It is quite obvious, as JohnW says, that the ammart are sanctioning this occupation. Rules mean nothing to them when their own interests are challenged.
2) In the light of Nick’s revelation about the double meaning of “kite flying” I was also amused to discover (on New Mandala) that this pastime was a favourite sport of the elite.
I don’t find Anusaya’s piece “worthless”. What you have quoted is a TV report, which goes for under two minutes, was dispatched straight from the protest itself, and includes grabs from three protestors on the day.
There’s only so much Anusaya can cover. What else do you expect? A full history of Thailand’s recent political story?
I learned something from her piece, as I did from Nick’s (which I edited for publication here). They’re different. And I don’t see the need to be so harsh.
I’m down at Sanam Luang a few times a week, and have taken the opportunity to walk through the occupied area. I was shocked, really. The old Sondhi rallies drew a fairly mixed bunch – no real ammart types except on stage (they always let the lower orders do the dirty work), but a lot of middle-class people. The current lot have the unmistakable look of the rural poor. One family that I passed fell about laughing at the sight of a ‘falang’ (they were shouting the word gleefully to each other). About a hundred yards further on, I turned around and they were still pointing me out to each other. I’ve never seen that in Bangkok before. Ironically, until a few years ago Sanam Luang was home to many of Thailand’s homeless (the magnanimity of which I admired). More recently, the state (BMA?) reclaimed the space and evicted the homeless. Now it looks as though they are back – but presumably under the protection of the ammart this time. When I’ve been there, none of the ‘leaders’ in these photos have been in evidence. Nick: Do you have any idea how often they turn up? It seems like the day-to-day occupation is exclusively manned by very poor looking people living in tiny tents. I presume they’re being financially supported?
It hardly needs to be said that this article is essential reading: as usual with Nick’s articles, it’s straightforward, unpretentious, highly informative, and unusually attuned to the nuances and detailed context essential for making sense of what is going on.
The contrast with the recent report on the Guy Fawkes protests by FCCT president Anasuya Sanyal for ChannelNews Asia could hardly be more stark. That report can be found here, and is reproduced in its entirety below, because seeing it in conjunction with Nick’s article helps demonstrate quite how inadequate and superficial it is. It portrays the Guy Fawkes protest movement as an entirely new phenomenon and uncritically repeats the claim of some protesters that their aim is “calling for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration to be more open about its expenditures”. There is no mention at all of its ultra-royalist leadership and agenda, and indeed not even any mention of the monarchy at all. There is no context, no insight, nothing to give the report any value at all. I don’t intend to single out Anasuya, she is no worse than most of the mainstream international journalists in Bangkok, none of whom have managed an intelligent article on recent protest developments. The gulf between the quality of Nick’s article for New Mandala, and the worthlessness of Anasuya’s piece, says all that needs to be said about the continued failure of most mainstream foreign media in Thailand to cover political developments with even minimal competence. Read it and weep:
Masked group brings new face to protests in Thailand
By Ansuya Sanyal
POSTED: 06 Jun 2013 11:25 PM
BANGKOK: There is a new face to protests in Thailand. A new group that uses an eye-catching mask is calling for the Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration to be more open about its expenditures.
In Bangkok, anti-government protesters — some of whom wear the white Guy Fawkes mask, made internationally famous by the movie V for Vendetta — said the Thai government needs to be more transparent about many of its policies, especially when it comes to massive spending projects.
The group was allegedly behind a cyber-attack on Yingluck Shinawatra’s website, which insulted her intellect and virtue.
The government has threatened to retaliate by shutting down the masked mob’s Facebook page and has also cracked down on the sale of the masks, though they are openly sold or easily printed off the Internet.
Unlike the red or yellow shirt protesters before them, they are not rallying around one key demand –instead they voice a variety of views.
A protester, only known as Ms Jim, said: “Actually the white mask here is only a representation; it is only a symbol. We want to symbolise the fighting against the supposedly democratic government, but look, (it’s) so much monopolistic and dictatorial.”
Ms Maew, also a protester, said: “Politics today is a big mess, especially here in Thailand. There is so much interference and overriding business interests; the most that I’ve seen. So, I want a big change. I think people know what is going on and they want a big change.”
Many protesters pointed to the behind-the-scenes role of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in what they find to be most objectionable about his sister’s government.
It seems that when it comes to street protests in Bangkok, even relatively small ones, Mr Thaksin is always somehow invoked.
I am still baffled how Thailand’s rice subsidy (the rice pledging) scheme under Yingluck that only moves rice from farms to warehouses year after year and accumulating nearly 50 million tons by now I guess could: (1) help the farmer (do the scheme encourage the rice farmer towards productivity and higher quality rice? nah!), (2) help Thailand’s rice industry, (3) help the Thai economy (4) enhance Thailand rice global competitiveness, and, finally (5) make Thai rice more affordable to the Thai masses.
Maybe Nostitz could help clear my bafflement as he appears so sold out on all the Red Shirt and/or Yingluck schemes.
Hansard from Australian Senate estimates, 5/6/2013
——————
Page 51
Senator STERLE: I do, Chair. Thank you very much. Minister, are you aware of the disappearance of the Lao human activist Mr Sombath Somphone? If so, what is the government doing about it?
Senator Bob Carr: I appreciate the question. Mr Sombath Somphone disappeared on 15 December last year in Laos. He is a noted human rights activist, well known to NGOs around the world. He is known in the Laos development community and to the Australian embassy in Vientiane. He is the founder of the leading Laos NGO, the Participatory Development Training Centre. Mr Sombath is a former recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for his community leadership. He was involved in organising the Asia Europe people’s forum in October last year. He has disappeared. The Laos ministry of foreign affairs has released a statement noting that authorities are investigating his disappearance. We have sought information about his case on a number of occasions. I raised it with the Laos Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister and the foreign minister when I was in Laos in February this year. I also spoke to Mr Sombath’s wife, Shui-meng Ng, to appraise her directly of Australia’s deep concern and of our ongoing efforts on her husband’s behalf. More recently, the Hon. Simon Crean sought an update on the Sombath case during a call on the vice minister of foreign affairs in Vientiane. That was on 26 April. Mr Crean was advised that Laos investigations were continuing and Mr Sombath’s whereabouts remain unknown. Our ambassador has raised the Sombath case with Laos officials on a number of occasions. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has also raised our concerns directly with the Laos ambassador. The Australian government continues to monitor this case closely.
