Historic Asia visit: a reflection

Hillary Clinton is scheduled to visit East Asian countries including China, Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia. This will be her first overseas trip as the US Secretary of State. 

It is interesting that the US chose Indonesia as a destination to demonstrate its foreign policy in Southeast Asia. It can be seen that the superpower  is seeing Indonesia as a representative for the whole region. 

But why Indonesia? 

Of course, Barack Obama's childhood in Indonesia may be a factor. There is a personal link between the new US President and Southeast Asia. Or in other words, it made the US approach this region easier. 

But I don't think it is an important point.  

Lest not forget some facts about Indonesia. It is the world's largest Muslim-majority nation. Indonesian Muslims comprise of 15 per cent of the total Islam population in the world. This is a crucial point; the US under Obama would have to approach Muslim countries for talks and develop trade partnership. It cannot pursue a preemptive attitude like it once was under Mr.Bush. So where is the better place if not Indonesia? A tight relationship with Indonesia show the Middle-East that the US is willing to negotiate with any Muslim nations. This is for the sake of neo-liberalism, unfortunately. 

Moreover, let's consider Indonesia's performance since the economic bust in 1997. Among countries in Southeast Asia, Thailand and Indonesia were to two most severely hit by the crisis. However, ten years later, Indonesia under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono improved considerably well.  The conflict between religions seems to decrease. Even though he is struggling to gain real power in the administration, Yudhoyono seems to do well in his office. Compare to countries in the region, Indonesia is seen as the most promising.

P.S. It's the Shan's National Day on Saturday. 

Coffee and Rice

For the past couple of days, I was reading about how coffee plantation arrived in Latin America and how it became such an important export for the region, especially for Brazil, since the mid-19th century onwards. It is said that coffee makes modern Brazil. 

It reminds me of how rice played the same role for countries in mainland Southeast Asia during the same period. 

Coffee was widely planted in Brazil from the beginning of the 19th century, when European capitalists (especially the British) poured into Rio de Janeiro, and later in Sao Paulo to invest in coffee farming. From the 1850s onwards, Brazil flooded the world with coffee. 

After the second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852, Burma's rice production increased rapidly. Foreign investments reinforced this expansion. European merchants, shippers, and financiers invloved deeply in economic activities ranging from milling to money-lending. As a result, Burma became the world's no.1 rice producer only a few decades later. 

I have some comments:

1) The situation occured in two regions around the same time demonstrats how Pax Britannica expanded its capital all over the world.     

2) But there are many differences in detail. The most obvious is in terms of labour. Brazil imported millions of slave to work in coffee plantation whereas Burmese cultivator moved from the upper Burma to the Irawaddy-Sittang Delta to seek a better opportunity.  However, the situation in Siam was a bit different; Because Siam's Sakdina system was still dominating the society, Tad were forced to work for their Nai. The emancipation of Tad by King Chula shows how the need for labour in the expansion of Siam's rice frontier (Though this is debatable). 

3) Environmental impact from coffee plantation in Brazil is devastating. This is because a large area of land was cleared and burned. Also, coffee tired the land. Although lands were cleared in Burma as well, but the delta area in mainland Southeast Asia is perfect for planting rice. 

4) Both regions were exploited. Even though an increase in agricultural export generated income for the native people, those who became prospered were the British capitalists. Except in the case of Siam, where most profit ran into the royal and elites' purses (and later on, +Chinese capitalists'). 

Just some shallow observations. 

P.S. An ANN's list of must-go temples is interesting, not only for the Buddhists. 

   

Striking similarity

An audience of Abhisit, a new Thai PM, with the King reminds me of Thailand some fifty years ago. 

There is a criticism towards Abhisit that he should not sit on the same level as the King. However, it is believed that the position has been arranged beforehand. 

Which means something? 

Back in the late 1950s, Sarit used to sit at the same level as the King. I believe that some might have seen the picture. 

These two images, one from the 1950s and another from present, poses a striking similarity: After Sarit staged a coup in 1957, the power was brought back to the monarchy after it was challaenged by Phibun. 

At present, the power was brought back to the monarchy by "an invisible coup" led by the army leaders (e.g. Three "P"s and Big Bung) after it is believed that Thaksin regime brought it away  in the last 5-10 years. Abhisit is someone who will stablize the monarchy once again. 

