Last week I added my name to a letter expressing concern about the unwillingness of CU Books at Chulalongkorn University to sell two important books about Thailand’s coup [letter1.jpg; letter2.jpg]. The letter read as follows:
As academics who do research in Thailand we are concerned about your decision not to sell either the special issue of Fa Dieo Kan on the September 2006 coup or Giles Ji Ungpakorn’s book, A Coup for the Rich. We understand that these books may contain claims that many readers will find controversial, but a commitment to academic freedom requires precisely the willingness to allow opinions which one finds controversial. It is especially disconcerting when the decision to censor controversial opinions comes not from the government itself but from a university bookstore, merely on the basis of the possibility that government officials will object to the book, as was stated by CU Books representatives. Such self-censorship is a disturbing sign that basic human rights and civil liberties in Thailand are at risk. We strongly urge you to reconsider this decision and do your part in protecting academic freedom in Thailand by allowing the sale of both the special issue of Fa Dieo Kan and Coup for the Rich.
Today, along with the other signatories, I received an email response from CU Books. Here it is:
Dear “24 Academics”, Thank you for your letter, registered mailed to us by Mr. Ji Ungpakorn. On this issue, may we urge you to read thoroughly the Nation’s published on Saturday March 10, 2007 [news.jpg]. Then, kindly see to the Book Center’s complete letter dated March 7, 2007 with photos attached [cu_letter1.jpg; cu_letter2.jpg]. Do booksellers have Human Rights ? Why must this Chula Book Center be the victim? Our staffs have long endured Mr. Ji with case after case, year after year. What is the real intention, yet to find out ? May we provide you all academics with both side information. We love our country as much as you love your country. Each country has its own culture, history, and different. However, in common, we do not believe in freedom beyond responsibility or liberty beyond law. Your kind consideration and justification would be much appreciated.
Respectfully yours,
Miss Uraiwan Kornvityasinn.
Manager, C.U.Book Center
Note that the response refers only to Ji ’s book, not the Fa Dieo Kan special issue. Is CU Books stocking the Fa Dieo Kan volume on the coup or not? And can anyone provide further insight into what appears to be a running feud between Ji Ungpakorn and CU Books. Reports from New Mandala readers would be very welcome.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Vanguard Saga Of Heroes » The Chula bookshop saga // Mar 13, 2007 at 9:39 pm
[...] post by Andrew Walker and software by Elliott Back [...]
2 Srithanonchai // Mar 13, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Chula bookstore certainly is not the only one with whom Ji has “running feuds.” His extremely dogmatic personality and approach in propagating his “socialist” vision for Thailand, makes him a difficult person to deal with for many people. Having said this, I am all for selling his book, whether it is academic, as he claims, or whether it merely is a political pamphlet, which is much more probable (judging from his previous publications), does not matter at all.
3 Thongchai // Mar 14, 2007 at 2:24 am
CU Books said that they did not took the Fa Dieo Kan off the shelf as originally reported. The fact is, according to them, they did not take it from the distributor in the first place. In other words, FDK was never on the shelf at CU Books.
Some may think the answer was a clever sarcasm. I think it is honest but naive. The above response “Does the book-seller have human right?” looks honest but naive as well. Apart from the relationship between Ji and the Bookstore and part from what one might think about Ji’s book, the responses from CU Books manager raise the question about the culture of freedom, academic freedom, censorship in Thailand. The Manager implies that academic freedom is a “farang” thing; Thais have their own way dealing with freedom (of what to read and think?).
4 saraburian // Mar 14, 2007 at 3:18 am
CUBook did stock Fa Diew Gun’s Coup books. However, the location of the book were quite obscure. They did place the books at the exit counter, place usually reserved for charity books – books that proceeds go to charity. Ironically, this category includes books about the royal family.
At my last visit about 2-3 weeks ago though, the books were no longer where they originally were. This could be that (1) the books were sold out (2) They changed to location to the regular shelf or (3) The did take the book out of their
On a related issue, there are three new books published by OPENBOOKS by three youngish academics namely (1) Pitch Pongsawat “Karn Muang Ruang Kong Prai” (2) Sirote Klampaiboon “Prachatippatai Mai Chai Kong Rao” (3) Piyabutr Saengkanokkul “Praratchaamnaj Ongkamontri Lae Poo Mee Baramee Nok Rattathammanoon”
The first two books were now stocked by both CUBook and Se-ed book center (the largest book retailer in Thailand with more than 200 shops around the country). The third book, the one with the most provocative title were suspiciously missing from the bookstands.
Ji spoke at FCC Thai today. He told the audience his book are sold at his own office 15-20 copies everyday.
5 Sawarin // Mar 14, 2007 at 3:32 am
According to my friend at Chula, Chula Book stocks the anti-coup Fah Diew Kan but not Ji’s Coup for the Rich. Academic freedom.. what form of freedom are we speaking of? The whole of Thai educational state have long been pivotal in shaping and sustaining a particular type of value, and institutions of ‘higher education’ are not the exception.
