A Democrat Party MP is participating in the protests with the PAD. What is Abhisit’s stance? At the moment the Party actually disagrees with the PAD stance.
Abhisit chose a cowardly stance and still calls himself a democrat. His actions on two instances, however, said otherwise. Why boycott an election? If you’re a Political party in parliament, why do you choose not to participate in said election?
When you are named the “Democrat” party, why is it that in the event of a coup, you do nothing except talk? “Patience” is code for “do nothing”, I assume?
I never claimed Abhisit supported the coup. Also, to equate that doing nothing is the only means of avoiding bloodshed ridiculous. Arguments like yours get dissected in high school debate classes.
My final sentence should read: “The Democrats frankly did nothing against the coup except give a few interviews. Hardly is it “better ways” and is de facto support for the coup.
Emphasis on the word “hardly”.
By the way, here is what Abhisit could have done:
1. Boycott the referendum or promoted a “no” vote. After all they boycotted an election under lesser circumstances
2. Campaign against the 2007 Constitution
3. Denounce all actions by the coup group as unconstitutional
4. Protest the appointment of an interim government
5. Protest the unlawful overthrow of an elected government, or at least that MP protesting with the PAD could
6. Demand a complete re-instatement of the legitimate government
Commendably Abhisit did denounce the year long transition period and constitution drafting. But all his talk is hardly enough. In fact, if all he will do is talk, then he should at least talk with more conviction for democracy. Now don’t get me wrong, Abhisit is a good candidate. But him and his party need a better name.
Still, we didn’t see the Democrats standing strongly against the coup –before and when it took place, as they did in the 1990s. And the boycott! Rather than working hard to build their case with the voters over a longer period, the way it sometimes has to work in democracies, they took the lazy way out and let the palace do the dirty work.
Yeah, I know, easily and knowingly giving in to a coup is not the same as endorsing one. Even when you used to be vocal about the matter.
I’m sure Abhisit himself does not support a coup. But he is one man who is barely in charge of his party, in my opinion.
But what are these “better ways” to solve the country’s problem? Come out and give a few interviews then ride the political wave into office?
The Democrats frankly did nothing against the coup except give a few interviews. Hard “better ways” and is de facto support for the coup.
If you say Abhisit is barely in charge of his party, please show evidence that other party members actively supported the coup or took a different position than his.
Yes, nonviolent participatory politics is better than bloodshed. You have the freedom to disagree, but I don’t think many Thais would join you in baying for the blood of their countrymen.
Abhisit chose a wise path. In the limited space for political activity allowed he made his voice heard, and his opposition to the coup perfectly clear. And he did so at a time when the coup was still supported by the voters that make up his party’s base.
Patience and forbearance helped bring about a peaceful transition back to elected government. Any other path ran a far higher risk of prolonging rule by force and causing death. And for what? The generals have stepped back. An elected government is in place, like them or not.
Should he have been out there with the UDD? Should he have shared the stage with Jakrapob Penkair, Thailand’s own Robespierre wannabe?
I think not.
Abhisit has plenty of faults, along with several strengths. But to say he or his party supported the coup is false, a blatant lie – and one used to great effect by the PPP.
You ask what are the “better ways” than bloodshed? Well, let me ask you: are you really proposing bloodshed or courting bloodshed?
Why don’t you tell us what you believe the leader of the Democrat Party should have done under the circumstances of 2006-7.
I can’t see any meaning or sense in your final sentence, so I can’t reply to it. But if not dying on the ramparts to oppose the generals is “de facto support” for the coup, then nearly the entire country gave its de facto support to the coup.
Thanks Thorn for the insight into the Thai university rating system. In some ways my position is also contradictory – advocating for assessible public education yet also for private-style, independent ratings. Maybe one way around that is to include ‘assessibility’ to education for lower socio-economic groups as one measuring criteria – but that would also contradict meritocracy (the irony of proactivism). Many current global university ratings are also quite problematic – however, a good aspect is that it mainly favours research output and that could be a good thing for Thai university education.
Reg Varney, I read your response to my comments on another post mentioning something about ‘race’, tying Thai underlying Confucianism to Sino-Thai dominance in modern Thai cultural urban-based space, but had no time to respond. I couldn’t find those postings now (?). It is a hard one to address as I am in the fish-tank myself. I do have enough Chinese ancestry (with healthy doses of others too) to be classified as “Sino-Thai” – but that is how I see it, an academic classification. Personally I feel mainly “Thai” and not so much “Sino” – especially being exposed to the ‘real’ Chinese culture/attitude. Ofcourse they are similiarities which I simplistically classify as “Asian”, but the differences are also quite pronounced (as a proud Chinese-Malay friend also once stressed to me – the hyphenated identity quite important for him). Maybe it is just the 19th-20th Century Siamese “self-colonized” history. While neighboring countries are exposed to European divide and rule based on ethnicity, the Siamese elite (monarchy) went for the assimilation of the ethically diverse population to survive colonization (especially while also facing extraterritoriality). I am vague on all this and I am sure the many knowledgable ajarns here can provide a more researched answer.
