Is Myanmar another Rwanda genocide in the making?

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Editorial – Thailand current events

The events of the last two weeks in Myanmar bear considerable similarity to events a little over 19 years ago in a country that became synonymous with the abject failure of the UN, and defined the word “genocide” for the 20th century – Rwanda. While the one million people butchered in Rwanda is a relatively small number compared to the almost two million killed during the reign of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Pol Pot took four years to reach his tally while in Rwanda the figure was reached in 100 days. The systematic murder, rape, desecration of corpses, destruction of homes, businesses and places of worship that have taken place against Myanmar Muslims of late closely parallel occurrences in … Continue reading →

Hold the phone, Thailand telcos “worse than unanaesthetised root-canal”

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Hold the phone, Thailand telcos "worse than unanaesthetised root-canal"

Getting connected to mobile phone and data services in most countries of the world is a simple matter of buying a SIM card, inserting it into your phone or mobile device, registering on the network and adding some calling credit. The exception to the rule is Thailand where Thailand telcos do a fair impersonation of seven seas pirates and where the regulating body, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission of Thailand (NBTC), has become the butt of jokes over its failure to introduce meaningful consumer protection regulations and accountability, criticism of its 3G bandwidth auction, and where non-Thai speaking customers are treated as third-rate consumers not even deserving of English language support 24/7. With ineffective and minuscule penalties, a system … Continue reading →

Thailand Internal Security Act shows rattled Thai Government

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Thailand invokes the Internal Security Act ahead of Pitak Siam rally

Just a little more than two-and-a-half years after anti-government street protests brought the centre of Bangkok to a stop for 64 days ahead of a bloody military crackdown, Bangkokians are again living under the Thailand Internal Security Act, highlighting a government rattled by the first major anti-government rally since taking office . The government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, elected with the direct support of the same 2010 red-shirt protesters who shut down Bangkok in 2010, yesterday enacted the Thailand Internal Security Act for three Bangkok districts ahead of a planned anti-government rally this weekend by the ultra-right wing Pitak Siam (Protecting Siam) group. The Thailand Internal Security Act (ISA) allows the country’s top security agency, the Internal Security Operations … Continue reading →

Four agreements & panda diplomacy neuters US President’s visit to Thailand

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Panda diplomacy neuters US President's visit to Thailand

Just days after being fawned over by US President Barack Obama on a whirlwind Southeast Asia tour, Thailand has signed four bilateral memorandum of agreements with regional powerhouse China, who trumped Washington by throwing high-speed trains and a panda into the pot. The US presidential road-show earlier in the week saw Thailand sign a new Thai-US joint military memorandum of agreement said to focus on regional security and stability through cooperation in military exercises, training and humanitarian assistance efforts, as well as an agreement for the USA to sell Thailand shiny new military equipment. “The US supports the modernisation of the Royal Thai Armed Forces through the sale of US defence equipment, foreign military financing, international military education and training”. … Continue reading →

Backflip on Thailand TPP membership talks

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Anti-TPP protests in New Zealand

In an apparent backflip on a proposed Thailand TPP membership application Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Saturday that she will not be discussing an application to join the controversial Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact with US President Barack Obama when he visits the country on Sunday. Last Monday the Thai cabinet agreed to a proposal by the Commerce Ministry to have Prime Minister Yingluck announce discussions of Thailand’s TPP membership application in a joint media briefing with President Obama, drawing and immediate barrage of criticism from academics, elected officials and activist groups. Criticism and warnings on the negative effects Thailand’s TPP membership would have on the Thai services industry were first raised by the Thai Chamber of Commerce, … Continue reading →

Thailand’s TPP application threatens to overshadow Presidential visit

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Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will now not discuss Thailand's TPP membership application with US President Barack Obama during visit

Bangkok is abuzz at the imminent visit of freshly re-elected US President Barack Obama on a whirlwind three-nation tour to shore up US support in the region, however trade discussions threaten to overshadow the stated purpose of the visit, a courtesy call to mark 180 years of Thai-US relations. While details such as the number of security personnel to be deployed (more than 1,000), snipers being stationed on Bangkok rooftops (nothing new in that) and details such as the US President travels with his own bottled water supply and his advance team are concerned about giant water monitors at Government House have proved entertaining reading, it is trade that is capturing the most interest. On Monday the Thailand government announced … Continue reading →