What evidence is there from this mourning, that Bumiphol succeeded in his worthy efforts to integrate Siam’s far-flung provinces, especially Isarn ? Apart from a few lone heroics, can these Bangkok mourners please point to strong evidence of much mourning in the alienated provinces ? I’d be glad to see it.
just wondering, our country has a population over 60.0mil. I can presume that over 20-30% of us had travelled abroad. We know how the world is evolving. We are not center of the universe.
Before you accused us of living in a lost time, you should do your homework to understand what is our ways of living.
Because, you never met or heard of a great king, you assumed that one is not existing.
He has attended Numerous funeral ceremonies at the Grand palace. If my memory serves, he is staying at Dusit palace. I think he also attended a commemoration service for Rama V on the 23rd or 24th.
To address Andrew Lees comments, yes things did start to get betterfor the poor about 30 years ago, but the king had been monarch forty years already with little improvement.
That is a very poor rate of return on any so-called schemes.
It is no coincidence that things got better for the rural poor when Thailand began to industrialise in the 1980s and the sons and daughters of Issan left home for the factories of the Central Plains and Eastern Seaboard. It wasn’t royal agricultural projects but foreign direct investment that has lifted Thailand out of poverty.
The Thais should be kowtowing to the Emperor of Japan instead of Bhumipol
Did not work out so well for F Marcos when he abandoned human rights. Filipinos have got so many great and admirable traits but they have also a huge capacity for changing sides when the jack boot gets too heavy. Personally I think Duterte is mad/ insane in the literal sense and it is a disadvantage for those lovely people to be lead by someone who has no mental clarity. For those of us who traditionally challenge US Foreign Policy we should also acknowledge the other side to that coin in that Duterte would be reporting twice a day to a Japanese General in Japanese were it not for US efforts in WW2. The fact that Philippines has never had a successful military coup is definitely also attributable to American help at the right time.
Mr Beale, well, he does seem to have been seen leaving the Grand Palace by car at about 20.30 one evening early last week, perhaps Tuesday. But the broader question that you raise is an interesting one. Unlike, say, the House of Windsor or the Imperial Household Agency in Japan, the Thai monarchy has not had an official spokesperson. In part, this choice has allowed various people to say things that many understood as coming from the palace, even while leaving the palace the ability to deny that that was the case. You will remember Khuekrit’s having played this role. At the same time, it is noteworthy that in all the preparations that the heir to the throne has made since May 2014 to ascend that throne, neither he nor anyone close to him seems to have thought of installing a serious public-communications operation or of designating a spokesperson. We are now witnessing the consequences.
While not a supporter of Duterte’s war on drugs in the Philippines – reminiscent of Thaksin’s war on drugs that many urban Thais who got to hate him supported – and his foul language towards the Pope and US President are really over the top as well, from the outside people like myself like how he is undermining the Pivot towards Asia and letting the “West” aka the US know that there are other fish in the sea as well. I don’t believe for one minute that Putin’s Russia is capable of creating 2 million jobs in the Philippines but Duterte’s refusal to confront China over issues in the South China Sea is probably a sensible strategy. No country realistically supports Philippines (why the US is not even a signatory to the Law of the Sea Convention) and Aquino was simply sparring with himself while in office. I might also add that trying to come to terms with the NPA and even Muslim separatists (without US assistance which has been largely ineffective anyway) is certainly a step in the right direction. Now if Duterte were to eventually to take on those harbingers of reaction in the Philippines such as the quasi-feudal landowning class/es and reactionary clerics and the “Matrons of Makati” that would be most interesting. Duterte is not the first President in the Philippines to abuse human rights and I guess he will not be the last either or indeed taking ASEAN as a whole where by-and-large human rights are pretty abysmal.
