Readers might find the brief audio interview of Leeds Univerity’s Duncan McCargo, who is also a senior research affiliate at Columbia University, by Murray Hiebert of CSIS. His interviewed on Thailand’s current political situation, the ongoing drafting process for its new constitution, the timing of elections and more.
McCargo on current politics
24 04 2015Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Center for Strategic and International Studies, draft 2015 constitution, Duncan McCargo
Categories : Uncategorized
Thailand’s crisis
18 07 2014Some readers might be interested in a somewhat shallow report from the CSIS or Center for Strategic and International Studies on Thailand in Crisis: Scenarios and Policy Responses (clicking downloads a PDF) by Gregory B. Poling, Phuong Nguyen and Kathleen B. Rustici.
It is not really about the crisis, unless you accept that everything revolves around succession. It ignores the deeper political struggle that makes succession an issue because the foundations of a social, political and economic system, with the monarchy as a keystone, is being undone. The claim is:
The real watershed will come with the country’s royal succession, when forces elite and mass-based, civilian and military, will jostle for primacy as the country enters a new era, without long-reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the helm.
Apart from the fact that being “at the helm” is a minomer, the succession “issue” is one created by the deeper conflict. The wide acceptance of the basic successionist position makes a more detailed analysis of the current conjuncture difficult.
The scenarios developed for the United States are limited and asinine.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Center for Strategic and International Studies, king, monarchy, succession
Categories : Uncategorized
Thailand in Crisis (in Washington DC)
6 05 2014A couple of readers have sent us conference announcement. It is is Washington DC, but looks interesting enough. While the participants may seem the “usual suspects,” in fact, this is quite a different bunch than is usually wheeled out for “policy dialogues” in DC.
The Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies is pleased to present:
Thailand in Crisis: Scenarios and Policy Responses
Tuesday May 13, 2014
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
CSIS 2nd Floor Conference Room
1616 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington DC
To RSVP please click here. Please RSVP before Monday, May 12, 2014.
The Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies is pleased to invite you to Thailand in Crisis: Scenarios and Policy Responses that will be held on Tuesday May 13, 2014, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Thailand is working through a historic political crisis which will likely shape the future of how political power is organized and used in the country. Thailand plays an integral role in the region, and it is important for the United States to sustain engagement with a stable Thailand as part of its rebalance to Asia. This all -day conference will provide a much needed discussion that will focus on possible scenarios for Thailand’s volatile political situation and the implications for U.S. policy.
Follow the event on Twitter @SoutheastAsiaDC ǀ @CSIS ǀ #CSISLive
________________________________________
Thailand in Crisis: Scenarios & Policy Responses
May 13, 2014
Center for Strategic and International Studies
2nd Floor Conference Room
1616 Rhode Island Ave, NW, Washington DC
Tentative Agenda
0830 Registration of Participants
0900 Panel One: Why Thailand Matters to the United States
The Hon. Scot Marciel, U.S. Department of State
Dr. Amy Searight, U.S. Department of Defense
Moderator: Mr. Ernest Z. Bower, CSIS
0945 Discussion: Putting Modern Thai Politics in a Historical Context
Introductory remarks: Dr. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Chulalongkorn University
Moderator: Mr. Murray Hiebert, CSIS
1015 Coffee Break
1030 Panel Two: How the crisis will shape the future political order
Mr. Sunai Phasuk, Human Rights Watch
Dr. Duncan McCargo, University of Leeds
Mr. Shawn Crispin, AsiaTimes Online
Mr. Tony Davis, Jane’s Defense Weekly (Invited)
Moderator: Mr. Ernest Z. Bower, CSIS
1145 Luncheon
1215 Panel Three: Policy Options for the United States
Mr. Frank Jannuzi, The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (Invited)
Mr. Josh Kurlantzick, Council on Foreign Relations
Mr. Ernest Z. Bower, CSIS
Moderator: Mr. Murray Hiebert, CSIS
1330 Conference Summary & Closing Remarks
Mr. Ernest Z. Bower, CSIS
1400 End of Conference
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Anthony Davis, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Duncan McCargo, Joshua Kurlantzick, Shawn Crispin, Sunai Phasuk, Thitinan Pongsudhirak
Categories : Uncategorized
Updated: Defending the TRC
30 09 2012The Bangkok Post decides that the Truth for Reconciliation report on the Battle for Bangkok needs additional boosting. It shouts that the:
condemnations [of the report] bordered on the hysterical, with certain Pheu Thai Party MPs demanding another commission be set up under their rules and terms of reference.
Hysterical? PPT actually felt that the cheers for the report verged not on the hysterical, unless one was referring to them as hysterically silly to the point of bizarre. As one example, consider the account of it by Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
Written within hours of the final report being released and with no evidence of having read any of it, the CSIS claims that it “seems to give a balanced treatment to both sides involved in the political violence two years ago…”. As well as being “balanced,” CSIS reckons it is “objective, comprehensive, and critical … groundbreaking [and displays] objectivity…”.
Hysterical support perhaps for a report that is assumed to be all kinds of appropriate things with not a shred of possible evidence.
The Post’s account claims that the “more critical recommendations touched upon the role of the military and the monarchy.”
The Post seems to laud the TRC for a recommendation that PPT has seen for several decades; that “the military must refrain from getting involved in politics and carrying out coups.” Hardly “groundbreaking.” And PPT has already commented on the deeply conservative suggestions on the monarchy.
The Post trumpets the TRC call for “more decentralisation as part of the key solutions to the current political problems as it sees centralisation as part of the root cause of inequality.” Royalist Prawase Wasi and every second public intellectual has been demanding decentralization. The idea that inequality is rooted in centralization is obscurantist nonsense with no basis in data or analysis.
What seems to bothering the Post and Kanit na Nakhon is that the TRC’s elite conservatism is vigorously criticized.
Update: Readers may find Asian Correspondent’s account of the TRC report and reaction to it of use.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Center for Strategic and International Studies, Kanit na Nakhon, Puea Thai Party, Truth for Reconciliation Commission
Categories : Uncategorized