Voranai Vanijaka
Bangkok Post
If it looks like a Hindu, if it was built by a Khmer and if it has all the characteristics of a Cambodian - then it must belong to Thailand. But rest assured, the dispute over the 4.6 square kilometre portion of the Preah Vihear temple isn't really about the 4.6 square kilometres.
It isn't even about Preah Vihear itself. Therefore, this commentary will not dwell on who Preah Vihear really belongs to.
Though this must be said, people seems to neglect the fact that another World Heritage site, Vihear Phra Mongkolpitr in Ayutthaya, may be taken off the World Heritage list by Unesco. The reason is because it's so poorly run that it has become more like a weekend market filled with garbage.
And we, Thailand, still have the gall, the audacity, to make claims with the World Heritage Committee.
But this isn't about Preah Vihear or Vihear Phra Mongkolpitr. This is about the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). This is about the New Politics Party.
This is about the yellow shirts.
In 2005 when the PAD came out in droves and shook the capital city of Bangkok, they managed to bring the poor and elites together.
Covered head-to-toe in sunscreen, high society khunyings put on their Gucci sunglasses and donned yellow silk blouses and flowery hats. Umbrellas in hand, they took to the streets with their prai counterparts.
How was this possible? The PAD's slogans sang to everyone's heartstrings: down with corruption, taking pride in nationalism and - last but not least, in fact, it's definitely the most - protect the royal institution.
It was simple political ingenuity. It was brilliant.
Suddenly, Thaksin Shinawatra making funny faces during an audience with His Majesty the King became a matter of national controversy.
''He made funny faces. He must be a traitor!''
''He made funny faces. He must want to bring down the monarchy and become president!''
Smack it, wrap it and pack it - the people bought it, hook, line and sinker.
If that wasn't enough, there's Preah Vihear - a place most Thais had never even heard of until the PAD mentioned it.
Sovereignty. Pride. Nationalism.
''That traitor is trading our heritage, our land, our history, for a casino in Koh Kong!''
''He's in collusion with a foreign country!''
Oh how that whipped the Thai people into a fury - then and now.
I say then and now, because that is the cow that the PAD will milk until it runs dry. But you see, this cow never runs dry, for her name is ''pride'', ''nationalistic pride''.
Never mind the corruption bit - any old political movement can sing that tune. But nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution? Now that is some strong detergent for a thorough washing of the brain.
Do not be surprised that the yellow movement, which has been relatively quiet over the past year, is now making plenty of headlines.
They have merely been building their political networks.
Do not be shocked that Major General Chamlong Srimuang can led a political gathering of hundreds of people to the Unesco offices in Bangkok - a city under emergency decree where a political gathering of the red shirts means a police round-up and into the prison they go.
But a political gathering of the yellows? Well, here's a newsflash: the emergency decree has been renamed ''the Emergency Red Only, with Special Exception to His Excellency Chamlong Srimuang the Untouchable Decree''.
Do not even raise an eyebrow that the yellow banners of nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution are flying again.
After all, they are now the New Politics Party and Bangkok district elections are coming up.
As well, the general election - by all accounts - could be coming as soon as early next year. Not to mention, the Democrat Party might be dissolved by the Constitution Court over alleged illegal donations.
Somebody is licking their chops at filling the vacuum.
On the Preah Vihear issue, if we were to look at the Thai press we would see columns and articles decrying: ''Abhisit is acting too late!''
''The government is losing our sovereignty!''
''Ignorance and lethargy are causing us to lose our national integrity!''
Well, the mind of the media is as easily washed as anyone else's. It is all playing into the hands of the yellow shirts.
Naturally, in the past week the prime minister came out swinging hooks and uppercuts about saving the integrity of 4.6 square kilometres that looks like a Hindu, was built by a Khmer and has all the characteristics of a Cambodian - all of which supposedly stands on Thai soil.
Fortunately for the prime minister, victory to Thai pride was hailed and integrity was safe. We managed to get a delay in the decision because we threatened: ''We're gonna quit and won't play with you guys anymore! Boo hoo!''
At the heart of it, the prime minister didn't have much choice. Failing to act, he may have been branded ''a sell-out'' or even ''a traitor''. No politicians, especially ones in government, can afford that.