From observation, race and religion is generally irrelevant in Thai politics and elections (money is, and Bangkok-based “Sino-Thai” just happened to have more of it) – but maybe things are now quite different in the four Southern-most provinces since PMThaksin’s ‘divide and rule’ policies that seem to see Thai Muslims as a group, like the branded “drug-traders”, that he can massacre for political gain. However, I think I am a minority amongst my countrymen that is deeply disturbed and hurt by those events.
The storage issue is interesting. A French chef told me that in France they have awards not only for cheese makers but also for cheese storers. Apparently, cheese making and cheese aging and storing are seen as two distinct processes requiring different skill sets in France.
As far as there having been any criticism of the monarchy, obviously it would be ridiculous to suggest there is free-flowing critical debate on the monarchy.
However, having attended the panel discussion at Thammasat University on Paul Handley’s book during the Thai Studies Conference earlier this year, the consensus was that most everything Handley had written has already been written in Thai by academics.
The uproar was because they were now being written in English by a farang journalist – meaning it would be spread far and wide.
So some space does appear to exist, although it is very narrow, for reasoned criticism of the monarchy.
On a side note, Mr. Walker, I find your “Democrat-except-when-you-can’t-win-an-election-and-then-a-coup-is-OK Party” frankly offensive in its untruthfulness.
Having listened to Abhisit and Korn speak several times at the FCCT and other venues, never once did they defend the coup.
The closest Abhisit came to defending the military was in highlighting the sheer hypocrisy of TRT members such as Jakrapob who were railing against the military’s involvement in politics, by pointing out that TRT used soldiers to buy votes during elections. As did the NAP before it. TRT was happy to have the military involved in politics when it served their purposes, but not when the military turned against it.
Abhisit’s position, clearly stated, was that he was opposed to the coup, but that taking to the streets to demonstrate and try and force the coup leaders to step down could lead to a violent incident that would serve as a pretext for the military to hang on to power longer than their self-imposed deadline for stepping aside.
He spoke out against the CNS’s and interim government’s repressive measures several times.
In the end, he was right, and they left. (Had they not, and he did not oppose them lingering on, then he would be fair game.)
It’s now up to the government and politicians to create a system where they won’t have a pretext to come back – something they seem miserably incapable of achieving.
It’s very romantic to say Abhisit should have been leading some May 92 style revolt.
But that would have led to bloodshed, and there are better ways to solve the country’s problems than that.
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[…] wave of commercialization in the borderlands of China and southeast Asia is the dramatic revival in popularity of Yunnan’s Puer tea. Jinghong Zhang is a PhD student at the Australian National University who is […]
My name in Michael Geary and i am planning a trip overland from London to Singapore. I would particularly like to talk in detail with Nicholas Farrelly.
We have so far 4 landrovers 1 of which is a total replica used in the 1955 trip. Several studants are coming on the trip from Cambridge university and with this they bring many sponsers and grants.
One major thing we want to know is……
There -is- a checkpoint at Pansaung, just down the road from Ledo in Changlang District in Arunachal Pradesh, but it is not open to foreigners. We need to convince the authorities in Myanmar to give us a one time special permit to cross at Pansaung. Do you know of any one particular government official in Yangon that you need to correspond with or how to go about this?
The Commerce Minister Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi is obviously talking with the people in Myanmar who are responsible for the Ledo Road area. We wondered if he could help, once he heard about our convoy ?
When corresponding with officials in Myanmar, we think it would probably be a good idea to suggest that we understand and expect that we will have an escort as far as the tiger reserve in the Hukaung Valley or something.
Thanks, this is great. Of course, as he notes on p.81 , the UMNO crony highway facilitated the national support in Perlis. This highway was driven by elites rather than through uncorrupt capitalist (oxymoron?!) governments. For me, this sort of comparison serves more to highlight the geographies elites are interested in than prove some sort of differential between liberalised capitalism and organised capitalism.
Akbar Khan seems to one mushroom short of a vol-au-vent.
A comment of his taken from UK Indymedia:
This is the story a British man severely poisoned by a Twix chocolate bar,
> as he felt his life slipping away from him he saw the helpless innocent
> children dying due to this most deadly chocolate. The sad saga escalates as
> Tesco is slow to withdraw the terrible Twix from the shelves of death and
> the guilty party starts using threats and coercion.
