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The current red protests are proving to be a good eye opening to the Thai people, and the world, to the charade that is Thai 'democracy'.
The 2006 royalist endorsed military coup, the actions of 'non political' players in events leading up to the coup, and since, have put further pieces in the jigsaw that is 'thai style democracy'.
Whilst most tourists to Thailand don't care about Thai politics as long as they can keep getting what they crave (be it cheap, depraved or exotic), and expat businessmen similarly are only really interested in their bottom line, slowly but surely more light is being shone on matters that the 'natural' order of things in Thailand mean are supposed to be taboo.
All manner of discussions are taking place in print, film, radio, Internet and in private, in Thai, English and no doubt many other languages.
There is still considerable risk, particularly if one is a Thai in Thailand, as evidenced by the continued use of the draconian LM laws and Computer Crimes Act, against people who try to seek the truth and allow open discussion. Tantawut Taweewarodomkul and Prachatai webmaster, Chiranuch Premchaiporn are the latest victims, and add to a growing list of pending cases and convictions.
It seems Thailand is being analysed within and without, and the analysis is not just limited to obscure papers and academic journals.
Whilst the cut and thrust of the day to day colour coded politics is boring to me and I abhor Thaksin as much as I abhor Abhisit (or John Howard, George Bush, and lately Kevin Rudd etc etc), I find the bigger picture issues related to the thai system/structure quite fascinating.
I hope I'm wrong, but my gut feeling tells me continued injustice over a long period of time will inevitably breed terrorism in one form or other.
Thai style democracy is built on a noble lie, and once enough people question that lie, it has to either collapse, or be enforced - the old system can no longer function in the same way because it's foundation brick (the noble lie) has been removed.
IMO, to enforce the noble lie leads ultimately to a North Korea or Burma style future for Thailand, or more likely the southern insurgency being replicated in the north east and the north, however such insurgencies would unlikely be so 'polite' as to stay away from the capital.
The alternative to enforcement of the noble lie is to allow democracy (or 'mob rule' as Plato thought of it:)
That's the battle as I see it, and whilst I had sympathy for the original PAD protests against Thaksin's excesses, if its a choice between yellow and red, (or even red and non red, or yellow and non yellow) I now believe the non yellow or red side is the only side which offers a positive future for Thailand.
(Note: These are my views only, and do not imply that the red shirt protesters or leaders agree with my outlook - rather it means I side with the reds in the current battle because they are the only side offering anything that looks like real democracy - if another group offers democracy I will also likely side with them too)
And looking on the bright side, the elite backed military & judiciary coups, which sporned the red movement and increasing analysis of 'thai style democracy', has also contributed greatly to the democratic knowledge of the Thai people (and one Thaksin Shinawatra) - so that can only be good for the next time a popular leader is elected.
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17 comments:
thanks... an eloquent and useful perspective
regards
You forgot the third choice for "noble lie" - people realize that it's not as bad as the alternatives and decide to keep it.
In fact, it's precisely the lack of viable alternatives that prevents red movement from getting an ear of the mainstream society.
Today saw their new posters along the roads: "Stop corruption, dissolve the parliament".
No way they can convince anyone that their movement is actually against corruption.
StanG: I know thats what you have chosen, and its what this battle will eventually have to focus on.
However, I think enough no longer believe it (and in growing numbers) so things can never be the same as they were, and therefore it ultimately only comes down to the original 2 choices.
The above scenario would be hastened if evidence ever comes to light to show that the noble lie might not have been very 'noble' after all.
Regarding corruption you are living in a fools paradise if you honestly think there is less corruption now than under Thaksin - in the 4 years since the coup do you think the military have just been idle?
Even the Bangkok Post recognizes its pig in the trough time, and why Abhisit is delaying.
Thanks DavidB - I like most of your work too:)
Hobby
this my comment is continuation of the one on AB blog, addressed to you (about Taksin-bashing).
I often wonder, if Taksin himself didn't strike some a deal with PAD, army, "Democrats" and Thai MSM (and the whole Amart) by which they would use him as bashing dummy to distract the sheeple from the real issues and ACTUAL scale of corruption. I mean - that would be mutually convenient for all sides concerned, right ? ;)
they pay him something to use as a scapegoat and "tip of the iceberg" of corruption, the VISIBLE part of it (or perhaps more precisely ) - while the MAIN underwater part of the whole iceberg is thus kept pretty well concealed.
it is not a big secret that Thaksin & Sondhi were buddies before - and who knows, may be they still are.
also, it's not a secret - on whose nod / wink Thaksin was allowed to become PM back in 2001 (when judges were told to drop case against him) - so, who knows, very possible that all the show with "coup" and aftermath ("Yellow" Vs "Red" Vs all other colors, including khaki) is not just on-the-surface game/ show to make it ... interesting / thrilling - in order to create a diversion from actual state of affairs (corruption etc) and keep masses focused on good old trick invented elsewhere some time ago, called "color coded revolutions"
Thailand: how will it end?
' What we are witnessing now is essentially a split in the tiny ruling elite which networks at the highest level in the army, the police, the political life of the country, and controls much of the economy. Thailand is as profoundly corrupt as any country in the world in its obscene and conspicuous contrast between rich and poor, town and countryside. The poorest 10% of the population consumes only 1.6% of national wealth, while the richest 10% concentrates 33.7% of national income in its hands...
' It cannot be denied, however that only in Thailand would you expect to meet a newly released grossly obese murderer from Australia drinking himself to death in a bar, who has come to find a Thai woman because she would “not answer him back”, or to come across a painfully shy and inarticulate farmer who has never had a girlfriend and hopes for better luck in Thailand or a man over 60 looking for a teenage girl. The outside world is literally invited to use the country as a playground and exploit the poverty of the ordinary people – just as the local ruling class has always done...