However, as we all have known, today the development of democracy in Thailand has come to the point that political conflict cannot be solved in the same way as it used to fifty years ago. Take Lese Majeste law for example, the world desperately wants to know why Thailand still tighten such law when this is a crucial time to discuss about the role of the monarchy in the constitutional system. Ultimately, this law has been used as a tool to discredit, criticize, and attack political oppositions, rather than to stabilize the monarchy itself.  

What happend proves that while the stream of democray is moving forward, Thai authorities choose to halt the process of change. The mass would still have nothing in hand and cannot think for themselves, but to look upon the role model in order to rely their lives on. I think this is an unhealthy way of rasing your "children".     

It shows that Thailand seeks sudden change, rather than a smooth, non-violent one. 

 

 

Historical Document (again)

The simple phrase to decribe the conflict that has been going on is "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". 

I've got another historical document which I think makes my collection better. The earlier post is from the PAD's perspective. This one is from UDD. 

Do doubt that these documents will be so valuable in the next couple of decades.

 

Conflict within religion

Has anyone finished reading Ricklefs' "Polarising Javanese Society"? It would be great to hear people giving comments on it. I haven't finished the book, but interested in his main argument posing a question on the conflict within Javanese Islamic communities.

This argument is interesting especially in the current world, where lights are shed only on the religious conflict without realizing that sometime conflicts between religions are not as serious as the conflict among the believers of the same thing.

Let's talk about it.

P.S. Can anyone please recommend blogs or websites on Southeast Asian literature?

Historical documents

I recommend those who pocess anything concerning current political events (i.e. photos, documents, video clips, and so forth) to keep them as many as possible. For the next couple of decades, they will become valuable sources for the next generation. 

I don't believe those who say "time will prove one's guilt". For me, it depends on "who" hold the power at the time. Whether former PM Thanksin will become a hero or a villain, it's up to those who will be holding power to 'produce' knowledge or able to 'write' history legitimately. 

Also, do remember as many details as possible. One day you will have to pass this story onto the youngers. 

Be fair to every side. 

Hopes are fading?

More than 100 NLD youth resigned complaining that they can't participate in any potitical activities, The Irrawaddy reports. 

Are Southeast Asian youths no longer active in politics? 

I don't think so. They always ready, but the situation is not ripe yet.

Keep monitoring, youth of the nation.

Thai-Cambodian Conflict: another test for ASEAN

A situation at the border between Thailand and Cambodia deteriorates in the past 24 hours. The conflict extends from the previous dispute over the Prae Vihear Temple a couple of months ago. 

So far there are injuries and death from both side. Diplomatic methods are in order to stop this conflict at its early stage.

This is a test; not only for Thailand and Cambodia, but for all the ASEAN members. 

Thailand will host the ASEAN meeting later this year. This conflict might create an end to that occasion. It is very important that ASEAN countries must come together to weather the world's economic bust which will be inevitable for Southeast Asia. 

If the conflict is not solved any time soon. It will prove another failure of ASEAN as a regional organization. 

Let's prioritize the problem. 

P.S.  Detailsaresketchy might give you some updates 

A new leadership for UMNO

As PM Badawi officially annonced a decision to give up his premiership, we might be able to learn something. 

He also gives an interesting suggestion that common people should be able to join Barisan directly if they do not like the opposition's policy. 

This might be another way to stop Anwar? 

Not sure, let's see.

Sri-thanonchai is the way

      "Sri-thanonchai" is Thailand's folklore about a chap who tricked everyone especially the authority to get what he wanted. The story is so famous as it represents the challenge of commoners to the rulers. Sri-thanonchai stories are in dark-comedy, parody, and sarcastic genres. 

      Prachatai blogged(in Thai) , (in English) the performance by Thee Lay Thee, a group of burmese comedians, at Chiang Mai University which I think is interesting. You can read the detail in the links. 

      Thee Lay Thee is like Sri-thanonchai in some sense. They represent a resentment of the Burmese commoners against the mil. govt. 

       

       No matter how effective it is, this kind of sentiment must go on. 

       Being Sri-thanonchai is the way. 

P.s. Can anyone please add and describe Sri-thanonchai  in Wikipedia?