>
> The incredible incident began brewing on the evening of Friday May the 10th
> 2002 when I purchased my groceries at Tesco Rama 3, this was my regular
> shopping haunt as I had moved into a new condominium based partly on the
> fact that it was located conveniently close to Tesco.
>
> When I was at the checkout I noticed a chocolate display that had my all
> time favorite since childhood – a good ole Twix bar. Twix bars were often of
> poor quality in Bangkok most often probably due to heat exposure, in 7-11
> the chocolate often shows evidence of melting and re-solidifying subsequent
> to manufacture. The packaging on the Twix seemed fresh and shiny and I had
> already picked up a dozen cartons of soy milk and knew that they did indeed
> complement each other nicely for a midnight snack.
>
> As midnight approached it was time for my snack and I got my Vitamilk and
> Twix from the fridge and reclined in my armchair to enjoy my supper. I took
> a bite of the Twix and started chewing, seconds later a pungent aromatic
> organic smell filled my nasal cavities and surprised me – something was
> obviously wrong. I ran to the bathroom to wash out my mouth and felt
> nauseous, fearing that I would pass out I returned to my seat to regain my
> senses. It was very puzzling indeed, as I thought frantically how on earth
> could they smell like benzene I started to feel my chest going tight and
> started to asphyxiate, I could breath in but not out. Even though something
> was seriously wrong with the Twix I was helpless, I could feel myself
> blacking out and thought that I was dying, as the light faded I said my
> prayers, I prayed for justice and prayed for mankind.
>
> Hours later I regained consciousness, I pinched myself to perform a reality
> check and felt a sigh of relief – I had survived. I could hardly believe
> what had happened, I smelt the Twix wrapper but there was nothing
> suspicious. I decided to taste a tiny bit of the Twix chocolate to discover
> whether or not it was at fault, after sampling a tiny piece in the bathroom
> and getting that tell tale smell again it was plainly clear that my
> chocolate had definitely been adulterated. I washed my mouth out thoroughly
> and as I was still feeling light-headed went to lie down.
>
> It was nighttime and there was not a lot that I could do until the store
> opened when I could warn them of the danger. I was shocked when I called
> Tesco and found that they could not do anything, as their manager was not
> there. I contacted Effem the distributor of the chocolate and they told me
> that they would send an officer to withdraw the suspect product. My stomach
> regularly started convulsions and heaving on an empty stomach was extremely
> painful, I could feel the gastric juices being pushed up my larynx and
> burning my throat, my neck had started to swell and felt hard.
>
> The following week my throat was still swollen, Tesco had come round with a
> basket of fruit to apologize but I was not in the mood for the fruit and so
> distributed it in dribs and drabs to various security guards in the condo
> where I live.
>
> Effem explained verbally over the phone and then by visiting me and finally
> in writing on headed paper signed by their Regional supply director that
> Tesco had used concentrated industrial warehouse floor cleaner to remove
> price stickers.
>
> Tesco subsequently wrote stating that they believed that this was the cause
> of the poisoning, they also arranged for me to meet their internal lawyer –
> Steve Purser. When I went to see Steve Purser he shook my hard extremely
> hard almost crushing it as he spoke in an intimidating voice. He expressed
> anger at me for making noise about the issue and explained that he felt that
> Tesco was a victim of an internal terrorist attack. I told him that I was
> the real victim and he took me to see the bottle of floor cleaner in the
> Tesco warehouse. The floor cleaner came in a big bottle and had a skull and
> crossbones Hazardous chemical warning clearly on the bottle. I opened the
> bottle and there was a hiss as vapors pressured through the loosened lid,
> the stench that came from the bottle was indeed the same smell as in the
> poisoned Twix bars being sold by Tesco.
>
> The instructions on the floor cleaner gave clear warnings, the floor cleaner
> was also supposed to be heavily diluted before use.
>
> Tesco tried to make me believe that a young innocent untrained boy from the
> rice fields was responsible for the poisoning incident. I asked the staff
> there if they received training as to how to safely deal with foodstuffs and
> they explained that they had not received any such training whatsoever. I
> was very saddened by this total lack of corporate responsibility and told
> Tesco that I would like to know how t
>
> I do not particularly like doctors and this can be easily understood by
> looking at three simple facts:
>
> 1) I have not had vaccinations against diseases as a child like other
> children and my entire body is totally void of any evidence of vaccination
> or needle scars. This is because my ancestors lived natural lives and unlike
> capitalist consumers were allergic to modern medicine.
