Reflections

(apologies to JFK )

Thailand has come a long way. Despite the striking fact that we have been hampered by military coups, despite street protests, and turmoil, and fraud and graft, our nation continues to grow. Despite the odds, and in the face of despots the Thai people have shown incredible resilience. The course of human history is littered with stories like ours. Many of these struggles took decades to complete, many more took centuries. Thailand’s course is hardly unique but at the same time not any less real than any of history’s struggles.

So it is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait because progress is coming too fast. But this country of resilience, this kingdom of kings, this land of freedom was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. This country was conquered by those who moved forward, the world will not wait for us, so we must push on.

If this capsule history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man, in his quest for freedom and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred. The world moves forward, with or without us, and no nation that wishes to be part of the 21^st century can afford to stray behind any longer.

The promises of this country, the potential of this nation, the capacity of its people can only move forward when freedom is guaranteed, the freedom from interference, the freedom to choose our own leaders, the freedom to make our own mistakes.

Therefore it should be the wishes of all free men and women in this country to ask that all others who would move behind the scenes, who would put their interest above that of the country, of freedom, of democracy to stand down and let us move forward no matter how foolish this might seem to them.

The ultimate goal of any democracy is a country where there is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict. Where we fight the natural hazards that are hostile to us all. Achieving this goal deserves the best of all mankind, and this opportunity for peaceful cooperation many never come again.

We will make mistakes of that I have no doubt, but it will be our mistakes. Let us learn, let us grow, let us fufill whatever potential we have and let us do it on our own two feet.

The famous British explorer George Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Mt Everest.

He replied because it is there.

He would go on to die on that mountain. We might not succeed on our road to democracy but that promise of a better tomorrow is there, that hope is there so by God let us climb it.

To answer the question a little look into history is needed:

Reconciliation was cited as one of the major goals that the Prime Minister put forth, one of the most important things he must accomplish while in office.

Yet during the Democrat led coalition’s time in power their actions often seemed to be at odds with this goal. In fact one can make the arguments that many of their actions have ensured that reconciliation has failed.

Why do I say this?

Because reconciliation begins with truth. Instead we see the most draconian methods employed in this country to halt freedom of speech and freedom of expression since the days of dictatorship. I can quote you stats, thousand percent increases in blocked website, closure of radio stations, mass censorship of the Internet but that information can be easily obtained. The real question is how does reconciliation occur when one side feel like they’ve been silenced and disenfranchised.

Furthermore the democrats come to hate this notion that there is a class war saying that there are rich and poor on both sides. I absolutely agree there are rich and poor on both sides. But then when it comes time to justify or explain why the red shirts are so popular the revert back to “Thaksin’s populist policies placating the poor, hes brainwashing the masses.” So what about the middle class and rich who support the red shirts why do they support him? Where did they go?

But is the other side guilt free? Definitely not. No one is. The rhetoric on the red stage was one of hate, anger and insults. I do not attempt to justify it but I will say this, one can empathize with the people who follow those courses of rhetoric, who eat into the inflammatory words from the mouth of the red leaders and believe it too, not because the rhetoric is right, but because it is easy to bite into hatred when one feels cheated or wronged.

I disagree with some peers who view that the red masses as brainwashed because they are not brainwashed but feel (and with some justification) disenfranchised and powerless and thus more vulnerable to all forms of conspiracy theories and rhetoric’s of hate.

That being said their methods were crude, their rhetoric destructive and their logic questionable. During the protests at Rajprasong there was a big sign across the stage that said “Nonviolent Protest.” But that logic is incomprehensible to me, their blockade of Rajprasong was inflammatory and provocative; it wasn’t any better than the PAD airport blockade. Then they tried to use Reverend King or Gandhi’s image to evoke local and global sympathies. And while civil disobedience was a part of King and Gandhi’s strategy sure, let me just remind you that the time period between Rosa Parks refusing to move in a bus to the time the civil rights act of 1964 was signed was 9 years. You cannot cheapen or shorten history to fit your agenda.

