Thai Politics Go Blockbuster
Hollywood has discovered the power of the misery of Thai politics. Guaranteed box office hits soon to arrive in a theater near you: “The Happiness of Sondhi,” “Prince of Montenegro,” “Thueag, I Love You.”
Release dates of the latest Thai blockbusters are not yet finalized, but expect the Thai film scene to take the world by storm after the “strange dream” Uncle Boonmee pocketed Cannes’ Palme d’Or 2010.
This is an exclusive, the movie posters of flicks starring real-world heroes and traitors. The kingdom of soap operas aims for new glory with the groundbreaking cinematic interpretation of what’s really going on, such as Thaksin’s “search for that M79″:
Coming soon:
(Thueag*, I Love You – “Love takes away loneliness. Why do you deny love?” – “Are you searching for M79?” – * named after lover’s surname)
(Prince of Montenegro)
(Spikee-Man 8 – “Whooo! I’m safe”)
(Escape to Montenegro – “The Theory of Escaping a Political Verdict” – Says Takki: “I can’t even save myself” – Sondhi: “They shoot me they shoot me they shoot me they shoot me they already shoot me” – Mark: “I don’t want anymore, I don’t want to be PM anymore. Can I stay with you?”)
(Thaksin 300 Bath – Or rather: “Thaksin 300 Baht?”)
(The Happiness of Sondhi – “The greatest happiness flourishes in the heart of the little leader”)
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jon Fernquest, BKKDan. BKKDan said: (BLOG) Thai Politics Go Blockbuster http://bit.ly/bpkn8c [...]
This post is a watershed event in the rapid escalation of your pro-yellow agenda.
Your site is no longer worth reading.
Deary deary me, MongerSEA. If this is the most controversial thing you’ve seen then you’re clearly not looking hard enough.
MongerSEA – I think you’re wrong.
1) It’s always informative to see examples of inventive (not to to say slickly produced) propaganda – and the last one shown can hardly be regarded as “pro-yellow,” can it?
2) To state the obvious, being critical (even vitriolically) of one side’s flaws does not make anyone automatically pro any of their opponents. There’s more than enough of that knee-jerk mentality at ThaiVisa, Facebook, Bangkok Post comments etc.
All you do by now labeling BD “pro-yellow” because of his (IMO) move from UDD-tolerant through UDD-sceptic to UDD-antagonistic is reinforce his view of how right he is (I see he lost no time in putting out an indignant tweet apparently referring to your accusation).
The “escalation” I do see here is a growing readiness to accept as fact unsubstantiated and hyperbolic claims that conform to his new-found view – and, to put it mildly, a reluctance to see the validity of evidence that calls them into question or puts them into other than a “black hat/white hat” context.
We’re all subjective in our views to some degree and that must inevitably colour our judgement – but most of us are able to manage things so that we still essentially retain objectivity. My own view is that BD’s objectivity has taken a dive. On a scale of 1-10, I’d put it at about 3.
If BD decides to allow this post to appear on his blog, perhaps others would like to give their own (albeit subjective) scores for the objectivity of what he now posts?
I’ve got no problem with this latest blog by Dan.
My biggest gripe is that Dan engages in political debate (and point scoring), but when the going gets tough he resorts to censorship.
It’s one thing to censor to stay within the draconian laws, but to resort to it to close down opposing views is most disappointing IMO.
Thanks for your comment Steve.
Feel like a little Abhisit, being kicked from the right and the left and the top and the bottom. But this is a blog, a personal thing, no beauty contest to please anyone, not to mention anyone’s expectations. No like what you read? No read it. It’s as easy as that.
Am not particularly worried about the questioning of my objectivity. What I’d be worried about is accusations that this site is pushing an ideological yellow agenda. In shameless self-promotion it has to be stated again that together with the News Feed and the Blogroll you’ll hardly find a more unbiased, more nonpartisan source of information on Thai politics than this unimportant little site.
I’d love to link to more red sources and channels, but much of it is a propaganda of hatred on a level never seen even under the yellow fascists.
Tragic part is even when I’m posting a lighter topic, such as this one on movie posters, red hate denounces it a priori as yellow love.
All this site is pushing is common sense and, yes, joie de vivre.
