Op-Ed by Khmerization
22nd April 2010
The present political turmoil in Thailand is unprecedented in the history of Thailand and is deep-rooted in resentment of economic disparity that culminated into a power play and a power struggle between the rural poor and the well-to-do city-dwellers. It started when the city-dwellers feel marginalised and threatened when the rural poor voted to put Thaksin Shinawatra in power from 2001-2006.
Thailand’s current political war is fought between the royalists versus the Thaksinists, the rich versus the poor, but especially it is a war fought between the Bangkokian elitists versus the underprivileged Thai Issan, the north east Thais who mainly made up of the ethnic Khmers and the Laotians who are considered by the ethnic Thais as uncivilised and inferior.
Thailand’s north eastern provinces, which are inhabited mostly by ethnic Khmers and Laotians, known as Thai Issan, have been neglected by the central governments in Bangkok for many centuries. This neglect has tipped the economic and political scale toward the ethnic Thais and as a result it has caused widespread resentment and anger among the Thai Issan. The resentment and anger was underpinned by income inequality between the rural poor and city-dwellers and the need for more government services such as doctors, universities and opportunities for young people in Issan. There is one doctor for every 5,300 Thai Issan people in the northeast, compared with one per 850 for every ethnic Thai in Bangkok and one in 2,800 for the country over all, according to government statistics.
Mr. Thaksin played a populist politician and responded to their woes and their needs by pumping money and development projects into the rural areas which in turn drew resentment from the well-to-do city-dwellers and the yellow shirt movement was formed. The people in regional and rural Thailand, the Thai Issan, who felt that they have not been treated the same as the ethnic Thais, suddenly have found a strong political ally in Mr. Thaksin when he championed their cause by directing his development attention to the rural areas. The red shirt movement was then born to campaign for his return when he was deposed in a coup d’etat in 2006. This is what started the current political stalemate.
The current Thailand’s great political divide also stemmed from a power struggle to control over Thailand’s affairs between the haves and the have-nots. To a certain extent, it was a war fought over racism, the well-to-do Thais up against the underprivileged ethnic Khmers and Laotians from the north east countryside. Ethnic Thais, who made up the bulk of the yellow shirt protesters, the royalists and the Bangkokian elites, don’t want the Thai Issan, ethnic Khmers and Laotians who made up the core of the red shirt movement, to control them through any future Thaksin-friendly governments. As a result, the Thai elites and the Thai Establishments are supporting Mr. Abhisit to resist any pressures for him to step down and hold any election sooner. An election would mean the end of their domination over Thailand because the Thaksin camp will win resoundingly.
Ultimately and essentially, it is also a proxy war fought between Thaksin and the Thai king and the royal institution of Thailand who feel threatened with Thaksin’s overwhelming popularity. Mr. Thaksin, through his populist policies, have built up a sizable rural following and a rural power base that can rival, and even surpass, the popularity and power of the king. This had made him the king’s enemy number one.
The current political dogfight is a quagmire that seemed to be irreversible and irreconcilable, but has further plunged deeper and deeper into a chaotic and unruly unrest that can only descend into a civil war. And with the multi-coloured groups, the groups opposing the red shirt movement, planning its biggest ever rally on Friday, the political situations in Bangkok could further descend into a violent and political locked horn battle that could result in Thailand plunging into a disastrous and prolonged civil war.
The current Thailand’s protracted political crisis will only end whenever Mr. Abhisit agrees to step down and hold a new election or when the king decides to intervene. A violent crackdown by Abhisit and the security forces will cause further national division and lead to armed clashes and a prolonged and violent resistance as the red shirt movement is also supported by some parts of the Thai army and the security forces.
22nd April 2010
“Thailand’s current political war …..is a war fought between the Bangkokian elitists versus the underprivileged Thai Issan, the north east Thais who mainly made up of the ethnic Khmers and the Laotians who are considered by the ethnic Thais as uncivilised and inferior……it is also a proxy war fought between Thaksin and the Thai king and the royal institution of Thailand who feel threatened with Thaksin’s overwhelming popularity.”
The present political turmoil in Thailand is unprecedented in the history of Thailand and is deep-rooted in resentment of economic disparity that culminated into a power play and a power struggle between the rural poor and the well-to-do city-dwellers. It started when the city-dwellers feel marginalised and threatened when the rural poor voted to put Thaksin Shinawatra in power from 2001-2006.
Thailand’s current political war is fought between the royalists versus the Thaksinists, the rich versus the poor, but especially it is a war fought between the Bangkokian elitists versus the underprivileged Thai Issan, the north east Thais who mainly made up of the ethnic Khmers and the Laotians who are considered by the ethnic Thais as uncivilised and inferior.
Thailand’s north eastern provinces, which are inhabited mostly by ethnic Khmers and Laotians, known as Thai Issan, have been neglected by the central governments in Bangkok for many centuries. This neglect has tipped the economic and political scale toward the ethnic Thais and as a result it has caused widespread resentment and anger among the Thai Issan. The resentment and anger was underpinned by income inequality between the rural poor and city-dwellers and the need for more government services such as doctors, universities and opportunities for young people in Issan. There is one doctor for every 5,300 Thai Issan people in the northeast, compared with one per 850 for every ethnic Thai in Bangkok and one in 2,800 for the country over all, according to government statistics.
