From Million Man To Billion Baht March

Do the math, and it doesn’t look good for either the government and the opposition with the red “class war” exposed as a “cash war.” Authorities claim Thaksin kin transferred the astronomical amount of some 15 billion baht to the red movement within a few days after April 28th, along with the real escalation of the alleged Gandhi-style peace march. What others romanticized as the poor making their voice heard turns out to be – what a bummer for those deceived – Thailand’s most expensive political campaign ever. And let’s set the record straight: Thailand is not one of the most unequal societies; income inequalities are lower than in the most developed nations of the region.

But the red protest was more about hatred than inequalities, wasn’t it. Altogether authorities list transactions amounting to some staggering 122 billion baht gone into red coffers as per the graph further below. Too much, not possibly possible. That would build five airports à la Suvarnabhumi. Shaky figures, maybe money that circulated? The Thaksins still can freely move billions? The amount’s so big Thais don’t even have a word for that number. Calculating in thousands of millions of baht they’re not the only ones left scratching their heads. Thaksin’s son, elder daughter, brother-in-law and youngest sister alone coughed up the equivalent of some 490 million U.S. dollars within a few days.

Innocent unless proven otherwise. Fact is, we all know a lot of money changed hands. The million man march was never to be, but there’s a high probability a multi-billion baht protest was. Still, the Thaksin kin’s 15 billion baht is also the amount expected to be circulated during this World Cup. So nothing out of the ordinary really, aren’t we used to gambling in society also on the political level. You don’t gamble though for the common good. You gamble for money. The billion baht brotest must have made some bros filthy rich. Who would have imagined illicit labor can be that lucrative. And there you have your core followers, leaving the true peaceful democratic reds out in the rain.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

June 18, 2010 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Politics, Property & Investment, The Thai Mind | 15 Comments 

Marc Faber On Thaksin’s “Getting Hold Of The Money Pot”

Investment guru Marc Faber needs no introduction. He predicted the Japan bust and saw the gold boom arrive in time. Marc’s a regular on CNBC, Bloomberg TV and the likes. Faber has a reputation for being a contrarian investor and has been called “Doctor Doom” for a number of years. His Gloom Boom & Doom Report is mandatory reading if you want to stay ahead of the game.

Marc’s success has many enviers, still, I haven’t met anyone yet who’s able to prove him more wrong than right. What Marc says is sound and of value. You’re a fool if you call this man biased. He’s never an ideologist, but an observer and based on his analysis he makes his money. Lots of it. His analyses actually consider the interwoven financial and political systems as a cyclic process that started with the Dutch tulip mania of 1637, history’s first large economic bubble.

He rose to fame while working in and from Hong Kong. Since a few years Marc is a resident of Chiang Mai where he built his own beautiful place, he, this enfant terrible among the worlds financial gurus. Marc’s an uncomfortable character, many don’t like his straightforwardness, but they all listen to what he has to say. Let’s hear what he says about the Thai crisis.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

May 25, 2010 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Politics, Property & Investment, Society, The Interview, The Thai Mind | 27 Comments 

The Thaksin Cancer & Boycott

The final days of the red mayhem have shown the red revolution was not about the people it claimed to fight for. It was about the very narrow interests of a small group of already privileged people hijacking the downtrodden, hopeful and innocent. But a struggle armed to the teeth and not negotiating in good faith doesn’t win hearts and minds.

A small radical group of people, not shying away from civil war, was ready to sacrifice Thai society as a whole. In the end reason prevailed and red supporters abandoned the movement in droves. Reds felt betrayed by the politics of hatred. No, there is no Thai Tiananmen.

Society today is not as broken as the red radicals who have gone underground suggest. Much of the “division” is indoctrinated. And there is something you can do to help society recover. A reader has sent me this letter circling in the Thai-farang business community – yes, they’re concerned. You can support Thaksin-related businesses and money, or you can boycott them. Use your own judgment:

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

May 24, 2010 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Just Do It!, Politics, The Thai Mind | 21 Comments 

God Vs. Ghost

You’re well aware of the dark daylight and bright nights here in the land of illusion and camouflage. If you’re into the twilight world of protective tattoos and amulets, you know why Central World’s Zen burned down and Isetan survives without a scratch.

Ratchaprasong is powerfully protected by seven deities and their shrines. In front of Central World’s northeastern corner you find the Trimurti Shrine, devoted to Phra Trimurti, god of love, where people ask for success in love and lay down roses, flanked by the Pikanet Shrine, dedicated to Ganesha, god of wealth and prosperity.

In front of Zen? There was this beheaded Indian figure, an artist’s way to celebrate Thai-Indian friendship, the head of a … yes, a ghost, that’s how the artwork is called by now. Zen was made vulnerable by a staring ghost – oh and remember the Erawan Shrine attack? When mentally deranged Thanakorn Pakdeepol in 2006 smashed the statue with a hammer and was beaten to death on the spot by angry bystanders, Thais knew: doom will beset the nation.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

May 22, 2010 | Filed Under Culture & Arts, Culture Shock, Politics, The Thai Mind, Truly Bangkok | 3 Comments 

Bangkok’s 9/11

The events of the passed few weeks, days and hours will be burned deeply into Bangkok’s psyche. Our Bangkok will be back. Not tomorrow, not next week – and any other attempt to hold a colored mass protest masqueraded as peaceful will ring alarm bells. Warning, graphic, this is what happened on May 19th, 2010. The anniversaries of 1973, 1976 and 1992 are remembered for democracy. May 19th, 2010, will be remembered for a gigantic collapse of common sense, for utter failures on all sides. The government, the reds, the people.

However, it is doubtful the red leaders will see the light of day again anytime soon. There will be a hard crackdown against government enemies and you won’t have a clean conscience not defending that. Look at the human toll, the destruction, the lost opportunities, all in the name of fairness, equal chances and democracy. It’s not about Central World torched, this our most pleasant, most open shopping mall. The red leaders will be hunted by what they said and did.

But this is also no time for even more hate and revenge. Enough of it already. When you point the finger at someone three fingers point back at you. Sure, people were hijacked, taken hostage – like the motorcycle guy who told a reader he was paid 200 baht a day by the red shirt security for the past three days. Was threatened with violence if he left. He’s glad it’s over. Maybe he even feels remorse. Clear game plan of the reds was all along to force the regime to commit suicide.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

May 19, 2010 | Filed Under History, News & Media, On Our Own, Politics, Society, The Thai Mind | 49 Comments 

Thailand: A Chinese Colony?

So what about that Thai identity. The kingdom has so far been spared the racial chasm that openly split Indonesia and still today Malaysia. Are ethnic Chinese the shadowy masters of Thais? Name a leader here. They’re all of Chinese descent. Except, yes.

There is no Singapore without them. But what would Thailand today be without the Chinese. After centuries of immigration and assimilation there’s hardly a Thai family left without some Chinese blood.

Thailand’s a quasi-Chinese colony, internally taken over by immigrants whose diaspora did what Thais didn’t and took chances? Now traces of the old envious sinophobia rooted in socio-economics are back.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

May 6, 2010 | Filed Under Culture Shock, Politics, Society, The Thai Mind | 14 Comments 

Next Page →