Comments on: The Nation on the rural constitution http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/ New perspectives on mainland Southeast Asia Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:10:35 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: The Critique of Thaksin, Pt. I: The Critique of “Populism” « Thaksin Skeptic: Supporting Manchester City, Supporting Human Rights http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-136176 The Critique of Thaksin, Pt. I: The Critique of “Populism” « Thaksin Skeptic: Supporting Manchester City, Supporting Human Rights Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:31:30 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/#comment-136176 [...] of the rural poor to identify and advance their own interests through the electoral process. (See a summary of this essay by Andrew Walker of Australian National University for eloquent statement of this argument; [...] [...] of the rural poor to identify and advance their own interests through the electoral process. (See a summary of this essay by Andrew Walker of Australian National University for eloquent statement of this argument; [...]

]]> By: New Mandala » Will rural voters be “confused to death”? http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-99193 New Mandala » Will rural voters be “confused to death”? Sat, 09 Jun 2007 13:23:23 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/#comment-99193 [...] pieces that will help to provide context for today’s brief post.  The Nation’s recent report on Andrew’s seminar in Bangkok highlights many of the enduring [...] [...] pieces that will help to provide context for today’s brief post.  The Nation’s recent report on Andrew’s seminar in Bangkok highlights many of the enduring [...]

]]> By: Srithanonchai http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-93426 Srithanonchai Wed, 30 May 2007 17:06:36 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/#comment-93426 TRT dissolved. 111 Executives banned for five years. Democrats acquitted. TRT dissolved. 111 Executives banned for five years. Democrats acquitted.

]]> By: Srithanonchai http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-93395 Srithanonchai Wed, 30 May 2007 14:43:45 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/#comment-93395 At the EUROSEAS conference in September in Naples, a Thai PhD student will present a paper, equally based on field research, that might well provide an additional perspective on these issues (panel organizer is Joern Dosch): Thailand's old-style vote-canvasser networks: informal power and money politics Anyarat Chattharakul, POLIS, University of Leeds Old-style vote-canvassing networks have been the crucial part in Thai elections since the beginning of electoral democracy in Thailand. Vote-canvassers are called hua khanaen in Thai. The Thai public, in particular urban middle-class voters, see the term hua khanaen as notorious, involving with the abuse of power, vote-buying, and violent threat. However, hua khanaen and their networks are the most important electioneering mechanism in every Thai electoral candidate’s campaign at all electoral levels. Hua khanan play intermediary roles in linkages of political communications between politicians and local citizens. Normally, hua khanan are local notable figures with influential economic, political, or social positions. Their abilities to mobilize blocs of votes fundamentally derive from their patronage-base personal relations with local people. This paper will investigate the complex networks of Thai hua khanan. Who are hua khanan? What are their networks? How are they operated as electioneering mechanism? Why are these networks indispensable in successful election campaigning? And most importantly, to what extent and in which way have hua khanan networks been the internal factor for the fragility of democracy in Thailand? At the EUROSEAS conference in September in Naples, a Thai PhD student will present a paper, equally based on field research, that might well provide an additional perspective on these issues (panel organizer is Joern Dosch):

Thailand’s old-style vote-canvasser networks: informal power and money politics
Anyarat Chattharakul, POLIS, University of Leeds

Old-style vote-canvassing networks have been the crucial part in Thai elections since the beginning of electoral democracy in Thailand. Vote-canvassers are called hua khanaen in Thai. The Thai public, in particular urban middle-class voters, see the term hua khanaen as notorious, involving with the abuse of power, vote-buying, and violent threat. However, hua khanaen and their networks are the most important electioneering mechanism in every Thai electoral candidate’s campaign at all electoral levels. Hua khanan play intermediary roles in linkages of political communications between politicians and local citizens. Normally, hua khanan are local notable figures with influential economic, political, or social positions. Their abilities to mobilize blocs of votes fundamentally derive from their patronage-base personal relations with local people. This paper will investigate the complex networks of Thai hua khanan. Who are hua khanan? What are their networks? How are they operated as electioneering mechanism? Why are these networks indispensable in successful election campaigning? And most importantly, to what extent and in which way have hua khanan networks been the internal factor for the fragility of democracy in Thailand?

]]> By: Jon Fernquest http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-93333 Jon Fernquest Wed, 30 May 2007 10:59:23 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/#comment-93333 You don't hear much about rural opinions much or what forms them, why they think the way they think, outside your work, let's hope it inspires others to dig deeper in this area. You don’t hear much about rural opinions much or what forms them, why they think the way they think, outside your work, let’s hope it inspires others to dig deeper in this area.

]]> By: Srithanonchai http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-93250 Srithanonchai Wed, 30 May 2007 05:44:39 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/#comment-93250 From the article in The Nation, one gets the impression that the main difference between Andrew Walker and the others, who have written on this issue earlier, is that he is slightly more positive about the villagers' voting behavior. The sentence "“Don’t be afraid. Rural people do have political values. They may be different but they’re still legitimate values" could come straight from Anek. From the article in The Nation, one gets the impression that the main difference between Andrew Walker and the others, who have written on this issue earlier, is that he is slightly more positive about the villagers’ voting behavior.

The sentence ““Don’t be afraid. Rural people do have political values. They may be different but they’re still legitimate values” could come straight from Anek.

]]> By: Chris http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/comment-page-1/#comment-93219 Chris Wed, 30 May 2007 02:34:32 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2007/05/30/the-nation-on-the-rural-constitution/#comment-93219 Interesting. Well done. Almost everyone I've met in Bangkok thinks the rural folks are so naive they don't deserve to vote. Interesting. Well done. Almost everyone I’ve met in Bangkok thinks the rural folks are so naive they don’t deserve to vote.

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