BangkokDan
At least you get contrarian opinions here. On other sites everyone’s agreeing with everyone. Everyone’s united against dark Abhisit and pretending Thaksin has nothing to do with anything. Now that’s fishy. You don’t get these double standards here. Much more open, much more tolerant I’d say.
BD has taken over from where BP was before the move to that newsie media site or whatever it is. BD takes the time to set up a blog and run it complete with his opinions and biases. Isnt that what a blog is for and the wider the variety the better. And comments are allowed. There are no pretensions. This is his blog and he writes what he wants. Fine. Would those critising BD go over and criticise NM or BP both of which now are aimed at being more then personal blogs and which also practice all the negative things BD is accused of except form a different bias?
Good blog worth reading imho. Doesnt mean I agree with all on it. I also recognise a lot is opinion and subjective (so is it also on BP and NM) and why not. Peoples opinions and takes on things are worth listening to imho.
At the risk of turning this thread into something entirely off-topic, I’d love to hear Occasional Poster elaborate more on what exactly he thinks are the differences between today’s BP and the BP of the old blogspot days.
Love the last poster. Seen this a whole lot in England, I never dreamt to see something like this here in Thailand. To me this is the moment to praise creativity (not to mention guts). Two thumbs up from me. Thanks for sharing the witty laugh.
Tumbler. Independence and the subtle changes that come with being part of something else – in that case a media organization. Also the blogs seem to have better community among commentators and BD gets the mix of at least named anonymous respondents from across spectrum where BP now gets the true converts and the “anonymous.” I think the blogger will always be closer to the reader, opinion giver via comment than someone who is part of a media organization. It is for me about feel. By the way I was a late comer to this blog. I notice a lot of names including yours that I used to see on the old BP and maybe you still post there.
There is also a feel about BP now that it is more serious more weighty IMHO. A loss of humor(?).
However, this shouldn’t all be about BP. BD has a good blog here. Kudos to the dude even if I dont agree with everything, and a good mixed community too.
Well said, AbBang. Witty, incisive and 100% on the money.
At this crossroad of political tension, a bit of pictorial satire can go a long way to ease our weary minds. Thanks ab.
Don’t we have enough of “strategy of tension” by the infamous shyster with left end of his lip twitching everytime he defends his half-truths? And, Thaksin can safely say he upholds his reconciliation support and at the same time believes that the shyster’s talk isn’t cheap, up to to-day. Thaksin with his double take and double talk, how can one with some reasoning can take him seriously. But, it appears that is the way he wins the hearts and minds of the Isaan folks. Just give us the “kings” and do whatever you see fit. If thing doesn’t go his way is always double standards. I believe he isn’t a good liar but a pathetic one. What about our Ai Too’s reverse double bluff. He sure adds the brinkmanship to an argument.
Long live the king!
Crispin reports of ongoing talks between Thaksin and the govt:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LI21Ae01.html
Sanan also jumped in, starting from talks to reds and yellows before moving on to Thaksin himself.
Not sure anything will come out of it, however. Thaksin’s reported core demands are non-negotiable.
There’s also an expiration date on this urge to compromise – once the violence and its memories settle down there’s simply no urgency anymore.
Abhisit thinks everything is relatively peachy, why should he bother talking to Thaksin? It’s not like he misses him or anything.
On Thaksin’s side it’s a strategy of blackmail, not reconciliation – he’s got nothing to offer, nothing to bring to the table, only threats of more revolutions.
IMO, Thaksin is a sideshow to the main game now.
He was a catalyst in letting a genie out of the bottle, but I don’t think he could put it back in the bottle even if he wished to.
Hopefully he’ll realize that he’s run out of bargaining chips, and finally spill the beans on everyone
Main game? A couple of hundred lunatics at Ratchaprasong are not even a fair game. The authorities simply painted over their graffitis and that was the end of it.
A movement that relies on misleading its supporters to keep the numbers going is unsustainable.
Chalerm et al who you signed off as being brainwashed by the elites represent their electorate far better than your “revolutionaries” who crash Thaksin’s party, jump in front of him at every photo-op, and believe people come to see them.
Ultimately, they just want the rest of the society to be like them. Well, one day they will mature and realize that’s not how society works and that they have no right to transgress on others’ right to worship whatever gods, personalities or institutions they want.