> 2) I had to undergo extremely painful operations as a child, which left me
> mentally scarred, and with an even stronger phobia of doctors.
> 3) Since my horrific operation on my throat, inner ears and nasal cavities I
> have avoided hospitals and doctors and have only visited in cases of broken
> bones as a quick in and out visitor.
>
> My friends recommended that I visit a doctor as more than a week passed and
> my throat was still swollen. I thought that a visit would not do to much
> harm and I plucked up the courage to go. I was terrified and almost fainted
> when I heard that I must take a blood test. The first time I went to see the
> nurse I almost vomited and had to sit down and collect myself for over 2
> hours before mustering up the courage to visit the nurse. Even though I felt
> my body tensing like a rock I knew that for the sake of all the poor
> children the poisoned chocolate from Tesco that I had to let my blood be
> drawn.
>
> Tesco had promised to get back to me with details of the poison and how it
> reacts with cocoa butter to produce even deadlier poisons, they also
> promised to let me know about the side effects and after affects of these
> poisons, this they never did and so I felt compelled in the interests of
> mankind to pursue by filing complaints with the Thai FDA at the Ministry of
> Public Health and Welfare, the Thai Consumer Protection Agency and the Crime
> Suppression Division of the Royal Thai Police.
>
> These complaints soon disappeared as Tesco confessed in writing that Mars in
> Australia had found traces of solvent contamination in the Mars bars that
> were on sale at Tesco Lotus Rama 3.
>
> The case progresses reports and evidence has been scanned and copies of the
> evidence can be obtained by emailing and requesting it from ak@aakz.com
>
>
> The case has been submitted to numerous Thai authorities and it is
> surprising that justice is not forthcoming.
nganadeeleg: I hope he puts reason behind his speech. Whatever Jakrapob says now, I maintain that his position, in English, was clear, and it is a position well worth defending. My own hope is that he will make a martyr of himself and make these points again if the case gets to court. However, the realities of Thai politics are that throwing oneself on the sword is an unlikely strategy. The consequences are too great for a lad from the elite. Like others before him, he might recant or do a little time (a la Veera) or both.
There are so few times when the monarchy’s hegemonic ideological position is challenged these days that this represents a rare opportunity for Thai republicans to be heard.
Please send donations to all of these aid groups or at least the one you agree with the most. If you want to make a donation to Storm you have to email them from the special operations page or via the contact us section.
Well Thomas Bleming has done it again. He has an article coming out in the July issue of “Arena Magazine’s” UK edition. I hope it generates some positive conversation about the KNLA and Burma.
I am sure Tom is promoting his book “War in Karen Country” in this article. If it increases the sales of his book I hope the money goes to the KNLA in quick order.
Meanwhile, My Friends are still taking in Las Vegas USA and Quebec Canada and else where.
http://www.chaiyacmm.org
Chaiya Meditation Monastery
2816 S. Torry Pines Drive
Las Vegas NV 89146
702-461-8655
“While I agree with the remark about how missionaries can play (unwittingly, sometimes) to the priorities of nation-building, they also contribute (sometimes) to an ethnic defense against it.”
Where nation-building refers to that of the Burman-dominated independent State, I agree there seems plenty of evidence to suggest that Christianity and Christian missionaries led to tension and resistance against it and encouraged separate identities amongst non-Burman Christians. But where it refers to British Burma, I don’t think there’s really that much evidence of Christian resistance to the colonial state. I’m not so familiar with ethnic nationality Christian figures who partook in the independence struggle against the British or, more interestingly, who did so alongside Buddhist Burmans towards the creation of a united independent Burma. I’m thinking of a Christian version of someone like the Muslim, U Razak. If someone does know of some cases, I would be interested to hear them. Instead, we have people like San C. Po calling for the continuation of British rule in Burma.
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Bangkok Post’s brave attack on the patronage system!
A Democrat Party MP is participating in the protests with the PAD. What is Abhisit’s stance? At the moment the Party actually disagrees with the PAD stance.
Abhisit chose a cowardly stance and still calls himself a democrat. His actions on two instances, however, said otherwise. Why boycott an election? If you’re a Political party in parliament, why do you choose not to participate in said election?
When you are named the “Democrat” party, why is it that in the event of a coup, you do nothing except talk? “Patience” is code for “do nothing”, I assume?
I never claimed Abhisit supported the coup. Also, to equate that doing nothing is the only means of avoiding bloodshed ridiculous. Arguments like yours get dissected in high school debate classes.
My final sentence should read: “The Democrats frankly did nothing against the coup except give a few interviews. Hardly is it “better ways” and is de facto support for the coup.
Emphasis on the word “hardly”.
