Doesn't anybody realize that the Muslim insurrectionists in the South are licking their chops during all of this?? The expectations of the populace are being unrealistically raised. When those expectations go unfulfilled it will create a perfect environment for revolution. The Muslims have the motivation, the knowledge, and the outside sup[port to carry out a successful revolution. Everybody better wake up!!
On Sep 3, 5:42 pm, Ông-thu N <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > For the past two or more years – and especially since the September 2006 coup > – Thai society has been hypnotised into forgetting about its real social and > political issues. Instead, the whole of society – and, most tragically, the > social movements – have been entranced by a fight between two factions of the > Thai ruling class. > On the one side is the Thai government, the ruling People's Power Party, the > former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his former party Thai Rak Thai. > On the opposing side is a loose collection of authoritarian royalists, > comprising the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), elements of the > military and judiciary that supported the coup and the Democrat Party. The > authoritarian royalists are not a unified body – but they share a collective > interest in wiping out Thaksin's party. > The two sides are mirror images of each other. Both are firmly in the camp of > the Thai capitalist elite. Both are nationalistic and prepared to abuse human > rights. > Thaksin's former government and current prime minister Samak Sundaravej's > government support extrajudicial killings and a hardline murderous position > against the insurgency in the south of Thailand. > But the opposing side also cares little about such killings. It counts > General Panlop Pinmanee, who oversaw a massacre at Krue Sae mosque in 2004, > among its leadership. > Corruption > Both factions are associated with people who have a record of corruption. It > is common knowledge that all Thai politicians are engaged in corrupt > practices, whether legal or illegal. > The military also has a long record of corruption and the junta that oversaw > the illegal coup in 2006 is no exception. After the coup, they appointed > themselves to boards of state enterprises and forced through increased > military spending. > Yet the courts have clearly been used to single out Thaksin's faction on > charges of corruption and "abuse of power". And while Thaksin was still in > power, the courts bent to his wishes. > So there is no real justice in Thailand. The judiciary are not accountable to > the electorate and always support the rich and powerful. In labour courts > they always rule against trade unions. There is no jury in Thailand. > Political strategies > There are some differences between the two factions. Thaksin's side is > committed to a strategy of winning power by elections, parliamentary > democracy and money politics. The PAD and their friends favour of military > coups, reducing the number of elected MPs and increasing the power of > unelected bureaucrats and the army. > The justification for this is the belief that the poor majority in the > country are too stupid to be given the vote. The PAD faction are also > fanatical royalists. They want a new coup and were happy to whip up hatred of > neighbouring Cambodia and to risk a war over an ancient Khmer temple. > The PAD strategy, as outlined by one of its leading figures Pipop Thongchai, > is to create enough political chaos that institutions and parties are > destroyed, with a "new order" arising from the ashes. Needless to say, this > new order will not be democratic, nor will it have any commitment to social > justice or equality. > Economic policies > In terms of economic policy, the Thaksin faction wants to use a "dual track" > strategy that mixes neoliberalism with elements of grassroots Keynesianism. > They say the poor must not be left out and they do have a record of > implementing pro-poor policies such as a recent heathcare scheme. However, > they are not remotely socialist and are opposed to taxing the rich or > building a welfare state. > The PAD and the other royalists, in contrast, are hardline monetarists. They > propose interest rate hikes, cutting down spending on the poor and squeezing > wages. > Bhumibol Adulyadej, the king of Thailand, is one of the richest monarchs in > the world. He supports this economic policy and has also advocated a > "sufficiency economy" where everyone curbs their spending according to their > means. That means income redistribution is ruled out – which is why the poor > have consistently voted for the Thaksin faction. > Social movements > Compounding this situation is the total disarray of the social movements, NGO > networks and trade unions in Thailand. After the collapse of the Communist > Party in the mid 1980s, the new slogan of the people's movements was "the > answer is in the villages". > This was an NGO strategy to promote to rural development along single-issue > lines. The slogan also reflected a respect for villagers which contrasted > greatly with the attitude of the government. > Now the slogan of those people's movement networks that are supporting the > PAD has changed to "the villagers are stupid and don't deserve the vote!" or > "the answer is with the military, courts and the king". > Sections of the NGO