Posts trend based on the number of readers over a 24-hour period. My guess is that because of President Obama’s visit to Thailand there were many people, on a Sunday, looking for information on a certain Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Google brings them to us, and thus the post “trends” — briefly. Such is the wonder of a site with almost 4,000 posts and over 40,000 comments.
Writing about APM does make one sleep better does it however EVER touch the colonists sins on Myanmar?
The British ruled Myanmar, colonially from 1824-1948, at least 70 years. Radically transform “the fundamental fabric Buddhism that has held a Buddhist country” now only make sense with military domination.
Blaming the military government excesses alone since 1961 fly in the face of academic integrity.
The bigger issue must be how to advance the citizenry well being under RMTDD.
1. If you look into Taiwanese business and economy, it is almost 100% anti-thesis of your conclusion. And not just in hi-tech. Like Foxconn, now #1 EMS and in fortune 500, started out w/ $27,000 doing TV knobs. (not sexy at all, isn’t?}
2. If SME is undesirable, what’s the alternative for start-ups? State captitalism?
Nearly 400 traders of smuggled oil in the five southern border provinces may link to illegal arms and drug smugglings and insurgency, an officer of the Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command said. http://clip.thaipbs.or.th/home.php?vid=3310&ap=flase
“When one looks at entrepreneurship on the ground across South-East Asia, very little innovation can actually be seen. The majority of new SMEs do not create any new innovation and as a consequence do not contribute to economic growth.” – This is utterly false. Nothing could be further from the truth. Innovation is not required in order to have economic growth. Economic growth comes from wealth creation. You create wealth, by taking labor and converting it into assets or services which add value in some way so that people will pay more for the good or service than it takes to provide it. This results in a profit. Thus you have a new profitable business which will then inject more money into the economy as that business owner then becomes a consumer or a saver (making that money available to the bank to loan out to stimulate more business growth).
I suppose the question is SMSL has not provided concrete evidence to support their case. Why all the atomic authorities have no problem with it but SMSL insists on something totally different?
Another question is are there any vested interests involved? “http://savemalaysia-stoplynas.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/lynas-journey-to-nowhere.html” Read the comment, they knowingly and publicly infringed on others’ copyright just to achieve bad publicity for Lynas?
If you know Malaysia’s political system, I bet it has been politicised for other purposes than true scientific concern.
People have no concern using their iphone, flatscreen etc which are using environmentally, ecologically un-friendly, non-standard products from China. So, in their logic, it is ok for the people in China to expose to dangerous substances as long as it is not in their country (mind you in a industrial area) even though the process would be a state of art process approved by international atomic bodies?
… Nothing ventured, nothing gained … there are no guarantees in life or livelihood of course. Except in Thailand where Andrew Walker’s farmer-peasants are guaranteed their paddy prices at a whopping 30% above prevailing market for so long as they raise Thaksin’s photo at every occassion, at every Red shirt village and specially while Thaksin is still ‘Thailand’s Most Wanted’.
If entrepreneurship or self-employment sucks, if farming-peasant work sucks, if corporate work or employee-thing sucks, what else is promising? That only leaves government/military and/or political careers, which can be very very rewarding in Thailand what with the perks and all the under-table 30% incentives.
[…] Ahmad Farouk Musa is a director at Islamic Renaissance Front. This article first appeared in New Mandala. This story makes me…Think (0) Happy (0) Angry (0) Sad (0) Want to […]
It’s a detailed review, giving me the impression that the book is factually wrong about a long list of things. However, as it now stands, I can’t really address these points with the assumption that they directly reflect Jerryson’s thesis (rather than the reviewer’s opinion, or an admixture of the two). Nevertheless, in this forum, it may be worth noting that there are many “red flags” as to flaws in the factual basis of the argument (specialists should notice them without my pointing them out).
The assertion (in this review) that Thai propaganda about racial purity warmly includes (i) the Lao, (ii) the Khmer, (iii) the Burmese or even (iv) the Chinese (or Sino-Thais) is both absurd, and controverted (if not contradicted) by all of the specialized studies on each of those respective groups within the history (and politics) of Thailand.