6 Andrew Walker // Mar 14, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Here are responses to CU Books from two of the other academic’s who signed the letter.
Dear Ms. Uraiwan
it is unusual that petitioners hear back, so I thank you for taking the time to respond.
I am a yearly visitor to the Chulalongkorn bookshop, both on campus and at Siam Square and, like many, I appreciate the range of books you stock. It is an excellent bookshop.
However, I am concerned that Chula does not stock Ji Ungphakorn’s book on the recent coup and the journal, Faa Diaw Kan ( I have certainly purchased previous issues of the latter at the bookshop). If I am wrong about this, I apologise. Deciding not to stock a book or a journal is a political decision and reflects an attempt to shape the reading of the reading public. If I were to do this as a teacher, I would be failing in my duty to offer students a range of views.
I am a teacher, it is my job to teach. My students have a range of opinions and it is my responsibility to respect them all, even if I do not agree with them. This means I must invite them to read things that I totally disagree with. I do this often. When I assess their work I do not consider their political opinions, but rather I examine their research and the logic of their argument. Even if I disagree with their argument, it is my responsibility as a teacher to point out how they could make their argument stronger. It is the making of the argument (evidence, argument, expression etc.) thatt I assess, not whether they agree with me. I can not dictate to my students the opinions they should hold. I believe this general principle should also apply to libraries and bookshops. It is not our (mine or yours) responsibility to arbitrate on the merits of a book – rather as teachers and booksellers we give students access to a range of ideas and trust that they are mature enough to judge according to their own views the veracity or otherwise of what they read.
I should say this letter is my opinion only, and may not necessarily reflect the opinion of the other petitioners.
regards
Michael Connors.
Dear Khun Uraiwan,
Like Michael Connors and Kevin Hewison, who have previously replied to you, I would like to sincerely thank your for taking the time to respond directly to our petition. Although, like them, I only speak for myself and not for the other signatories, I would like to say that I concur with all the points Professors Connors and Hewison make, and I would only like to add one additional point.
In your heading, you ask if booksellers have human rights. This seems to me to slightly confuse the issue. As individuals working at CU Books of course you have human rights, and should it be the case that Khun Ji has in any way violated these I would not wish to defend him. That, however, is not the substance of the petition or the issue at hand, as I see it. A bookstore, as an institution, does not have human rights in exactly the same sense as an individual working for the bookstore. Certainly, the bookstore as an institution has legal rights, including over decisions regarding what materials it will sell, and it also has legal obligations, including obligations not to sell materials that have been banned. As Professor Hewison notes, there does not seem to have been any governmental decision banning either Khun Ji’s book or the special issue of Fa Dieo Kan, so the bookstore’s decision not to stock either of these is not a matter of legal obligation, so far as we can tell (and certainly this is the view of other bookstores in Thailand that are currently stocking and selling these materials). It is of course within CU Books rights to decide not to sell a particular book, but in this case the question would be why it would chose to do so, given that the books in question are about important and timely issues, and are by well-known authors (and therefore have some commercial potential as well). Unfortunately, your reply does not convince me there is a good countervailing reason for CU Books’ decision. That the material may be controversial, or that Khun Ji may (or may not) have been poorly behaved towards bookstore staff does not mean that CU Books as an institution should not be willing to sell the books in question, and indeed in refusing to do so it sends a message that it will participate in academic self-censorship on the basis of the personal distaste of staff towards particular authors or their arguments.
Professors Connors and Hewison rightly praise your bookstore for in the past being a valuable source for a range of opinions on political issues. I believe bookstores have a crucial role to play in this regard. It is impossible for everyone in society to act as their own bookseller or media outlet (Khun Ji’s personal efforts in this regard notwithstanding), so if a wide range of opinions are to be accessible to a general public–a precondition for a democratic society–the institutions that are able to distribute such information must agree to do so, even if their staff dislike the opinions expressed or the behavior of those expressing the opinions. In this light, I hope that you will reconsider your decision.
Regards,
Jim Glassman
7 Srithanonchai // Mar 14, 2007 at 8:04 pm
When this episode is over, Giles ought to present a gift basket to poor Mrs Uraiwan. After all, she unwittingly gave this hard-nosed political agitator an excellent opportunity for public relations and for presenting himself as a suppressed freedom fighter. So, be a gentleman.
8 Srithanonchai // Mar 14, 2007 at 8:17 pm
P.S.: The authorities seem to have blocked the web site http://www.hi-thaksin.net.
9 reader // Mar 28, 2007 at 6:25 am
Hi,
regarding the link from here to address:
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/news.jpg
Where the manager replies in the pages of the Nation, what is the article referred to as banned and quoted in the Giles new book, named
Far Eastern Economic Review January 10,2002.
Is this maybe available somewhere, as we all know: if something is banned it immediatly most of the times becomes very interesting.
Thx.
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