Coordinating Committee, some Thai staff in Focus on the > Global South, HIV+ networks, Friends of the People and some farmer groups > have all lined up to support the PAD and the demand to decrease democracy. > The railway workers' union and the Thai Airways union have also shown their > support for PAD. The rail union leaders have never campaigned for hundreds of > rail employees who have been on temporary contracts without welfare for > decades. The Thai Airways union has ignored military corruption in the > airline and in the airports authority. > Both unions have turned their backs on serious attacks on trade unions in the > private sector and are only prepared to take action when people in high > places give them the green light. > Activists pulled > Other activists who cannot stand the PAD have allowed themselves to be pulled > into supporting the government. This is just as bad as those supporting the > PAD. Some have even cheered when the police tried to break up PAD protests. > The lack of independent class politics in the Thai people's movement is a > result of years of rejecting any kind of overall politics or political > organisation. This stems anarchist ideas that became popular after the > collapse of the Communist Party as a reaction to the party's Stalinist > authoritarianism. > The problem is also a result of the "lobby politics" of the NGOs. Neither > strategy leads to building an independent position for the trade unions and > social movements. They reject "representative democracy" – but have no > concrete democratic proposals to put in its place. > Build independence > Even today, at this late hour, we can still build political independence. We > must campaign for more democracy and more control of institutions from below. > We must advocate a root and branch reform of the justice system, a reduction > in the role of the military and the building of a welfare state through cuts > in the military budget and progressive taxation of the rich. > Yet there are still those who say that we must take sides in the current > elite dispute and leave such reforms until later. The problem with that is > that the dispute will not be settled quickly. > And even if it is settled, it will be on the terms of one or other elite > grouping – and that will result in a smaller democratic space and less > bargaining power for social movements. > A GROUP of people in Norwich have dedicated their time to raising as much > money as possible for 20 wells to be built in Cambodiato provide people with > free running and cleanwater. > > Members of the Proclaimer Church, based at the Ramada Jarvis Hotel on > Boundary Road, have gathered together over the past few months in various > fundraising activities, the latest of which was a fancy dress bicycle ride > around Norwich's outer ring road. > > Steve East is an 18 stone body builder who decided to take part as the > incredible hulk. He took two hours to cycle the route with six others and > raised £250. As a group the ride raised enough money for three wells to be > built in Cambodia. > > Mr East, 33, a cavity wall insulator, said: “It was such a good laugh. We got > beeped all the way round by cars. We found either people were beeping at us > or waving or clapping, or they pretended they didn't see us. > > “I think they thought they'd just seen the incredible hulk on a bike and then > thought, 'no, that can't be right.'” > > Mr East's wife, Marie, 30, has also taken part in a number of events > throughout the summer. She said: “This could change the lives of millions of > people. > > “It's quite exciting to find out how much money we've raised. I know we've > got enough money for four wells but I think more people will hand their money > in over the next few days. > > “I can see us having enough for the 20 wells.” > > The church is working with an organisation called Metamorphic International, > which help to develop communities abroad. Through Metamorphic the money will > be handed over and building will begin almost immediately. > Senior leaders of China and Cambodia on Tuesday underscored the traditional > friendship between the two neighbours.. > "Let's work more closely to take our five-decade bilateral friendship and > cooperation to a new high," China's top legislator Wu Bangguo told the > President of the Cambodian Senate, Chea Sim. > In their talks in the Great Hall of the People, Wu, chairman of the > National People's Congress Standing Committee, reviewed the sound development > of China-Cambodia ties, citing political trust, substantive cooperation and > support on important issues. > In response, Sim said the Cambodian leadership will carry forward the > bilateral traditional solidarity that was forged by the older leaders in the > previous century. > Sim said he hoped the two legislatures can step up their cooperation and > share experience on governance. > Sim's visit to Beijing coincided with the 50th anniversary of the > establishment of China-Cambodia ties. > Later Tuesday, Sim met with Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National > Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's > top advisory body. > Jia said China would like to enhance its comprehensive and in-depth > cooperation with Cambodia. > The top advisor also expressed ... > > read more » --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. 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