So can reconciliation occur in this political climate?

The answer is no. Listening to last night’s speeches, listening to red shirts on the street, no. There is too much ego, too much pride too much face to lose in what has tantamount to a game with the players being politics and the stakes being the people and the country.

Reconciliation will not happen because we are broken. How are we broken? I’ve stood at the multicolored rallies, I’ve stood at the red rallies and I’ve stood at the PAD rallies. What they’re told is the other sides are animals, terrorists, that they’re not even human. Look at the vote no campaigns look what people are being likened to. Dehumanizing the enemy is a vital tool because when you’ve justified your hatred it is easy to become oblivious to their plight, their worries, their concerns. Dehumanizing the enemy is a vital tool because when you no longer empathize with the other side it is easy to buy into your side’s rhetoric and it makes it easier to justify violence and bloodshed. The leaders behind this mess have never pulled a trigger, thrown a grenade or held a dying comrade. They merely have to sell their ideas and people will do it for them.

I’m sorry but the people that died in April and May of last year, the people that continue to die for whatever cause aren’t those born with a silver spoon or in places of power. The soldiers that got hit by m79s in Khok Wua, the civilians that got shot by snipers in wat prathum and Rajprasong have more in common with each other than the politicians and leaders and causes they are dying for. The irony of this whole mess is that a yellow shopkeeper in yaowarat, a redshirt farmer in Ubon and a conscripted soldier in regiment 11 probably share more of the same worries, fears and dreams than the red shirt leaders, democrat mps and astv owners playing golf at RBSC. The irony of this whole mess is that the enemies of the people are not each other, or democracy, or the institution but the people who would exploit their lives and their labour to maintain their grips on power.

Reconciliation occurs when both sides bend but here both sides would break before they would bend. Leaders of both sides think Reconciliation serves no one.

And don’t get me wrong for one-minute reconciliation is a selfish notion. You can wax philosophical about the spirit of reconciliation and the togetherness of nation blablabla. Reconciliation is selfish because it will only happen when both sides realize they would lose much more in dogmatic, unilateral forays than if they work together. Right now both sides of the political spectrum think that in losing they loose everything and in winning they win everything. What they fail to see is that if one side wins, the country, as a whole will loose. We’re the sick man of Southeast Asia right now and our remedy requires sacrifice. Something no-one in power is willing to do.

One day the human species will cease to exist. The only trace of our existence will be the remnants of our creations, our cities, our architecture. In the dirt swept skeletons of our once lofty dreams what will remain of our aspirations as a species?

By that time, the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in our body will have been reabsorbed into the fabric of the universe. There will be no war, no strife, no hunger, no pain. The world will finally be at peace.

At the same time there will be no hopes, no dreams, no love. If a distant civilization from across the stars succeeded where we failed and visited our planet what will the remains of our memories say to them?

Will they look at the rusted remains of playgrounds and libraries and observatories and say, “Now here was a people that lived! Here was a civilization that reached out and embraced what the universe had to tell them!” Or will the spotlight pass over our half flooded missile silos and bombed out tanks, and will they just shake their heads and simply move on?

This is not about religion, or politics, or conviction. Just about facts. Our graph is plotted, our plot is writ, under our current course there is no conjecture just conviction. We squabble over petty differences and ignore overwhelming similarities. We live in a time “where the best have lost all conviction and the worst are full of passionate intensity.”

The course is set, the tracks are laid, what is left is the journey for the destination is known. And during this descent into oblivion our view of the horizon will be one of starless midnights upon countless starless midnights. And when we reach the river and the boatman approaches he will laugh for death is nothing to one who has never lived. What waste, our infinite faculty.

And in this revelation will we finally see, all we could have been?

Until my sleeves are stained red,
crimsoned by others,
speckled by dirt.

The bloodstained fabric
dyed by voices and screams
and sounds of artillery.

