Samudra manthan

Samudra churning or Samudra manthan is the Hindu myth about the churning of the sea of milk. Using the great naga wrapped around mount Mandhara on top of Lord Vishnu in the form of a tortoise, the devas and demons cooperated in churning the sea to achieve the ultimate prize, the nectar of immortality, Amrita. Even though the Amrita was supposed to be shared by both the devas and demons, Lord Vishnu used trickery to deny the demons the nectar. Embolden by the effects of the amrit, the gods would go on to defeat the demons. You can see a sculptural representation of this myth in the foyer of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.

Although this is meant to symbolize a spiritual exercise, it could also be used as an analogy for the political process and this especially true in Thai politics. For all their good intentions, politicians must ultimately resort of deceit, trickery and misrepresentation, to achieve their goals and win the hearts and minds of their constituents. We hope to use this space as a forum to make some sense of what it is all about and in the spirit of reconciliation find out what it is the Thai people really want after the election.

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18 June 2011

Bangkok Post : Election campaigns point to a different Thailand

Bangkok Post : Election campaigns point to a different Thailand
Thailand has definitely entered the modern state of democracy with politicians making wild promises they can never hope to deliver on.  

Bangkok Post : Sonthi offers to boost lives of Muslims

Bangkok Post : Sonthi offers to boost lives of Muslims
At least some of the minor parties are taking this issue seriously.  It would be good to hear something from the Democrats instead of just PTP bashing.

17 June 2011

Bangkok Post : 'Red shirt villages' in Isan face crackdown

Bangkok Post : 'Red shirt villages' in Isan face crackdown
Where is the illegality in this?

Bangkok Post : PAD wants P. Vihear delisted

Bangkok Post : PAD wants P. Vihear delisted
This is nationalism at its ugliest. The cultural heritage of the temple is as much about recognizing Thai as well as Cambodian heritage and it should not matter which side of the border it is on.

Four soldiers killed in Pattani attack

Four soldiers killed in Pattani attack
Insurgent attacks are getting more brazen. It is an issue that needs to be addressed by both parties in the run-up to the election. Violence and the presence of soldiers is not a solution even though they have taken a more community-minded approach.

16 June 2011

Bangkok Post : Dems to 'win 9 of 11 seats' in far South

Bangkok Post : Dems to 'win 9 of 11 seats' in far South
This has been a stronghold for the Democrats in previous elections mainly because of the bad blood generated by Thaksin when he was in power.  There has been an increase in the insurgent attacks recently which could mean that the bloom is off the rose for the Democrats as well.  

Yingluck promises peace in South

Yingluck promises peace in South
Yingluck and the PTP are eager to make a good impression in the south and this could be a key decider for them if they are able to make any inroads in the area.  There has be an increase in insurgency of late and this has been a sore point for many previous governments.  Thaksin had a particularly heavy handed approach which could work against Yingluck unless she is able to heal old wounds.

Thailands Election: Meltdown Coming?

Thailands Election: Meltdown Coming?: "Thailand will hold a long-awaited federal election on July 3, pitting the governing Democrat Party against the opposition Puea Thai party, as well as a group of smaller parties. For some Thai politicians, this poll will be the culmination of a process of national reconciliation that began in the wake of bloody riots in Bangkok [...]"

This post in the AIT  News was an excerpt from the Council on Foreign Relations' expert brief and is indicative of the skepticism by many of the analysts that the hope for reconciliation is a bit far-reaching.   

Hangover 2: The Coup

Hangover 2: The Coup: "


From thaiwhitepapers.com.
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