Hi Mark, am I the only one who has noticed that Thailand does not have a King although Prayut promised us one? A Regent is not a King. The function of a Regent should be to act on behalf of King or Queen who maybe is under age or incapacitated. Thailand does not have a King which is a great shame because the King/ Queen could assist with political stabilty
Actually it was 3 days ago when I was talking to 2 Thai sisters about their hardships in Isan in the 1970s, so I can relate to what you are saying. Things changed in the 1980s with electricity, access to water, more schools, health services etc. And then Thailand was fortunate to have Chinese businesses that could take advantage of off-shore industries and from the mid 1980s the country
boomed, and has hardly looked back. Isan is one of the areas of Thailand that has not benefited to the degree other areas have. It is ironic that Thaksin was the first leader to really acknowledge this and did make changes, although not structural changes and not sustainable. Corruption and nepotism was probably his downfall, however nothing new here in Thai crony capitalism. Thai corrupt and unelected regimes have held back Thailand over the decades, it should have been flying much higher than it is. And ironically it is political conflict, largely as a result of the neglect of areas like Isan, is now holding the country back, and only reconciliation could have changed that, not the iron fist of repression.
With regard to Andrew Lees much of what you write is absolutely true, Thaksin was corrupt. It is perfectly legal to say that, what one cannot say is that the family of Prayut are corrupt in a highly public way, the fact that you think it is perfectly Ok for the people in your village to accept one lot of corruption but not another is quite hypocritical.
Secondly judging by your name you are not Thai and yet you have the audacity to advance the theory that the Thai cannot select their leader. I submit to you that the Thais should be alowed to select their leaders and that you and I should leave to Thai people to run their country not just an unelected elite. Somchai is Thai and knows a thing or two about being Thai.
What you say about the Royal projects is very true. given that the King himself commented that the carpets on the floors of his palace were threadbare when he ascended the throne I would like you to inform us all exactly who financed the King’s great projects. You and I are in total agreement, he was brilliant in so many ways, but where did the money come from?
Hello Hugh ,
I am aware of the “promoters” and their coup d’état/revolution as well as their subsequent overthrow by coup d’état. A good example of the old adage that those “who live by the sword die by the sword”
The great tragedy of the “promoters” was that they’re successful organization of Thailand’s first military coup d’état ensured that the revolution was stillborn and that the military became the dominant force in Thai politics. A position that it has maintained to this day.
With regards to the king, I was referring to the office not the current occupier of that office. Of course during the interregnum the regent exercises the functions of the Monarch.
Thailand was until only the last 30 years a very poor country. My Thai wife and her mother were only yesterday telling me about how life used to be in this country. Mout farmers in NE Thailand only grew rice, if and when those crops were short people would be so desperate they would eat soil, no kidding they were reduced to eating soil. Thailand is now perhaps the most food wealthy nation on the planet, it is now unthinkable that this country could have ever been so desperate for food. It was the King of Thailand and his tireless work, travelling all over thailand, teaching farmers about crop rotation, how to prepare the land, what things they could grow, how to sell their produce etc that has turned Thailand from one of the poorest nations into what is now an almost fully developed nation with high earning jobs. This is solely down to the Royal projects, the politicians like Thaksin are and were horribly corrupt, openly giving contracts to friends and family members, don’t forget Thaksin’s war on drugs that directly led to thousands of deaths and false imprisonment! If the king is an absolute monarch then good, if the new King is too an absolute monarch then good again. At least the royals care about the people, politicians the world over only care about their own bank balance.
As an “online” site of contestation and amplification of certain kinds of voices, I suppose it is only natural that New Mandala keep pushing the “rise of social media” as the most significant thing to happen to “democracy” since aluminum siding salesmen all bought Cadillacs.
But when the research for the PhD is done, like everyone else, the author of this piece will avoid reading the comments section of online media because what looks like “vibrancy” when you have to find significance in it begins to look like idiocy when you don’t.
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Succession snapshot: back in black
What evidence is there from this mourning, that Bumiphol succeeded in his worthy efforts to integrate Siam’s far-flung provinces, especially Isarn ? Apart from a few lone heroics, can these Bangkok mourners please point to strong evidence of much mourning in the alienated provinces ? I’d be glad to see it.
The lost kingdom
just wondering, our country has a population over 60.0mil. I can presume that over 20-30% of us had travelled abroad. We know how the world is evolving. We are not center of the universe.
Before you accused us of living in a lost time, you should do your homework to understand what is our ways of living.
