Hitler Does Not Live Here, Nor Does Mao Or Mussolini

[Flashermac]

Opinion

 

by Pornpimol Kanchanalak

 

 

And J Edgar Hoover does not reside at the Hoover Institute, continuing his habit of collecting secret files, at its base in Stanford University - the alma mater of Doug Bandow, who writes for Forbes Magazine, and of myself.

 

Bandow's latest article in Forbes, on the death of liberty in Thailand, is a difficult piece to read. That's not because of his point of view, to which he is completely entitled, but because it is devoid of fact and logic. He quoted four "primary" sources - they are Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Economist. But citing "primary" sources is hardly the same as using facts obtained from thorough investigation and information gathering. The rest of his article seems to rely on the accounts fed to him by unnamed, unsubstantiated sources - except one. He quoted Yingluck Shinawatra from her Facebok post on the day of her conviction: "Today democracy in Thailand died, and so did the rule of law." He went on to say that her conviction was a political charade, and that her rice scheme might have been foolish, but it was not a crime.

 

Time to pause for a Fact Check.

 

Granted that Ms Yingluck, as an elected government official, "symbolised" democracy, no matter how shallow the word had become in that context, but her conviction was by no means equivalent to the death of democracy. Democracy in Thailand has been terminally ill for more than a decade, and one of its afflictions is corruption of epidemic proportions. Money politics, ignorance caused by a dysfunctional education system and deep-rooted fraud in its ministry, self-serving insidious propaganda, cronyism and culture of impunity have for years incubated the country's political malaise. With it, democracy in Thailand has turned slowly into kleptocracy and mob rule. If democracy has died in Thailand, it did not die on the day of Yingluck's conviction, it did not die on May 22 with the military coup; it died a long time ago. Yes, we have had elections, but they meant little more to democracy than a ventilator does to a body that is clinically dead, its chest being pumped up and down by the machine, though there's no brain activity and all other vital organs have failed.

 

And if any of the Western media and NGOs so keen on human rights practised what they preached, their hearts would go out to the many Thais - and not just the "urban elite, but the downtrodden citizens in the heartland whose lands were stolen at gun point by politicians who think they are above the law. These individuals had no wherewithal to protest because surviving was already hard. Villagers kept voting for candidates they knew were rotten to the core, because, if they didn't, they knew they would get into trouble down the road with canvassers and local politicians who they were and where they lived. To them, human rights were a luxury they neither had nor knew not how to acquire. Every year, with little or no money left, they had to buy new seeds for the planting season, because the GMO seeds they bought last year from large conglomerates with deep pockets and tight political ties were made not to reproduce. Money was paid to government officials to look the other way. Human rights, anyone?

 

Bandow quoted The Economist's view that the Shinawatras offended the old elites who "liked to think of the King traditionally atop an ordered hierarchy with deferential peasants at the bottom of the grateful for royal charity". The implication here is that those old elites conspired to bring the downfall of the Shinawatras.

 

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

 

While it is true that former prime minister Thaksin was big on populist programmes for the rural poor, the reason for his downfall was not the Palace elites' jealousy, but the runaway corruption of his government and hubris of powerful politicians whose ruinous policies brought massive street demonstrations to topple his government. Think Ferdinand Marcos, who looted the country once perceived as the jewel of Southeast Asia to the point where millions of Filipinos are now living on dumpsites. Thailand followed in the same footsteps in the last decade and a half.

 

In his article, Bandow placed General Prayut Chan-o-cha on a par with Hitler and Mao Tse Tung in terms of repression. He also put Suthep Thausuban on a level with Mussolini. It is hard to believe he was serious. Hitler, Mao and Mussolini killed millions of innocent people for no other reasons than political expediency, personal hang-ups and hatred. That's not what happened in Thailand. Bandow talked about Thai citizens being incarcerated, beaten, mistreated, but he produced no evidence, only offered innuendo in an attempt to make valid his assumptions. But his arguments have too many holes to hold water.