*******
Pp 76-77
CHAIR: Senator Rhiannon, over to you on Laos.
Senator RHIANNON: Minister, when we were together last we did speak about the disturbing case of Sombath Somphone. Could you update us on the nature of the discussions you had about this case when you met the Prime Minister and the foreign minister in Laos in February?
Senator Bob Carr: I said to the three ministers that he had a lot of supporters in Australia and that this was of great concern to the world community. I said we were distressed that there could be parts of the government of Laos that knew more about his fate than was known publicly. I spoke to his wife by phone to tell her I would press these representations in all three meetings. Simon Crean took up the case when he was there in April this year. It remains of great concern that there is no account of his status. I can understand the alarm and apprehension his wife must feel all these months after.
Senator RHIANNON: Thank you, Minister. So since that work was undertaken, could you update us on any further actions DFAT personnel have pursued with the Laos authorities regarding the investigation?
Senator Bob Carr: I will get details of the representations they have been making this year.
Senator RHIANNON: So you will take that on notice?
Senator Bob Carr: Yes.
Senator RHIANNON: What measures is Australia taking to ensure the safety of Laos civil society partners who are working in sustainable participatory rural development in Laos, which is the area where Mr Sombath Somphone was working?
Senator Bob Carr: I will take that on notice as well.
Mr Cox : I could add that we do take up the human rights situation in Laos more generally on a consistent basis with the Laos government. We have a human rights dialogue with Laos, which we undertook last year in 2012. We are due for another round of Laos human rights talks. The Laos are willing to engage with us on a range of human rights concerns and issues. We have urged them to abolish the death penalty. We have urged Laos authorities to strengthen the commitment and understanding of human rights norms at central and local level to build the rule of law. We are providing, again through AusAID, funds for human rights training awareness and capacity building. Human rights are an important part of our broader dialogue through both our embassy and through engagement by our officials with Laos officials.
Senator RHIANNON: Is there more detail? Are you getting to the point where you are actually working with them on strengthening the rule of law and developing downwardly accountable governance? You have covered human rights, but I am interested in how you are doing it, if you are getting to that point. It appears that there have been some backward steps by the government with regard to respect for human rights.
Mr Cox : Perhaps, again, this is a question best for AusAID about exactly what programs they are funding. Certainly we would work with partners, both national and international, to provide training in human rights instruments and training to help judges and others–members of the security forces–to better understand what international human rights norms are all about. So a lot of it would be awareness raising. We would do that usually through funding partners on the ground and usually NGOs working in that space. They would be the sort of activities. AusAID could perhaps give further details of that tomorrow.
Senator RHIANNON: Thank you, Mr Cox. Minister, will the Australian department of foreign affairs issue a formal state of concern on the disappearance of Sombath Somphone?
Senator Bob Carr: I will take advice on that. I thought that effectively we had done that in terms of my public comments after–
Senator RHIANNON: Maybe I will ask it in a different way. I imagine that DFAT has a process when these issues arise. You are then making public statements. Have you gone to the highest point? That is where I am trying to get to.
Senator Bob Carr: I will take advice from our head of mission on whether any statement of a different character would be useful. I have no inhibitions about raising our concerns to another level.
Senator RHIANNON: Thank you. I understand that yesterday you received a letter signed by Dr James Arvanitakis and 41 other academics that sets out the disturbing issues around the abduction of Mr Sombath Somphone. It says at the end:
We have seen the limits of a quiet approach and now appeal to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to take a more assertive stand on Sombath Somphone’s disappearance following the lead of public statements made by the United States Secretary of State John Kerry and his predecessor, Hillary Clinton, and the resolution on the case of Sombath Somphone passed by the European Parliament in February 2013. Since Australia is a major aid donor to the Laos PDR and recognising the dreadful example set–
I understand you only received the letter yesterday, but could you outline how you are going to respond to that call?
Senator Bob Carr: I have not seen the letter.
Mr Cox : I am not aware of the letter either.
Senator Bob Carr: But thank you for drawing my attention to it. I am happy to formulate a response.
I am getting more angry with the Yingluck government. I pay my taxes and the Yingluck people who are in charge are reckless in their disregard about my worries that my tax money is being rapidly rifled by all their grand billions schemes! Does Yingluck disclose anything about how much losses incurred on her schemes and how much more to come? All Thai taxpayers should be joining those angry protesters with “V” masks!
Suthep accusing Thaksin sounds to me like the pot calling the kettle black 😉
Anyhow, at the time, before the floating of the Baht, it did not need a genius to see that the Baht was massively overvalued. I remember that at the time i advised a friend who had a substantial amount of money parked here to benefit from the at the time very high interest rates to get his money out ASAP, which he did, a few days before the the Baht was decoupled from the US dollar. And i had neither insider information nor much knowledge of economy. It was just common sense that this was going to happen.
Anyhow…
The many young unemployed Europeans that migrate out of their home countries nowadays are actually not primarily pushing to Asia and other parts of the world, but to European countries that are doing quite well – such as Germany, which is in need of these well educated young people, and offers them very good career opportunities.
Germany, by the way, is still in Europe, and still part of the EU. In Germany, for example, unemployment mostly affects undereducated sectors of society, and not the well educated.
From what i understand of the EU crisis, it has more to do with mistakes made in the establishment of the common currency, inclusion of countries that were economically not prepared at the time, had to fiddle the numbers to fit the parameters, and with massive mismanagement (Greece…), subsequent inability to pay foreign debts, and the need for other EU countries to bail them out. But that’s the extent of my understanding as the issue is highly complex.