Shouting the slogans of pride, nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution worked out wonderfully for the yellow shirts four years ago in helping to bring down Thaksin Shinawatra. Today, the same slogans will help to expand their political power.
Patriotism is the love of one's country. Nationalism is the vanity of one's country. You see, dear readers, it is not about 4.6 square kilometres. It is not about Preah Vihear.
It's about the yellow shirts. It's about the PAD.
It's about the New Politics Party making its move to win the Thai people's hearts and minds, and hence our votes, by appealing to that basest of society's instincts - nationalism.
It isn't even about Preah Vihear itself. Therefore, this commentary will not dwell on who Preah Vihear really belongs to.
Though this must be said, people seems to neglect the fact that another World Heritage site, Vihear Phra Mongkolpitr in Ayutthaya, may be taken off the World Heritage list by Unesco. The reason is because it's so poorly run that it has become more like a weekend market filled with garbage.
And we, Thailand, still have the gall, the audacity, to make claims with the World Heritage Committee.
But this isn't about Preah Vihear or Vihear Phra Mongkolpitr. This is about the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). This is about the New Politics Party.
This is about the yellow shirts.
In 2005 when the PAD came out in droves and shook the capital city of Bangkok, they managed to bring the poor and elites together.
Covered head-to-toe in sunscreen, high society khunyings put on their Gucci sunglasses and donned yellow silk blouses and flowery hats. Umbrellas in hand, they took to the streets with their prai counterparts.
How was this possible? The PAD's slogans sang to everyone's heartstrings: down with corruption, taking pride in nationalism and - last but not least, in fact, it's definitely the most - protect the royal institution.
It was simple political ingenuity. It was brilliant.
Suddenly, Thaksin Shinawatra making funny faces during an audience with His Majesty the King became a matter of national controversy.
''He made funny faces. He must be a traitor!''
''He made funny faces. He must want to bring down the monarchy and become president!''
Smack it, wrap it and pack it - the people bought it, hook, line and sinker.
If that wasn't enough, there's Preah Vihear - a place most Thais had never even heard of until the PAD mentioned it.
Sovereignty. Pride. Nationalism.
''That traitor is trading our heritage, our land, our history, for a casino in Koh Kong!''
''He's in collusion with a foreign country!''
Oh how that whipped the Thai people into a fury - then and now.
I say then and now, because that is the cow that the PAD will milk until it runs dry. But you see, this cow never runs dry, for her name is ''pride'', ''nationalistic pride''.
Never mind the corruption bit - any old political movement can sing that tune. But nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution? Now that is some strong detergent for a thorough washing of the brain.
Do not be surprised that the yellow movement, which has been relatively quiet over the past year, is now making plenty of headlines.
They have merely been building their political networks.
Do not be shocked that Major General Chamlong Srimuang can led a political gathering of hundreds of people to the Unesco offices in Bangkok - a city under emergency decree where a political gathering of the red shirts means a police round-up and into the prison they go.
But a political gathering of the yellows? Well, here's a newsflash: the emergency decree has been renamed ''the Emergency Red Only, with Special Exception to His Excellency Chamlong Srimuang the Untouchable Decree''.
Do not even raise an eyebrow that the yellow banners of nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution are flying again.
After all, they are now the New Politics Party and Bangkok district elections are coming up.
As well, the general election - by all accounts - could be coming as soon as early next year. Not to mention, the Democrat Party might be dissolved by the Constitution Court over alleged illegal donations.
Somebody is licking their chops at filling the vacuum.
On the Preah Vihear issue, if we were to look at the Thai press we would see columns and articles decrying: ''Abhisit is acting too late!''
''The government is losing our sovereignty!''
''Ignorance and lethargy are causing us to lose our national integrity!''
Well, the mind of the media is as easily washed as anyone else's. It is all playing into the hands of the yellow shirts.
Naturally, in the past week the prime minister came out swinging hooks and uppercuts about saving the integrity of 4.6 square kilometres that looks like a Hindu, was built by a Khmer and has all the characteristics of a Cambodian - all of which supposedly stands on Thai soil.
Fortunately for the prime minister, victory to Thai pride was hailed and integrity was safe. We managed to get a delay in the decision because we threatened: ''We're gonna quit and won't play with you guys anymore! Boo hoo!''
