New Mandala

6 responses so far ↓

• 1 amberwaves // Dec 7, 2008 at 8:02 pm

  Barf.
  Or does that belong in the Four-Letter-Word thread?

• 2 David Brown // Dec 7, 2008 at 8:46 pm

  I wonder if Kelly really understands what is going on here in Thailand

  the comment that she has approached the Thai people out of “compassion” suggests she may look down on the people… but this could be a misquote.

  what really caught my eye is that she thinks that the people here are engaged in a contest between god and satan… this seems a very emotive description of what as is usual in human affairs is not a simple situation.

  firstly the contest is between those in Thailand that favour full participation (democratic) elections to choose the government of Thailand and those that wish to return to government by the traditional rich families.

  the interesting thing is that it is the PAD that wishes to disenfranchise the poor mainly rural voters, they call them uneducated, stupid and buffaloes on the stage that Kelly has graced. The same PAD people also talk in terms like god and satan, righteous and evil, etc.

  Australians and westerners generally should recognise that the fledgling democratic system, that began with a new constitution that was written with much public participation in 1997, is under serious threat.

  The series of democratic elections was upset by a military coup in 2006 and a new constitution in 2007 that specified some “selected” MPs to “balance” those chosen by democratic vote and many other clauses to limit the power of the parliament.

  After the PAD occupied and forced the closure of Bangkoks two International airports for a week were supported by the constitution court, basing its decision on the 2007 constituion has just sacked the prime minister and dissolved three political parties that won the last election.

  Right now the military and the rich families are trying to form a government, lots of money is flowing to change MP allegiances so thaat the government will be acceptable to the Bangkok rich families.

  The country people (buffaloes) and those that sympathise in the cities are not impressed with their votes to be over-ridden and their are threats of at least passive resistance by large numbers of people to what the rich families are engineering.

  Meanwhile, I just wonder if Kelly understands what she is part of and whether she is thinking clearly after spending time with Mr Sondhi who runs a small media empire, is the vociferous spokesperson for the PAD and mixes strident hate messages and invective with mystical events such as the famous “used sanitary napkins” to ward off evil spirits brought by Khmer to stop the power of a famous statue .

• 3 Another David // Dec 8, 2008 at 12:17 am

  I would like to ask David Brown, what evidence beyond rumor and scuttle-butt, he has, to make statemnets like this :
  “Right now the military and the rich families are trying to form a government, lots of money is flowing to change MP allegiances so that the government will be acceptable to the Bangkok rich families.”
  I would further contest this wildely generalized opinion :
  “The country people (buffaloes) and those that sympathise in the cities are not impressed with their votes to be over-ridden and their are threats of at least passive resistance by large numbers of people to what the rich families are engineering.”
  I live in Thailand – the outskirts of Bangkok. This is not an “elite” part of the capital – in fact it has (former) PPP members as its parlimentary representatives. The Thai people I mix with, are what you would call, mostly “middle class”. They do not appear to see it, in this “old Euro-centic” stereotype way.They are also not “elite”.
  I could speak about my Udon Thani in-laws too. For them, it is not a “class war”. They voted PPP/TRT, because, like in most “developed” democracies, PPP/TRT was the party who gave them benefits – or so they were told. “It’s all about the money” !
  Stop portraying the non- Thaksin side as a bunch of “elites”.
  There is obvious truth, in the short history of Thai Democracy, of exploitation of what could be called, the “ordinary voters”. But, I would also draw your attention to that happening, in what are considered to be more “developed” democracies, too.

• 4 Bert // Dec 8, 2008 at 1:13 am

  Geez … I think she’s been getting into the yaba.

  Cleverly written article though … just let her hang herself with her own inane words.

• 5 David Brown // Dec 8, 2008 at 12:46 pm

  hi Another David

  sorry i took the name first….

  meanwhile,

  do you and your folks believe Thailand should be governed by a parliament and government that is elected by vote of all the people?

  with a consistent democratic Constitution that is not completely rewritten by every new government?

  and regular elections to validate and reset the government?

  or

  do you prefer a government that is somehow appointed without regard to the votes of most Thais?

  that changes the Constitution to secure its own power?

  and allows elections only when it feels it needs to exit gracefully for non-performance or some other pressures?

• 6 Another David // Dec 8, 2008 at 1:43 pm

  David (There are a lot of us). I think your questions are rather retorical.
  Although , like you, I would prefer a system of government where the constitution was not changed at the whim of each incoming government. It should be as difficult to change as is the Australian constitution i.e. virtually set in stone.
  Unfortunatley in Thailand, it is treated like just another piece of legislation. I also agree that the desire to have elections should also be more regulated, than say in 2006, when Thaksin held a general elction just to prove his popularity.
  As for the appointing of a government without regard to the desire of most Thais, I think in this case, the problem is the system.
  Thai law allows cabinet – in fact it makes it manditory (if I am correct) – to be made up of appointed members. If someone is appoin ted to cabinet they must resign from their electorate. I know appointed cabinet members are quite common in many democracies (inlcuding the US). In the Thai context, where corruption is such a big issue, I think it only encourages more corruption.
  Further, I would ask you a question in return : during Thaksin’s time in power, Cabinet, rather than parliment was the source of power and debate (what little of it he would allow). So, what’s the difference between cabinet ruling by decree (as happened so much bewteeen 2001-06) and/or an “appointed” government ?
  As for my inlaws and neighbours, as long as they get some of the spoils, these “hi falootin” ideals are just that.
  Personally, I think that is a pity, but they are not alone in the “democratic” world in making food on the table, or a cheap visit to the doctor, seem more importnt than what a bunch of “city elites” or local pu-yis get up to.

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