Thai society deeply polarised, veteran insurgents say

[webfact]

Society deeply polarised, veteran insurgents say
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- There are similarities and differences between the current political conflict and the Kingdom's nearly two-decade-long war against communism, but the current conflict is even more severe in the eyes of three former communist rebels.

"There's no sign that it will end any time soon. It may require a decisive victory from one side," said Suthachai Yimprasert, a former communist rebel who now teaches history at Chulalongkorn University. He said the current conflict was in its eighth year, having begun before the 2006 coup.

"I hope it can end without a civil war," he said, adding that both sides should stick to a democratic way of sorting out their differences.

Suthachai went into the jungle of Surat Thani province in the aftermath of the October 6, 1976, massacre of left-wing students. He was then a student at Thammasat University.

Suthachai - a professed red shirt - said Thailand today was experiencing a struggle between democratic and anti-democratic forces. The communist insurgency, he said, raged from 1965 until a 1982 general amnesty opened up a new political space - but only after at least 10,000 deaths, according to his estimate. But unlike the war between the state and the communists, an end to the current conflict is not being sought through democratic means.

Back in the late 1960s, nobody knew when the Thanom Kittikachorn regime would end, so armed struggle was inevitable, Suthachai said.

He said the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) should seek to dislodge Yingluck Shinawatra and her older brother Thaksin through elections.

Gawin Chutima, 58, another ex-communist rebel who went into the jungle in the same province as Suthachai, and a veteran activist in non-governmental organisations, said he was more disturbed by the current division, which affects more people throughout the country. He supported the PDRC in its early days when the focus was solely on corruption, but has since distanced himself from the movement.

"The division is deeper now," said Gawin, who worked in the jungle as an intelligence officer for the now-defunct Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) for seven years between 1976 and 1983.

"At that time, even though family members may have thought differently about politics, their bond was stronger than their [political] differences. At that time, they were still able to talk with one another," he said, in reference to stories of families now torn apart by the current political conflict with family members and friends becoming estranged.

"It's so hard to stay in the middle today. If you disagree with someone, you are automatically branded as being on the other side."

Gawin says today's instantaneous dissemination of information, propaganda and hate speech through social media leads people to believe quickly in a certain viewpoint, and to become easily politicised.

Although Gawin never took up arms during his seven years in the jungle, he said people back then didn't make that decision lightly, as they had to see death and oppression with their own eyes, unlike many today who are manipulated by the partisan mass media as well as social media.

He said he was appalled by the praise heaped by PDRC supporters on the so-called "popcorn gunman" who was seen firing during a clash with red-shirt demonstrators, as it suggests a ready endorsement of violence, unlike during the communist war.

Thais, said Gawin, should learn to co-exist peacefully with people who think differently.

"Should we talk before more people are killed? Or should we let more people be killed before we talk?" he asked.

Vipar Daomanee, 59, another former rebel who was a member of the People's Liberation Army of the CPT and later taught at Thammasat University, was in the jungle for four years in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. She thinks the situation now is not as bad as during the Cold War, when enemies would be summarily executed, although she agrees with Gawin that hatred is more widespread now than in the past.

Vipar sees a parallel with the past in the process of dehumanising the enemy. Back then, communists were made into evil figures, something non-human. Today, said Vipar, Thaksin and red shirts are often portrayed as non-human and the political hatred is even extended to the young son of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"The cult of nationalism can turn 'the other' into evil," she said. "Now it's the so-called 'Thaksin regime' being turned into evil. We don't know if the result of this hate propaganda is comparable to the effects of anti-communist propaganda in the past or not."


-- The Nation 2014-04-11

[Somtamnication]

No surprise there. The Thais hate each other more than they hate falangs.

[Robby nz]

God help the students if we have a red teaching them the red version of history.

That will only help to polarize the country even more.

[NongKhaiKid]

Society deeply polarised.

Wow, what amazing insight.

[Publicus]

Did someone post that only one point of view is acceptable in and for academia?

