Photgraphed by a reader in front of the United Nations in Bangkok.
I don’t think Pheua Thai will be unhappy about this “Vote No” campaign at all.
Book Reviews
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Review of Ideal Man
24 May 2013 9:12 AM | No CommentsNew Mandala book review editor Michael Montesano reviews this new work on a key figure in Southeast Asian history.
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Review of Misalliance
17 May 2013 1:00 PM | 2 CommentsKeith Weller Taylor argues that this new book is thoughtful, lucid, original, analytical, and readable
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Review of Thailand’s Hidden Workforce
05 April 2013 9:15 AM | 1 CommentInga Gruß reviews a book about the work conditions of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand at this time of immense change.
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Review of Gender, Emotions and Labour Markets
21 February 2013 9:10 AM | 1 CommentSri Ranjani Mei Hua reviews a book dealing with experiences of women in Southeast Asia.
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Review of Authority of Influence
06 January 2013 5:31 AM | 3 CommentsScholarly treatments of gender in Myanmar, past or present, remain scarce. Jessica Harriden’s book thus fills a gap in our understanding of an important and controversial topic.
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Review of The King in Exile
04 December 2012 8:35 AM | 4 CommentsDonald M. Seekins argues that this book is the story of a dynasty that belongs truly to Burma’s past.
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Review of Buddhist Fury
13 November 2012 7:57 AM | 21 CommentsThis book explores the relationship between religion and violence in far southern Thailand, where Buddhist monks are a marginalized local minority.
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Review of Revisiting Rural Places
30 October 2012 7:54 AM | 2 CommentsRevisiting Rural Places should become an essential reference text for researchers who work on social, cultural, political and economic change in Asia.
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Review of The Institutional Imperative
16 October 2012 7:00 AM | 9 CommentsDe-agrarianisation often isn’t very pretty, but economic disparity may well be the price to be paid for pursuing it as slowly as Thailand has over the past 50 years.
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Review of Imagining Gay Paradise
09 October 2012 6:55 AM | 2 CommentsThe creation of make-shift, idiosyncratic queer paradises provides shelter, community, and belonging for many who have refused to fit into standard narratives of Southeast Asia.
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Review of The Fate of Rural Hell
12 September 2012 7:56 AM | 6 CommentsThe models of eroticism and faith in the Hell Garden have been left behind by the robust urban bourgeois consumerist culture increasingly prominent across contemporary Thai society.
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Review of Revolution Interrupted
24 July 2012 11:46 AM | 6 CommentsQuestioning received notions of revolution, this book offers a passionate and rigorous reconsideration of the period in Thailand between October 1973 and October 1976.
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Review of Land and Loyalty
17 July 2012 9:18 AM | 9 Comments
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Review of The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk
11 July 2012 3:44 PM | 9 Comments
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Review of Saying the Unsayable
19 June 2012 6:27 AM | 19 Comments
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The hardworking water buffalo whose sweat and blood provides rice for the Nation’s dining table.
The majestic and ferocious tiger whose valor defended our borders from our enemies that we may sleep safe in our beds at night.
The brave dog whose loyalty to the country is unquestionable, whose service to the country invaluable.
The quiet but effective snake whose hard work kept rodents of our fields that fruits and vegetables may grace our dining tables.
And the every vivacious monkey that kept us all entertained and hopeful through the dark days.
These creatures are all worthy to become MPs, extending their services from provincial to national level.
I would be honoured to have all of the above wonderful virtues attributed to me.
Only FOOLs would look down on them.
Only FOOLs would mock them.
Only FOOLs would say ‘no’ to voting these virtuous animals into the parliament.
This supporter of the above animals would like to lodge a formal protest with the EC for contempt towards these great creatures and sue the advertisers for libel.
Highly rated. Quality comment or not?
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Looks like a pretty accurate representation of the possibilities to me, although I don’t, of course support the message.
Does anyone know why likening a person to the hea (monitor lizard) is considered to be the greatest insult imaginable within Thai culture? What does it mean?
Also, I noticed on a recent trip to Nonthaburi, that bastion of Redshirt support, that all the posters of PM Opposite have had their mouths cut out by terrorists. Well, to be accurate, not all. Some have merely had their teeth blackened. Does the empty mouth thing have any particular cultural significance, or should one read it as one would in the west (‘big, hollow mouth’)?
I do love community participation in the arts, especially Street Art, so I’ll be looking out for more of this type of thing. Given the very large number of people here with a high degree of visual arts talent, and the natural Thai propensity for wit, people of my ilk could be in for some fun entertainment in the near future.
Quality comment or not?
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Well, I guess Amart like to have pets in their house. To compare politicians that loyal to them like these animals (esp the font dog) seems to make sense to me.
Quality comment or not?
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A picture like this would make a great animation piece it could be titled ‘Thailand’s political Zoo’ no tame animals allowed.
Quality comment or not?
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Nuomi,
I think yoll nd that’s not a snake but the much beloved thai water monitor that supports the Thai economy by being eagerly exported to Chinese restaurants to avoid bad luck.
Quality comment or not?
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Re: michael
Two bad words that come together.
Here, Hea (เหี้ย) is considered a bad creature by Thais because it steals poultry and fish causing a great lost to farmers.
Ha, Har (ห่า) is not an animal but a disease that cause an epidemic, e.g. diarrhea.
These two words are sometimes used together.
Quality comment or not?
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Well, ‘don’t let animals go through the parliament’; this is a good comparative of the current of Thai politics. I think not only Pheua Thai but also Democrat party will be unhappy about the campaign if both parties have got lots of animals which need to be fed by providing seats in the House of Representatives.
The thing needs to be realised is that which party have got enormous numbers of varied animals.
Quality comment or not?
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i disagree with New Mandala. i think Pheau Thai Party must be happy with the NO vote campaign coz yellow shirts represents/supports the current military backed Democrat government. no vote campaign will effect more to current government than to opposition.
Quality comment or not?
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Samip – I think we agree. That is exactly the point I was making. AW
Quality comment or not?
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Buddhadasa thought all humans could learn from animal wisdom.Let us not forget they are often in charge, although Siamese cats are clearly superior beings to poodles, and help make what we are human animals
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The best thing about this poster is that it shows the boundless stupidity and crude mentality of the PAD. They may have more money – or whatever it is that differentiates yellows from reds – but they certainly don’t have any more intelligence, sophistication or subtlety. Furthermore, by descending to such levels of vulgarity, just to get one up on your opponent, shows that you are no better than the implied profanities that these animals represent. It is not the animals that that are poor, it is the minds of the people that observe them . . .
Quality comment or not?
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Thank you for noting my mistaking hea for ngu.
All the animals have rather negative connotations in Thailand.
As a western educated Thai, I can understand why such an ad can be viewed as representative of how low the PAD got or that it might be ‘beneficial’ to PT. But from a local local perspective with no pre-determined perspectives?
Quality comment or not?
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