Mr. Thaksin played a populist politician and responded to their woes and their needs by pumping money and development projects into the rural areas which in turn drew resentment from the well-to-do city-dwellers and the yellow shirt movement was formed. The people in regional and rural Thailand, the Thai Issan, who felt that they have not been treated the same as the ethnic Thais, suddenly have found a strong political ally in Mr. Thaksin when he championed their cause by directing his development attention to the rural areas. The red shirt movement was then born to campaign for his return when he was deposed in a coup d’etat in 2006. This is what started the current political stalemate.
The current Thailand’s great political divide also stemmed from a power struggle to control over Thailand’s affairs between the haves and the have-nots. To a certain extent, it was a war fought over racism, the well-to-do Thais up against the underprivileged ethnic Khmers and Laotians from the north east countryside. Ethnic Thais, who made up the bulk of the yellow shirt protesters, the royalists and the Bangkokian elites, don’t want the Thai Issan, ethnic Khmers and Laotians who made up the core of the red shirt movement, to control them through any future Thaksin-friendly governments. As a result, the Thai elites and the Thai Establishments are supporting Mr. Abhisit to resist any pressures for him to step down and hold any election sooner. An election would mean the end of their domination over Thailand because the Thaksin camp will win resoundingly.
Ultimately and essentially, it is also a proxy war fought between Thaksin and the Thai king and the royal institution of Thailand who feel threatened with Thaksin’s overwhelming popularity. Mr. Thaksin, through his populist policies, have built up a sizable rural following and a rural power base that can rival, and even surpass, the popularity and power of the king. This had made him the king’s enemy number one.
The current political dogfight is a quagmire that seemed to be irreversible and irreconcilable, but has further plunged deeper and deeper into a chaotic and unruly unrest that can only descend into a civil war. And with the multi-coloured groups, the groups opposing the red shirt movement, planning its biggest ever rally on Friday, the political situations in Bangkok could further descend into a violent and political locked horn battle that could result in Thailand plunging into a disastrous and prolonged civil war.
The current Thailand’s protracted political crisis will only end whenever Mr. Abhisit agrees to step down and hold a new election or when the king decides to intervene. A violent crackdown by Abhisit and the security forces will cause further national division and lead to armed clashes and a prolonged and violent resistance as the red shirt movement is also supported by some parts of the Thai army and the security forces.
3 comments:
Yes I do agreed with you this it! the main motivation that the ordinary citizen won't be heal as long as the Royalism regime still dominating the country.
The Royalist regime is in grave error at atual politacal scean,they thought it's a right time to invade Cambodia but when it met obstacle there is no better way to withdraw their troops back. At this point Abhishit and his bigger Boss(single eye) are playing a newly game(walking on fine line) it could cause Siam to break up:
As we have been seing, they stratify their owne people, dividing between the richer wealtier and the poor ethnic group most are the farmers neclected and discriminate against them. So now Abhishit GOV'T understand clearly what to do next? either to invade Cambodia or wihtdraw, let say rethreat? but the Q? is this HOW? how to avoide the negotiation table with Cambodian GOV'T, it might impose the sevir condiction by Khmer GOV'T. This is one of the main chalenge that Siamese always wanted to avoide, in this case Siamese will always maitaining what ever they are claiming from Cambodia, Because they are the one who had sent their troop to stand on Khmerland. My view is AbhiShit is not able to save his face.
The actual game it could off of gravity then the Thais nation will be divided for ever.
Down Ah Siam!!!
When a nation is divided along the line of ethnicity, it is in grave danger of broken up along those lines of ethnic groups. Racism and discrimination did play a big part in today's Thailand political woes. I agreed that the north east Thais, mainly are ethnic Khmers and Laotians, have been neglected by the central governments and looked down by the ethnic Thais for many centuries. However, the mainly warring factions in this war is fought between Thaksin versus the king and the rural people versus the royalist group. So long as the Thai king remain silent and takes side with Abhisit, the red shirt protests will continue and the royal institution will lose its respect among the majority of the rural people, especially from the north east.
This could be the hand of God judging Thailand. Once God is done judging his own people (church)then he starts to judge nations. Since 2008, his judgments has been release to the nations of the world by ways of earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, drought and ethnic unrest.
Examples:
The great earthquake in Chile, the city in which the quake struck happen to be populated with the most Palestinians people living out side of Palestine. God said, "I will curse those who curse thee",meaning, Israel. God will judge nations on how they treat Israel his people and his land.
The volcano in Iceland has caused the European Unions disruptions of flights. The Europeans been meddling with Israel affairs. Yes, they been strong-arm Israel to give up land for peace. Will God curse them with a greater volcano
that the scientists fear is "gurgling" in the depths of Iceland? If it happens, woe are the Europeans people. It will devastate their food supply from the fallen ash and no flights to be had.
The US has been hit with God's curses too. The current administration are not being friendly toward Israel and is pressuring Israel to stop building houses in Jerusalem for the Jewish settlement. Our housing markets are at a standing still 'wreck-covery'. Some think that a great earthquake will divide America into half, east and west. It could happen if Mr. President insist on Israel dividing up land for peace and thus God will divide America into two nations by way of earthquake. I think God has spoken but are the people listening?
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