The debate over agricultural subsidies in Europe has been going on since before i was born nearly 45 years ago. The agricultural subsidies have not been cause of the current Euro crises, which hasn’t been “long running”, but started around 2010/2011.
While there is much justified criticism over the rice pledging scheme, i think that painting doom and gloom over this is way too early, and is more politically motivated than economically. This sounds quite similar to the accusations back in 2005/2006, where government opponents accused the TRT government of having run the country into economical disaster, which simply wasn’t true. Back then the polemics centered around the 30 baht health scheme and the different micro-loan schemes.
He is of course accepted as mainstream, not a tree hugging loonie. A Parker capitalist.
It does appear that the sort of model the world should have would be paradoxically like the one Burma is having now. Contant with low energy need, renewable and perpetually sustainable with cohesive society caring for one another. ( discount the last two years since the “Mostest Wonderfullest Extra- celebrated Reforms”)
The reason people are starving is not because we do not have lawless (law unto themselves, the sort of rule of law Aung San Suu Kyi is talking about meaning unaviodable absolute tyrannical rights of patent holders and dubious, secret contracts. She sure does not mind people burned alive in the day light by lawless groups.) factories using literal slave labour ( good excuse for having workers’ advocates and union stewarts) but because of the incessant military campaigns and loss of productive land, workers and smooth trade. Remember opium which was not native to our lands was started to finance wars and now 60 years it s still used for the same purpose- lose- lose situation.
By inviting the factories inland in support of the bankrupt global model of predatory business practise, we will all lose out in near future. Even once mighty Detroit is desolate now. Because the very reason the factories will come here will also move them somewhere else.the prevailing economic model of the globe itself is truly bankrupt and joining them rushing as the country is now may seem like great idea for a short term but like that pleasure- seeking teenage girl, Burma will sure end up in tears.
Again the idea before 18 th August 2011 was to be free of the military yoke. Now it appears people want to have not even just the military but also all sorts of overloads to take advantage of themselves and their genrperations’ properties in return for seemingly instant gratification of vanity and seemingly easy way out.
A lot harder look at what is really on offer beyond the circus and artificial shining lights and hubris and what worked really keep our own true independence ( not having to relie on others, as there is no such thing as benevolent dictator) and liberty and peaceful lives as opposed to aping the worse aspects of the excesses of the decadent culture as China is rushing along. Hence they need to bother Burma to satisfy their insatiable need fr consumer goods.
Again Lawba, and Mawha are real down fall whatever religion you believe in. And Dawtha.
See in Burma currently there is only small scale TRULY organic farming of natural variety practiced by tens of millions of people where people CAN store their own grain, however badly effected by weather, for centuries and use it as they wish and yet feed KOSHER food to the millions including their own torturers.
As Burma was before Monsanto cannot come in easily. Now it is easy walk in with most foolish government drummed up by the very same international conglomerates via their slaves “Democratically elected governments” and their arch-pimp, bred for the purpose, Aung San Suu Kyi, howling how the agriculture must produce more than other Asian countries in near future which I take is a code word for letting large scale mechanized farming of high yield (Monasanto, Syngenta, Du Pont or their Japanese equivalents) variety resulting in perpetually destroying native varieties and natural land on top of being perpetually enslaved by those international conglomerates.
Please reassure me this is just my sick imagination or in fact Burma is better off having a self destructing roundup essential seeds giving “Permanent Licence Fees” as that is where we are rushing towards.
Yet I could easily understand how and why people running Monsanto can be hard nosed and evil because it is their own way of living. Or why farmers might not be so keen to be enslaved on their own land. Or even people like that amusingly conceited power crazed Aung San Suu Kyi, still enjoying blind faith of the multitude, conducting all the international loan agencies and destructive multinationals into the country thinking it is cool.
But why people who seemingly got nothing substantial to gain are cheering on the multinationals setting out to destroy the last pristine substantial land on earth and (at least used to be) peaceful cohesive society is difficult to understand.
“EU agricultural and fisheries subsidies account for over 40% of its annual budget” – wikipedia. And Nick Nostitz thinks EU farm/fisheries subsidies are A-OK and has nothing to do with the long-running EU economic crisis? And EU unemployment has reached records in latest news, over 20 million unemployed (mostly Europe’s young taking the toll of long unemployment), more 12% unemployment rate, I think. Maybe the EU is not yet in “serious economic decline” … maybe. But tell that to the many young Europeans who had already emigrated out of Europe in droves searching for work in Asia or other parts of the world because very dire career opportunities in Europe.
And about Thailand’s own Yingluck farm subsidy: the Rice Pledging Scheme, Yingluck’s Commerce Minister could NOT give any clear tally of how much multi-billions losses Thailand will incur thereof. Told you all Yingluck and her ministers could NOT count how they spend Thai taxpayers money! And because the Yingluck could and will not submit any clear accounting of the ongoing Rice Pledging Scheme, my suspicions are doubled and my distrust of the Yingluck regime heightened even more.
(Btw thanks to N-Nostitz for correcting me about Thaksin being Deputy PM after, not before, the Thai devaluation of 1997. Now I wonder whether Democrat Party executiveSuthep T’s accusation that Thaksin had profited from the 1997 financial crisis because of his close association with the then Thai Finance Minister Thanong is true or not?)
A few corrections – Thaksin became deputy PM in ’97 when the financial crisis was already in full swing – one and a half months after the Baht was “floated”.
The EU is not in “serious economic decline”, it’s a crises. Not all EU countries are hit by the crises, by the way. And it has nothing to do with the agricultural subsidies, which have been going on for decades in the EU.
While there seems to be little doubt that the rice scheme needs some corrections, the doom and gloom picture you are trying to paint here is a bit over the top.
Thailand is not only producing rice and solely depending on rice exports and tourism. Thailand is now quite highly industrialized as well.
Sometimes i wonder if one should listen much to economic forecasts. When, for example, Malaysia refused IMF loans during the ’97 crises, the IMF went all doom and gloom on Malaysia, only to congratulate Malaysia a few months after for having went the course it did. In the early 90’s all the economic experts saw the region here as overtaking Europe within the decade, only to be silenced by the ’97 crises.
