The group from the royalist yellow-shirted People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said it had come to the border to fight for Thailand, and that it was the ‘duty of every Thai’.
It brushed off resentment from locals, who were fearful that the activists would provoke a war with Cambodia, saying local villagers did not understand the issue.
- Extracted from Nirmal Ghosh, “Thai nationalists disperse”, The Straits Times, 21 September 2009.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Susie Wong // Sep 22, 2009 at 12:33 am
I have issues that I would like to share to solicit ideas and analysis in order to shed light and to deter the situation that could lead to war.
1. The leader that led the group to this brinkmanship, is Mr. Veera Somkwamkid (you can see his photo in one of Saedangworld video in YouTube taken earlier many months ago). He is a Chinese ethnic Thai, and the group supporting him also mainly are Chinese ethnic Thais who were high ranking soldiers keeping border patrol in the Mekong river areas bordering Laos and Kampuchea. The foot soldiers of the group are non-Chinese ethnic Thais. The problem is during the height of the Cold War period, the U.S. decided to adopt the “Thailandization”, similar technique to the “Vietnamization” in Vietnam or “Finlandization” in Finland. As a result, these Chinese Thais do not know the real history about themselves and the history of the mainland Southeast Asia. They believe that if they follow the ideology of “nation, religion, monarchy” they can do anything and no one will dare to touch them. This ideology was given by the U.S. during the Cold War in order to fight the Communism. In the past, the U.S. adopted the policy of concentration the power to Phumipon (at the time the U.S. didn’t know the truth about what is now known). Over time, there is no balance of power structure in Thailand, the network monarchy power is the only dominant power. So claiming “nation, religion, monarchy” the PAD was able to close the international airports, and now move to the brinkmanship with Kampuchea, and no one dare to touch them.
2. There were 1,000 people from Srisa-Asoke residents in Sisaket Province (border Kampuchea), the core base of Mr. Veera Somkwamkid going for the brinkmanship with Kampuchea. Srisa-Asoke is one of Chamlong Srimuang’s Santi-Asoke Buddhist Temple for supplying logistics for Chamlong political movement. These Santi-Asoke Buddhist monks were the core logistics for PAD in closing down the international airports in Bangkok and Phuket. Now again using to cause territorial conflicts with Kampuchea. There are no scholars analyzing the connection of domestic politics to international territorial disputes as yet. More importantly, Chamlong Srimuang (also a Chinese ethnic Thai, trained in the U.S. during the Cold War, also Prem’s secretary earlier) has been the main instrument in destroying those who pro the U.S. since Sarit to Thaksin, yet there were no analysis about Chamlong and Santi-Asoke Buddhist movement from this angle. My worry is Santi-Asoke, a political movement, has strategic ramification, yet no scholars has watched this closely.
3. There are four major Great Powers players in mainland Southeast Asia. The PAD movement does not benefit either the U.S. nor China. I am worry because the capabilities gap is huge and the situation is grave.
2 Demasking // Sep 22, 2009 at 9:53 am
Sante Asoke do not know what they are doing as well as the Buddhist nations of Cambodia and Thailand. All belong to the land, Nature no Buddhist can claim ownership and control over territory outside racist nationalist discourses. My country, my king, my culture, my religion!!!! Face and ego. As Buddhadasa taught there is no me or mine. Thais, especially PAD, are deluded and are destroying the image and prestige of Religion and thus should all be put in jail at least
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