Seriously: you can’t read anything about the history of any of those groups (within Thailand) without reading about the history of racism against them. To say that the fact of their “shared Buddhism” is embraced is controverted by the suppression of all forms of Buddhism other than the one issued by Bangkok’s central authorities (including regional variations of Buddhism native to Thailand, but seen even more starkly with “rival Buddhisms” from neighboring states).
A Lao specialist can easily rattle of a list of sources on the extent to which Thai nationalism excludes (and is even defined in contradistinction to) the Lao –and so on for Burmese specialists, Khmer specialists, etc.
Reciprocally, the Lao, Khmer and Burmese all have to describe their own recent history in terms of their wars with the Thais, and so on.
The extent to which Thai nationalism presumes racial animosity toward precisely these groups (Lao, Burmese, etc.) has been a frequent topic of discussion on this same website (New Mandala) and is almost impossible to ignore in the history and politics of any given period of any of these countries. Yet, nevertheless, here it is ignored (in this summary of Jerryson’s work, I cannot say if the work itself really reflects this summary).
The contrast here offered between some kind of pan-Buddhist inclusion and the exclusion of Muslims would be difficult to demonstrate in any historical period, both because the inclusion on one side of the equation is so flawed, and also because the Thai Royal Family’s relationships with specific Sultanates (governing specific coastal towns, etc.) does not hold up the other side of the equation.
Racism in Thailand is a huge subject; however, an argument that the attitude toward the “khaek” is toto genere different from (e.g.) attitudes toward the Vietnamese or Burmese seems to proceed on a very false footing.
Incidentally, the history and meaning of khaek is not hard to know. What’s stated above isn’t it (and this is another red flag). Again, I can’t ascribe blame to Jerryson without seeing what he actually claims on the matter (as opposed to this reviewer’s synopsis, etc.).
Among other obvious contradictions, take a look at the Lao border: there’s a town called “Tha Khaek”. Now take another look at the history of the word “Khaek”.
Along with many other questionable details, the material on “chat” qua “jati” also seems to me amateurish in the extreme (I’m guessing that neither Pali nor Sanskrit are Jerryson’s forté) –but, again, I haven’t seen the original book, so I have to suspend my judgement.
Another example of what is happening in Myanmar is not unrelated to outside influence.
After the Myitsone dam project was summarily scrubbed, under the pretext of giving in to the Kachin it is clear to China, previously unrelenting supporter of this present regime and its future intentions.
The so called “the last camel that broke the camel’s back” Myitsone dam project now least mentioned is over for now.
Even WA, the strongest group has decided to become the border guard and agree to cooperate with the drug trafficking.
So accordingly why are the saintly Kachin still fighting the evil Bamar again?
I think that they’re afraid of radio frequency interference with military/police/ems communications systems. And its not just Myanmar: most countries’ FCC equivalent limits use of unauthorized RF gadgets. But Myanmar doesn’t have a strong FCC , so is easier to just ban all of them.
Our professor Farrelly’s questions didn’t touch the two most important factors underlying the so-called new Kachin War that firstly China is using KIA/KIO as a pawn to gain leverage in dealing with Burma, and secondly our Burma herself is now a mere proxy in the geopolitical war between US and China.
Give me a break. As has already been pointed out on the VSG, Hayton ought to have known when his journalist’s visa was not renewed that he would have diffiiculty returning. Now he has been all over the Net wrapping himself in the “Banned from VN” cape, Whatever . . . Even just among stories on Western journalists’ difficulties operating in Hanoi, this one is worthy of very little attention.
There in lies the strength as well as the weakness of the feudal Burma.
Yes. The Kingdom was expended far and wide by sheer ruthlessness and cruelty still remembered in places in eastern India or Thailand after centuries. And as is evident clearly here, all Burman Burmese are taught since childhood to be proud of their “Lu Swan Gaung”s prowess. With no encouragement to see the “other” side at all. The very root of present day devastating discrimination and chauvinism again clearly seen all over the country.
