Last week Charles Keyes, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology and International Studies at the University of Washington, penned a thought-provoking article on “how pervasive magic has become in Thai politics”. Keyes describes the use of ritual, “black magic” and astrological insights by many of the players in the current political crisis. He highlights the links between these practices and the colour-coded street mobs that have come to indicate deeply-felt divisions in Thai society. The lack of popular legitimacy accruing to the current constitution is, Keyes suggests, a big part of the problem. In his important conclusion, Keyes points out that “[w]ithout an agreed on set of new rules for politics in Thailand, magic, mob psychology and millennialist movements will continue to perpetuate the political crisis”.
In his article, Keyes points to Thaksin Shinawatra, General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, Sondhi Limthongkul, Newin Chidchob and other political leaders as practitioners of various forms of magic. The “Khmer voodoo” so beloved of old New Mandala commentator Vichai N. has regularly received an airing in this context. Readers looking for a taste of the way that issues at the intersection of politics and the supernatural played out during the dramatic period around the coup of 2006 will find these New Mandala posts (and comments) interesting: 13 September, 5 November and 9 November.
Searching for information on other matters, I was recently trawling through America’s National Archives and stumbled upon a 3 December 1973 dispatch from the United States Embassy in Bangkok to the Secretary of State in Washington, and the American Embassy in Canberra. Signed by the American Ambassador to Thailand, William R. Kintner (1973-1975), it reads:
1. A CONFIDANT OF THE KING TOLD THE DCM [Deputy Chief of Mission] LATE DECEMBER 3 THAT THE KING HAD CANCELLED ALL HIS BIRTHDAY FESTIVITIES AND WAS DEPARTING PRECIIPITOUSLY FOR A REMOTE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT REST HOUSE IN KANCHANABURI PROVINCE. THE ROYAL DOMESTIC STAFF WAS SCRAMBLING TO SET THE PLACE IN ORDER. KANCHANABURI IS THE OUTBACK OF WEST THAILAND.
2. THE SAME INFORMANT MENTIONED THAT HIS MAJESTY’S PRINCIPAL PRIVATE SECRETARY HAD LEFT ABRUPTLY FOR AUSTRALIA. THE CROWN PRINCE IS STUDYING THERE, AND HAD PLANNED A TRIP TO THAILAND FOR HIS FATHER’S BIRTHDAY.
3. WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING AT THIS JUNCTURE WHETHER THE KING’S ASTOLOGERS, IF HE CONSULTS THEM, HAVE ADVISED HIM TO GET OUT OF TOWN, OR WHETHER SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS IS BREWING. IF THE THAI MILITARY ARE PLANNING TO FIX SOME ORDER AMID THE CURRENT RASH OF LABOR STRIKES AND STUDENT STRIDENCY, THEY WOULD MOST LIKELY INFORM THE KING IN ADVANCE AND RECEIVE HIS BLESSING. ON THE OTHER HAND, HIS MAJESTY, GIVEN THE MIASMA OF RUMORS CURRENTLY FLOATING IN THE BANGKOK ATMOSPHERE, MAY JUST BE EXERCISING UNUSUAL PRUDENCE.
4. COME DAWN, WE’LL CONSULT MORE TRADITIONAL SOURCES THAN THE CRYSTAL BALL FOR A CLEARER READING, AND INFORM WASHINGTON.
KINTNER
Writing of the same general period, King Bhumibol’s unofficial biographer, Paul Handley, notes that “[t]hroughout the 1970s crisis [Bhumibol] unfailingly performed the religious rituals of the office, tweaking them to suit his views. He visited monks known for magic and supernatural powers and still followed a daily schedule advised by royal astrologers…he sometimes explained the world in terms of cosmic and astrological forces” (p. 353).
In his Bangkok Post article Keyes has provided a useful overview of the role of magic, of various sorts, as used by Thai politicians in their quests for power. But can we assume that astrologers and similar advisors continue to play a major role in the life of the palace? With all of the assumptions and assertions about the role of the palace in recent political events is it worth considering how ritual, magic and astrology inform decision-making at the highest levels?
Thoughts and comments from readers are very welcome here. As an aside, I also wonder whether the current American Ambassador in Bangkok would ever speculate on consultations with the “king’s astrologers” in his official communications. As somebody writing about his now archived predecessor put it, “[William R.] Kintner’s embassy in Thailand (1973-75) proved controversial…He was too bluntly honest, especially with his own government”.
I also wonder whether the current American Ambassador in Bangkok would ever speculate on consultations with the “king’s astrologers” in his official communications.
Why not? It’s well known that Richard Nixon consulted astrologer Jeane Dixon, as did Nancy and Ronald Reagan. It seems to me that “magic” and “voodoo” are just as influential in the American corridors of power as they are in the Thai.
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I heard that the monk of yannawet temple is the favored fortune teller. this field is not my turf though.. just pass it along in case anybody wanna dig it up.
