Spot the economic nationalist | 16.12.05
But it is the “mega projects” that could do most to lift growth following what Pridiyathorn Devakula, governor of the Bank of Thailand, calls “a perfect storm”—high oil prices, a drought, a tsunami, unrest in the Muslim south and a downturn in the global electronics industry. These have slowed Thailand’s economic expansion from 6.2% in 2004 to a forecast 4.7% this year. At a Euromoney conference entitled “Amazing Thailand” in Bangkok last month, Mr Pridiyathorn assured investors that — despite Mr Thaksin’s reputation as an economic nationalist — up to 600 billion baht or 35% of the value of the mega projects will be open to foreign tender, including the big transport and power schemes. Almost two-fifths of the initiative’s cost will be funded by private-sector borrowing, both foreign and local. [Emphasis added.]
Reputation among whom? The international media? If so, then perhaps Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra can learn a thing or two from their perennial darling — the suave, Oxford-educated opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva:
อภิสิทธิ์ตั้ง 4 คำถามเมกะโปรเจ็คต์
ไม่โปร่งใส
หวั่นต่างชาติฮุบ-ไทยเสียโอกาส
“อภิสิทธิ์” กังขา “เมกะโปรเจ็คต์” ตั้ง 4 คำถามถึงรัฐบาล เป็นไปได้แค่ไหน-จัดลำดับความสำคัญอย่างไร-บริษัทคนไทยมีเอี่ยวได้หรือเปล่า-ความโปร่งใสของโครงการ จี้”ทักษิณ”ต้องเร่งตอบ หวั่นต่างชาติเข้าฮุบ […]
Abhisit raises four questions about mega projects
Not transparent
Afraid foreigners gobble up, Thais lose out
Abhisit doubtful on “mega projects”; Raises four questions to government: how possible, how to prioritize, whether Thais get a slice, [and] about the projects’ transparency; Goads Thaksin to answer; Afraid of foreigners coming in and gobbling up […]
Sure, Matichon — Thailand’s “most respected newspaper” according to the BBC — can be counted on to play up the nationalist aspect of Khun Abhisit’s remark, in this case in a front page lead story. But that’s precisely the point. It’s not for unskilled politicking that the Democrat Party has existed for 60 years.
But why this constant devotion from the international media, a proud pack that normally cringes at the faintest hints of nationalism? As a charitable and optimistic person, I’d say the same reason they portrayed Matichon as a paragon of journalism when it was briefly a takeover target: stupidity.
PS Tellingly, the strictly neutral word “gobble up” was also widely used by the Thai media tribe, not least Matichon itself, to describe that takeover bid.
« Calling a spade a spade | Main | Abhisit Vejjajiva, economic nationalist »
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- Tettyan 17.12.05
Hello Tom -
I wonder why you didn’t spot this “distorted” story in the international media:
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/051204/afp/051204154610asiapacificnews.html
It’s an AFP story about the King’s birthday speech. It says the King was crticizing Sondhi for distributing VCDs of his show. I watched the speech myself and read the translation - the King was clearly was talking about the government’s counter-PR campaign (led by Wissanu and Suranand). After all, His Majesty made reference to a “lawyer” (Wissanu) who made several television appearances to explain away a certain issue.
Shame on AFP.
Sunday December 4, 11:46 PM
Thai king in veiled call for public feud to end
BANGKOK (AFP) - Revered Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej has used his annual eve-of-birthday speech to ask Thais to stop quarrelling, and made a passing reference to a spat between a tycoon and the prime minister.The world’s longest reigning monarch, who marks his 78th birthday on Monday, did not name anyone in his speech but said public figures had to take criticism in their stride.
The passing reference was made to a feud between media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul, who has been holding weekly rallies in a Bangkok park, and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
“I do not want to say what should have been done right or wrong, but they are making DVDs and distributing them to the public,” the king said. “The public has had enough, they don’t want it any more.”
Sondhi and his supporters have been making DVDs of their weekly show in the park and distributing them free at rallies after his television talk show was cancelled.
Thaksin has filed several multi-million-dollar lawsuits against Sondhi alleging he was defamed after Sondhi accused him of disloyalty to the king.
During his rallies — the next due on December 9 — Sondhi wears a yellow t-shirt emblazoned “we fight for the king”.As part of events marking the royal birthday, about 1,200 prisoners across Thailand were to be released, the government said in a statement.
Thais draped houses and offices around the country with the national flag and the colour yellow which denotes the monarchy and the day on which the king was born.
Banners of the king were hung from shopping centres, and shrines were constructed on footpaths and in the lobbies of office buildings.
Thais have a special fondness for their king who they credit with guiding them through an era of massive change. His reign has witnessed revolutions, rapid modernisation and financial crisis.
The king’s influence over his people is very strong, and perhaps because of the close links to the Buddhism that underpins Thai society, has escaped the cynicism that envelopes some of the world’s other monarchies.
The king, whose name means “Strength of the Land — Incomparable Power” was born in 1927 near Boston in the United States, where his father, Prince Mahidol was studying medicine.
He was 18 when his brother died under mysterious circumstances and was crowned King of Thailand on May 5, 1950 under the official royal name of Rama IX, or the ninth monarch in the house of Chakri.
The king advocates self-sufficiency and moderation and has helped set up numerous agricultural projects across the country. He holds an international patent for his cloud-seeding rain making technique.
An accomplished jazz saxophonist, the king is also a composer, author, painter and photographer, and represented Thailand as a yachtsman in the Asian Games.
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- post staffer 18.12.05
Four things any self-respecting academic must do, such as this one, who publishes a weekly column for the self-same Matichon.
1. Use lots of ism words
2. Write about Marx
3. Write about Thaksin
4. Upset people
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- Tom Vamvanij 20.12.05
Tettyan:
I wonder why you didn’t spot this “distorted” story in the international media
I was busy spotting other inaccurate reports of the same event. Just you wait.
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- Naphat 21.12.05
Looking forward to your, I should speculate, long and substantive article on the King’s speech.
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- Tom Vamvanij 9.01.06
Naphat:
It’s here: The king’s speech can do no wrong.