New Mandala

7 responses so far ↓

• 1 Chris Iveson // Sep 19, 2009 at 4:52 am

  This blog only serves one person.

• 2 Ralph Kramden // Sep 19, 2009 at 9:15 am

  Yes, I’m with you Chris. The blatant boosting of Duncan McCargo’s very good book is a disgrace! Nothing more than an attempt to promote sensible discussion.

• 3 CM // Sep 19, 2009 at 9:16 am

  PM Thaksin – the present and the future.
  So the coup was a big success!

• 4 Mariner // Sep 19, 2009 at 10:47 pm

  I just wish the redshirts would pull themselves away from Taksin! They have a reform agenda to which many can relate -the move away from the obligatory blind deference to an unaccountable minority to a fair and equitable society.

  Perhaps a political movement must have some personification if it is to really succeed – a human face as it were – but this surely needs to be someone other than Taksin who is himself deeply flawed.

  I don’t see how the red shirts can ever develop into a powerful agent for reform if they can’t move out from under the Taksin shadow.

  The danger is they are now, what they will ever be -no real clout when and when it matters.

  -Mariner

• 5 Chris Beale // Sep 20, 2009 at 2:10 am

  At this very delicate and dangerous time, I don’t think we should be indulging in petty squabbles over book boosting.
  Too few Thais read !!.
  McCargo’s good books are among many – not least very good books by Thai authors, of which too few are translated into English.

• 6 Lalida // Sep 20, 2009 at 5:52 am

  Mariner,

  I think before you ask the red shirts away from Thaksin, how about asking yourself to move away from him first, is your critics aim at the coup or is it Thaskin or you couldn’t make out the difference..???

• 7 Susie Wong // Sep 20, 2009 at 7:08 am

  At issue is equality. The public mass would like their votes to be respected. With the cost-benefit reasoning, they voted for Thaksin because he had introduced income distribution which raised their standard of living. In a democratic society, we respect each individual vote. A person regardless of his/her ethnicity, race, religion, language are born equal. We must respect those who voted for Thaksin. Those who voted for Thaksin see him as an agent of change. Someone who brought job opportunities and health care to the public mass. Thaksin came from the provincial countryside of Chiangmai, that background has formed his values and worldviews, he hasn’t forgotten where he’s from. He relates to them well and ordinary people is mature to choose their own representatives.

  There is no one without flawed. Killing another person is considered wrong, yet in Thailand it cannot be discussed. Thai society is currently unfair, good persons like Da Torpedo and Suwicha Takor are put in jail. There is no institutions where ordinary person could voice their grievances. The country runs on double standard. Majority of Thai people did not choose Abhisit. Abhisit’s character troubles both the elites and the public mass. After the voting episode about the appointment of the Police Chief, no one trusts Abhisit any longer. Abhisit now has not only legitimacy issue, he has integrity issue as well. The country needs change.

Leave a Comment