free your mind, free your will

Thailand's real enemy is insincerity

2007-06-10T09:46:00.000+07:00

Could not agree more with this article from www.upiasiaonline.com.

The worst part of situation in Thailand now is not about the coup, the rally, the junta or the dictatorship.
But it's that Thai people who don't need any solid reason before start believing anything anymore.

Commentary: Thailand's real enemy is insincerity
HONG KONG, Jun. 7
AWZAR THI
Column: Rule of Lords

Beware of news editors who write about "stakeholders." The word may be popular among the staff of international development agencies, producing clouded reports about projects that they have never seen, but it is usually avoided by journalists, who are expected to be more straightforward.

The fact that "stakeholders" appeared no less than four times in a single Bangkok Post feature last week should set alarm bells ringing about the condition of journalism in Thailand. The unidentified writer praised the special tribunal that had dissolved the overthrown Thai Rak Thai party and advised everyone that its verdict should be universally accepted, serve as a lesson for unscrupulous politicians that they must play by the rules, and that all stakeholders should just cooperate and move on.

The same person could have written the editorial in the country's second English daily, The Nation. Although the stakeholders were gone, in a few hundred words the author managed to cram in reconciliation, good governance, public accountability, and, in a final mind-numbing paragraph, political ideology, socio-economic status, effective citizenship, genuine democracy based on the rule of law, and "a conducive environment for sustainable economic and social development."

Such writing is offensive because it denies readers the opportunity to think and react. It has the opposite effect of real journalism, anaesthetizing rather than awakening society. "The great enemy of clear language," George Orwell said in his seminal essay on politics and English usage, "is insincerity." Insincere prose is unpleasant to read because while the truth may not be obvious, the struggle to obscure it with nonsense is all too apparent.

Few newspapers in Thailand nowadays report or comment with any sincerity. Whereas the previous decade saw a dramatic rise in their assertiveness, the bullying and goading tactics of the Thaksin Shinawatra government encouraged renewed self-censorship. Among those writers and publishers that resisted Thaksin, many have since been shameless cheerleaders for the junta that pushed him out last September. Alternative opinions, occasionally entertained, give the illusion of continued debate; they are greatly outnumbered by narrow reporting and uncritical commentary. Yet even against this backdrop, the response to the May 30 ruling was a new low.

No doubt the former prime minister and his people manipulated laws and institutions to their commercial and political advantage. They intimidated opponents, precipitated killings and encouraged police excesses. But the superior courts were already examining and proceeding on suits lodged against him and his party prior to the military coup last year. Had they been left alone to rule on the government at that time, in accordance with the 1997 Constitution, then there may indeed have been a great day for justice in Thailand of the sort that was pronounced last week.

Instead, what happened was that a tribunal appointed by the military regime under its interim constitution was given the role of pretending to decide on something that was already settled from the moment that the army took power, applying a law established under the abrogated constitution together with an order from the coup leader. The cynical use of senior judges to do a dirty job for which the generals did not want to be directly responsible was no triumph of justice: it was a travesty that will almost certainly cause lasting damage to public confidence in the country's entire judiciary.

But there was no room for doubt about the tribunal's findings in most newspaper editorials and reports the morning after. Blinded by euphoria at the apparent end to Thaksin's political vehicle, and corrupted by the moral and legal pollution of dictatorship, editors and writers feigning objectivity sought refuge in humbug. Only here and there were cautious questions raised about the validity of the judgment and jurisdiction of the tribunal, again greatly outnumbered by those reassuring readers that from now on everything will be okay, so long as everyone just plays by the rules. Never mind whose rules.

Whatever else happens in Thailand during the weeks and months ahead, the newspapers won't quickly or easily regain the voice and credibility that they have lost in the last nine months. Readers interested in getting an honest opinion about events there should instead turn to the Internet, if they have not done so already. In addition to news available via the international media, there are a number of useful regional and national Web sites, such as Asia Sentinel and Prachatai. There are also many good blogs, like Bangkok Pundit and New Mandala. If enough people turn away from conventional sources, perhaps editors will realize that by persistently insulting the intelligence of their readers they risk much more than just their integrity.

--

(Awzar Thi is the pen name of a member of the Asian Human Rights Commission with over 15 years of experience as an advocate of human rights and the rule of law in Thailand and Burma.)