By the way, here is what Abhisit could have done:
1. Boycott the referendum or promoted a “no” vote. After all they boycotted an election under lesser circumstances
2. Campaign against the 2007 Constitution
3. Denounce all actions by the coup group as unconstitutional
4. Protest the appointment of an interim government
5. Protest the unlawful overthrow of an elected government, or at least that MP protesting with the PAD could
6. Demand a complete re-instatement of the legitimate government
Commendably Abhisit did denounce the year long transition period and constitution drafting. But all his talk is hardly enough. In fact, if all he will do is talk, then he should at least talk with more conviction for democracy. Now don’t get me wrong, Abhisit is a good candidate. But him and his party need a better name.
Anyhow, what are these “better ways” of yours?
The Stilwell Road
Mike
Please check my email as well
Sanj
Bangkok Post’s brave attack on the patronage system!
Mr Horn:
Still, we didn’t see the Democrats standing strongly against the coup –before and when it took place, as they did in the 1990s. And the boycott! Rather than working hard to build their case with the voters over a longer period, the way it sometimes has to work in democracies, they took the lazy way out and let the palace do the dirty work.
Yeah, I know, easily and knowingly giving in to a coup is not the same as endorsing one. Even when you used to be vocal about the matter.
Bangkok Post’s brave attack on the patronage system!
If you say Abhisit is barely in charge of his party, please show evidence that other party members actively supported the coup or took a different position than his.
Yes, nonviolent participatory politics is better than bloodshed. You have the freedom to disagree, but I don’t think many Thais would join you in baying for the blood of their countrymen.
Abhisit chose a wise path. In the limited space for political activity allowed he made his voice heard, and his opposition to the coup perfectly clear. And he did so at a time when the coup was still supported by the voters that make up his party’s base.
Patience and forbearance helped bring about a peaceful transition back to elected government. Any other path ran a far higher risk of prolonging rule by force and causing death. And for what? The generals have stepped back. An elected government is in place, like them or not.
Should he have been out there with the UDD? Should he have shared the stage with Jakrapob Penkair, Thailand’s own Robespierre wannabe?
I think not.
Abhisit has plenty of faults, along with several strengths. But to say he or his party supported the coup is false, a blatant lie – and one used to great effect by the PPP.
You ask what are the “better ways” than bloodshed? Well, let me ask you: are you really proposing bloodshed or courting bloodshed?
Why don’t you tell us what you believe the leader of the Democrat Party should have done under the circumstances of 2006-7.
I can’t see any meaning or sense in your final sentence, so I can’t reply to it. But if not dying on the ramparts to oppose the generals is “de facto support” for the coup, then nearly the entire country gave its de facto support to the coup.
Bangkok Post’s brave attack on the patronage system!
Thanks Thorn for the insight into the Thai university rating system. In some ways my position is also contradictory – advocating for assessible public education yet also for private-style, independent ratings. Maybe one way around that is to include ‘assessibility’ to education for lower socio-economic groups as one measuring criteria – but that would also contradict meritocracy (the irony of proactivism). Many current global university ratings are also quite problematic – however, a good aspect is that it mainly favours research output and that could be a good thing for Thai university education.
Reg Varney, I read your response to my comments on another post mentioning something about ‘race’, tying Thai underlying Confucianism to Sino-Thai dominance in modern Thai cultural urban-based space, but had no time to respond. I couldn’t find those postings now (?). It is a hard one to address as I am in the fish-tank myself. I do have enough Chinese ancestry (with healthy doses of others too) to be classified as “Sino-Thai” – but that is how I see it, an academic classification. Personally I feel mainly “Thai” and not so much “Sino” – especially being exposed to the ‘real’ Chinese culture/attitude. Ofcourse they are similiarities which I simplistically classify as “Asian”, but the differences are also quite pronounced (as a proud Chinese-Malay friend also once stressed to me – the hyphenated identity quite important for him). Maybe it is just the 19th-20th Century Siamese “self-colonized” history. While neighboring countries are exposed to European divide and rule based on ethnicity, the Siamese elite (monarchy) went for the assimilation of the ethically diverse population to survive colonization (especially while also facing extraterritoriality). I am vague on all this and I am sure the many knowledgable ajarns here can provide a more researched answer.
From observation, race and religion is generally irrelevant in Thai politics and elections (money is, and Bangkok-based “Sino-Thai” just happened to have more of it) – but maybe things are now quite different in the four Southern-most provinces since PMThaksin’s ‘divide and rule’ policies that seem to see Thai Muslims as a group, like the branded “drug-traders”, that he can massacre for political gain. However, I think I am a minority amongst my countrymen that is deeply disturbed and hurt by those events.
