Here is a copy of the paper I presented at last week’s conference on Critical Transitions in the Mekong Region:
Beyond the rural betrayal: lessons from the Thaksin era for the Mekong region
The paper draws on a number of discussions that have featured in New Mandala. As usual comments and critique are very welcome.
11 responses so far ↓
1 nganadeeleg // Feb 5, 2007 at 8:42 pm
In defence of NGO’s, I dont think you will find many that are against increased education opprtunities for rural students.
Also, I am glad the NGO’s are strong environmental acivists because they are about the only ones that act as a counter balance to uncontrolled commercialisaion (capitalism) – we don’t need another Map Ta Phut.
2 Srithanonchai // Feb 6, 2007 at 3:40 pm
This piece looks like a few initial notes put together for the presentation at the conference. Could you please also post the full paper on this web site? Thank you.
3 Andrew Walker // Feb 6, 2007 at 5:00 pm
“A few initial notes”! Ouch! That’s all there is at this stage. There is talk of various edited volumes coming out of the conference in which case the conference paper would be reworked and expanded.
4 Srithanonchai // Feb 6, 2007 at 6:39 pm
That’s welcome news indeed. Maybe, the full paper will be available at the same time that Thaksin or one of his nominees in a post-coup elected coalition government will have resumed power?
5 Srithanonchai // Feb 6, 2007 at 10:06 pm
P.S.: Some months ago, you announced that you would write an article on local political structures and action. Has this piece been posted somewhere already?
6 New Mandala » The cross-border Shan // Feb 7, 2007 at 5:12 pm
[...] of the things that struck me at the Critical Transitions in the Mekong Conference is the ongoing researcher interest, especially among MA and PhD students, in the Shan (or tai yaay). [...]
7 Srithanonchai // Feb 12, 2007 at 6:55 pm
An unexpected person has also drawn some lessons from the Thaksin era: Somkid Jatusripitak. Remember, that’s one of the main architects of TRT’s election victories, and the guy who was tipped to take over from Thaksin as PM when he “stepped down” after the April 2006 election.
Somkid has been tipped in the past few weeks to be a serious contender for the premiership after the next election, i.e. as a member of Somsak Thepsuthin’s new ourfot “Matchima.” Some of Somkid’s close aids reportedly already work with this new group.
Now the plot thickens as Somkid seem to have seen it necessary to fall into line with the “sufficiency economy” approach in order to qualify for the post–not in the eyes of the voters, of course, but those of the royalist-military-bureaucratic forces that are set to keep things under control after the next election.
NIDA, will give him the opportunity to deliver a key note address on the topic of “Sufficiency economy: the heart for the building the nation” on February 15. In a summarized interview (Matichon, February 12, p. 2), Somkid defined sufficiency economy by referring to three core concepts: mindfulness concerning moderation (which is said to mean different things to different people, and different things to people during the course of their biography, in short: the Rolex doesn’t come at the beginning of one’s career); knowledge and reason (one needs to develop oneself); not being careless or imprudent (here is were planning and step-by-step procedures come in as means to reduce risks).
And since Somkid thought that the foreigners simply cannot understood this approach, he graciously explained that all this pho phiang stuff was equivalent to what in western economic theory has been called “optimization” (he uses the English-language word).
Now we understand why all these platitudes sound so familiar to those westeners who don’t misunderstand “sufficiency” as “self-sufficiency.” The sufficiency economy merely is optimized and risk-reduced capitalism, as we have known it for quite some time. However, concerning the rural economy, Somkid seems to tend to some sort of collectivist approach centered on the concept of “community.”
This way, Somkid might well become Thailand’s nex prime minister, and, as a truly Thai friend of mine remarked, the first one who has not fully mastered the Thai language (this refers to his strong Chinese pronunciation).
8 Srithanonchai // Feb 13, 2007 at 12:22 am
Sorry, Sasin, not NIDA.
9 Srithanonchai // Feb 15, 2007 at 2:58 pm
The plot re Somkid Jatusripitak thickens further. Now the key TRT strategist has been included into the Surayudh government!
This adds to news that the military junta only aims at eliminating Thaksin and his core group, including Thammarak, Phongsak, Chanon, Suriya, Sudarat, and Yaowapha (Matichon, 14 February 2007, p. 11), while allowing the others to carry on with politics. It seems that, in their search for a viable PM candidate, the military and Surayudh have cast their eyes on Somkid.
Somkid appointed as foreign economic relations committee
Former finance minister Somkid Jatusripitak was Thursday appointed chairman of a foreign economic relations committee, Deputy PM’s Secretary-General Weerachai Weeramethikul announced.
Weerachai said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont signed an order to appoint the foreign economic cooperation and relations committee.
Somkid was appointed as the chairman of the nine-member committee.
Weerachai said the committee would be in charge of explaining to foreign governments, media and education institutions about Thailand’s key economic policies.
The Nation 15 February 2007
10 Srithanonchai // Feb 15, 2007 at 9:07 pm
In Matichon of 16 February, p. 7, a certain “Sai Haim 42″ attacks Somkid because of his apparent policy u-turn. He writes, “Why does he now have to come out with the idea that the sufficiency economy is the heart of building the nation, although, during the previous five years of the Thaksin Shinawatra government, it was none else than him who was behind the populist policies according to ‘Thaksinomics’?”
Why didn’t he “pay any attention whatsoever to applying the sufficiency economy when he had the opportunity to do so” (because he occupied relevant positions in the Thaksin government)?
Of course, the author assumes that the reason is that Somkid is positioning himself to become Thailand’s 25th prime minister (also figured in the headline of this piece).
11 Gtzbpjig // Jan 10, 2008 at 10:16 pm
future geopolitics past present [url=http://hqwch.247ihost.com/presents.html] future geopolitics past present [/url] sandal wedge white [url=http://pumqw.247ihost.com/wedge-sandal.html] sandal wedge white [/url] commercial gm quality robot [url=http://occnd.247ihost.com/robots.html] commercial gm quality robot [/url] approval down free mortgage zero [url=http://odewo.247ihost.com/approval-mortgage.html] approval down free mortgage zero [/url] name of shape child [url=http://orfqc.247ihost.com/name-shape.html] name of shape child [/url] add baking book bread cake cookie dessert dessert favorite muffin nutrition other pie pudding quick soy soy tarts [url=http://heigy.247ihost.com/baking-cake.html] add baking book bread cake cookie dessert dessert favorite muffin nutrition other pie pudding quick soy soy tarts [/url] american band camp pie song [url=http://vulzs.247ihost.com/band-camp.html] american band camp pie song [/url] 600ygr battery gateway [url=http://pumqw.247ihost.com/battery-gateway.html] 600ygr battery gateway [/url] adventure dani doctor woodward [url=http://heigy.247ihost.com/doctor-adventure.html] adventure dani doctor woodward [/url] 2007 ncaa schedule tournament [url=http://occnd.247ihost.com/ncaa-tournament.html] 2007 ncaa schedule tournament [/url]
Leave a Comment
Please note: New Mandala encourages vigorous debate. However, for the moment we will only be publishing high-quality comments that make original contributions to discussion. There will, of course, still be space for pithy, humorous, eccentric and cheeky input. Short and sweet will usually trump long and involved. Repetitive ranting, unimaginative point-scoring and idle abuse will not be entertained. Comments which carry a real name are also more likely to be approved. Thank you for your ongoing interest and contributions.