Today’s Nation carries a piece by Chang Noi that discusses the idea of a boycott of the 10th International Thai Studies Conference. (For previous New Mandala discussion of this issue see here and here.) The article concludes:
A boycott may or may not be a good idea. But the call for this boycott signals something important. The theme for the conference is transnationalism and the erosion of borders in the world. One border could be the line between what can be said inside and outside the country.
22 responses so far ↓
1 anon // Apr 2, 2007 at 11:14 am
From the full article, it’s clear that Chang Noi has a lot more historical perspective than most posters on this blog.
2 Andrew Walker // Apr 2, 2007 at 11:50 am
Yes, anon. Elephants never forget and I suspect this “chang” is not so “noi”.
3 Srithanonchai // Apr 2, 2007 at 3:33 pm
In sum: People outside of Thailand can be much more open about what they say on certain aspects of Thai politics than people inside Thailand. And it would be good if the latter group could be as open in their analyses as the first one, thus eliminating this distinction (or “boundary”). Sounds rather agreeable to me.
4 Dick England // Apr 2, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Chang Noi probably writes the best articles in English on Thailand. You can read the last 11 years of his bimonthly commentary here:
http://www.geocities.com/changnoi2/
5 Thai Radio // Apr 2, 2007 at 5:38 pm
>> “Chang Noi probably writes the best articles in English on Thailand”
I agree that this chap has some gift in English.
6 Historicus // Apr 2, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Chang Noi’s commentary included two problems: (i) the mini-symposium at Cornell was not held under the title Chang Noi gives it. The title was: Issues in Contemporary Thai Politics. The title CN uses was the title of one paper, by Paul Handley; (ii) Chang Noi says, “The Royal association with these conferences is nothing new. In the past it has been a tradition for HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to preside over the opening ceremony and listen to the keynote address.” I have attended 5 of these events, and I know of no such tradition. I suggest that this is recent – not a “tradition” – and limited to events in Thailand. Chang Noi is creating yet another royal tradition!!
7 Sawarin // Apr 2, 2007 at 10:19 pm
Just read a collection of Chang noi’s writings on geocities as DE recommended. Ok, think it’s a Thai chang. I find most of his/her commentaries rather bland but they are probably helpful for outsiders who want to be in, and insiders who want to be out.
For those interested in finding out the role of Thai intellectuals/ academics and their ‘contribution’ towards the materialisation of this coup, check out blog postings by a Thai historian Somsak Jiamteerasethakul. Leaving aside his politics, these short essays are more penetrating than the others I came across. See if you can connect them to the current debate on Thai studies conference.
http://somsakcouppostings.blogspot.com/
ps. your Thai must be good.
8 Sawarin // Apr 2, 2007 at 10:28 pm
and I agree with Andrew that this chang is not so ‘noi’
9 Republican // Apr 2, 2007 at 10:34 pm
The silence of Thai Khadi Research Institute, the organizers of the conference, on this issue is deafening. Why don’t they come out to make a statement of where they stand? In particular they should respond to NM’s questions as to whether academic freedom would be guaranteed at the conference for panels and papers regarding the monarchy and the September 19 coup, sufficiency theory, the Crown Property Bureau, lese majeste, etc. At the very least, foreign participants at the conference who do make references to the monarchy would surely want a guarantee from Thai Khadi that they will not be given a 10 year prison term (or longer) like the Swiss convicted of lese majeste in Chiang Mai last month. If they fail to make that guarantee then we will know that this conference is indeed purely ” to celebrate the auspicious occasion of the 80th birth anniversary ….” and has absolutely no academic value whatsoever.
10 Grant Evans // Apr 2, 2007 at 10:58 pm
I can’t recall the exact details, but there was some move to organize a boycott of the Thai Studies conference held in Kunming, China in 1990 to protest the killings at Tienanmien square and the subsequent crackdown in China. Some people stayed away.
As for the ‘royal traditions’ – as I recall HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn attended the subsequent Thai Studies Conference in London in 1993.
11 Sawarin // Apr 3, 2007 at 2:23 am
Someone has pointed out that I made a slight error on Somsak’s name. It is actually Jiamteerasakul. apologies. I don’t agree with everything Somsak wrote on his blog, but he is certainly a much better ‘Thai historian’ than chang noi.
12 Republican // Apr 3, 2007 at 3:00 am
Sirindhorn also attended the 1996 conference in Chiang Mai. I agree with Chang Noi that the International Thai Studies conference has had a strong association with the monarchy – for very obvious reasons.
13 Srithanonchai // Apr 3, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Sawarin: In his Monash thesis of 1993, Somsak’s name seem to be put as Somsak Jeamteerasakul. Details, details…
14 Sawarin // Apr 3, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Don’t act like a prep school teacher Srithanonchai. What’s the difference between Jiam and Jeam in Thai? Besides, his name came to me through a telephone conversation with a friend.
Now I know your Thai isn’t so competent
15 saraburian // Apr 3, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Khun Sawarin, Khun Srithanonchai,
Speaking of Somsak, are you aware of his thesis whether it is available in electronic form?
Better yet, if Ajaan Somsak himself read this post, would you mind sharing your work in the electronic form. I know it is available at Thammasat but I can’t quite make myself a full-time academic…
16 Srithanonchai // Apr 3, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Sawarin: Nothing to do with my competence in Thai, because, as I indicated, I did not transliterate his name, but simply took it from what seemed to be title of his thesis, thus perhaps showing the “official” rendering of his name in English. Oh, I love this being called a “prep school teacher.” This is a great honor for me indeed!
Saraburian: Sorry, I don’t know whether Somsak’s thesis is available in electronic form.
17 Srithanonchai // Apr 3, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Sawarin:
P.S.: Maybe, this is similar to the “problem” of “Don Muang” and the newly-created (with the help of the Royal Institute, and Chula’s Faculty of Arts) “Don Mueang”? double
18 New Mandala » Thai Studies Conference: The extended deadline // Jun 10, 2007 at 9:40 pm
[...] available in half a dozen posts from our archives (15 November 2006, 15 March 2007, 23 March 2007, 2 April 2007, 13 April 2007 and 27 April 2007). Those posts, and the wide-ranging debates they generated, may [...]
19 Tip // Oct 26, 2007 at 5:54 am
I just visited the Thai Studies Conference website. The program is updated. Any of NM readers are going to the conference?
Sawarin, I followed the link but the blog needs username/password.
20 Nicholas Farrelly // Oct 26, 2007 at 6:25 am
Thanks Tip,
Browsing the list of named presenters, I get the impression that a large number of regular and not-so-regular New Mandala readers and contributors will be there.
And, before anybody asks (again!), I don’t think HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is a regular NM reader!
Best wishes to all,
Nich
21 Kevin Hewison // Oct 26, 2007 at 7:51 am
It may have been updated but it seems not up-to-date. I am listed, but will not be attending.
22 Srithanonchai // Oct 26, 2007 at 3:38 pm
I wonder why any self-respecting foreign scholar would follow Thammasat’s racist double-pricing policy. To them, foreigners doing research on Thailand are obviously not colleagues, but just that–foreigners.
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