How many times have you seen economic experts apologizing for mistakes the made, such as recently the world bank for the mistakes they made with Greece, or Greenspan after the sub-prime crisis hit the US (and the world)?
Sometimes i have the impression that the economic experts get it right about as often as our fortune tellers 😉
‘Not the Bangkok Post’ is Andrew Spooner, I am dismayed to find out… anyway good luck Spooner with your … uh … endeadvor?
Google “Thailand Rice Pledging Scheme Moody’s” and it becomes very obvious that not only the sovereign credit rating agencies are seriously concerned about Yingluck’s Rice Pledging Scheme, but whole global rice trading market is ‘scared’ of how Yingluck’s Rice Policy (buying Thai rice at 50% above market price while global rice production is rising and global rice prices are dropping) would unravel. The global rice traders are of course cheering those big Thai rats would eat/ravage those mountains of rice hoard that Yingluck had created, or, another sooner Thai biblical deluge …
Do we remember the 1997 Global Financial Crisis that started in Thailand when Chavalit Y. was Prime Minister and Thaksin Shinawatra was Deputy PM at that time? Thaksin’s sister Yingluck as current Prime Minister is quite capable of a repeat mind you considering her handling of government finances and her flair for embarking on multi-billion and trillions schemes but shirk from making any clear accounting thereof.
(Today Friday Yingluck promises to make a full disclosure of how much losses the Thailand Rice Pledging Scheme had incurred or will incur. Let’s see if Yingluck’s accounting skills had improved since her famous Davos oration.)
BTW Spooner reminds me that EU’s farm subsidies of $72 billion. So what? Isn’t EU in serious economic decline and what could Thailand possible learn from EU’s farm subsidy spendings and losses?
I missed another mention of “Jewish” in my previous post. That relates to the use of White Phosphorus. White phosphorus was used on those unruly SLEEPING monks and people on the early hours ( best time for torture interrogation and military assaults) on a religious day by the Burmese Government. Most likely by someone bad but not possibly that nice kind bespectacled bald guy the whole world is singing “Praise Be” for sure. May be those “hard liners” although people for weird reason stopped recycling that word for the moment. (“Communists” is in vogue at the moment.)
Anyhow that most in humane criminal act (please correct me if any of those adjectives were wrong) was only days after the deputy secretary of Defence of the United States of America on record discussing “counter- insurgency measure” as reported by real press, not movies.
As massive use of White Phosphorus was thought to be done in Faluja and Israeli army is well known user of that substance in Palestine, Burmese authorities would have at least less hesitation to use it, one would think.
Those victims are now all forgotten along with hundreds of thousands of other victims of other atrocities since Burma was “reformed”.
There really is not enough time in a day when the advanced economic success news have to be put out and prizes to be given or taken and visits and conferences and celebrations to be mentioned. Good job these victims do not count.
Please let me know if you find out that those are simply my imagination and those monks are either not harmed at all or deserved of such acts. It sure did not bother our lady of conscience, pinup girl of the multinationals.
[…] The most recent waves of anti-Islamic violence directed against the Rohingya are a stark portrayal of this continuing slippage between race and religion. The state has attempted to strip Rohingyas of their legal rights by describing them as illegal immigrants and coercing them to register as ‘Bengalis’ instead of Rohingya. In this way their religion and ethnicity is represented as foreign by extremist Buddhists and the government. The vulnerability of the Rohingya is partly the result of this overlap in notions of race and religion, an overlap also apparent eighty years earlier. The recent violence has now developed into a more generalized and everyday attack on Muslims in Burma, regardless of perceived racial background. The events that some initially attempted to describe as local clashes that were not motivated by religious or racial hatred, is revealing an embedded strain of popular racism in Burma. As in the 1930s, rumours of individual acts of violence, allegedly committed by Burmese Muslims, are circulating and are used to justify and condone further violence. […]
Thailand’s political stability is fragile and remains very volatile. Nothing has been resolved … the rift remain intense … the opposing factions have not forgotten much less forgiven anything.
Under such circumstances Thailands sovereign credit rating is vulnerable to any adverse economic and/or political news. Thus Thailand’s profligate populist spendings (including its multi-billions yearly losing rice buying scheme, its very opaque suspect multi-billions flood/water management scheme, and the trillions sovereign debt creating transport infrastructure projects (mainly suspect bullet trains to benefit the poor according to Yingluck) could easily unravel Thailand’s B something credit rating.
Anytime the Yingluck regime (or its splashy-cars fancying ministers) do or plan something with the usual aroma of Thaksin sleaziness (nearly all its projects are Thaksin-sleaze inspired btw), rumblings by the ‘righteous protectors of the Kingdom’ are provoked … and generals/amarts get encouraged to punch (or should I say putsch).
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White masks, red masks and royalist communists
Nich,
I really don’t want to get embroiled in this, but I have a genuine question: what did you learn from Anusaya’s piece?
White masks, red masks and royalist communists
Thanks Nick Nostitz for another great piece. Like all good articles it set me off hunting for background.
1) All efforts of the Bangkok Metropolititan Administration (BMA) to negotiate with the Network to get them out of Sanam Luang were fruitless.
Remember the dire warnings of 10 years in jail if anyone broke the new rules pertaining to the redeveloped Sanam Luang?
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/life/Sanam-Luang-then-and-now-30163806.html
It is quite obvious, as JohnW says, that the ammart are sanctioning this occupation. Rules mean nothing to them when their own interests are challenged.
2) In the light of Nick’s revelation about the double meaning of “kite flying” I was also amused to discover (on New Mandala) that this pastime was a favourite sport of the elite.
http://www.newmandala.org/2009/10/12/chuck-wow-how-the-thai-elite-loved-flying-kites/
White masks, red masks and royalist communists
They grow an odd crop of communists in Thailand these days.
