Nice piece of thought and well articulated. Not many of us, especially people who live outside Indonesia get to know this kind of “pathetic” story. Tragedy like this should be discovered more. In a way, they sometimes are acting as if they were a Japanese version of Southeast Asia nonetheless !!!
I recall that the Captain was referred to in my little as the USAF’s private army – which mean’t to me that we were at least forking over the wherewithal. One of my friends claimed at the time to be the first US ace over Laos. Minor little items to add to the many truly deserved appreciations of a warrior.
A sad and terrible thing. … It will be a test of the Burmese prosecutorial and judicial systems to see if they can put together a truly thorough investigation and arrive at a fully vetted narrative about responsibility. Or will it be like Thailand and Somchai Neelaphaicit, who had a similar role in Thai society, and whose death has been a matter of the crassest official failures to pursue.
Excellent article. And we should put the record straight by saluting those few brave Australians who stood up to the Australian governments moral and strategic cowardice. Max Lane, Jefferson Lee, and Stephen Langford, particularly stand out – though I totally disagree with ALL their politics. Except on this Timor issue.
The real test of whether Thailand’s new king MAY go down the Spanish King Juan Carlos pro-democracy road, has come with Prayut’s new anti-free media laws. Does Vajiralongkorn sign approval of these ? Or will there be a SECOND Royal rejection of Prayut. THAT, I suggest, would be a devastating blow to this general trying to grab Royal fortune and favour.
Condemnation of Trump’s action has been universal. District judges have already placed a temporary injunction on the ban, which is likely in due course to go to the Supreme Court which may well declare the ban unconstitutional.
There is reportedly a draft Order cutting US contributions to certain agencies by 40%. After the growing furore over the entry ban, Trump is likely to make sure first that his draft Order is properly vetted by responsible agencies, notably State and Treasury, if indeed he decides to proceed with it at all.
The name of the game is transparency, which still exists in the US. What we all want is transparency in Rakhine State. Fact is, we don’t know what is going on.
Let’s face it : Ninja did it! They’re very skilled at assassinating, then disappearing without any witnesses seeing them. Or being foolhardy enough to say they saw the Ninja.
Buddhist Burmese are quietly laughing now as Donald Trump has just banned all citizens of seven (Muslim) Countries from entering US and also completely stopped (Muslim) refugees entering US. He also cuts 60% of US contribution to the UN. The relentless pressure from Obama and Ban Ki-Moon has gone too.
> Raph Kramden: “We have seen the make-up of the revised Privy Council, which hardly seemed anything like a move for a more open or more liberal set of advisors; in fact, the balance of military men has gone up substantially.”
Yes, agreed, but then after administering a ferocious kick to the testicles of both men, perhaps a couple more army wallahs ‘on the board’ (so to speak) might mollify or tend to misdirect. Also, I’m not sure the leanings of the new boys have been examined in the Thai press, which, if they were solid Prem/Prayuth allies would have been meat and veg to the lazy and partisan Thai press. Also to be remembered is that the new boy has been bolstering his personal defence teams for a few years. Not much about that Thai-side either, and we don’t know the make-up of those.
I suspect the new boy is waiting for Prem to do the right thing and die horribly before showing his hand, but hey, it’s only speculation (not entirely uninformed because human nature will always out), but speculation nonetheless. Life would be pretty tedious if you couldn’t look in the tea-leaves every now and then, and after all – setting aside the dunce Prayuth because he’s just a patsy, a sock-puppet with grandiose delusions, a bit of really nasty psychopathy might very well liven up the dump a bit.
Perhaps he’ll make Prayuth dump 112. That’d play well to the gallery of ordinary folx.
I think this was dealt with by Paul Handley in his seminal book ‘The King Never Smiles”(and does not have a love of journalism to judge by the publications banned and the syrupy hagiographies not banned).
As I recall, Handley noted that Ananda was shot near the cenreline of his forehead, which would have been impossible for someone the size of Ananda to have self-inflicted given that the .45 is not a small weapon.
I tend to agree that there will be surprises to come. He is nothing if not erratic. And when he dumps people, it is not gently. We do know that from his past.
We have seen the make-up of the revised Privy Council, which hardly seemed anything like a move for a more open or more liberal set of advisors; in fact, the balance of military men has gone up substantially.
On Prem, it is clear that the king supported him all along, so he had no need to put him in his place (when he was still capable of doing things). The new guy is presumably not beholden to Prem and sees him for what he is: a manipulative old man, presumably out of the picture before too long.
Chris, if you think Thailand moved back to democracy because of the then prince’s one statement – that is who we were talking about – statement, then nothing else that he has done can possibly matter to you when stirring up some hope. My own view is different because the literature I have seen and from being engaged with the events at the time, apart from your good self, I cannot recall anyone else making much of the prince’s statement. Indeed, later in the year he was fending of “rumors” that he was a leading godfather.
The role of the king is a different story, and the best interpretation I’ve seen to date is Handley’s.
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Second acts for Thaksin and Trump?
best compare btw the 2 I have ever read on internet.
To kill Papuan youth
Nice piece of thought and well articulated. Not many of us, especially people who live outside Indonesia get to know this kind of “pathetic” story. Tragedy like this should be discovered more. In a way, they sometimes are acting as if they were a Japanese version of Southeast Asia nonetheless !!!
The colonel from Savannakhet
I recall that the Captain was referred to in my little as the USAF’s private army – which mean’t to me that we were at least forking over the wherewithal. One of my friends claimed at the time to be the first US ace over Laos. Minor little items to add to the many truly deserved appreciations of a warrior.