Bangkok Post’s brave attack on the patronage system!
I’m sure Abhisit himself does not support a coup. But he is one man who is barely in charge of his party, in my opinion.
But what are these “better ways” to solve the country’s problem? Come out and give a few interviews then ride the political wave into office?
The Democrats frankly did nothing against the coup except give a few interviews. Hard “better ways” and is de facto support for the coup.
Puer tea – store with care!
Hey Jinghong
Great post!
The storage issue is interesting. A French chef told me that in France they have awards not only for cheese makers but also for cheese storers. Apparently, cheese making and cheese aging and storing are seen as two distinct processes requiring different skill sets in France.
It sounds like Pu’er tea is similar.
Mission to Burma, and to the Lahu, and the rest…
Didn’t San C. Po propose a Karen State?
The Stilwell Road
Thanks Michael,
I have sent you a note by e-mail with some thoughts on your plans. For the record, it sounds like an epic trip!
Best wishes,
Nich
Bangkok Post’s brave attack on the patronage system!
As far as there having been any criticism of the monarchy, obviously it would be ridiculous to suggest there is free-flowing critical debate on the monarchy.
However, having attended the panel discussion at Thammasat University on Paul Handley’s book during the Thai Studies Conference earlier this year, the consensus was that most everything Handley had written has already been written in Thai by academics.
The uproar was because they were now being written in English by a farang journalist – meaning it would be spread far and wide.
So some space does appear to exist, although it is very narrow, for reasoned criticism of the monarchy.
On a side note, Mr. Walker, I find your “Democrat-except-when-you-can’t-win-an-election-and-then-a-coup-is-OK Party” frankly offensive in its untruthfulness.
Having listened to Abhisit and Korn speak several times at the FCCT and other venues, never once did they defend the coup.
The closest Abhisit came to defending the military was in highlighting the sheer hypocrisy of TRT members such as Jakrapob who were railing against the military’s involvement in politics, by pointing out that TRT used soldiers to buy votes during elections. As did the NAP before it. TRT was happy to have the military involved in politics when it served their purposes, but not when the military turned against it.
Abhisit’s position, clearly stated, was that he was opposed to the coup, but that taking to the streets to demonstrate and try and force the coup leaders to step down could lead to a violent incident that would serve as a pretext for the military to hang on to power longer than their self-imposed deadline for stepping aside.
He spoke out against the CNS’s and interim government’s repressive measures several times.
In the end, he was right, and they left. (Had they not, and he did not oppose them lingering on, then he would be fair game.)
It’s now up to the government and politicians to create a system where they won’t have a pretext to come back – something they seem miserably incapable of achieving.
It’s very romantic to say Abhisit should have been leading some May 92 style revolt.
But that would have led to bloodshed, and there are better ways to solve the country’s problems than that.
It’s very romantic
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[…] borderlands of China and southeast Asia is the dramatic revival in popularity of Yunnan’s Puer tea. Jinghong Zhang is a PhD student at the Australian National University who is studying the production, marketing and […]
Puer Starbucks!
[…] wave of commercialization in the borderlands of China and southeast Asia is the dramatic revival in popularity of Yunnan’s Puer tea. Jinghong Zhang is a PhD student at the Australian National University who is […]
The Stilwell Road
Hello all
My name in Michael Geary and i am planning a trip overland from London to Singapore. I would particularly like to talk in detail with Nicholas Farrelly.
We have so far 4 landrovers 1 of which is a total replica used in the 1955 trip. Several studants are coming on the trip from Cambridge university and with this they bring many sponsers and grants.
One major thing we want to know is……
There -is- a checkpoint at Pansaung, just down the road from Ledo in Changlang District in Arunachal Pradesh, but it is not open to foreigners. We need to convince the authorities in Myanmar to give us a one time special permit to cross at Pansaung. Do you know of any one particular government official in Yangon that you need to correspond with or how to go about this?
The Commerce Minister Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi is obviously talking with the people in Myanmar who are responsible for the Ledo Road area. We wondered if he could help, once he heard about our convoy ?
When corresponding with officials in Myanmar, we think it would probably be a good idea to suggest that we understand and expect that we will have an escort as far as the tiger reserve in the Hukaung Valley or something.
Do you think we stand any chance
regards michael geary email michaelgeary2003@yahoo.co.uk
thanks
Institutions and regional development in Southeast Asia
Thanks, this is great. Of course, as he notes on p.81 , the UMNO crony highway facilitated the national support in Perlis. This highway was driven by elites rather than through uncorrupt capitalist (oxymoron?!) governments. For me, this sort of comparison serves more to highlight the geographies elites are interested in than prove some sort of differential between liberalised capitalism and organised capitalism.