Until my sleeves are stained red
and all innocence is lost,
taken away with scented perfume.

The tempo slows
the night bird calls
and all we hear are two heartbeats.

Until my sleeves are stained red
and the rivers run scarlet
until only I remain.

Brothers lost, mothers weep
and fathers greave,
but it matters not.

Until my sleeves are stained

These days, the Burmese junta seems to be making just enough noise to quiet international critics while retaining their grasp on power. A grasp that is stronger than ever despite internal protests and external pressure.

Much of the external pressure comes from the EU and the United States who have both employed strong rhetoric and sanctions to deal the Burmese government. And while the Junta’s human rights abuses are well documented, Amnesty International cites numerous cases since 2007; the lack of noise from its immediate neighbor’s is deafening.

It seems that Thailand, India and the People’s Republic of China all of whom share borders with Burma and could exert the most pressure seem to be among the most taciturn. For longtime observers of the region the silence isn’t particularly noteworthy.

After all, Burma lies between the two largest and fastest growing countries in the world in India and China not to mention neighboring Thailand and her resource hungry industries.  Geography serves a double stroke of good fortune as Burma sits on one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world. Thus there are certainly economical reasons to turn a blind eye to trespasses of the Burmese government. As far back as 2007 Human Rights Watch warned the world that any attempts to construct pipelines to Schwe (the area containing the gas reserves) would result in massive abuse of human rights including forced labour and relocation.

Despite these warnings Burma went ahead with building the pipeline because of the opportunity to trade with her neighbors. Thailand alone imports gas from Burma estimated to be worth around 33.1 billion baht or roughly 2 billion dollars per year. China, who aids in the construction of oil and gas pipeline, has a lucrative two way trade with Burma that analysts say maybe worth as much as 2.9 million dollars.  As for India, just this September trade ministers of the four provinces that border Burma visited with Nyan Win the Burmese foreign minister to bolster trade between the two countries. India is Burma’s fourth largest trading partner and the total value of cross border trade is around 1.19 billion dollars. Of that figure around 1 billion dollars were Burmese exports to India while Indian exports to Burma was a low figure of 194 million dollars.

In the case of Thailand these figures seem to contradict the official line coming out of Bangkok. Recently at the UN summit in New York, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called on Burma to release Aung Sang Suu Kyi. This echoes previous sentiments and statements that Mr Abhisit has made. The Prime Minister is also to visit Burma to promote democracy and freedoms. One cant help but feel that economic sanctions would influence proceedings much more loudly than mere words.

In the case of India and China, the silence over both the upcoming election and Burma’s human rights record is deafening. China sites its non-interference policy, saying it refuses to involve itself in the internal conflicts of any country. As for India, earlier this year when Burmese leader Than Schwe visited the country, many parliamentarians and human rights groups (including Amnesty International) pressed the government to take a firmer stance on Burma. However since then there has been no official stance, nor has there been any official stance for the past few years.

While economic imperatives certainly factor into the dealings of these three countries and their relationship with Rangoon there is the added bonus of having a infamous human rights abuser next door. By turning a blind eye to Burma’s human rights abuses all three countries, especially Thailand and India, can point activists in the other direction while duck taping the cracks of their own human rights.

In Thailand there have been several notable mismanagement of human rights over the past few years including an extrajudicial drug war, systematic human rights abuses in conflict strewn South, and a government crackdown on pro democracy demonstrators. And while human rights abuses in Kashmir maybe becoming better known, human rights abuses in the Northeast of the ‘worlds largest democracy’ go largely undocumented. Ethnic and indigenous people of the region often get treated as second-class citizen

The recent elections in Burma might not be that important politically, it might not be important at all symbolically but the results and release of Aung San Suu Kyi presents good opportunity for the world to keep the pressure up on the Junta that rules the country. However as long as her neighbors find it politically and economically beneficial to keep the status quo in Burma, one fears that true change will not come for some time.