You can visit the original post here.

"I'm not information-technology savvy", words from Thailand's ICT minister

2007-04-17T23:55:00.000+07:00

Usually, I don't pay much attention to Thai news website. Since I think they all just look the same with some kind of self-imposed censorship. But today The Nation have a really interesting interview with Mr. Sitthichai, the minister of Information and Communication Technology.

"Information and Communica-tions Technology Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom says the Internet is not an "exciting" tool - a strange sentiment, maybe, for the man who guides the technology in Thailand."

"He admitted he was not information-technology savvy and made minimum use of the Internet. The reason Sitthichai, 59, is not excited by the Internet is simple: "I'm old."

And for those who curious about the standard of censorship in Thailand, this could be the answer.

He said he had "not even glanced" at most of the five sites he was responsible for closing.

"I once visited pantip.com and was confused by its many rooms. I quit and never went back," he said.

His decision to block sites or issue warnings to webmasters are based on opinions and suggestions from about 20 ministry staff and state-owned CAT Telecom, who monitor the online world around the clock.

He was presented with "hard-copy" evidence of the sites along with proposals to block them.

He sets his own criteria. To criticise the Privy Council president is a threat to national security, he said.

Don't know about the others, but for me, this make me sad.

Read the whole story at The Nation's website.

More on sufficiency propaganda?

2007-04-16T15:43:00.000+07:00

Another sufficiency theory conference, "Sufficiency Economy and Global Transformation: Carving Out a Realistic Path Towards Economic Change", will be held at Chulalongkorn University on 20-21 April. New Mandala website has reported the interesting connection between the co-organizers and partners of the conference.

"Schweisfurth Foundation (Germany) and Sathirakoses Nagapradipa Foundation (Thailand) with Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University; Bangchak Petroleum PLC; Social Venture Network Asia (Thailand); Suan Nguen Mee Ma Co., Ltd.; Public Policy Development Office (PPDO); Heinrich Boell Foundation."

As the site advice, most of the Thai partners have some incestuous relation with Sulak Sivaraksa, Thailand's old time conservationist.

"The Sathirakoses Nagapradipa Foundation has its internet base at Sulak Sivaraksa’s site. It is described as a:

network committed to social justice with ecological vision and based on engaged spirituality and Sulak Sivaraksa, Our Founder, Honouring seventy years if living and working for justice, peace, democracy and sustainable livelihoods. [That’s what the site says!]

The Suan Nguen Mee Ma Co., Ltd is also part of the Sulak stable:

Setting up the company named Suan Nguen Mee Ma or Garden of Fruition is a logical step in order to engage in longer term perspectives with local and village communities threatened by loss of livelihood. We aim to share economic interdependence with the underprivileged and to develop a continuous commitment to a lifestyle of self-reliance.

SVN Asia also seems to have links with Sulak, listing the Suan Nguen Mee Ma as one of its contact addresses in Thailand."

The blogger has also stated the purpose of the post.

"I am not suggesting anything untoward in this sufficiency network. But I do wonder how useful the sufficiency seminar will be when most of the key participants seem to be singing from much the same song book. University sponsored events should be prompting critical and diverse perspectives. This looks more like a love-in."

And for myself, not that I'm against the sufficiency theory or something. But I'm really doubt how we gonna benefit from theory that we don't even have the right to asked how does it really work?

For full story, visit New Mandala's website.

Praise the Sufficiency Theory, More Mega Project to Come from CPB in Lang Suan Area

2007-03-18T01:05:00.000+07:00

If you've already heard about Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Lung Suan residents tend to face the same problem. Bangkok Post has reported.

"The Crown Property Bureau will turn away from small lessees and instead invite large-scale property developers to build megaprojects on its land in the heart of Bangkok for the sake of bigger returns, in a move which surprised some residents but was welcomed by estate developers.

A source at the bureau said the change would start with a plot on Phloenchit road within this year. "

Not such a good role model for the theory, CPB doesn't seem to care much about the sufficiency of other.

"Chanpen Supho, 34, a fruit vendor in the area, said she knew nothing about the project, but she had already lost her stall at the mini-shopping arcade in Soi Lang Suan 4 over a month ago.

"The land owner told us to move to a new place in the middle of Soi 6. But I gave up because I couldn't afford the rent of 9,000 baht a month," said Ms Chanpen, who is now selling her fruit from a cart."