A personal tribute to U Ko Ni
A sad and terrible thing. … It will be a test of the Burmese prosecutorial and judicial systems to see if they can put together a truly thorough investigation and arrive at a fully vetted narrative about responsibility. Or will it be like Thailand and Somchai Neelaphaicit, who had a similar role in Thai society, and whose death has been a matter of the crassest official failures to pursue.
State of denial
I hate to mention Kim Jon Un. Educated and partly raised abroad, one should think that he would turn up normal…
Setting the record straight
Excellent article. And we should put the record straight by saluting those few brave Australians who stood up to the Australian governments moral and strategic cowardice. Max Lane, Jefferson Lee, and Stephen Langford, particularly stand out – though I totally disagree with ALL their politics. Except on this Timor issue.
State of denial
The real test of whether Thailand’s new king MAY go down the Spanish King Juan Carlos pro-democracy road, has come with Prayut’s new anti-free media laws. Does Vajiralongkorn sign approval of these ? Or will there be a SECOND Royal rejection of Prayut. THAT, I suggest, would be a devastating blow to this general trying to grab Royal fortune and favour.
State of denial
Great retort Ralph. It’s obvious you share the dark humour of a prince – nay a king indeed.
State of denial
I have indeed. You might want to consider the Stockholm Syndrome.
The Rohingya crisis and Suu Kyi’s chance
Condemnation of Trump’s action has been universal. District judges have already placed a temporary injunction on the ban, which is likely in due course to go to the Supreme Court which may well declare the ban unconstitutional.
There is reportedly a draft Order cutting US contributions to certain agencies by 40%. After the growing furore over the entry ban, Trump is likely to make sure first that his draft Order is properly vetted by responsible agencies, notably State and Treasury, if indeed he decides to proceed with it at all.
The name of the game is transparency, which still exists in the US. What we all want is transparency in Rakhine State. Fact is, we don’t know what is going on.
Eyes on the spies in Thailand
Let’s face it : Ninja did it! They’re very skilled at assassinating, then disappearing without any witnesses seeing them. Or being foolhardy enough to say they saw the Ninja.
State of denial
Ralph Kramden – ever heard of the Nixon goes to Bejing syndrome ?
The Rohingya crisis and Suu Kyi’s chance
Buddhist Burmese are quietly laughing now as Donald Trump has just banned all citizens of seven (Muslim) Countries from entering US and also completely stopped (Muslim) refugees entering US. He also cuts 60% of US contribution to the UN. The relentless pressure from Obama and Ban Ki-Moon has gone too.
Eyes on the spies in Thailand
Quite so, it was a reply intended for R.N. England.
Apologies.
Eyes on the spies in Thailand
Think you confused me with someone else.
How Duterte won the election on Facebook
Was SCL Group involved in the Phillipine Election? I note CEO Nix was attending conferences in the Phillippines just prior to the election.
Thanks
State of denial
> Raph Kramden: “We have seen the make-up of the revised Privy Council, which hardly seemed anything like a move for a more open or more liberal set of advisors; in fact, the balance of military men has gone up substantially.”
Yes, agreed, but then after administering a ferocious kick to the testicles of both men, perhaps a couple more army wallahs ‘on the board’ (so to speak) might mollify or tend to misdirect. Also, I’m not sure the leanings of the new boys have been examined in the Thai press, which, if they were solid Prem/Prayuth allies would have been meat and veg to the lazy and partisan Thai press. Also to be remembered is that the new boy has been bolstering his personal defence teams for a few years. Not much about that Thai-side either, and we don’t know the make-up of those.
I suspect the new boy is waiting for Prem to do the right thing and die horribly before showing his hand, but hey, it’s only speculation (not entirely uninformed because human nature will always out), but speculation nonetheless. Life would be pretty tedious if you couldn’t look in the tea-leaves every now and then, and after all – setting aside the dunce Prayuth because he’s just a patsy, a sock-puppet with grandiose delusions, a bit of really nasty psychopathy might very well liven up the dump a bit.
Perhaps he’ll make Prayuth dump 112. That’d play well to the gallery of ordinary folx.
Eyes on the spies in Thailand
> Ralph Kramden
I think this was dealt with by Paul Handley in his seminal book ‘The King Never Smiles”(and does not have a love of journalism to judge by the publications banned and the syrupy hagiographies not banned).
As I recall, Handley noted that Ananda was shot near the cenreline of his forehead, which would have been impossible for someone the size of Ananda to have self-inflicted given that the .45 is not a small weapon.
Might be wrong – I wasn’t there.
State of denial
I tend to agree that there will be surprises to come. He is nothing if not erratic. And when he dumps people, it is not gently. We do know that from his past.
We have seen the make-up of the revised Privy Council, which hardly seemed anything like a move for a more open or more liberal set of advisors; in fact, the balance of military men has gone up substantially.
On Prem, it is clear that the king supported him all along, so he had no need to put him in his place (when he was still capable of doing things). The new guy is presumably not beholden to Prem and sees him for what he is: a manipulative old man, presumably out of the picture before too long.
State of denial
Chris, if you think Thailand moved back to democracy because of the then prince’s one statement – that is who we were talking about – statement, then nothing else that he has done can possibly matter to you when stirring up some hope. My own view is different because the literature I have seen and from being engaged with the events at the time, apart from your good self, I cannot recall anyone else making much of the prince’s statement. Indeed, later in the year he was fending of “rumors” that he was a leading godfather.
The role of the king is a different story, and the best interpretation I’ve seen to date is Handley’s.