Because, you never met or heard of a great king, you assumed that one is not existing.
Thailand’s supreme reign
He has attended Numerous funeral ceremonies at the Grand palace. If my memory serves, he is staying at Dusit palace. I think he also attended a commemoration service for Rama V on the 23rd or 24th.
Duterte a law unto himself
I’m sure the Nazi’s that loaded thousands of Jews into gas chambers thought they were “morally correct” too.
Thailand’s supreme reign
To address Andrew Lees comments, yes things did start to get betterfor the poor about 30 years ago, but the king had been monarch forty years already with little improvement.
That is a very poor rate of return on any so-called schemes.
It is no coincidence that things got better for the rural poor when Thailand began to industrialise in the 1980s and the sons and daughters of Issan left home for the factories of the Central Plains and Eastern Seaboard. It wasn’t royal agricultural projects but foreign direct investment that has lifted Thailand out of poverty.
The Thais should be kowtowing to the Emperor of Japan instead of Bhumipol
A crown prince and German affairs
superb pic
Thailand’s supreme reign
Certainly NOT Madam Feefee !!
Thailand’s supreme reign
Isn’t the Royal Household Bureau the official “spokesperson”?
Thailand’s supreme reign
Michael – thanks for that very pertinent point about palace communications – or lack thereof. But please do not address me as “Mr.”
Online politics in the Philippines
Did not work out so well for F Marcos when he abandoned human rights. Filipinos have got so many great and admirable traits but they have also a huge capacity for changing sides when the jack boot gets too heavy. Personally I think Duterte is mad/ insane in the literal sense and it is a disadvantage for those lovely people to be lead by someone who has no mental clarity. For those of us who traditionally challenge US Foreign Policy we should also acknowledge the other side to that coin in that Duterte would be reporting twice a day to a Japanese General in Japanese were it not for US efforts in WW2. The fact that Philippines has never had a successful military coup is definitely also attributable to American help at the right time.
Thailand’s supreme reign
Mr Beale, well, he does seem to have been seen leaving the Grand Palace by car at about 20.30 one evening early last week, perhaps Tuesday. But the broader question that you raise is an interesting one. Unlike, say, the House of Windsor or the Imperial Household Agency in Japan, the Thai monarchy has not had an official spokesperson. In part, this choice has allowed various people to say things that many understood as coming from the palace, even while leaving the palace the ability to deny that that was the case. You will remember Khuekrit’s having played this role. At the same time, it is noteworthy that in all the preparations that the heir to the throne has made since May 2014 to ascend that throne, neither he nor anyone close to him seems to have thought of installing a serious public-communications operation or of designating a spokesperson. We are now witnessing the consequences.
Thailand’s supreme reign
Where is the Crown Prince ? Has anyone seen him in public, since shortly after his father’s sad passing ?
Online politics in the Philippines
While not a supporter of Duterte’s war on drugs in the Philippines – reminiscent of Thaksin’s war on drugs that many urban Thais who got to hate him supported – and his foul language towards the Pope and US President are really over the top as well, from the outside people like myself like how he is undermining the Pivot towards Asia and letting the “West” aka the US know that there are other fish in the sea as well. I don’t believe for one minute that Putin’s Russia is capable of creating 2 million jobs in the Philippines but Duterte’s refusal to confront China over issues in the South China Sea is probably a sensible strategy. No country realistically supports Philippines (why the US is not even a signatory to the Law of the Sea Convention) and Aquino was simply sparring with himself while in office. I might also add that trying to come to terms with the NPA and even Muslim separatists (without US assistance which has been largely ineffective anyway) is certainly a step in the right direction. Now if Duterte were to eventually to take on those harbingers of reaction in the Philippines such as the quasi-feudal landowning class/es and reactionary clerics and the “Matrons of Makati” that would be most interesting. Duterte is not the first President in the Philippines to abuse human rights and I guess he will not be the last either or indeed taking ASEAN as a whole where by-and-large human rights are pretty abysmal.