White masks, red masks and royalist communists
Andrew,
I don’t find Anusaya’s piece “worthless”. What you have quoted is a TV report, which goes for under two minutes, was dispatched straight from the protest itself, and includes grabs from three protestors on the day.
There’s only so much Anusaya can cover. What else do you expect? A full history of Thailand’s recent political story?
I learned something from her piece, as I did from Nick’s (which I edited for publication here). They’re different. And I don’t see the need to be so harsh.
Best wishes to all,
Nich
White masks, red masks and royalist communists
I’m down at Sanam Luang a few times a week, and have taken the opportunity to walk through the occupied area. I was shocked, really. The old Sondhi rallies drew a fairly mixed bunch – no real ammart types except on stage (they always let the lower orders do the dirty work), but a lot of middle-class people. The current lot have the unmistakable look of the rural poor. One family that I passed fell about laughing at the sight of a ‘falang’ (they were shouting the word gleefully to each other). About a hundred yards further on, I turned around and they were still pointing me out to each other. I’ve never seen that in Bangkok before. Ironically, until a few years ago Sanam Luang was home to many of Thailand’s homeless (the magnanimity of which I admired). More recently, the state (BMA?) reclaimed the space and evicted the homeless. Now it looks as though they are back – but presumably under the protection of the ammart this time. When I’ve been there, none of the ‘leaders’ in these photos have been in evidence. Nick: Do you have any idea how often they turn up? It seems like the day-to-day occupation is exclusively manned by very poor looking people living in tiny tents. I presume they’re being financially supported?
White masks, red masks and royalist communists
It hardly needs to be said that this article is essential reading: as usual with Nick’s articles, it’s straightforward, unpretentious, highly informative, and unusually attuned to the nuances and detailed context essential for making sense of what is going on.
The contrast with the recent report on the Guy Fawkes protests by FCCT president Anasuya Sanyal for ChannelNews Asia could hardly be more stark. That report can be found here, and is reproduced in its entirety below, because seeing it in conjunction with Nick’s article helps demonstrate quite how inadequate and superficial it is. It portrays the Guy Fawkes protest movement as an entirely new phenomenon and uncritically repeats the claim of some protesters that their aim is “calling for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration to be more open about its expenditures”. There is no mention at all of its ultra-royalist leadership and agenda, and indeed not even any mention of the monarchy at all. There is no context, no insight, nothing to give the report any value at all. I don’t intend to single out Anasuya, she is no worse than most of the mainstream international journalists in Bangkok, none of whom have managed an intelligent article on recent protest developments. The gulf between the quality of Nick’s article for New Mandala, and the worthlessness of Anasuya’s piece, says all that needs to be said about the continued failure of most mainstream foreign media in Thailand to cover political developments with even minimal competence. Read it and weep:
Masked group brings new face to protests in Thailand
By Ansuya Sanyal
POSTED: 06 Jun 2013 11:25 PM
BANGKOK: There is a new face to protests in Thailand. A new group that uses an eye-catching mask is calling for the Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration to be more open about its expenditures.
In Bangkok, anti-government protesters — some of whom wear the white Guy Fawkes mask, made internationally famous by the movie V for Vendetta — said the Thai government needs to be more transparent about many of its policies, especially when it comes to massive spending projects.
The group was allegedly behind a cyber-attack on Yingluck Shinawatra’s website, which insulted her intellect and virtue.
The government has threatened to retaliate by shutting down the masked mob’s Facebook page and has also cracked down on the sale of the masks, though they are openly sold or easily printed off the Internet.
Unlike the red or yellow shirt protesters before them, they are not rallying around one key demand –instead they voice a variety of views.
A protester, only known as Ms Jim, said: “Actually the white mask here is only a representation; it is only a symbol. We want to symbolise the fighting against the supposedly democratic government, but look, (it’s) so much monopolistic and dictatorial.”
Ms Maew, also a protester, said: “Politics today is a big mess, especially here in Thailand. There is so much interference and overriding business interests; the most that I’ve seen. So, I want a big change. I think people know what is going on and they want a big change.”
Many protesters pointed to the behind-the-scenes role of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in what they find to be most objectionable about his sister’s government.
It seems that when it comes to street protests in Bangkok, even relatively small ones, Mr Thaksin is always somehow invoked.
What’s brewing in Thailand?
I am still baffled how Thailand’s rice subsidy (the rice pledging) scheme under Yingluck that only moves rice from farms to warehouses year after year and accumulating nearly 50 million tons by now I guess could: (1) help the farmer (do the scheme encourage the rice farmer towards productivity and higher quality rice? nah!), (2) help Thailand’s rice industry, (3) help the Thai economy (4) enhance Thailand rice global competitiveness, and, finally (5) make Thai rice more affordable to the Thai masses.
Maybe Nostitz could help clear my bafflement as he appears so sold out on all the Red Shirt and/or Yingluck schemes.
Open letter on Sombath Somphone
Hansard from Australian Senate estimates, 5/6/2013
——————
Page 51
Senator STERLE: I do, Chair. Thank you very much. Minister, are you aware of the disappearance of the Lao human activist Mr Sombath Somphone? If so, what is the government doing about it?
Senator Bob Carr: I appreciate the question. Mr Sombath Somphone disappeared on 15 December last year in Laos. He is a noted human rights activist, well known to NGOs around the world. He is known in the Laos development community and to the Australian embassy in Vientiane. He is the founder of the leading Laos NGO, the Participatory Development Training Centre. Mr Sombath is a former recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for his community leadership. He was involved in organising the Asia Europe people’s forum in October last year. He has disappeared. The Laos ministry of foreign affairs has released a statement noting that authorities are investigating his disappearance. We have sought information about his case on a number of occasions. I raised it with the Laos Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister and the foreign minister when I was in Laos in February this year. I also spoke to Mr Sombath’s wife, Shui-meng Ng, to appraise her directly of Australia’s deep concern and of our ongoing efforts on her husband’s behalf. More recently, the Hon. Simon Crean sought an update on the Sombath case during a call on the vice minister of foreign affairs in Vientiane. That was on 26 April. Mr Crean was advised that Laos investigations were continuing and Mr Sombath’s whereabouts remain unknown. Our ambassador has raised the Sombath case with Laos officials on a number of occasions. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has also raised our concerns directly with the Laos ambassador. The Australian government continues to monitor this case closely.
