Could Very Well Be Doomsday Tonight

+++ Update: Just a thought: One’s freedom fighter is another one’s terrorist. Shooting at police? Wouldn’t any intact government speak of terrorism?

An “empty” post. No image, no fancy bold script, no bottom ad. At 5 pm Bangkok time October 7th, 2008, thousands of “yellows” gather in front of the parliament’s main gate, while anti-riot police opened a side-corridor to let trapped lawmakers escape. Looks like the yellows could storm the house any minute. Have a feeling that Thailand’s “liberation” will turn very ugly. Thailand has a difficult night ahead. 5.30 pm. The sun’s about to set. I wonder how long the “reds” keep quiet. All the developments in the Bangkok News Feed, right sidebar. Bangkok Pundit’s excellent live blogging here.

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October 7, 2008 | Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment

PAD Siege Broken Surprisingly Swiftly, Bloodily - Finally? Hmm

Finally, in a long overdue, coordinated action to reinstate a basic sense of the rule of law in Bangkok, police fired tear gas Tuesday at several thousand PAD demonstrators attempting to block access by lawmakers to the Parliament building in the Thai capital. With PAD core leader Sondhi talking AGAIN of today being the deciding day and final battle.

Do we discover the first handwriting of Pallop Pinmanee, successor of arrested Chamlong who favors a more unconventional warfare? Not only the Demoocrats immediately accused the authorities of excessive violence and kind of sided with the besiegers by boycotting the house’s policy debate. Police Major General Viboon Bangthamai seemed unimpressed: “I don’t think there are many injuries.”

Looks like the powers that be won’t tolerate anymore civil disobedience disrupting public life - or that’s what they planned. Ever-knowing Bangkok Pundit put it all into perspective: “PAD don’t really want to negotiate and after the arrests (of PAD leaders), The Manager website is back to calling the government, the tyrant government. Chamlong wants to become a “marytr.”

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October 7, 2008 | Filed Under Politics, Society | 2 Comments

Well Done Chuwit, I’d Punched Him As Well

Gubernatorial candidate Chuwit Kamolvisit punched a TV anchorman straight in the face and stomped on him for asking questions that were agreed on beforehand to be left off the record. Reports The Nation: “Nearly at the end of the live interview, (Channel 3’s anchorman) Visarn (Dilokwanich) asked Chuwit about the details of his plan to compete against Apirak Kosayodhin.”

“Apirak is seen as the strongest candidate in the Bangkok governor election. While asking the question, Visarn told his audience that Chuwit already gave him the details of his tactic behind the scene. At that moment, Chuwit looked at Visarn furiously and asked him why he talked about the interview behind the scene, which was supposed to be off the record.”

“Visarn shot back with a question whether Chuwit behind the scene is the same with Chuwit on TV. Chuwit argued that what he said behind the scene should be left behind the scene and Visarn should ask him about his campaign plan instead. But Visarn kept on demanding Chuwit to say whether he is the same person behind the scene and in front of TV.” And then the éclat:

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October 2, 2008 | Filed Under Food & Wine, Media, Politics, The Interview | 5 Comments

The Vongthip Letter Oct 08

“Thailand is lucky, lucky, lucky” - not thanks to the PAD, you’re about to learn. Like her or don’t like her for her political affiliations, Khun Vongthip’s strength is again the economy.

Why’s Thailand lucky? No surprise: Because the kingdom went through the meltdown Wall Street’s facing now some eleven years ago. And Thailand learned her lessons.

What could have meant a political lesson as well though remained a strictly financial thing. Surprise, Khun Vongthip still cheers for the political “Thai style” festival over at Govt House …

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October 2, 2008 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Politics, Property & Investment, The Vongthip Letters | Leave a Comment

The Post’s Difficult Readership

Since our honorable Bangkok Post has introduced the possibility to post comments under online articles, quite some disparities have come to light between the editorial line of the paper and the opinions of its readers. With the principal gap being again and again: The Post’s editors aren’t that upset with the PAD. Whereas many online readers seem to be quite upset with the PAD.