For full story, please visit here.

57 Years Old Swiss Man to be Jailed 75 Years for Defacing Several King's Poster

2007-03-18T00:50:00.000+07:00

Just one of the news that you can not be heard from Thai media. BBC News has report the case of Oliver Jufer, a 57 year-old Swiss man, who had been arrested in December after being caught defacing several king's posters with black paint while drunk.

"We had heard he was indignant when first arrested. He had planned to plead not guilty. But he has clearly been advised since, perhaps by his lawyer, or the Swiss Embassy, to change his tune."

And just like the other stories regard "Thai-style" democracy, the issue has been completely blocked in Thailand.

"At one point during today's hearing the prosecutor came out and told us the case would be postponed, and heard later in closed session.

"We don't want the media," he said. "We don't want the Thai people to know about this. No good result can come from their knowing about cases concerning the king."

It was a lie. The case was not postponed. He just hoped it might persuade us to leave.

So why are the Thai authorities so nervous? And why deal so harshly with a man who was by all accounts drunk when he defaced the posters? "

You can read the full story at BBC's website

How Thailand’s Royals Manage to Own All the Good Stuff

2007-03-02T21:25:00.000+07:00

Exactly like the title said, Asia Sentinel has posted a pretty a "strait to the point" article about Thailand's Crown Property Bureau.

That fear of upsetting the monarchy goes a long way to explain why so little has been written about the Crown Property Bureau. King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s golden robe shields the bureau from public criticism, allowing it to oversee a modern form of feudalism with little scrutiny.

More than any institution over the past hundred years, the CPB has shaped Bangkok and in recent years it has only picked up speed. Since recovering from huge debts incurred during the 1997 financial crisis, the CPB has aggressively sought to boost profits from its prime Bangkok land plots, often pushing out poorer shop owners and tenants that have lived on the land for generations.

The ceaseless development of huge malls, hotels and office buildings is rarely debated as the bureau avoids public criticism. When its officials do speak, they simply tout the king’s theory of a sufficiency economy, which preaches moderation, reasonableness and immunity. As the bureau has found, however, the best immunity from an economic downturn is to make sure its birthright properties are yielding large amounts of cash.

They also made some comparison between CPB and the ousted PM, Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Crown Property Bureau’s operations are important to scrutinize in light of the September 19 coup. It was argued that the coup was justified because Thaksin abused his powerful position to boost the financial gains of his many companies, intimidated the media into favorable reporting, and flaunted foreign ownership laws and tax loopholes in his family’s sale of Shin Corp.

These arguments certainly have merits, but they are dubious justifications for the palace-supported coup. The CPB is also guilty of what Thaksin is accused of. The bureau has used its powerful position for decades to acquire its massive landholdings, winning favorable business deals and paying no taxes. It intimidates the media by linking itself to the god-like Bhumibol, leaving newspapers afraid to touch it for fear of violating lese-majeste laws.

Frankly, I don't really have gut comment so much about this issue.
So anyone who interested the story can visit Asia Sentinel's website here.

They also have another article refer to the similar issue, "The Crown Property Bureau and How it Got That Way"

Thaksin Live from IISS

2007-02-24T10:30:00.000+07:00

Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted priminister of Thailand, will give an address on "Democracy at a Crossroads" at The International Institute for Strategic Studies: IISS, London. According to IISS website.

"On Friday 2 March 2007 Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, Former Prime Minister of Thailand, will give an address on "Democracy at a Crossroads" from 1pm."

Here are some profile of IISS, according to their website.

"The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict. The IISS is the primary source of accurate, objective information on international strategic issues for politicians and diplomats, foreign affairs analysts, international business, economists, the military, defence commentators, journalists, academics and the informed public. The Institute owes no allegiance to any government, or to any political or other organisation."

For the original link of the address detail, click here.

For the IISS detail, click here.

Investigation Concludes Bangkok's New Airport Runway Is Safe

2007-02-13T18:59:00.000+07:00

Playfuls.com has report the result of two-week investigation of Suvanabhumi Airport which, ridiculously, turn to be safer than expected.

A two-week investigation into about 100 cracks that have appeared on the taxiways and a runway of Bangkok's new 3.9-billion-dollar Suvarnabhumi Airport found that the damage is less serious than expected, inspectors said Monday.

