Thailand’s Moment of Truth
August 6, 2011 1:13 PM Subscribe
Thailand’s Moment of Truth: A Secret History of 21st Century Siam, a massive, multipart, Wikileaks-fueled exposé of the royal family and government of Thailand. Brief overview here.
Since publication, Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of intensely controversial former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, is set to become the nation's first female prime minister.
Since publication, Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of intensely controversial former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, is set to become the nation's first female prime minister.
See the Foreign Policy overview by the same author (2nd link).
If there ever was an situation in support of WikiLeaks, this is it.
posted by warbaby at 3:43 PM on August 6, 2011
If there ever was an situation in support of WikiLeaks, this is it.
posted by warbaby at 3:43 PM on August 6, 2011
Great story.
Imagine setting out to walk the tightrope that Shinawatra is now walking. I can barely tolerate serving on the HOA board in the condo I live in; her life is like serving on upwards of forty-two thousand HOA boards; some of them wearing yellow shirts, some wearing red shirts, some determined that nothing change, some determined that everything change, some of them with guns, all of them fussy, and every goddamned one of them watching every move she makes, every facial tic.
And they are really, really completely and totally red-neck about anyone saying anything about their king, he's like Elvis, Jesus, Moses, and JFK mixed into one, they revere him, that really is a huge component. She's got to walk gracefully, tread carefully.
I love what I've read about Thailand, that the people seem determined to be happy, regardless what is going on, the best kind of Buddhists -- practical. Not so much airy-fairy as hey, let's get on through this thing with a smile for one another. (Well, unless of course you're wearing a red shirt, or a yellow one, or whatever, but that seems a recent thing, and hopefully a thing that can be resolved, hopefully Shinawatra can walk them through it all.)
I'd love to see the sister take over the royalty when the king finally passes from the scene; the son sounds like a total nightmare. It'd be so rockin' if these two women, the PM and The New Queen Sister, maybe they'd go out carousing, chase some guys, have some fun, drink some tea together, whatever, make a go of the thing.
I hope Shinawatra started her day with meditation today.
Great post, one hell of a story.
posted by dancestoblue at 4:29 PM on August 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Imagine setting out to walk the tightrope that Shinawatra is now walking. I can barely tolerate serving on the HOA board in the condo I live in; her life is like serving on upwards of forty-two thousand HOA boards; some of them wearing yellow shirts, some wearing red shirts, some determined that nothing change, some determined that everything change, some of them with guns, all of them fussy, and every goddamned one of them watching every move she makes, every facial tic.
And they are really, really completely and totally red-neck about anyone saying anything about their king, he's like Elvis, Jesus, Moses, and JFK mixed into one, they revere him, that really is a huge component. She's got to walk gracefully, tread carefully.
I love what I've read about Thailand, that the people seem determined to be happy, regardless what is going on, the best kind of Buddhists -- practical. Not so much airy-fairy as hey, let's get on through this thing with a smile for one another. (Well, unless of course you're wearing a red shirt, or a yellow one, or whatever, but that seems a recent thing, and hopefully a thing that can be resolved, hopefully Shinawatra can walk them through it all.)
I'd love to see the sister take over the royalty when the king finally passes from the scene; the son sounds like a total nightmare. It'd be so rockin' if these two women, the PM and The New Queen Sister, maybe they'd go out carousing, chase some guys, have some fun, drink some tea together, whatever, make a go of the thing.
I hope Shinawatra started her day with meditation today.
Great post, one hell of a story.
posted by dancestoblue at 4:29 PM on August 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Shinawatra's mother is a princess. Her PMship is getting a lot of press coverage in the ASEAN. There's still controversy over her brother's real if remote control over the party.
posted by infini at 4:43 PM on August 6, 2011
posted by infini at 4:43 PM on August 6, 2011
My relatives welcomed the King and Queen of Thailand in Florida on the Royals' visit to the States in the 80s. My relatives still remember the visit fondly.
This post will obviously complicate things.
I'd love to see the sister take over the royalty when the king finally passes from the scene; the son sounds like a total nightmare. It'd be so rockin' if these two women, the PM and The New Queen Sister, maybe they'd go out carousing, chase some guys, have some fun, drink some tea together, whatever, make a go of the thing.
A vote for this. This is perfect.
posted by vers at 4:53 PM on August 6, 2011
This post will obviously complicate things.
I'd love to see the sister take over the royalty when the king finally passes from the scene; the son sounds like a total nightmare. It'd be so rockin' if these two women, the PM and The New Queen Sister, maybe they'd go out carousing, chase some guys, have some fun, drink some tea together, whatever, make a go of the thing.
A vote for this. This is perfect.
posted by vers at 4:53 PM on August 6, 2011
My understanding is that even if you wear a red shirt you are still wearing a yellow shirt on Mondays, the day the King was born. The King is above all as far as I can tell.
posted by josher71 at 6:18 PM on August 6, 2011
posted by josher71 at 6:18 PM on August 6, 2011
Did they finally find out who killed Ananda Mahidol?
posted by klangklangston at 7:42 AM on August 7, 2011
posted by klangklangston at 7:42 AM on August 7, 2011
I read this earlier but I still don't see what hidden secrets it reveals about the king; it makes him out to be an extremely intelligent person who understands perfectly how nations are built and protected, and was indeed responsible for Thailand's 20th century economic success. Which, as far as I know, is what they teach in Thai schools, except with not as much detail.
posted by shii at 8:46 AM on August 7, 2011
posted by shii at 8:46 AM on August 7, 2011
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posted by ennui.bz at 1:46 PM on August 6, 2011