Freedom House lowers Thailand's score from "partly free" to "not free".
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom ... Mnuy9Fuv5I
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Freedom House lowers Thailand's score from "partly free" to "not free".
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom ... Mnuy9Fuv5I
if you are not too depressed perhaps you could translate this paragraph from the article into English for the sake of us poor non-political scientists in an ivory tower:Quote:
Originally Posted by Up2U
but even ignoring such gems as "[t]he discourse of anti-majoritarian democracy" I agree the article is fairly depressing for anyone who was expecting a reasonable analysis of the current situation - it starts with:Quote:
Originally Posted by Puangthong Pawakapan
which at least nails her colours to the mast upfront and then continues with 20 paragraphs selectively focusing on some of the worst aspects of the back and forth of the constitution drafting debate presenting it almost as a fait accompli, as if the new constitution was already drafted and ready to be implemented tomorrow, with constant back-references to the 2007 "People's Constitution" as if this was the country's only hope of salvation, when it patently wasn't!Quote:
Originally Posted by Puangthong Pawakapan
she does at least redeem herself at the end (though not necessarily in the way she intends):
and I don't necessarily disagree with her conclusion (though again perhaps not for the reason she hopes):Quote:
Originally Posted by Puangthong Pawakapan
but unlike you I don't find that any more depressing then the "progress" experienced under the "democracy" Thailand supposedly practiced under the various Taksin governments - or indeed any other government - since the 1930'sQuote:
Originally Posted by Puangthong Pawakapan
I think she, and many others on both sides, need to take their blinkers off and finally acknowledge that it is not just the "deep divisions" in Thai politics that are the problem, democracy is fundamentally incompatible with Thailand's patronage-based hierarchical social structure and nobody seems to be seriously interested in addressing that - not even the US and other western countries who loudly demand that "democracy" be "restored" ASAP in Thailand
bkkguy
Nice nutshell Bkkguy.Quote:
Originally Posted by bkkguy
I suggest we all take a deep breath and try to relax: Thailand will never change just because western democracies want it to, or have sentimental hopes that it will.
It's just so obvious those little brown people aren't capable of adapting the way us clever whiteys have. You've only got to look at ... oh, say, Burma ... to see that.
Isn't it odd that, decades, colonialism and racism have been on the defensive and yet here they are, in a new guise, telling us the same old story..."we know best and you little people must do as you are told."
And interesting that the language of the Boers and the white supremacists of the US finds its way onto this board.
perhaps the moderators could look into making the use of an extended range of emoticons compulsory for the sake of those forum readers whose sarcasm and chain-jerking filters are not functioning?Quote:
Originally Posted by Oliver
bkkguy
From the Economist: Thaksin times
http://www.economist.com/news/asia/2164 ... ksin-times
Quote:
Originally Posted by Up2U
There was considerable feedback in the Thai press about Sec. Russell's comments at Chulalongkarn.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politic ... ed-stories
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politic ... t-comments
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... section=11
Human Rights in Free fall (the truth is of course banned in Thailand).
http://m.hrw.org/news/2015/01/29/thaila ... -free-fall
Opinion: Junta's agenda clearer after Yingluck verdict.
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/opinio ... t-20150129