"Judging from our two-week investigation, I'm confident that the runway is safe," said Tortrakul Yomnak, a chief engineer for the Airports of Thailand government agency, which led the inquiry.

Recently, self-contradiction tend to be something to be expected when words coming from the current Government officer.

Tortrakul, who two weeks ago was warning that the airport might need to be closed for three years, concluded Monday that repairs to the runway, one of two at the airport, would take at most one month or a few hours.

He refused to directly answer reporters' questions as to whether Suvarnabhumni would need to be closed for repairs.

For full story, read here.

Reopening Don Maung, Overreact or Political Motivated?

2007-02-07T22:38:00.000+07:00

After a few weeks of widespread discussion, Thailand's military-appointed government has decided to reopens Don Maung Airport with, as usual, no further information about how to achieve it practically, according to International Herald Tribune's report.

Surayud provided no details on such key questions as which airlines would be moving or how transit passengers would travel between the two airports, which are about an hour apart in light auto traffic.

Details of the move will be handled by a government-appointed committee, said Transport Minister Thira Hao- Charoen. Don Muang could be reopened in about two months, he said.

Government officials had said Monday that no decision would be made on the airport question until an "action plan" was put into place. The abrupt announcement Tuesday sent airline officials scrambling for answers.

The current cabinet also didn't show much sign of good "open-mind listener".

Brian Sinclair-Thompson, president of the Board of Airline Representatives in Thailand, an organization that represents the majority of airlines using the country's airports, learned from a reporter Tuesday of the prime minister's announcement.

"We've extended the hand of cooperation at every turn, but as usual we haven't been consulted," Sinclair- Thompson said. "We need a strategy. We've said, 'Let's do a realistic feasibility study.'"

Still, there are further notice from Brian's point of view.

"We don't know how much of this is being politically motivated," Sinclair- Thompson said. Some of the airport woes were being used to "discredit previous administrations," he said.

"The runway cracks were not serious," Sinclair-Thompson said. "They were not safety-threatening in any way, shape or form."

Similar problems were reported in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong soon after those airports opened, he said.

For full report, please continue read here.

Suvanabhumi Problem Exaggerate?

2007-02-06T22:11:00.000+07:00

Ricardo V. Puno JR., ABS-CBN columnist, has posted his viewpoint about Suvanabhumi Airport Problem. Apparently, what have been reported on many Thai newspapers seem to be a bit exaggerate.

There seems to be agreement that the ruts or the few hairline cracks seen in a small area of the runways do not pose a safety hazard for the airlines now utilizing the airport. There have been no reported incidents on take-off or landing of aircraft and there have been no operational complaints from airline airport staff. This kind of "damage," says a member of the investigating body, is "common," even in US airports.

Even the information that come from "official" source seem to contradict themselves.

The head of a government panel of engineers investigating the airport’s problems was cited by the Straits Times as complaining about "cracks" in the runways and taxiways at the airport, a faulty baggage scanning system, a lack of public toilets, non-existent signage, crowded arrival and departure halls due to an excess of concessionaires, and other such defects.

But the very next day, on the front page of the international Herald Tribune, there was also a story, this time quoting the same government investigating panel as saying that reports of damages to runways and taxiways at the airport were "significantly overblown." There were no cracks in the asphalt, but ruts in the taxiways which could easily be fixed, said the panel.

And finally, he summary.

In context, therefore, the debate about alleged defects at Suvarnabhumi may only partly be about construction or corruption, it may actually be more a reflection of deep and unresolved divisions still hounding Thailand these days.

For full story, read here.

Doomed Night Bazaar Vendors Vow to Put Up a Fight

2007-02-04T10:48:00.000+07:00

Property-Report.com has reported an issue between Suanlum Night Bazaar vendor and CPB:The Crown Property Bureau.

Wilawan and the 3,700 or so other vendors who rent space from the Night Bazaar, which occupies valuable land on the corner of Rama IV and Wireless Road owned by the Crown Property Bureau, have until April 2007 to vacate the premises. But they are not going without a fight, particularly now that they´ve managed to put the night market on the tourist map after a difficult start.

The article also mention the legal action CPB has used which ironically, very similar with current political situation.

