Picture 1: On the front page of the Manager newspaper of August 29, the PAD’s two core leaders, Sonthi Limthongkul and Chamlong Srimuang, confirmed that “[We will] fight, not retreat!”
Picture 2: Before I posted my contribution to New Mandala on August 29, I had come across news that police had retaken Makkhawan Bridge and cleared [...]
By now, Srithanonchai’s touchingly domestic scenes of the political standoff in Bangkok may be a thing of the past.
The crack down has begun. What bought this about can be debated later. For coverage, as usual, Bangkok Pundit is the best English language source.
So far there has been plenty of rough and tumble, but even the [...]
On January 13, 2006, Sonthi Limthongkul led 3,000 protestors from his rally site in Lumpini Park to Government House. A few hundred of them entered the compound. At that time, this action shocked many observers. They thought that Sonthi had gone too far in his attempt to bring Thaksin down.
Two and a half years later, [...]
Readers who never get a chance to watch Thai TV, or who otherwise don’t have much exposure to the representation of the royal family and its works, may find this selection of “We love Thailand” images instructive. I stumbled on it from a link on the Manager website.
In another well-placed Manager link I found this selection of topical [...]
Tags: Thailand
Previously I used to think that to address a man in his own language is invariably the best method of approach if you can speak it fluently, but French was more appropriate for high Cambodian officials, who liked speaking a European language. On the way down from the frontier through villages, knowledge of the Cambodian [...]
Tags: Asian Studies · Cambodia
New Mandala readers willing to avert their gaze from Bangkok will find that this protest – centred, I might add, on events in a very different part of mainland Southeast Asia — is an important one. Please be warned that the link contains some horrifying material.
Tags: Burma · Kachin State
With demonisation being a popular theme on New Mandala, it was interesting to see the return of Anwar Ibrahim to Malaysia’s Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives). Anwar’s victory in a recent by-election represents, for many, a victory for liberal democratic values and a defeat of the systems that promote crony justice.
As crony justice is also a topical issue elsewhere in Southeast [...]
Tags: Malaysia · Thailand · Thaksin
The question is whether the military would go along with such a game plan. The latest military reshuffle, signed by Samak on Tuesday, has further strengthened Gen Anupong Paochinda, the Army chief, as the most powerful figure in Thailand. Whichever side he picks, that party will win in this power play. But at the moment, [...]
Not everything can be analysed rationally but it is possible that the brinksmanship of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) is part of a well-considered strategic push. Stepping back from the cut and thrust of protest tactics we thought it worth reflecting on the ambitions that have drawn the PAD into its attack on the [...]
Picture 1: Sondhi Limthongkul on the front page of his newspaper, Manager (August 26, 2008). The headline screams, “Beat the enemy!” or “Win the battle!” The line above reads, “Beating the war drum to oust the government – PAD exuberant.” Below are his PAD lieutenants, amongst them Chamlong Srimuang (left), and Somkiat Phongpaiboon (second right), [...]