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Pp 76-77
CHAIR: Senator Rhiannon, over to you on Laos.
Senator RHIANNON: Minister, when we were together last we did speak about the disturbing case of Sombath Somphone. Could you update us on the nature of the discussions you had about this case when you met the Prime Minister and the foreign minister in Laos in February?
Senator Bob Carr: I said to the three ministers that he had a lot of supporters in Australia and that this was of great concern to the world community. I said we were distressed that there could be parts of the government of Laos that knew more about his fate than was known publicly. I spoke to his wife by phone to tell her I would press these representations in all three meetings. Simon Crean took up the case when he was there in April this year. It remains of great concern that there is no account of his status. I can understand the alarm and apprehension his wife must feel all these months after.
Senator RHIANNON: Thank you, Minister. So since that work was undertaken, could you update us on any further actions DFAT personnel have pursued with the Laos authorities regarding the investigation?
Senator Bob Carr: I will get details of the representations they have been making this year.
Senator RHIANNON: So you will take that on notice?
Senator Bob Carr: Yes.
Senator RHIANNON: What measures is Australia taking to ensure the safety of Laos civil society partners who are working in sustainable participatory rural development in Laos, which is the area where Mr Sombath Somphone was working?
Senator Bob Carr: I will take that on notice as well.
Mr Cox : I could add that we do take up the human rights situation in Laos more generally on a consistent basis with the Laos government. We have a human rights dialogue with Laos, which we undertook last year in 2012. We are due for another round of Laos human rights talks. The Laos are willing to engage with us on a range of human rights concerns and issues. We have urged them to abolish the death penalty. We have urged Laos authorities to strengthen the commitment and understanding of human rights norms at central and local level to build the rule of law. We are providing, again through AusAID, funds for human rights training awareness and capacity building. Human rights are an important part of our broader dialogue through both our embassy and through engagement by our officials with Laos officials.
Senator RHIANNON: Is there more detail? Are you getting to the point where you are actually working with them on strengthening the rule of law and developing downwardly accountable governance? You have covered human rights, but I am interested in how you are doing it, if you are getting to that point. It appears that there have been some backward steps by the government with regard to respect for human rights.
Mr Cox : Perhaps, again, this is a question best for AusAID about exactly what programs they are funding. Certainly we would work with partners, both national and international, to provide training in human rights instruments and training to help judges and others–members of the security forces–to better understand what international human rights norms are all about. So a lot of it would be awareness raising. We would do that usually through funding partners on the ground and usually NGOs working in that space. They would be the sort of activities. AusAID could perhaps give further details of that tomorrow.
Senator RHIANNON: Thank you, Mr Cox. Minister, will the Australian department of foreign affairs issue a formal state of concern on the disappearance of Sombath Somphone?
Senator Bob Carr: I will take advice on that. I thought that effectively we had done that in terms of my public comments after–
Senator RHIANNON: Maybe I will ask it in a different way. I imagine that DFAT has a process when these issues arise. You are then making public statements. Have you gone to the highest point? That is where I am trying to get to.
Senator Bob Carr: I will take advice from our head of mission on whether any statement of a different character would be useful. I have no inhibitions about raising our concerns to another level.
Senator RHIANNON: Thank you. I understand that yesterday you received a letter signed by Dr James Arvanitakis and 41 other academics that sets out the disturbing issues around the abduction of Mr Sombath Somphone. It says at the end:
We have seen the limits of a quiet approach and now appeal to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to take a more assertive stand on Sombath Somphone’s disappearance following the lead of public statements made by the United States Secretary of State John Kerry and his predecessor, Hillary Clinton, and the resolution on the case of Sombath Somphone passed by the European Parliament in February 2013. Since Australia is a major aid donor to the Laos PDR and recognising the dreadful example set–
I understand you only received the letter yesterday, but could you outline how you are going to respond to that call?
Senator Bob Carr: I have not seen the letter.
Mr Cox : I am not aware of the letter either.
Senator Bob Carr: But thank you for drawing my attention to it. I am happy to formulate a response.
Senator RHIANNON: Thank you.
———————–
http://tinyurl.com/qeqzd3s
What’s brewing in Thailand?
I am getting more angry with the Yingluck government. I pay my taxes and the Yingluck people who are in charge are reckless in their disregard about my worries that my tax money is being rapidly rifled by all their grand billions schemes! Does Yingluck disclose anything about how much losses incurred on her schemes and how much more to come? All Thai taxpayers should be joining those angry protesters with “V” masks!
What’s brewing in Thailand?
Suthep accusing Thaksin sounds to me like the pot calling the kettle black 😉
Anyhow, at the time, before the floating of the Baht, it did not need a genius to see that the Baht was massively overvalued. I remember that at the time i advised a friend who had a substantial amount of money parked here to benefit from the at the time very high interest rates to get his money out ASAP, which he did, a few days before the the Baht was decoupled from the US dollar. And i had neither insider information nor much knowledge of economy. It was just common sense that this was going to happen.
Anyhow…
The many young unemployed Europeans that migrate out of their home countries nowadays are actually not primarily pushing to Asia and other parts of the world, but to European countries that are doing quite well – such as Germany, which is in need of these well educated young people, and offers them very good career opportunities.
Germany, by the way, is still in Europe, and still part of the EU. In Germany, for example, unemployment mostly affects undereducated sectors of society, and not the well educated.
From what i understand of the EU crisis, it has more to do with mistakes made in the establishment of the common currency, inclusion of countries that were economically not prepared at the time, had to fiddle the numbers to fit the parameters, and with massive mismanagement (Greece…), subsequent inability to pay foreign debts, and the need for other EU countries to bail them out. But that’s the extent of my understanding as the issue is highly complex.
