanmar
Who said anything about like or dislike? Better curb those emotive reactions, matey. Why not try and deal with it a bit more objectively?
This thread has, in case you persist with your all too predictable anti-Chinese tirade whatever the topic, nothing to do with Sino-Burmese relations. This obsession just ain’t healthy.
The Kachin and war
[…] calls for their cessation. Australian academic Nicholas Farrelly makes an interesting point in the New Mandala blog: “Parts of the emerging story suggest that within the regime Thein Sein needs to bolster wavering […]
All things Malaysia and Singapore @ ANU
G’day Brian.
We will not be streaming live unfortunately.
We will however, have audio recording of all the presentations, and will upload them at a later date.
Constitutional amendment for Myanmar
What’s wrong about being “half Rohingya”? Am I supposed to be ashamed of that?
So, you don’t like WASPs, you don’t like Rohingyas, you don’t like Muslims.
Where do you actually live? No Muslims, no WASPs but full of Chinese? Must be Burma LOL
Hitler again
This story was published by the Asia Sentinel without permission from the author (me) and has since been removed.
If you’re interested, my Hitler Chic article for Al Jazeera finally made its media entrance today:
http://m.aljazeera.com/story/20138916509337563
and on the Yahoo news wire, too:
http://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/thai-educators-grapple-nazi-imagery-093814991.html
All things Malaysia and Singapore @ ANU
Greg,
For those of us far removed from ANU, any chance you’ll be webcasting these? Would love to tune in!