No, it was never a westphalian system. In fact any coup or killing of all the royal relatives etc., which, by the way is a built-in feature of feudalism of all societies, even though poor Thibaw’s wife copped the bad name for it, had very little effect in the day to day lives of ordinary people, be they Burman or Shan.
It was more like an “internet”, so many nodes of self sufficient and self contained units everywhere rather than linear, constant top down authoritarianism.
Kings were somewhat revered and loathed (one of the five traditional enemies)rather than loved.
After thousands of years, the same mentality is seen among the populace. That is why it is very important to give the people opportunities to learn the real situation of the world and about the people of the world.
As seen in Candlelight Protests and Lapadaung, Burmese are capable of independent , yet collective and effective, resistance once they understand the true nature of the events.
Current “hero worship” and acting on rumours are simple old habits of recent times they will soon get over.
Also highlights the dilemma faced by the long and , dare say, glorious tradition of KNU with current sudden, immense and blinding offers of opulent business deals and fake power status and small individual fiefdoms for the few leaders on one hand and betrayal of the memory of the likes of Bo Mya and Padho Mann Shar. Being in bed with the killers surely does stink. Or even sitting face to face with grinning liars.
But again, NO one can resist money and power. Most human will sell their mothers for those.
I don’t believe it’s a specific concern for what one might do with the remote controlled toys themselves, but a clarification of the much broader ban of importation and possession of broadcast and receiving gear overall.
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The Shinawatra family tree
Thanks chrisb,
Posts trend based on the number of readers over a 24-hour period. My guess is that because of President Obama’s visit to Thailand there were many people, on a Sunday, looking for information on a certain Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Google brings them to us, and thus the post “trends” — briefly. Such is the wonder of a site with almost 4,000 posts and over 40,000 comments.
Hope that helps clarify the situation.
Best wishes,
Nich
The Shinawatra family tree
The headline caught my eye on Trending Posts.
How on earth can it be ‘trending’ when the last post was over a year ago?
Will Karen State go to war again?
Alex Bookbinder
Are we down to “get a good night’s sleep…”.
Writing about APM does make one sleep better does it however EVER touch the colonists sins on Myanmar?
The British ruled Myanmar, colonially from 1824-1948, at least 70 years. Radically transform “the fundamental fabric Buddhism that has held a Buddhist country” now only make sense with military domination.
Blaming the military government excesses alone since 1961 fly in the face of academic integrity.
The bigger issue must be how to advance the citizenry well being under RMTDD.
Entrepreneurship and economic growth?
Hi Murray,
I am impressed by your research, but …..
1. If you look into Taiwanese business and economy, it is almost 100% anti-thesis of your conclusion. And not just in hi-tech. Like Foxconn, now #1 EMS and in fortune 500, started out w/ $27,000 doing TV knobs. (not sexy at all, isn’t?}
2. If SME is undesirable, what’s the alternative for start-ups? State captitalism?
Stop Lynas, Save Malaysia
Socrates,
The SMSL will be at the Australian Parliament in Canberra, on the 19th of November, 2012, and at the Lynas AGM to explain their side of the story.
If you are in Canberra, or Sydney, that will be a good opportunity to ask them whether they have sound scientific evidence of their claims.
Southern Thailand’s Friday gold
Nearly 400 traders of smuggled oil in the five southern border provinces may link to illegal arms and drug smugglings and insurgency, an officer of the Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command said.
http://clip.thaipbs.or.th/home.php?vid=3310&ap=flase
Entrepreneurship and economic growth?
“When one looks at entrepreneurship on the ground across South-East Asia, very little innovation can actually be seen. The majority of new SMEs do not create any new innovation and as a consequence do not contribute to economic growth.” – This is utterly false. Nothing could be further from the truth. Innovation is not required in order to have economic growth. Economic growth comes from wealth creation. You create wealth, by taking labor and converting it into assets or services which add value in some way so that people will pay more for the good or service than it takes to provide it. This results in a profit. Thus you have a new profitable business which will then inject more money into the economy as that business owner then becomes a consumer or a saver (making that money available to the bank to loan out to stimulate more business growth).