The Crown Property Bureau has now taken legal action against P. Con, claiming it improperly collects rent from residents. It also sent P. Con a letter in September accusing the company of sub-leasing the property out at an inflated price, building the structure without obtaining an official permit, and failing to pay Bt32 million in property tax over the past few years.

P. Con has denied the allegations and claims the bureau is violating the conditions of the renewal agreement. Pairoj Tungthong, the company´s CEO, declined to comment to Property Report, citing the pending lawsuit.

Wilawan, one of Night Bazaar vendor still show some faith with the CPB, the King's land holding manager.

"On the whole I still have faith in the Crown Property Bureau," she said. "I would like to ask them: Is it better for the country to have one big family running a huge mall, or for 4,000 families to have jobs?"

For full article, read here.

Ruining the Economy Through Budget Surpluses

2007-02-04T09:45:00.000+07:00

Bangkok Pundit Blog has posted an article critic The Nation's editorial ridiculous attempt to attack Thaksin's Thaksinomic.

The Nation in an editorial is back to its ridiculous best. This time trying to explain sufficiency economy which is used, as like most of their editorials, as a smokescreen to attack Thaksin.

So Thaksin comes to power to find a dramatic increase in public debt with the government using almost 11% of revenues to finance this debt. Under Thaksin the ratio of public debt to GDP decreased from just under 58% at the end of 200 to 41.7% in 2006. Yes, you read that right the ratio of public debt to GDP fell under Thaksin. Far from there being a "mountain of debt" the country was in a much more sustainable fiscal position. The so-called "financial ruin" that Thaksin brought to the Thai economy included budget surpluses between 2003-2005. The Nation's editorial is so devoid of any logic it is breathtaking, but we came to expect that from The Nation.

For full article, read here.

The Poors Still Thaksin's Fan: Al Jazeera

2007-02-04T08:56:00.000+07:00

Many of Thai 'Grass Roots' still wish Thaksin to comeback, according to Al Jazeera news.

Khankaew Wutisin, a fruit vendor said: "I'm a poor person. Thaksin made us feel important, like we had a voice."

Saenjan Wora-on, a shopper, said: "The good thing about Thaksin was he helped people. He gave us a healthcare scheme. He paid Thailand's national debt. No one else can do the things that he did."

Tong Panchompu, a trishaw driver, said: "I want him to come back. I don't think this government will be around long."

For full news article, visit here.

Death Threat Againsts Thaksin's Lawyer.

2007-01-29T12:18:00.000+07:00

Mr. Noppadon Pattama, ousted PM Thaksin's legal advisor, revealed that he has received several death threats ever since he taking a job.

“I was depressed around that time,” he disclosed. “I couldn’t understand why in a civilised world when you disagree with someone, you couldn’t debate it, instead of making death threats.”

Threat or not, Noppadon does not regret taking the job, which he described as an honour and a “once in a lifetime experience.”

"He accepted it to repay a debt of gratitude to Thaksin who appointed him natural resources and environment vice-minister shortly after the Bangkok MP switched from the Democrat Party to Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai (TRT)."

“I never abandon my friends during hard times,” said the protégé of Thai former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, who is the Democrat Party adviser.

You can read the full story here.

It’s clearly unclear, said Western diplomat.

2007-01-29T11:28:00.000+07:00

Try to decrease the confusion and gain back some military-appointed government creditability, PM Surayud's speech to the 700 diplomats and foreign businessmen last week tend to result in opposite. According to Reuters.

"Within 10 minutes of Surayud sitting down, Commerce Minister Krikkrai Jirapaet appeared to contradict his boss, admitting that a drive to tighten up rules for overseas firms in the country was due to ‘political problems’ -- a shorthand reference to Thaksin -- rather than the desire for better laws."

And even more confusion from Commerce Minister. Saying that, infact, the government still allow owning more than 49% for some "selected" non-Thai share holders.

"‘If you would like to hold more than 49.99, you still can do,’ he said. ‘The provision of the law says the Minister of Commerce, with the permission of the cabinet, can allow even up to 70 percent of foreign equity participation.’"

For full news article, read here.

Gen. Sondhi Remark Doesn't Make Any Sense, Singapore Said.