Take the in the meantime legendary commentary Dearest Tom, Dick & Harry by a certain Voranai Vanijaka, who compared Thailand’s democracy with “a ping pong ball in Patpong” that “suffers about the same level of degradation.” Khun Voranai advised politically concerned foreigners: “But beg your pardon, please do not insult us. Especially if you are a guest in our country.”

A week later Khun Voranai had to run a clarifying apology. Too many angry comments seemed to have inundated the Post’s editorial desk. But readers didn’t have to wait long for a next displeasing commentary: Deputy editor-in-chief Veera Prateepchaikul’s Time for what? didn’t get Khun Voranai’s nearly 300 comments. Judging from some of the comments though Khun Veera didn’t cause a lesser stir.

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September 30, 2008 | Filed Under Media, Politics | 5 Comments

Khlong Stunt Drowns Man & Lovely Leena’s Dream

It must have happened in Bangkok. A publicity stunt by underdog Leena Jangjanya in the race to be governor of Bangkok went terribly wrong when a campaign staff drowned as they bathed in a canal to highlight the plight of residents who have no access to clean water.

Thing is: He was crying for help. But staff thought he was putting up a show for the TV cameras. According to candidate Leena the 32-year-old Thirasak Sitanont drowned as she and other staff were showing journalists the rashes they got from washing in the filthy water.

To speak with Reuters: “One of my staff saw him waving and crying for help, but we thought he was pretending and he was far away from us, posing for two TV crews,” a sobbing Leena told Reuters. Death campaign. So much for headline-grabbing activities.

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September 25, 2008 | Filed Under Politics, Seriously, not ... | 2 Comments

PAD’s Progressive Sexism: Carry A Condom? Bad Bad Girl

Sexist logic of our “progressive” PAD movement? The protest site at Govt House is not only off limits to sex workers, we’re told. If you haven’t heard the accusation yet: Government House was “full of used condoms because many protesters were using the site as their sexual playground.”

True or not: Proper women should never carry condoms around with them. If they do and associate with the PAD, expect some swiftboating. This related glorious Bangkok Post commentary is not only about the brave new sexist world under a PAD purism.

And we still don’t know what New Politics is really all about. Can assure you that much: New Politics will remain a flexible something adjustable at will - with the highest purity, proper morals and perfect ethics in mind. In men’s oppressive minds. New Politics and women’s rights?!

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September 25, 2008 | Filed Under Politics, Society, The Thai Mind | 2 Comments

Tidbits: The Protester, The Reputation, The Drama Queens - & Degenerated Patpong Ping Pong Balls

Tells me my wife - yes, she was on the streets back in 2006 wearing the yellow headband: “The protesters, you know, the PAD is a blessing for them. Look, they get free food and entertainment. They’re mostly the unemployed - we average people have to work.” Thailand’s reputation meanwhile?

Hijacked democracy, rule of the instinct and desire, paradise gone wrong, a not yet completely failed state, tit-for-tat justice, the strengthening of Thaksin, land of the smiling police and won’t-hurt-you-soldier, a postmodern Greek tragedy with that unmeant knack for the tragicomic - and Patpong ping poll balls symbolizing democracy finally. Yes, just read on.

The drama queens at last. Calling black white, daring to reinvent centuries of sociopolitical development, proving the power of misbelief while disproving the proven, masters of the transvaluation of values - Friedrich Nietzsche would have gone green with envy listening to Sondhi, Chamlong & Co.

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September 20, 2008 | Filed Under Being Farang, Politics, Seriously, not ..., The Thai Mind, Tidbits | 11 Comments

Homesick Thaksin Bitter In Exile

Thaksin talks. Bitterly. Reuters calls it former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s “first interview since August 11th, when Thaksin and his wife issued a statement confirming they were in England after skipping bail on graft charges.”

Reuters spoke to him by telephone, reaching Thaksin at his home in the upscale commuter belt of Surrey, southwest of London - as he seemed to have time again after all those phone calls from London to Bangkok. He has lots of other worries though than Thai politics.

“I need to concentrate on making a living overseas for my children and my wife,” he said. How?! No word about a new job - but this on the PAD: “They can say whatever they want. From now on, anything on earth you want to do, you will have to get permission from the PAD before you can do it.”

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September 18, 2008 | Filed Under History, Politics, The Interview | Leave a Comment