Dear MR Abhisit, Thaksin, Newin, the Military et al,

Let me first say that we are nobody, just ordinary citizens with little experience or privilege so our opinions probably matter little to you. But rest assured there are many like us who are not only concerned but also extremely scared at the direction this country is taking.

All of you have told us that you serve some bigger purpose, whether it is to ‘democracy’ ‘the institution’ or ‘security.’ All of you have claimed to have the best interest of the country and the people at heart. But more and more I see empty words and hollow promises.

This letter was not written to single any of you out. It was written to remind you of the promises you once made and the people you once made them to. Instead of progress or hope, many of us have become disenchanted even disillusioned with the way this country is run.

What is true is that the words you use so often, ‘democracy’ ‘reconciliation’ ‘truth’ probably mean more to us than they do you to you. Are you really fighting for us, for our rights or are you fighting to protect your share of the spoils? Are you really there to represent the best interest of the people or are you afraid to let go because of personal pride?

All we ask is that you be honest to yourself. Ask yourself if everything you have done has been to benefit this entire country rather than yourself or the people you call friends or backers? Ask yourself why you continue to fight amongst yourself other than for a little bit more money?

If you can be honest to yourself and say that you have done all you can to serve the best interest of everyone then by all means carry on. The funny thing about Thai history is that it seems to favor the power holders so you might even be remembered as heroes and/or saviors.

But our country might not recover. The world is a changing place, the cold war no longer surrounds our borders; the world is passing us by. If we neglect the lessons of our past and fail to move past our egos, what kind of country will your children and ours grow up in?

We understand that the system we live in was made for the people in power to benefit. Cuts, graft, corruption, playing the game, whatever you want to call it, we get there is a lot at stake to hold on to power. But at what costs? At what price? What is your bottom line? Ours is the development and the prosperity of all Thais, not a few, has that message been lost amidst the GDP and the investments and the tourism campaigns.

When are we as a nation going to stop whoring off our labourers and our daughters to foreigners and the rich just so that it can benefit a few? All we ask is that you sacrifice a little and put your differences aside. Fight the corruption, fight the mafia, fight the bosses who deal in human trafficking, stand up for what is right rather than what is right in front of you.

We might not know what we want sometimes, such is the way of a large group of people, but we know what we don’t want. We don’t want a country that abuses human rights, we don’t want a country where people kill others in the name of politics, we don’t want a country where the army has killed more of its own citizens than foreign combatants. Most importantly we don’t want to be lied to. We no longer want old men to dictate the future of a young country.

Finally, let us just say, we are not as stupid as you think we are. We know there are things happening behind the scenes, that deals are made, that people are silenced. We ask that this system of governance end now. We want a system that we can believe in. We want a country we can believe in. We want to hope, we want to dream, please stop stealing these from us.  If you cannot do this for us, then please do the honorable thing and walk away.

Sincerely Yours

Your Citizens.

If you believe in the message of this petition. Please just leave your name at the bottom in the comments section.
Together We Can.

Coming soon to theaters near you from the Thai Ministry of Culture and Information, “Triumph of the Will” is a masterstroke of art and information. Run Time Aprox. 92 mins in Technicolor. (Rated E for Everybody)

Synopsis:

Going into the movie I didn’t really expect much for the remake of this old German classic. Needless to say I could not have been more wrong. Not only did the film blow me away but it changed my ideas on Thailand completely.

Using the same methods that were so successful in 1935, the unnamed director masterfully weaves his tail of how democracy and freedom are corrupting our nation from within. By showing the immigration of the Chinese and Indians and how they have infiltrated our ranks economically and how western ideas like democracy and freedom have given these people rights, the film cites such experts as Thano-ng Kay and suggests that to truly overcome these turbulent times we must rid ourselves of the foreign pest.