 

As for the "accusations" of corruption that he said were one of the injustices levied against the Shinawatras, Bandow should spend some time reading the legal accounts of the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the courts. Then he would understand that the verdicts against the Shinawatras were not haphazard or politically motivated. The rule of law in Thailand did not die because of the convictions, it prevailed.

 

It is laudable for the West to tout democracy, freedom of speech and liberty from its bully pulpit - a superb platform to advocate an agenda. These are things of virtue and worthy ideals. But facts and truths should not be sacrificed for the sake of the attempt to push such agenda. Doing so is an injustice, a faulty means to an end.

 

I learned about brutal injustice from the book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Stowe, given to me by my father. But I did not understand it fully until I witnessed racial discrimination firsthand in the US. The book "Without Sanctuary", which details lynching, gave me a stark picture of the injustice done to black Americans. I do not blame the Western media or even Mr Bandow for not being able to fully comprehend what actually happened in Thailand and to its people. I only ask them to leave room for doubt in their perceptions and conclusions about this country. To paraphrase the abolitionist Harriet Tubman, "I've heard 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' read, and I tell you Mrs Stowe's pen hasn't begun to paint what slavery is as I have seen it in the far South. I've seen de real thing, and I don't want to see it on no stage or in no theatre."

 

Many of us in Thailand know what actually happened here, and the story from the Western bully pulpit is not quite a "bully" story for us.

 

 

 

http://www.nationmul...n-30254885.html

[Guest]

" Many of us in Thailand know what actually happened here, and the story from the Western bully pulpit is not quite a story for us."

 

Exactly my view as well .... Never heard of Doug Bandow, but I guarantee he has achived nothing but hot air. I don't care what articles he has written and for whom, the problem is there are gullible people out there, that believe this rubbish written by idiots such as him.

[Coss]

Pornpimol Kanchanalak ~ 'Democracy in Thailand has been terminally ill for more than a decade, and one of its afflictions is corruption of epidemic proportions'

 

I used to love Thailand, but after 30 years of observation and experience, I sit now, outside it's borders, watching as my adopted Glorious Peoples Republic, scrabble and fight, claw, lie, bully and excrete, their way to the top of the pile.

 

Like so many ants, attacking a juicy piece of fat ,the poor Lao think that Thailand is the zenith of achievement, the nirvana of being, as if the conspicuous displays of consumerist wealth and never-ending lightening of skin tone, which are fuelled by wholesale corruption, and seen as a virtue by most Thais, are the holiest of Buddha's teachings.

[JaiRai]

I guess Flash hasn't been following - "Pornpimol Kanchanalak" is a convicted felon in the US (attempted bribery and violation of campaign finance laws)... and a known paid shill.

 

I also love the post about not even reading Bandow but already knowing he's full of shit since he's critical of Thailand's joyful military dictatorship. Obviously foreigners can't understand, they have no right to express anything but a complimentary portrait of the junta, only Thais can be critical -- of course the rub there is if a Thai is critical, they go to jail. Bummer. If you read the piece by Bandow it's pretty darn mild, and he's a straight-laced under stated conservative. Ms. Pornpimol could've at least targeted someone a little more obnoxious to gain credibility.

 

That's two articles in a row for you Flash with dubious sources. Ease up on the Sangsom.

 

============

 

From other sites (in reference to the author above):

 

April 21, 2001 | From Associated Press

A Thai businesswoman charged with campaign finance violations was sentenced Friday to three years of probation and six months of house arrest and was ordered to pay a $3,000 fine, the Justice Department said. Pauline Kanchanalak (aka Pornpimol Kanchanalak) pleaded guilty in June to making illegal contributions of more than $690,000 to Democrats in return for access to former President Clinton and other officials.

 

----

 

United States of America,

Appellant

v.