The lèse majesté plot thickens
Akbar Khan seems to one mushroom short of a vol-au-vent.
A comment of his taken from UK Indymedia:
This is the story a British man severely poisoned by a Twix chocolate bar,
> as he felt his life slipping away from him he saw the helpless innocent
> children dying due to this most deadly chocolate. The sad saga escalates as
> Tesco is slow to withdraw the terrible Twix from the shelves of death and
> the guilty party starts using threats and coercion.
>
> The incredible incident began brewing on the evening of Friday May the 10th
> 2002 when I purchased my groceries at Tesco Rama 3, this was my regular
> shopping haunt as I had moved into a new condominium based partly on the
> fact that it was located conveniently close to Tesco.
>
> When I was at the checkout I noticed a chocolate display that had my all
> time favorite since childhood – a good ole Twix bar. Twix bars were often of
> poor quality in Bangkok most often probably due to heat exposure, in 7-11
> the chocolate often shows evidence of melting and re-solidifying subsequent
> to manufacture. The packaging on the Twix seemed fresh and shiny and I had
> already picked up a dozen cartons of soy milk and knew that they did indeed
> complement each other nicely for a midnight snack.
>
> As midnight approached it was time for my snack and I got my Vitamilk and
> Twix from the fridge and reclined in my armchair to enjoy my supper. I took
> a bite of the Twix and started chewing, seconds later a pungent aromatic
> organic smell filled my nasal cavities and surprised me – something was
> obviously wrong. I ran to the bathroom to wash out my mouth and felt
> nauseous, fearing that I would pass out I returned to my seat to regain my
> senses. It was very puzzling indeed, as I thought frantically how on earth
> could they smell like benzene I started to feel my chest going tight and
> started to asphyxiate, I could breath in but not out. Even though something
> was seriously wrong with the Twix I was helpless, I could feel myself
> blacking out and thought that I was dying, as the light faded I said my
> prayers, I prayed for justice and prayed for mankind.
>
> Hours later I regained consciousness, I pinched myself to perform a reality
> check and felt a sigh of relief – I had survived. I could hardly believe
> what had happened, I smelt the Twix wrapper but there was nothing
> suspicious. I decided to taste a tiny bit of the Twix chocolate to discover
> whether or not it was at fault, after sampling a tiny piece in the bathroom
> and getting that tell tale smell again it was plainly clear that my
> chocolate had definitely been adulterated. I washed my mouth out thoroughly
> and as I was still feeling light-headed went to lie down.
>
> It was nighttime and there was not a lot that I could do until the store
> opened when I could warn them of the danger. I was shocked when I called
> Tesco and found that they could not do anything, as their manager was not
> there. I contacted Effem the distributor of the chocolate and they told me
> that they would send an officer to withdraw the suspect product. My stomach
> regularly started convulsions and heaving on an empty stomach was extremely
> painful, I could feel the gastric juices being pushed up my larynx and
> burning my throat, my neck had started to swell and felt hard.
>
> The following week my throat was still swollen, Tesco had come round with a
> basket of fruit to apologize but I was not in the mood for the fruit and so
> distributed it in dribs and drabs to various security guards in the condo
> where I live.
>
> Effem explained verbally over the phone and then by visiting me and finally
> in writing on headed paper signed by their Regional supply director that
> Tesco had used concentrated industrial warehouse floor cleaner to remove
> price stickers.
>
> Tesco subsequently wrote stating that they believed that this was the cause
> of the poisoning, they also arranged for me to meet their internal lawyer –
> Steve Purser. When I went to see Steve Purser he shook my hard extremely
> hard almost crushing it as he spoke in an intimidating voice. He expressed
> anger at me for making noise about the issue and explained that he felt that
> Tesco was a victim of an internal terrorist attack. I told him that I was
> the real victim and he took me to see the bottle of floor cleaner in the
> Tesco warehouse. The floor cleaner came in a big bottle and had a skull and
> crossbones Hazardous chemical warning clearly on the bottle. I opened the
> bottle and there was a hiss as vapors pressured through the loosened lid,
> the stench that came from the bottle was indeed the same smell as in the
> poisoned Twix bars being sold by Tesco.
>
> The instructions on the floor cleaner gave clear warnings, the floor cleaner
> was also supposed to be heavily diluted before use.