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During the recent years of protests many amulets have been issued in direct connection with the protest groups, such as the one Baht-Jatukam Ramathep by the “Saturday Group against Dictatorship” (which at the time straight after the military coup became quite an issue when coup supporters accused the group not to have followed the rituals of the temples in Nakhorn Si Thammarat), the “Pah Yant” of the guards, such as the Naklop Srivichai of the PAD, or the King Taksin amulets by Sae Daeng’s Naclop Prachao Taksin.
The latest i have collected was a wristband given out at the small ceremony for the victims at Samliem Din Daen that was held at April 23rd. Altogether i have collected maybe two or three dozen amulets in direct relation to the street protests.
May i also remind of the bizarre ritual that Sondhi Limthongkul held to remove tacks supposedly planted by Newin at important locations connected to the monarchy, and in which he used sanitary napkins menstruating female PAD protesters as a protection device, as described in an article by Chang Noi: “PAD saves the nation from supernatural attack”.
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Seems Sondhi maybe Thai “Rasputin” ?
No wonder he is fond of exploring female anatomy in his part time.
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“how pervasive magic has become in Thai politics”
Has become? This is the historical baseline and not the exception, as the work below by Pali scholar Peter Skilling as well as many other works show.
Khun Chang Khun Phaen is saturated with magic and the incident the US ambassador describes, closely resembles many events in Burmese history, most notably Tabinshweihti’s relocation to Pantanaw after a negative astrological reading just before the Mon revolt that overthrew him.
Skilling, Peter (2007) King, Sangha, and Brahmans: Ideology, Ritual, and Power in Pre-modern Siam,” in Buddhism, Power and Political Order, ed. Ian Harris, London: Routledge
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Jon Fernquest is absolutely correct. The use of magic in Thai politics goes back centuries. There is evidence of monk spies using magic to infiltrate enemy compounds, magicians playing tricks on enemy armies, kings employing astrologers and protective ritualists, etc. etc. It only seems strange now because of the much publicized (but often ineffectual) “reform” and “socially engaged” movements. Skilling’s work is excellent, as the work on late 19th/early 20th century millenarian movements by Keyes, Chattip, and many others. I will stop here, although there is much more to say on the subject, of course. I have a book coming out on the subject of magic and ghosts in Thai Buddhism later this year (or 2010 depending on the publisher’s schedule). I’m not saying it will be good, but there will be a lot of stuff in it on the subject:)
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Keyes’ analysis may be correct but the main issue for Thais who have tasted the material benefits of globalisation is can these magical beliefs, millennialism restore Thailand’s favored place as a site of production and investment for multinationals? In today’s Bangkok Post (7 May 2009) it reports that “the government faces borrowing another 800 Billion baht to stabilise its finances and pay for the second stage of its economic stimulus scheme…..”
Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij was quoted as saying:
“I am not worried about criticisms that the government is sending the country deeper into debt.
“People who criticise should tell me why these investment projects are not what the country and Thai people need.”
The borrowing would raise public debt to 58-61% of gross domestic product by 2012, up from its present 40%. Apparently, Korn is confident that the peak of 61% was “not too high”, based on international standards and when taking into account the effectiveness of the projects being funded.
Do you think magic and superstition played an important (tacit) role behind these decisions? The multinationals who have made money in Thailand obviously want to see that the conditions for future accumulation remain profitable or at least not worsened.
The questions I have are the following:
1. to what extent have these engrained irrational responses pervaded other dimensions of life in Thailand beyond the “political”?
2. why is there no renewed movement for Buddhist reformation in the Sangha?
3. If an “acceptable” solution can not be generated internally, will an externally engineered “solution” be the only recourse for multinationals with the help of their governments to safeguard their investments in Thailand?
If there is no single trajectory to progress and “development” does history augur well for the Thai people? That rather than “embracing the golden age of Suvarnabhumi again” (and all that crap), Thais will someday be ushered into an age of enlightened living, justice, equality and sufficiency for all?
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Such mystical mumbo jumbo was practiced by the Nazi’s, Just ask whether magic and superstition promote democracy or not? Keyes is a closet royalist reformist
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It saddens me that mere Thai ‘politics’ had inflicted a deep wedge between Thaksin and his voodoo brother-mentor Newin . . . to the extent that one would hire expensive assassins to settle scores.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/199608/newin-former-boss-wants-me-dead
And these two used to be so very close . . . and sticky together like drying voodoo blood. The hired assassin was said to be very expensive . . . Baht 20 million or so for the hit . . . because very special skills (and bullets too) are required considering the voodoo armor protecting the target.
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#9
It doesn’t sadden me. I have always hoped these two scumbags would fall out.
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Pattani-style war comes to Bangkok :
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/10/06/politics/Terror-In-Suburbs-30139473.html
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