There is also a bit of a backstory exploring the history and righteousness of Thailand, how we are the true inheritors of Suvarnabhumi, a legacy that solidifies our claims as the truest race in the world, destined to inherit a world strewn with chaos and strife. However the film argues that we cannot truly inherit our birthright as the moral and power centre of the region and world unless we “shake off the shackles of democracy and freedoms” calling them “poisonous” to our way of government.

The film leaves the audience with many thoughts with an ending that suggest Thailand would not be as great a country as it is without the people of the middle regions, who have united the various barbarian lesser races of Khmer, Lanna and Pattani. Under our tutelage and vastly superior religion we have achieved greatness only for inbreeding and poisonous treacherous races to undermine our rightful place.

This film is a must see and a highly recommended to all those who consider themselves Thai. Issarn, Chinese, Indian and Khmer ancestry need not bother.

- Cod

Much has been made of the fact that Thailand was never colonized. It is something many Thais are especially proud of. Certain Thais think that this fact is central to fabric of Thai history and culture. Let us for a second assume that this is correct, that the most important part of Thai history is our independence from European imperialism. Lets forget altogether the occupation of Thailand during the Second World War by the Japanese, which amounted to de facto colonization. What has that independence gained us except pride?

Furthermore even discounting the Japanese occupation of Thailand the argument can be made that a force worse than any European imperialist has colonized Thailand. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines imperialism as:

The policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other area

Moreover the people who defended imperialism justified it with concepts like the white man’s burden and manifest destiny. In a nutshell both argued that the virtue and ‘rightness’ of the white man would educate and civilize the eastern savages. In Thailand though colonialism wasn’t administered by a foreign aggressor but by our very own people.

A combination of romanticizing our history and subtle manipulation has made sure that only the old aristocrats and businessmen stay at the top. The argument that Thailand was always one homogeneous entity is a false notion of history that many people tend to overlook or ignore altogether. Many Thais buy into the narrative that Thailand is a succession of kingdoms from Sukhothai to Ayutthaya to Bangkok. This discounts completely that some of these kingdoms overlapped and coexisted and were more akin to Greek city-states than successive Roman governments.

This narrative also completely glosses over the fact that the aforementioned kingdoms were limited to the central region. Lanna in the North, Pattani in the South and the remnant of the Khmer Empire in the Northeast all possessed cultures as vibrant and captivating as anything in Siam. Furthermore when the Spanish were ransacking and colonizing the Incans and Aztecs in the 16^th century, Siam was involved in its own battle for colonies with Vietnam and Burma over the Khmer and Lanna kingdoms, respectively.

Not only is our history biased towards a middle-region centric view but our developmental policy has focused too much on Bangkok. Not until the beginnings of the cold war did outlying provinces begin their slow march towards development. Before that they were nothing but vassals, designed to bring revenue into the capital, yearly tributes to the central government have been recorded as far back as the 18^th century by various Dutch and Portuguese traders.

Conventional theory suggests that colonialism and imperialism are bad. The colonizer subjugates the natives and under the pretense of lack of civilization and education denies them their right to govern while reducing them to workers and second-class citizens.  At the same time to colonizers take away the natural resources of the colony giving little in return.

Revisionist historians however point out that while imperialism and colonialism are not anything to be proud of there were some positive factors as well. This includes infrastructure, educational systems and many other things. They might have all been done for the wrong reasons but the fact remains that there were some positive benefits to colonization.

In Thailand that same brainwashing and subjugation exists. Even to this day “the rich man’s burden” mentality exists. The peoples of the country are uneducated, uncivilized, needs the learned people of the middle regions to bring into the 21^st century. Voting, rights, compensation extend as far as the boundaries of greater Bangkok. Outside of the city, people are looked at as just pawns waiting to either be bought off or controlled.

Until Thailand learns to celebrate its differences and develop together equally and sustainably, the country will face the same challenges as much of the world did during decolonization. Expect the same social unrests and protests. Remember the violence that plagued the world because of colonization and let it not happen in our own backyard. If we can do that then we can truly say with pride that we were never colonized…from outside or in.