'...in the long run the issue is not the personality of the monarch but the limitations of a democracy which is permitted as long as the right side wins...
' In this way a split within the ruling class, combined with an inability to rule in a way that carries society forwards, has opened up the more fundamental division between the oppressed and their oppressors.
' What is required today is the building of a genuine party of the Thai working class, one that is capable of intervening in the present movement and placing the working class at the head of the people’s protest. All the potential for such a party exists today in Thailand. '
That' s a good article. As is your summation. Thanks.
AntiPADshist: Hasn't Thaksin talked too much about Democracy/Ammart etc for your conspiricay theory to have substance?
(that's not the sort of talk that sheeple should be listening to:)
Hobby
yeah, he did (does) talk a lot, including on those subjects. but then ...
for many talking is a job/ business, huh ? ;)
(Abhisit is just another example - not even starting to mention Media guys)
yeah, I guess you might be right saying that it is a "conspiracy theory" (although I dislike this phrase, it has become a beaten up cliche, especially very convenient to use in argumentum ad hominem). I admit, I was speculating.
but honestly, I won't be surprised at all if there is some sort of a deal.
as for an "eye opening" - I thought to add my present thoughts on that, but then decided that it would bee too much of a "conspiracy theory" here and changed my mind
(but you can read it on Terry's blog if you really want to)
thus, I look at all the current events in Thailand and so called "political game" with different eyes now (which have been opened already :D ) :
that all that is such a pile of BS !
and all the visible players are just sort of actors.
something like that - to put it briefly.
AntiPADshist: Thanks for the links - I responded over at Terry's blog.
You portray an interesting point of view. Thanks for this.
Thanks Boonsong - your comment has reminded me to link to you blog so I dont miss your stunning photography.
PPT must have seen your link to Joe Gold and has now but up a link of its own and...
Thailand: New stage in the “class war”
' In promoting a coup in 2006, the Thai military, with the endorsement of the monarchy, intended to restore the old political agenda - dominated by the monarchy, bureaucracy, the military and the Democrat Party – which had been seriously undermined by 5 years of Thaksin Government: coming to power to defend his own interests as a billionaire, Thaksin had succeeded in a few years in dominating political and economic life. In a country where business and politics are closely intertwined, Thaksin directly threatened the economic and financial interests of the Royal family and the “big financial families” not related to his own clan. At the same time, he skilfully adopted policies favouring the poor, which had never happened before in Thailand. This earned him the staunch support of the popular classes, a support which directly competed with the popularity of the King and the Bangkok elite could not stand this. The King is the guarantor of the “unity of the country”, which in fact has until recently involved smothering all the demands of the popular classes and the maintenance of the system in favour of the establishment.
' Since Spring 2006, three democratically elected governments, all involving Thaksin, have been brought down by the military or the judiciary with the support of the monarchy. The current government, led by the Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, was put in power by the military by promoting a reversal of parliament alliances in December 2008. This party is in the minority in the country and has not won an election for more than a decade. It supported the 2006 coup. Since then, Abhisit has proved a valuable ally to the army on many issues. But, for the army and the monarchy, problems are coming. Parliamentary elections will be held within a year, and the Democrat Party seems unlikely to win.
' It is in this political context that we should see the decision of the judiciary at the end of February: 46.6 of 76.6 billion baths belonging to Thaksin and his ex-wife Pojama, frozen since the coup of 2006, were seized by the courts. This is a new episode in the establishment’s battle against Thaksin. The military first sought to destroy the Thaksin party by resorting to the exorbitant power of Thai justice. The new constitution of 2007, written under the dictation of the military, indeed offers the judges the ability to dissolve a party if they consider that one of its members have committed a fault. This possibility has already been used twice since 2006 against Thaksin and his party, the Thai Rak Thai (TRT – Thais love Thais) and then its heir the People’s Power Party (PPP). Despite his exile, the monarchy and the military have failed to eliminate Thaksin from Thai politics, so they now seek to tackle his other instrument of power, money, in order to prevent the emergence of any other political alternative.
' This movement is a first step which puts an end to the exclusion of the workers from the political sphere. But for a real democratisation of Thai society, they need to completely free themselves of populists of the Thaksin type and develop a genuine programme of social transformation. '
These marxists exercise withering insight coupled with a concision of expression which is not even a memory in the MSM.
I've book-marked both sites. Thank you very much both Hobby and PPT.
Thanks for the link JFL - agree they have a good handle on things
(I suspect Giles might be a source to them)
The big picture conclusion from the happenings over the last few weeks is that the Thai elites are still not prepared to simply allow democracy, and they still insist on 'Thai style democracy' - only prepared to play when things are rigged in their favour!
Regarding "Eye Opening" ...
there is an interesting program showing on TPBS right now - I think MUST WATCH !
it is about the history of Communist insurgency in Thailand in 70-80s, and the aftermath - up to Surayudh's meeting them in Nan in 2007.
hey, Hobby, check it out :
this is a GREATEST eye opening - apparently Obama is ... also a Red-shirt !
:D
Hobby
"Hasn't Thaksin talked too much ?..."
it looks like that he not only talked to much, but also did something too much: reportedly now he is in coma (some cancer) in Dubai. well, so it was said on TV & discussed on Thai Forums.
He was on TV last night for about 5 minutes
Hobby,
thought you might be interested to have a look at my own take related to the stuff you mention here (noble & not so lies, etc) ;)
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