>
> Tesco tried to make me believe that a young innocent untrained boy from the
> rice fields was responsible for the poisoning incident. I asked the staff
> there if they received training as to how to safely deal with foodstuffs and
> they explained that they had not received any such training whatsoever. I
> was very saddened by this total lack of corporate responsibility and told
> Tesco that I would like to know how t
>
> I do not particularly like doctors and this can be easily understood by
> looking at three simple facts:
>
> 1) I have not had vaccinations against diseases as a child like other
> children and my entire body is totally void of any evidence of vaccination
> or needle scars. This is because my ancestors lived natural lives and unlike
> capitalist consumers were allergic to modern medicine.
> 2) I had to undergo extremely painful operations as a child, which left me
> mentally scarred, and with an even stronger phobia of doctors.
> 3) Since my horrific operation on my throat, inner ears and nasal cavities I
> have avoided hospitals and doctors and have only visited in cases of broken
> bones as a quick in and out visitor.
>
> My friends recommended that I visit a doctor as more than a week passed and
> my throat was still swollen. I thought that a visit would not do to much
> harm and I plucked up the courage to go. I was terrified and almost fainted
> when I heard that I must take a blood test. The first time I went to see the
> nurse I almost vomited and had to sit down and collect myself for over 2
> hours before mustering up the courage to visit the nurse. Even though I felt
> my body tensing like a rock I knew that for the sake of all the poor
> children the poisoned chocolate from Tesco that I had to let my blood be
> drawn.
>
> Tesco had promised to get back to me with details of the poison and how it
> reacts with cocoa butter to produce even deadlier poisons, they also
> promised to let me know about the side effects and after affects of these
> poisons, this they never did and so I felt compelled in the interests of
> mankind to pursue by filing complaints with the Thai FDA at the Ministry of
> Public Health and Welfare, the Thai Consumer Protection Agency and the Crime
> Suppression Division of the Royal Thai Police.
>
> These complaints soon disappeared as Tesco confessed in writing that Mars in
> Australia had found traces of solvent contamination in the Mars bars that
> were on sale at Tesco Lotus Rama 3.
>
> The case progresses reports and evidence has been scanned and copies of the
> evidence can be obtained by emailing and requesting it from ak@aakz.com
>
>
> The case has been submitted to numerous Thai authorities and it is
> surprising that justice is not forthcoming.
Akbar Khan
Bangkok Post’s brave attack on the patronage system!
nganadeeleg: I hope he puts reason behind his speech. Whatever Jakrapob says now, I maintain that his position, in English, was clear, and it is a position well worth defending. My own hope is that he will make a martyr of himself and make these points again if the case gets to court. However, the realities of Thai politics are that throwing oneself on the sword is an unlikely strategy. The consequences are too great for a lad from the elite. Like others before him, he might recant or do a little time (a la Veera) or both.
There are so few times when the monarchy’s hegemonic ideological position is challenged these days that this represents a rare opportunity for Thai republicans to be heard.
The lèse majesté plot thickens
Roger: Please translate. I don’t understand your comment. It seems confused and has left me wondering if you have a serious point.
Thomas Bleming in the news
The Chaiya Monestary has moved to a new address:
7080 Virtue Court
Las Vegas, NV 89113
Please send donations to all of these aid groups or at least the one you agree with the most. If you want to make a donation to Storm you have to email them from the special operations page or via the contact us section.
Thomas Bleming in the news
Well Thomas Bleming has done it again. He has an article coming out in the July issue of “Arena Magazine’s” UK edition. I hope it generates some positive conversation about the KNLA and Burma.
I am sure Tom is promoting his book “War in Karen Country” in this article. If it increases the sales of his book I hope the money goes to the KNLA in quick order.
Meanwhile, My Friends are still taking in Las Vegas USA and Quebec Canada and else where.
http://www.chaiyacmm.org
Chaiya Meditation Monastery
2816 S. Torry Pines Drive
Las Vegas NV 89146
702-461-8655
Quebec- Birmanie
C.P. 161,
St-Paul de Joliette,
Qc, Canada, J0K 3E0
quebecbirmanie@gmail.com
and of course http://www.freeburmarangers.com
http://www.partersworld.org
http://www.storminternationalcorp.com
Mission to Burma, and to the Lahu, and the rest…
Where nation-building refers to that of the Burman-dominated independent State, I agree there seems plenty of evidence to suggest that Christianity and Christian missionaries led to tension and resistance against it and encouraged separate identities amongst non-Burman Christians. But where it refers to British Burma, I don’t think there’s really that much evidence of Christian resistance to the colonial state. I’m not so familiar with ethnic nationality Christian figures who partook in the independence struggle against the British or, more interestingly, who did so alongside Buddhist Burmans towards the creation of a united independent Burma. I’m thinking of a Christian version of someone like the Muslim, U Razak. If someone does know of some cases, I would be interested to hear them. Instead, we have people like San C. Po calling for the continuation of British rule in Burma.