At the heart of it, the prime minister didn't have much choice. Failing to act, he may have been branded ''a sell-out'' or even ''a traitor''. No politicians, especially ones in government, can afford that.
Shouting the slogans of pride, nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution worked out wonderfully for the yellow shirts four years ago in helping to bring down Thaksin Shinawatra. Today, the same slogans will help to expand their political power.
Patriotism is the love of one's country. Nationalism is the vanity of one's country. You see, dear readers, it is not about 4.6 square kilometres. It is not about Preah Vihear.
It's about the yellow shirts. It's about the PAD.
It's about the New Politics Party making its move to win the Thai people's hearts and minds, and hence our votes, by appealing to that basest of society's instincts - nationalism.
12 comments:
so, what they're saying her is that siem pad thugs play dirty poltics with siem general public and want to drag cambodia into their whip for nationalism, etc! shame on siem pad thugs, the yellow jaundice, liver disease led by old monkey man near his time to depart earth soon. wow, how interesting. i know it all along with it was siem's national problem, not cambodia; and they play preah vihear game, taking both cambodia and the UN body like unesco hostage and so forth! shame on siem yellow mark on the underwear also known as pad thugs! hey, bite me, this is my freedomm of speech, too, you know!
this is what i called a real siem first time freedom of the press revealed here. that's more living up to their name "democracy" because what is democracy when you can't critics or say anything, anyway? anyway, maybe it's time for siem people to chase ahbullshit out of office, then! before he only makes enemies of neighboring countries, not making friends. now think about it, siem or thailand cannot afford enemies from all sides of their borders, you know! it is time to fire ahbullshit and his racist, extremist policy which does no good for anybody, let alone siem people and future, etc..., really!
it is siem's problem, really! unesco should ignore that and honor cambodia's request.
you must fell like an idiot to be thai right now.
you must fell like an idiot to be thai right now.
Wow! Bangkokpost tell the true for the first time.They know all along that Thai king use cambodia as a hostage. thai PM just a pupet for the king. Thai king have $35 billions(with the B)to spend. the thais knee down for it.
It is so sad that a temple built by Khmer and it is able to peacefully run by Khmer. Thai makes so much problem for us Khmer, but why is it that the committee has to listen to Thai?The world is so cruel. But enough of that, Khmer need to be unified, and protect what is Khmer. Then we dare Thai or Youn to give us any problem.
Whoever you are, my dear fellow, I standing on the other side, applaud your integrity and clearheadedness on this matter. Your effort here will go some way towards repairing the Thai press's reputation for being economical with the truth, especially, over sovereignty issues with neigbouring countries.
The best hope for stability and peace in the region would seem to lie with the proactive role of an independent, neutral local intelligentsia as the masses are easily manipulated by politicians who are a species of their own.
If it isn't 'sovereignty' or Preah Vihear it would be the colour of their skin or other wholly divisive, derogatory labeling. For example, the Redshirts have even been characterised as 'buffaloes' and 'lizards' by the PAD camp. Such terms are far from flattering in any language, let alone in Thai culture.
It is such cynicism and readiness on the part of the political establishment to milk political support out of the masses' gullibility and ignorance that continue to see states allocating vast amount of resources to military and 'security' needs at tragic expense of domestic social priorities that create tension among the population in the first place.
School of Vice
Pride on somebody else's property pad? Isn't like it doesn't matter if she is your wife. It's matter I'm, the yellow shirt taking pride in F* her. Right? yeah, heuray Thai yellow shirt! Stupid mf. the red shirts should go out and shoot them in the head right this minute.
At last, the truth has been revealed!
Thank you for having the honesty and the audacity to write this article.
Not all Thais are bad and illogical. We can work with the logical ones to defend our right to defend and preserve our Preah Vihear Temple.
Anet Khmer
Since Hun Sen was a Khmer Rouge commander, now a Khmer Rouge leader and had many of his political opponents and journalists assassinated, I wonder if he have any plan to assassinate the Thai Prime Minister (Ahbullshit Vejjajiva)?
Ahbulshit & the PAD go stopping bomb blast in your emergency nation once for all and all for once.
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