2007-01-25T11:18:00.000+07:00

According to the news posted by AllHeadLineNews.com, Singapore's Foreign Ministry has responded to Gen. Sondthi's remark a little bit "stronger" than we've read in Thai paper, saying it doesn't make any sense.

"We do not know what Gen. Sondhi's remarks meant. It does not make business or technical sense to route domestic calls via another country. Doing so will incur additional and unnecessary network resources, including costly international bandwidth, and degrade the quality of service."

Read the full report here.

Secret Anti-Thaksin Strategy Leaked to Gutless Thai Press

2007-01-24T09:35:00.000+07:00

The Siam Sentinel's blog have stated that there are secret memo from the head of CNS to the current PM, Surayud Chulanont about plan to destroy "Thaksin regime". Which is, according to the memo, will sacrifice a lot of Thais happiness.

The secret memo, entitled “Plan to Crush Thaksin’s Influence,” reveals, however, that this perceived economic mistake was nothing of the sort. Rather, it was a trial run for a much larger project to retard the Thai economy even further. “Thaksin’s economic empire is the basis of his continued influence in Thai politics. Since attempts to seize the former prime minister’s assets have not reached fruition, the best way to solve the problem is to make sure that he can no longer profit from an expanding economy,” the plan reasoned. Furthermore, “While the risk to the Thai economy is grave, this memo recommends the swift execution of the proposed plan. Many people will suffer but a great deal more will be accomplished once the evil corruption of Thaksin’s regime is swept away.”

They also said that the Thai presses are fully aware of the plan, but act nothing. Overwhelm by the need to see Thaksin disaster.

"The Thai press has been reluctant to paint this project in a bad light, our correspondent notes. Rather, they have cautiously approved of the memo’s recommendations, reasoning that the destruction of Mr. Thaksin’s wealth was more important than the country’s economy in general. The Nation, an English-language newspaper, ran as it’s headline “Noble Sonthi and Brave Surayud Plan Brilliant Strategy For Thaksin’s Destruction.” The following article failed to mention any negative effects of the plan but did attach a long list of Mr. Thaksin’s alleged crimes."

For full article, read here.

UPDATED: According to the blog's owner, this is just a satire.

Warning Letter from CNS?

2007-01-24T09:26:00.000+07:00

CNN's Dan Rivers, the conductor of the ground breaking interview of ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra last week, have posted the detail of "mysterious" press release sent to his office.

Dear Mr. Dan Rivers,
On our part, may we be allowed to put the following on the record:-
Thailand's policy on press freedom remains the same as expressed by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont during his speech at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) on 7 November 2006, after assuming the position of Prime Minister. You yourself were present then.

....

Yes, the fact is that the recent broadcasts of the excerpt of Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra’s interview with CNN’s “Talk Asia” on Monday, 15 January and its full programme on Saturday, 20 January 2007 were not aired in Thailand. But it is also the fact that the blockade of signal was voluntarily done by the UBC, the carrier of the CNN broadcast in Thailand. Neither the Government nor the CNS has ever issued instructions or request for the broadcaster to prevent the programme from being on air.

Which Dan, himself, don't quite buy it.

For those that are interested: our broadcast was blocked right up until this last weekend, when mysteriously the full interview was suddenly allowed to be shown. Someone was responsible for that decision. I have no proof who that was, or who actually pushed the button, but it was widely reported the Junta asked the local media to cooperate and not to broadcast or publish messaages from Thaksin. A request by a military junta is a bit like a polite question from a 700 kilo gorilla - it doesn’t matter how politely the question is put, you’re going to acquiesce and say yes, unless you want to be bashed on the head with a banana. It might not be an “order” or a “ban”, but the message was clear - if you want to stay on-side with the army in Thailand, you’d be advised to do what it asks and don’t cause any trouble. And as the army now runs the country, keeping the generals on-side obviously seems sensible to some media here.

For full article, visit his blog.

Thai to Follow the Burma Path: CNN

2007-01-24T08:47:00.000+07:00

CNN still catch the blocking media situation in Thailand. This time, Leonard Doyle, Foreign Editor of The Independent, London, compare Thai crisis to be similar with Burma.

SWEENEY: Leonard Doyle here in London, all this achingly familiar, perhaps, with other countries in Asia?