The debate over agricultural subsidies in Europe has been going on since before i was born nearly 45 years ago. The agricultural subsidies have not been cause of the current Euro crises, which hasn’t been “long running”, but started around 2010/2011.
While there is much justified criticism over the rice pledging scheme, i think that painting doom and gloom over this is way too early, and is more politically motivated than economically. This sounds quite similar to the accusations back in 2005/2006, where government opponents accused the TRT government of having run the country into economical disaster, which simply wasn’t true. Back then the polemics centered around the 30 baht health scheme and the different micro-loan schemes.
Same old same old…
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
Hi Marip,
Regarding your question, if you have time have a look at Jeremy Rifkin’s talk.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=naXLMlqlxdo&feature=related
He is of course accepted as mainstream, not a tree hugging loonie. A Parker capitalist.
It does appear that the sort of model the world should have would be paradoxically like the one Burma is having now. Contant with low energy need, renewable and perpetually sustainable with cohesive society caring for one another. ( discount the last two years since the “Mostest Wonderfullest Extra- celebrated Reforms”)
The reason people are starving is not because we do not have lawless (law unto themselves, the sort of rule of law Aung San Suu Kyi is talking about meaning unaviodable absolute tyrannical rights of patent holders and dubious, secret contracts. She sure does not mind people burned alive in the day light by lawless groups.) factories using literal slave labour ( good excuse for having workers’ advocates and union stewarts) but because of the incessant military campaigns and loss of productive land, workers and smooth trade. Remember opium which was not native to our lands was started to finance wars and now 60 years it s still used for the same purpose- lose- lose situation.
By inviting the factories inland in support of the bankrupt global model of predatory business practise, we will all lose out in near future. Even once mighty Detroit is desolate now. Because the very reason the factories will come here will also move them somewhere else.the prevailing economic model of the globe itself is truly bankrupt and joining them rushing as the country is now may seem like great idea for a short term but like that pleasure- seeking teenage girl, Burma will sure end up in tears.
Again the idea before 18 th August 2011 was to be free of the military yoke. Now it appears people want to have not even just the military but also all sorts of overloads to take advantage of themselves and their genrperations’ properties in return for seemingly instant gratification of vanity and seemingly easy way out.
A lot harder look at what is really on offer beyond the circus and artificial shining lights and hubris and what worked really keep our own true independence ( not having to relie on others, as there is no such thing as benevolent dictator) and liberty and peaceful lives as opposed to aping the worse aspects of the excesses of the decadent culture as China is rushing along. Hence they need to bother Burma to satisfy their insatiable need fr consumer goods.
Again Lawba, and Mawha are real down fall whatever religion you believe in. And Dawtha.
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
By the way Lleij, did you see this Canadian documentary (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omtYlsG1P5U) ?
See in Burma currently there is only small scale TRULY organic farming of natural variety practiced by tens of millions of people where people CAN store their own grain, however badly effected by weather, for centuries and use it as they wish and yet feed KOSHER food to the millions including their own torturers.
As Burma was before Monsanto cannot come in easily. Now it is easy walk in with most foolish government drummed up by the very same international conglomerates via their slaves “Democratically elected governments” and their arch-pimp, bred for the purpose, Aung San Suu Kyi, howling how the agriculture must produce more than other Asian countries in near future which I take is a code word for letting large scale mechanized farming of high yield (Monasanto, Syngenta, Du Pont or their Japanese equivalents) variety resulting in perpetually destroying native varieties and natural land on top of being perpetually enslaved by those international conglomerates.
Please reassure me this is just my sick imagination or in fact Burma is better off having a self destructing roundup essential seeds giving “Permanent Licence Fees” as that is where we are rushing towards.
Somehow there seems to be a lot of conspiracy theorists like me http://www.occupy.com/article/farmers-consumers-vs-monsanto-many-davids-can-topple-one-goliath .
Yet I could easily understand how and why people running Monsanto can be hard nosed and evil because it is their own way of living. Or why farmers might not be so keen to be enslaved on their own land. Or even people like that amusingly conceited power crazed Aung San Suu Kyi, still enjoying blind faith of the multitude, conducting all the international loan agencies and destructive multinationals into the country thinking it is cool.
But why people who seemingly got nothing substantial to gain are cheering on the multinationals setting out to destroy the last pristine substantial land on earth and (at least used to be) peaceful cohesive society is difficult to understand.
What’s brewing in Thailand?
“EU agricultural and fisheries subsidies account for over 40% of its annual budget” – wikipedia. And Nick Nostitz thinks EU farm/fisheries subsidies are A-OK and has nothing to do with the long-running EU economic crisis? And EU unemployment has reached records in latest news, over 20 million unemployed (mostly Europe’s young taking the toll of long unemployment), more 12% unemployment rate, I think. Maybe the EU is not yet in “serious economic decline” … maybe. But tell that to the many young Europeans who had already emigrated out of Europe in droves searching for work in Asia or other parts of the world because very dire career opportunities in Europe.
And about Thailand’s own Yingluck farm subsidy: the Rice Pledging Scheme, Yingluck’s Commerce Minister could NOT give any clear tally of how much multi-billions losses Thailand will incur thereof. Told you all Yingluck and her ministers could NOT count how they spend Thai taxpayers money! And because the Yingluck could and will not submit any clear accounting of the ongoing Rice Pledging Scheme, my suspicions are doubled and my distrust of the Yingluck regime heightened even more.
(Btw thanks to N-Nostitz for correcting me about Thaksin being Deputy PM after, not before, the Thai devaluation of 1997. Now I wonder whether Democrat Party executiveSuthep T’s accusation that Thaksin had profited from the 1997 financial crisis because of his close association with the then Thai Finance Minister Thanong is true or not?)
What’s brewing in Thailand?
A few corrections – Thaksin became deputy PM in ’97 when the financial crisis was already in full swing – one and a half months after the Baht was “floated”.
The EU is not in “serious economic decline”, it’s a crises. Not all EU countries are hit by the crises, by the way. And it has nothing to do with the agricultural subsidies, which have been going on for decades in the EU.