Stop Lynas, Save Malaysia
Greg,
I suppose the question is SMSL has not provided concrete evidence to support their case. Why all the atomic authorities have no problem with it but SMSL insists on something totally different?
Another question is are there any vested interests involved? “http://savemalaysia-stoplynas.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/lynas-journey-to-nowhere.html” Read the comment, they knowingly and publicly infringed on others’ copyright just to achieve bad publicity for Lynas?
If you know Malaysia’s political system, I bet it has been politicised for other purposes than true scientific concern.
People have no concern using their iphone, flatscreen etc which are using environmentally, ecologically un-friendly, non-standard products from China. So, in their logic, it is ok for the people in China to expose to dangerous substances as long as it is not in their country (mind you in a industrial area) even though the process would be a state of art process approved by international atomic bodies?
Entrepreneurship and economic growth?
… Nothing ventured, nothing gained … there are no guarantees in life or livelihood of course. Except in Thailand where Andrew Walker’s farmer-peasants are guaranteed their paddy prices at a whopping 30% above prevailing market for so long as they raise Thaksin’s photo at every occassion, at every Red shirt village and specially while Thaksin is still ‘Thailand’s Most Wanted’.
If entrepreneurship or self-employment sucks, if farming-peasant work sucks, if corporate work or employee-thing sucks, what else is promising? That only leaves government/military and/or political careers, which can be very very rewarding in Thailand what with the perks and all the under-table 30% incentives.
The inexorable pursuit of an Islamic State
[…] Ahmad Farouk Musa is a director at Islamic Renaissance Front. This article first appeared in New Mandala. This story makes me…Think (0) Happy (0) Angry (0) Sad (0) Want to […]
Malaysia’s commodified Islam
Very interesting. I have not been very observant. Now I will probably start seeing halal make-up everywhere.
Review of Buddhist Fury
It’s a detailed review, giving me the impression that the book is factually wrong about a long list of things. However, as it now stands, I can’t really address these points with the assumption that they directly reflect Jerryson’s thesis (rather than the reviewer’s opinion, or an admixture of the two). Nevertheless, in this forum, it may be worth noting that there are many “red flags” as to flaws in the factual basis of the argument (specialists should notice them without my pointing them out).
The assertion (in this review) that Thai propaganda about racial purity warmly includes (i) the Lao, (ii) the Khmer, (iii) the Burmese or even (iv) the Chinese (or Sino-Thais) is both absurd, and controverted (if not contradicted) by all of the specialized studies on each of those respective groups within the history (and politics) of Thailand.
Seriously: you can’t read anything about the history of any of those groups (within Thailand) without reading about the history of racism against them. To say that the fact of their “shared Buddhism” is embraced is controverted by the suppression of all forms of Buddhism other than the one issued by Bangkok’s central authorities (including regional variations of Buddhism native to Thailand, but seen even more starkly with “rival Buddhisms” from neighboring states).
A Lao specialist can easily rattle of a list of sources on the extent to which Thai nationalism excludes (and is even defined in contradistinction to) the Lao –and so on for Burmese specialists, Khmer specialists, etc.
Reciprocally, the Lao, Khmer and Burmese all have to describe their own recent history in terms of their wars with the Thais, and so on.
The extent to which Thai nationalism presumes racial animosity toward precisely these groups (Lao, Burmese, etc.) has been a frequent topic of discussion on this same website (New Mandala) and is almost impossible to ignore in the history and politics of any given period of any of these countries. Yet, nevertheless, here it is ignored (in this summary of Jerryson’s work, I cannot say if the work itself really reflects this summary).
The contrast here offered between some kind of pan-Buddhist inclusion and the exclusion of Muslims would be difficult to demonstrate in any historical period, both because the inclusion on one side of the equation is so flawed, and also because the Thai Royal Family’s relationships with specific Sultanates (governing specific coastal towns, etc.) does not hold up the other side of the equation.
Racism in Thailand is a huge subject; however, an argument that the attitude toward the “khaek” is toto genere different from (e.g.) attitudes toward the Vietnamese or Burmese seems to proceed on a very false footing.