LEONARD DOYLE, FOREIGN EDITOR, THE INDEPENDENT: Well, it's extraordinary, really. And it does have echoes of Burma, of course, where the generals have been in charge for a long time. And when one is of the Thai generals looking over the border and saying, well, that's how we need to do things. And it shows to us, I think, it's an extraordinary story, but it really just reveals how useless generals are at ruling countries.

I mean, they're pretty good at tanks and shooting and square bashing, but when it comes to the complexities of running a modern economic system, which is Thailand, there are showing just total incompetence and making themselves a laughingstock.

The idea that they blame CNN for the popularity of the former democratic elected leader is just outrageous.

Dan also made comment about some "difficulties" he met after the interview, and some that he "might get" in the near future.

You know, there have been since this interview a few incidents in our bureau, for example, of sort of slightly menacing phone calls of people ringing and hanging up. Now that may be nothing to do with this at all, but it's obviously a bit of a coincidence.

And I think the big worry for media organizations like us, and you know, the other ones here, the BBC, and other big American networks is that this might be the beginning, you know, of a slippery slope, that suddenly the army will use, you know, the fact that we have carried an interview with Thaksin as an excuse for example not to renew visas, or to make life difficult for us.

UPDATE: Read full CNN's transript here.

Thaksin in Japan, calls for constitutional rule

2007-01-24T08:38:00.000+07:00

Sun2surf.com has posted the interviewing of ousted Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra took place during his visit to Japan.
Being asked about will he going back to Thailand, he answer as followed.

"I am waiting for the situation to go back to normal, because I want to urge the military government to restore unity to the Thai people," he told the newspaper.

"I think I can be useful for the country. I can tell my supporters, 'OK, it's time that we should unite'."

Full transcript: http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=16782

Full Thaksin Talkasia Transcript

2007-01-22T22:58:00.000+07:00

CNN has posted full version of TalkAsia transcript featured Thailand ousted PM, Thaksin Shinawatra, that has been aired last weekend. Some of interesting part as follow.

DR: Obviously the King plays a vital important role in Thai society and in June you made a speech talking about a charismatic figure that you suggested was working against you. Now many people maybe misinterpreted that but took it to imply that you were talking about the King. Would you like to qualify that?
TS: I never, I never never talking about the King in such a way. I really my reverence to the King and devotion to the monarchy, it's constantly all the time in my life. I graduate from police academy, I'm a parachute jumper who always win, also I'm the student with the government scholarship so I owe gratitude to their majesty king and the queen and the people of Thailand.
DR: If you weren't talking about the King who were you talking about?
TS: Well I talking about someone who tried to pull the string behind, that I cannot order the government official to do their proper work that they need to do.
DR: Do you mean General Prem, the head of the privy council?
TS: Well I don't want to mention any names now but I mean those who pulled the strings behind that I'm as a Prime Minister at that time cannot do my work because someone trying to pull the strings behind. That's the reason why I said that but anyway, let bygones be bygones.

For full story, visit CNN.com

William Pesek: Nationalistic impulses hurt everyone

2007-01-22T11:48:00.000+07:00

More criticism on the Thai junta's nationalism policy by William Pesek, Bloomberg News columnist.
Turning away from the globalization is not really practical for Thailand, according to his article.

"It used to be that nationalism was about helping your people, or blaming the rich for the plight of the poor. In Thailand's case, the ruling junta's efforts to date may hurt all Thais."

"The thing is, nations such as Russia and Venezuela can use their vast oil revenue to offset drops in foreign direct investment, trade or gross domestic product. When you are Thailand and your big exports are agricultural products, fish and labor-intensive manufactured goods, turning away from the global economy isn't an option."

See full article at http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070121/BUSINESS/70120007/1003

Over 500 percent of blocked websites increased after coup, IP SNews

2007-01-21T10:55:00.000+07:00

ISP News has posted more details on Thai media censorship. This time reveal some "interesting" number of the internet sites being blocked with no any disclose reason.

"During the first four months since the coup, the number of Internet websites that have been blocked in Thailand have jumped by ''over 500 percent,'' notes a statement by a newly established media watchdog, Freedom Against Censorship in Thailand (FACT). ''No identification of websites blocked has ever been disclosed to the public nor do (the) government agencies disclose which criteria they use to block.''

By mid-January, according to FACT, the number of websites blocked by the Ministry of Information and Communication had reached 13,435, a dramatic rise from the 2,475 sites that had been blocked in mid-October."