While there seems to be little doubt that the rice scheme needs some corrections, the doom and gloom picture you are trying to paint here is a bit over the top.
Thailand is not only producing rice and solely depending on rice exports and tourism. Thailand is now quite highly industrialized as well.
Sometimes i wonder if one should listen much to economic forecasts. When, for example, Malaysia refused IMF loans during the ’97 crises, the IMF went all doom and gloom on Malaysia, only to congratulate Malaysia a few months after for having went the course it did. In the early 90’s all the economic experts saw the region here as overtaking Europe within the decade, only to be silenced by the ’97 crises.
How many times have you seen economic experts apologizing for mistakes the made, such as recently the world bank for the mistakes they made with Greece, or Greenspan after the sub-prime crisis hit the US (and the world)?
Sometimes i have the impression that the economic experts get it right about as often as our fortune tellers 😉
What’s brewing in Thailand?
‘Not the Bangkok Post’ is Andrew Spooner, I am dismayed to find out… anyway good luck Spooner with your … uh … endeadvor?
Google “Thailand Rice Pledging Scheme Moody’s” and it becomes very obvious that not only the sovereign credit rating agencies are seriously concerned about Yingluck’s Rice Pledging Scheme, but whole global rice trading market is ‘scared’ of how Yingluck’s Rice Policy (buying Thai rice at 50% above market price while global rice production is rising and global rice prices are dropping) would unravel. The global rice traders are of course cheering those big Thai rats would eat/ravage those mountains of rice hoard that Yingluck had created, or, another sooner Thai biblical deluge …
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323844804578526851452192258.html
http://blogs.blouinnews.com/blouinbeatbusiness/2013/05/27/a-mountain-of-thai-rice-overhangs-global-market/
Do we remember the 1997 Global Financial Crisis that started in Thailand when Chavalit Y. was Prime Minister and Thaksin Shinawatra was Deputy PM at that time? Thaksin’s sister Yingluck as current Prime Minister is quite capable of a repeat mind you considering her handling of government finances and her flair for embarking on multi-billion and trillions schemes but shirk from making any clear accounting thereof.
(Today Friday Yingluck promises to make a full disclosure of how much losses the Thailand Rice Pledging Scheme had incurred or will incur. Let’s see if Yingluck’s accounting skills had improved since her famous Davos oration.)
BTW Spooner reminds me that EU’s farm subsidies of $72 billion. So what? Isn’t EU in serious economic decline and what could Thailand possible learn from EU’s farm subsidy spendings and losses?
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
Sorry Lleij,
I missed another mention of “Jewish” in my previous post. That relates to the use of White Phosphorus. White phosphorus was used on those unruly SLEEPING monks and people on the early hours ( best time for torture interrogation and military assaults) on a religious day by the Burmese Government. Most likely by someone bad but not possibly that nice kind bespectacled bald guy the whole world is singing “Praise Be” for sure. May be those “hard liners” although people for weird reason stopped recycling that word for the moment. (“Communists” is in vogue at the moment.)
Anyhow that most in humane criminal act (please correct me if any of those adjectives were wrong) was only days after the deputy secretary of Defence of the United States of America on record discussing “counter- insurgency measure” as reported by real press, not movies.
As massive use of White Phosphorus was thought to be done in Faluja and Israeli army is well known user of that substance in Palestine, Burmese authorities would have at least less hesitation to use it, one would think.
Those victims are now all forgotten along with hundreds of thousands of other victims of other atrocities since Burma was “reformed”.
There really is not enough time in a day when the advanced economic success news have to be put out and prizes to be given or taken and visits and conferences and celebrations to be mentioned. Good job these victims do not count.
Please let me know if you find out that those are simply my imagination and those monks are either not harmed at all or deserved of such acts. It sure did not bother our lady of conscience, pinup girl of the multinationals.
Conversations after Lashio
[…] The most recent waves of anti-Islamic violence directed against the Rohingya are a stark portrayal of this continuing slippage between race and religion. The state has attempted to strip Rohingyas of their legal rights by describing them as illegal immigrants and coercing them to register as ‘Bengalis’ instead of Rohingya. In this way their religion and ethnicity is represented as foreign by extremist Buddhists and the government. The vulnerability of the Rohingya is partly the result of this overlap in notions of race and religion, an overlap also apparent eighty years earlier. The recent violence has now developed into a more generalized and everyday attack on Muslims in Burma, regardless of perceived racial background. The events that some initially attempted to describe as local clashes that were not motivated by religious or racial hatred, is revealing an embedded strain of popular racism in Burma. As in the 1930s, rumours of individual acts of violence, allegedly committed by Burmese Muslims, are circulating and are used to justify and condone further violence. […]
Dave Everett and fighting for the KNLA
Rest in peace Dave. I miss you mate
What’s brewing in Thailand?
Seems like Vichai has been getting his quotes from the Bangkok Post which seems to have deliberately misrepresented Moody’s.
Suggestion to Vichai – always double check anything you read in the Post.
http://asiaprovocateur.blogspot.com/2013/06/are-bangkok-post-trying-to-damage.html
What’s brewing in Thailand?
Thailand’s political stability is fragile and remains very volatile. Nothing has been resolved … the rift remain intense … the opposing factions have not forgotten much less forgiven anything.
Under such circumstances Thailands sovereign credit rating is vulnerable to any adverse economic and/or political news. Thus Thailand’s profligate populist spendings (including its multi-billions yearly losing rice buying scheme, its very opaque suspect multi-billions flood/water management scheme, and the trillions sovereign debt creating transport infrastructure projects (mainly suspect bullet trains to benefit the poor according to Yingluck) could easily unravel Thailand’s B something credit rating.
Anytime the Yingluck regime (or its splashy-cars fancying ministers) do or plan something with the usual aroma of Thaksin sleaziness (nearly all its projects are Thaksin-sleaze inspired btw), rumblings by the ‘righteous protectors of the Kingdom’ are provoked … and generals/amarts get encouraged to punch (or should I say putsch).