Pornpimol Kanchanalak a/k/a Pornpimol Parichattkal, and Duangnet Georgie Kronenberg,Appellees

 

Consolidated with No. 99-3034

 

Appeals from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (No. 98cr00241)

Jonathan Biran, Attorney, United States Department of Justice, argued the cause and was on the briefs for appellant. Eric L. Yaffe, Attorney, entered an appearance. Reid H. Weingarten argued the cause for appellees. Withchim on the brief were Erik L. Kitchen, Brian M. Heberlig, and James Hamilton. Michael Spafford entered an appearance.

 

Before: Wald, Silberman and Tatel, Circuit Judges.

 

Opinion for the Court filed by Circuit Judge Wald.

 

Wald, Circuit Judge: The government charged Pornpimolc"Pauline" Kanchanalak (aka Pornpimol Parichattkal) and Duangnet "Georgie" Kronenberg with a scheme to disguise illegal hard money contributions and soft money donations from foreign nationals and corporations to national and state political committees. Defendants were also alleged to have caused political committees to file reports with the Federal Election Commission ("FEC") falsely identifying lawful permanent residents as the source of funds that actually originated with foreign nationals and corporations in violation of 18 U.S.C. ss 2 (cool.png, 1001. The government argued that s 441e of the Federal Election Campaign Act ("FECA") prohibits any infusion of money from foreign nationals into federal, state, and local elections and that section 104.8 of the FEC regulations requires that political committees report the true source of their contributions and donations. Defendants asserted that as to both hard and soft money, political committees were not required to report the true sources of their receipts, and as to soft money, FECA did not restrict such donations by foreign nationals

[Flashermac]

<< pleaded guilty in June to making illegal contributions of more than $690,000 to Democrats in return for access to former President Clinton and other officials. >>

 

Another far right loony who supports the Democrats.

 

Bet she'll do all right if Hillary gets in.

 

 

p.s. All I can afford is Sangsom.

 

 

 

No More Ladies' Bake Sales

 

 

The juncture of politics and money affords a place at the table for anyone who can fork over the maximum contribution allowed by federal law of $1,000 per candidate per political season. Like other women lured by the contacts and inspired by opportunity to affect policies via the back room, I've put together a number of these tables. Unwittingly, at one of these prime events in October 1993, I was the person who introduced Thai businesswoman Pornpimol "Pauline" Kanchanalak, who figures in the current Clinton administration fund-raising contretemps.

 

...

 

Why, one might ask, was a Thai citizen at a fund-raising gathering? Her identity was known. The Secret Service was highly visible that day; they wouldn't let an executive who was going to the airport after the lunch bring her bags into the house. Presumably the Democratic National Committee checked the guest list with due diligence as to foreign corporate connections.

 

On a broader scale, did Pauline belong in a room with a group dedicated to ensuring American women's legal, economic and social rights? On its face, her presence made sense. Women see global parallels in our domestic issues, with women around the world bearing a disproportionate share of the economic and social burdens; so we expect to have links to prominent international women.

 

But expediency, coupled with inattention of fast-paced busy people, probably best explains Pauline Kanchanalak's attendance at the luncheon. Earlier that week, she was a participant in a conference of women interested in raising capital for women-led businesses. There, I announced the Tipper Gore luncheon and Pauline signed up. With check in hand, her entry was assured.

...

 

http://articles.lati...hollywood-women

[JaiRai]

It's all good Flash. You've been through a hell of a lot more in this life than I have. Especially in SE Asia. I gotta chill my own loose cannon ways before i get myself into trouble.

 

So I can say this - whatever is going on in reference to the struggle for power, at least there hasn't been overt violence/killing. Gotta give the Thais credit for that. Yep.

 

Ps. Can I recommend Hong Thong?

 

*peace*

[Flashermac]

The old saying ... "When elephants fight, the grass gets trampled."

 

p.s. The US loved Thai coups, back when it helped US foreign policy ... and still supports coups in places like Egypt. Obviously, Washington don't like this one because of the Chinese getting too chummy with the generals.