Incidentally, the history and meaning of khaek is not hard to know. What’s stated above isn’t it (and this is another red flag). Again, I can’t ascribe blame to Jerryson without seeing what he actually claims on the matter (as opposed to this reviewer’s synopsis, etc.).
Among other obvious contradictions, take a look at the Lao border: there’s a town called “Tha Khaek”. Now take another look at the history of the word “Khaek”.
Along with many other questionable details, the material on “chat” qua “jati” also seems to me amateurish in the extreme (I’m guessing that neither Pali nor Sanskrit are Jerryson’s forté) –but, again, I haven’t seen the original book, so I have to suspend my judgement.
Four questions about the Kachin war
Another example of what is happening in Myanmar is not unrelated to outside influence.
After the Myitsone dam project was summarily scrubbed, under the pretext of giving in to the Kachin it is clear to China, previously unrelenting supporter of this present regime and its future intentions.
The so called “the last camel that broke the camel’s back” Myitsone dam project now least mentioned is over for now.
Even WA, the strongest group has decided to become the border guard and agree to cooperate with the drug trafficking.
So accordingly why are the saintly Kachin still fighting the evil Bamar again?
Does anybody know…
I think that they’re afraid of radio frequency interference with military/police/ems communications systems. And its not just Myanmar: most countries’ FCC equivalent limits use of unauthorized RF gadgets. But Myanmar doesn’t have a strong FCC , so is easier to just ban all of them.
Four questions about the Kachin war
Our professor Farrelly’s questions didn’t touch the two most important factors underlying the so-called new Kachin War that firstly China is using KIA/KIO as a pawn to gain leverage in dealing with Burma, and secondly our Burma herself is now a mere proxy in the geopolitical war between US and China.
Review of Buddhist Fury
Thanks to Prof Jonsson for engaging with the subject of the book and the review. Too bad that he seems to be alone.
Banned from Vietnam
Give me a break. As has already been pointed out on the VSG, Hayton ought to have known when his journalist’s visa was not renewed that he would have diffiiculty returning. Now he has been all over the Net wrapping himself in the “Banned from VN” cape, Whatever . . . Even just among stories on Western journalists’ difficulties operating in Hanoi, this one is worthy of very little attention.
Will Karen State go to war again?
There in lies the strength as well as the weakness of the feudal Burma.
Yes. The Kingdom was expended far and wide by sheer ruthlessness and cruelty still remembered in places in eastern India or Thailand after centuries. And as is evident clearly here, all Burman Burmese are taught since childhood to be proud of their “Lu Swan Gaung”s prowess. With no encouragement to see the “other” side at all. The very root of present day devastating discrimination and chauvinism again clearly seen all over the country.
No, it was never a westphalian system. In fact any coup or killing of all the royal relatives etc., which, by the way is a built-in feature of feudalism of all societies, even though poor Thibaw’s wife copped the bad name for it, had very little effect in the day to day lives of ordinary people, be they Burman or Shan.
It was more like an “internet”, so many nodes of self sufficient and self contained units everywhere rather than linear, constant top down authoritarianism.
Kings were somewhat revered and loathed (one of the five traditional enemies)rather than loved.
After thousands of years, the same mentality is seen among the populace. That is why it is very important to give the people opportunities to learn the real situation of the world and about the people of the world.
As seen in Candlelight Protests and Lapadaung, Burmese are capable of independent , yet collective and effective, resistance once they understand the true nature of the events.
Current “hero worship” and acting on rumours are simple old habits of recent times they will soon get over.
Will Karen State go to war again?
No surprise here.
Also highlights the dilemma faced by the long and , dare say, glorious tradition of KNU with current sudden, immense and blinding offers of opulent business deals and fake power status and small individual fiefdoms for the few leaders on one hand and betrayal of the memory of the likes of Bo Mya and Padho Mann Shar. Being in bed with the killers surely does stink. Or even sitting face to face with grinning liars.
But again, NO one can resist money and power. Most human will sell their mothers for those.
Does anybody know…
I don’t believe it’s a specific concern for what one might do with the remote controlled toys themselves, but a clarification of the much broader ban of importation and possession of broadcast and receiving gear overall.