Reporter also point out the real situation at Thai TV broadcaster office after the coup.

"Television stations in Bangkok, like the one where Clare, the anchor, works, had to put up with other pressures, such as armed soldiers in each station. Channel Three, for instance, had a regular presence of armed soldiers in the main control room for the first month following the coup after which the soldiers remained on the watch, but without weapons."

Bangkok bombings the work of JI: The Australian

2007-01-20T20:59:00.000+07:00

The Australian has posted the news declare that the New Year's Eve bombing event in Thailand is actually JI's work. The link contradicts earlier comments by military-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont who said the bombings appeared to be unrelated to the violence in the south.

"From the evidence we have gathered, there is a slim chance that it is related to the southern insurgency," Mr Surayud said in the early hours of New Year's Day soon after the bloodshed.
"It is likely related to people who lost political benefits," he said, referring to the former Thaksin Shinawatra administration that was ousted in a coup in September amid allegations of corruption and abuse of power and fears of street clashes.

However, Thai intelligence reports draw a direct link with the southern insurgency, including JI.

False dawn to a new beginning

2007-01-20T11:45:00.000+07:00

Peter Kammerer, a writer of South China Morning Post has written a straightforward article about current situation of Thailand. According to the article, the 2006 junta has a very similar model as General Prem Tinsulanonda's regime.

"There is good reason why the clock is being wound back. General Prem, 86, is the chief adviser of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and played a key role in the coup and appointment of the interim government of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont. To his mind, if the good times are again to roll in Thailand, what better way to bring them on than to recast them as when he was at the helm?
For those purely using economics as a measure of success, the times were certainly good. Thailand was one of Southeast Asia's "tiger economies" with annual gross domestic product peaking in 1988 at 13.2 per cent, thanks to strong foreign investment. By comparison, GDP growth last year was 4.5 per cent, among the weakest in the region.

There is more to a nation than financial data, though, and under General Prem's autocratic rule, Thailand had civilian administrators and the façade of a democratic system. Thais did not have freedom of speech, a free media or the right to choose their leaders by election. Human rights were grossly abused and adherence to the rule of law was, at best, haphazardly applied. Corruption was rife."

Blackout Of Thaksin Interview Against Free Press, Says FCCT

2007-01-19T16:43:00.000+07:00

According to BERNAMA.com, The FCCT (The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand: สมาคมผู้สื่อข่าวต่างประเทศแห่งประเทศไทย) has some comments on the junta censorship policy.

The FCCT ask Prime Minister Surayud to follow what he has said by himself.

"When you addressed the FCCT last November, you made much of the importance of an open and responsible press. We hope that you will take steps to uphold this position, and also do everything in your power to promote a balanced debate in all the media about Thailand and its present situation."

The full 30 minutes interview of Mr.Thaksin was scheduled to be aired this weekend but Thailand's largest cable TV company, UBC, already confirmed that the program will not be shown on their network.

CNN: Off the Air in Bangkok

2007-01-19T16:27:00.000+07:00

Dan Rivers, the CNN's reporter whose make an exclusive interview with deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra this week, describe what he has encountered after the interviewing has been aired.

"We’ve also become increasingly concerned about a number of sinister phone calls to our office here in Bangkok, with callers repeatedly hanging up and asking for information on the whereabouts of my Thai producer"

Read the full version at his blog.

The Economist Post: Rebranding Thaksinomics

2007-01-19T14:27:00.000+07:00

The Economist has published an interesting article questions the Thailand's sufficiency policies. And the direction of it's military government.

Some of interesting part as follow.

"Judged by the sufficiency theory's own tenets, the five-year government of Thaksin Shinawatra, the deposed prime minister, was wondrous. His “30-baht health plan”, offering treatments for less than a dollar, helped cut poverty sharply. Yet his government ran a surplus most years (the new one plans a deficit), cut public debt and built big currency reserves. There were extensive programmes to help rural villagers find new sources of income.
However, the UNDP report goes out of its way not to mention the Thaksin government or its policies. There is no discussion of how the new “sufficiency” policies will differ from Mr Thaksin's—just an uncritical lauding of the new government's five-year plan as “the biggest shift in Thailand's economic orientation in over two decades” and much praise for royal projects."