Thailand’s supreme reign
Hi Mark, am I the only one who has noticed that Thailand does not have a King although Prayut promised us one? A Regent is not a King. The function of a Regent should be to act on behalf of King or Queen who maybe is under age or incapacitated. Thailand does not have a King which is a great shame because the King/ Queen could assist with political stabilty
Thailand’s supreme reign
Actually it was 3 days ago when I was talking to 2 Thai sisters about their hardships in Isan in the 1970s, so I can relate to what you are saying. Things changed in the 1980s with electricity, access to water, more schools, health services etc. And then Thailand was fortunate to have Chinese businesses that could take advantage of off-shore industries and from the mid 1980s the country
boomed, and has hardly looked back. Isan is one of the areas of Thailand that has not benefited to the degree other areas have. It is ironic that Thaksin was the first leader to really acknowledge this and did make changes, although not structural changes and not sustainable. Corruption and nepotism was probably his downfall, however nothing new here in Thai crony capitalism. Thai corrupt and unelected regimes have held back Thailand over the decades, it should have been flying much higher than it is. And ironically it is political conflict, largely as a result of the neglect of areas like Isan, is now holding the country back, and only reconciliation could have changed that, not the iron fist of repression.
Thailand’s supreme reign
With regard to Andrew Lees much of what you write is absolutely true, Thaksin was corrupt. It is perfectly legal to say that, what one cannot say is that the family of Prayut are corrupt in a highly public way, the fact that you think it is perfectly Ok for the people in your village to accept one lot of corruption but not another is quite hypocritical.
Secondly judging by your name you are not Thai and yet you have the audacity to advance the theory that the Thai cannot select their leader. I submit to you that the Thais should be alowed to select their leaders and that you and I should leave to Thai people to run their country not just an unelected elite. Somchai is Thai and knows a thing or two about being Thai.
What you say about the Royal projects is very true. given that the King himself commented that the carpets on the floors of his palace were threadbare when he ascended the throne I would like you to inform us all exactly who financed the King’s great projects. You and I are in total agreement, he was brilliant in so many ways, but where did the money come from?
Thailand’s supreme reign
Hello Hugh ,
I am aware of the “promoters” and their coup d’état/revolution as well as their subsequent overthrow by coup d’état. A good example of the old adage that those “who live by the sword die by the sword”
The great tragedy of the “promoters” was that they’re successful organization of Thailand’s first military coup d’état ensured that the revolution was stillborn and that the military became the dominant force in Thai politics. A position that it has maintained to this day.
With regards to the king, I was referring to the office not the current occupier of that office. Of course during the interregnum the regent exercises the functions of the Monarch.
Online politics in the Philippines
One certainly looks for cretinism in Duterte, but intelligence, I think not.
Thailand’s supreme reign
Thailand was until only the last 30 years a very poor country. My Thai wife and her mother were only yesterday telling me about how life used to be in this country. Mout farmers in NE Thailand only grew rice, if and when those crops were short people would be so desperate they would eat soil, no kidding they were reduced to eating soil. Thailand is now perhaps the most food wealthy nation on the planet, it is now unthinkable that this country could have ever been so desperate for food. It was the King of Thailand and his tireless work, travelling all over thailand, teaching farmers about crop rotation, how to prepare the land, what things they could grow, how to sell their produce etc that has turned Thailand from one of the poorest nations into what is now an almost fully developed nation with high earning jobs. This is solely down to the Royal projects, the politicians like Thaksin are and were horribly corrupt, openly giving contracts to friends and family members, don’t forget Thaksin’s war on drugs that directly led to thousands of deaths and false imprisonment! If the king is an absolute monarch then good, if the new King is too an absolute monarch then good again. At least the royals care about the people, politicians the world over only care about their own bank balance.
Online politics in the Philippines
As an “online” site of contestation and amplification of certain kinds of voices, I suppose it is only natural that New Mandala keep pushing the “rise of social media” as the most significant thing to happen to “democracy” since aluminum siding salesmen all bought Cadillacs.
But when the research for the PhD is done, like everyone else, the author of this piece will avoid reading the comments section of online media because what looks like “vibrancy” when you have to find significance in it begins to look like idiocy when you don’t.