There is an interesting letter in today’s online edition of The Nation:
Wrong to use Kasit’s remarks against him
Published on December 29, 2008It is easy enough to pick up words spoken by the new Foreign Minister when he was Kasit Piromya, a PAD supporter, and use them against him in his new job. Anyone who understands the situations and knows Kasit well would know that his remark on the PAD protest at the Suvannabhumi Airport was a light-hearted and cynical response probably over the frustration of seeing the government still in power.
It is inconceivable to think that Kasit meant any harm to his country, or really enjoyed the damage – real or imputed – caused by the closure of the airport. An unknowing foreign correspondent, who reported this in the foreign news media, may be forgiven for taking his words too seriously, but if he or she did so knowingly to belittle or undermine the new government he or she may be more at fault than Kasit.
MEDHI KRONGKAEW
BANGKOK
I wonder if this is the Medhi Krongkaew who is a member of the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission and who visited ANU last year to talk of his fight against corrupt politicians?
16 responses so far ↓
1 Titima // Dec 29, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Political polarization can not be solved by placing a terrorist as a foreign minister. Mr. Kasit Pirom does not respect the rule of law.
He was on the PAD’s stage and mobilized people to seize the Suwanaphum international airport. He said he had no regret. His wife attended the PAD rally daily. He explained that in fact he had lots of fun, he enjoyed good food, good music, while causing trouble to international passengers and damaging Thailand’s economic opportunity with illegal action.
This should not be the behavior of a foreign minister. Thailand deserves someone with better judgment. We must not reward terrorists.
2 Dorm // Dec 29, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Is there another country in this region where one can comment in the knowledge that it might just lead to something constructive? ….. No. Blogging in this region is a displacement activity for those who haven’t yet quite conditioned themselves to the local notion that life is for shopping and conspicuous consumption. God knows where the notion of Eastern mysticism ever came from. I see a temple. I see another shopping op.
3 Jim Taylor // Dec 29, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Medhi’s comments are not fit for publishing and as an academic he should be ashamed of himself…People like him are using any excuse for excusing the unexcusable and undermining basic democratic principles; a country for the people by the people.
4 Srithanonchai // Dec 29, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Elite PAD apologist Medhi has in fact been a regular visitor to ANU. So, next time, please ask him a few hard questions. I know this type of Thai male phu yai only too well. On the surface, they are friendly when you nicely wai them and show your deference and admiration. But as soon as you question their competence, knowledge, and judgment, they can become very intolerant.
5 David Brown // Dec 29, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Dorm,
I just wonder what you mean by your comment?
I assumed that these guys have met MEDHI KRONGKAEW and, whatever they thought of him at the time they think that his current statements are interesting… to me, they appear irrational, trying to spin a story about Kasit and not really making sense…
is this not something of interest generally and constructive in the sense that when we read stories of actions by the Thai ONACC we can recognise that a somewhat finer rationality filter than normal should be used?
Personally I am already alert and concerned about most Thai institutions because there is so much manipulation and dishonourable activity behind their actions that means any so-called determinations or judgements need to be independently investigated before accepting anything at face value.
do you think my attitude is constructive, in terms of searching for the “truth” or perhaps destructive because my attitude indicates reduced “faith” in the operations of Thai institutions?
6 Ralph Kramden // Dec 29, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I wasn’t at the event where Kasit spoke, but I have spoken to 2-3 Thai academics who were there, and they were shocked that Kasit spoke in this way when he was dues to be foreign minister. So Medhi is just making the usual defense from the elite – foreigners don’t understand. How many times will we hear this in the coming year?
7 sarap // Dec 29, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I hardly feel he is a terrorist and may be actually a good choice. It seems everyone has forgotten the terrorist attacks carried out against the PAD by the UDD nightly.
That is Terrorism in my dictionary.
8 Colum Graham // Dec 30, 2008 at 12:28 am
Holistic reason is a tool of dastardly neo-colonialists. Use it and be damned!
9 Jim Taylor // Dec 30, 2008 at 2:16 am
poor Sarap- reading too much from the Manager (phujatkaan) on line and the brainwashing rubbish…actually I was with the Reds today at Parliament and yesterday at Sanam Luang. Funny thing is the police whom I spoke said they were not scared as they were with PAD thugs. Why is that?
10 GNZ // Dec 30, 2008 at 5:28 am
sarap,
1) if two terrorists fight that doesn’t mean one of them stops being a terrorist, it just means two terrorists are fighting.
2) Kasit’s unsuitibility is seperate from whether he was right or not – he has a tarnished foreign image and smart administrations just dont put that sort of person as a FM. Surely the Democrats can find a competent person who ISN’T associated with the PAD.
11 sackman // Dec 30, 2008 at 11:11 am
In my opinion, PAD’s action is unacceptable, unexcusable and therefore undefendable. But I’m just a commoner. Though I don’t personally know Mr Medhi, I can guess that he’s one of those upper-class Sakdina (same as Mr Kasit). The Sakdinas think PAD’s actions are justifiable. Anything for the royal and elitists is acceptible, even if it’s “a bit” illegal (eg. closing the airport). They think they have special privileges. Sadly, from a Sakdina’s viewpoint, PAD was right.
12 BB // Dec 30, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Jim Taylor:
I think if we do a content analysis of the talks by the PAD leaders and UDD leaders, we’d find that the PAD tends to use more inflammatory rhetoric that incites people to hatred and possible violence. UDD rhetoric seems gentle and reasonable by comparison (except for the parts extolling the virtues of Thaksin). Also, the PAD guards are hired thugs who fancy themselves warriors, whereas the UDD doesn’t seem to have hired muscle, the closest thing being motorcycle taxi drivers.
13 doctorJ // Dec 30, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Well,Kasit’s action as a FM will speak for itself as whether (the then PAD supporter)Kasit did really mean what he said on the PAD stage.
Let’s see whether Kasit will summon up troops and clash on Cambodia instead of diplomatic negotiation.
If not so,Kasit is no better than the rest of the corrupted politician(as he’s so keen to accused)who can lie anything to defame his opponents.
Is this the so-called New Politics of yours is all about?
Sad but true!
14 Roger // Dec 30, 2008 at 7:34 pm
GNZ,
1) Right on, brother!
2) You’re forgetting that the DP is indebted to the PAD for creating the chaos that stopped the government from doing anything until the court and the army could depose the legal government and manipulate selection of Abhisit. Debts must be paid, unless you owe them to allies of Thaksin.
15 amberwaves // Jan 1, 2009 at 1:55 am
Sarap said: “…It seems everyone has forgotten the terrorist attacks carried out against the PAD by the UDD nightly…”
The UDD carried out terrorist attacks against the PAD? Maybe. Presumably you have evidence of this. Can you post it here? Have you gone to the police with it?
I’m tired of seeing this “conventional wisdom” without any facts to back it up. People who just parrot Manager and ASTV used to be irritating, now they are merely boring.
16 Ralph Kramden // Jan 16, 2009 at 10:47 pm
So apart from a few PADites being put into high places and the attention the Dems have given to lese majeste, what has happened to PAD? It is as if Sondhi and Chamlong have died. Not a peep from them? Am I missing a dialogue that is going on? Or was PAD just a puppet movement that served a purpose?
Leave a Comment
Please note: New Mandala encourages vigorous debate. However, for the moment we will only be publishing high-quality comments that make original contributions to discussion. There will, of course, still be space for pithy, humorous, eccentric and cheeky input. Short and sweet will usually trump long and involved. Repetitive ranting, unimaginative point-scoring and idle abuse will not be entertained. Comments which carry a real name are also more likely to be approved. Thank you for your ongoing interest and contributions.