Or that one certain mainstream point of view is to be prohibited?

[chainarong]

To be frank there is not much difference to the Thanom experience now , the only difference being the people can vote, the leaders in the government still think they are a cut above the law , can be as corrupt as they like and say the word transparency while looking you in the eye with a smile, and if you don't like their style of rule then the intimidation , threats ,abuse, violence and sometimes death is the answer , a very neat package that.

[noitom]

And no mention of the Village Scouts, the forerunner of the current yellow shirts, PDRC and generally the establishment elite originally formed to push back communism at the Thai frontiers and preserve the establishment's form of Thainess and the Thai way by oppressing the poor and "hating" them as mentioned by Vipar.

[wandasloan]

Society deeply polarised, veteran insurgents say

Edited April 11, 2014 by wandasloan

[tomhell]

Very interesting article. This forum is a great source of information. I can understand more and more this deep rooted anti-communism here in Thailand.

For example this part: "Vipar sees a parallel with the past in the process of dehumanising the enemy. Back then, communists were made into evil figures, something non-human. Today, said Vipar, Thaksin and red shirts are often portrayed as non-human and the political hatred is even extended to the young son of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"The cult of nationalism can turn 'the other' into evil,"

I can see it also in this forum where the "national extremists" very often insult redshirts (or the so called TV-Reds) and compare them to animals or call redshirts in general terrorists.

Thailand is deeply social divided. A lot of power still in the hands of the old family clans. What they want is clear. Keep the power for themself.

This hole situation here in Thailand is a mirror for the problems which exist in the society.

Thailand a country of extremes.

Tom

Edited April 11, 2014 by tomhell

[manfrommanteo]

"Ex"-Communists, Red Shirts. Really no difference. My wife is from Surat Thani, and several of her family members were killed by the communists hiding in the jungles around her home because they either spoke out against the communist, or named supporters living in the area. Red Shirts kill those who oppose them, too.

[bkkgooner]

The problem with Thai society when it comes to matters like this is 90% of the population have zero interest in the history of their own country and they have no interest in the truth of what has happened in the last 60 odd years.

[Thai at Heart]

Very interesting article. This forum is a great source of information. I can understand more and more this deep rooted anti-communism here in Thailand.

For example this part: "Vipar sees a parallel with the past in the process of dehumanising the enemy. Back then, communists were made into evil figures, something non-human. Today, said Vipar, Thaksin and red shirts are often portrayed as non-human and the political hatred is even extended to the young son of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"The cult of nationalism can turn 'the other' into evil,"

I can see it also in this forum where the "national extremists" very often insult redshirts (or the so called TV-Reds) and compare them to animals or call redshirts in general terrorists.

Thailand is deeply social divided. A lot of power still in the hands of the old family clans. What they want is clear. Keep the power for themself.

This hole situation here in Thailand is a mirror for the problems which exist in the society.

Thailand a country of extremes.

Tom

Thailand vehemently rooted communism out of Thai society. If you understand what went on in Cambodia I guess it was worth it.

However, they have followed the childish idea that any social change is inherently communist or dangerous, so, now its time to find a way to spread the wealth a bit, or thailand will go pop.

[Thai at Heart]

"Ex"-Communists, Red Shirts. Really no difference. My wife is from Surat Thani, and several of her family members were killed by the communists hiding in the jungles around her home because they either spoke out against the communist, or named supporters living in the area. Red Shirts kill those who oppose them, too.

The Thai army was busy randomly massacring any communist insurgents they could get hold of in the 60s. I met an old army guy with some of the most grizzly photos of his catch in isaan one could imagine.

It was war out there.

[FangFerang]

"It's so hard to stay in the middle today. If you disagree with someone, you are automatically branded as being on the other side."

I am shocked and pleasantly surprised that the Nation is discussing TVF publicly. Now maybe we can get Thailand to follow the lead of America and Britain so the government can at least be dysfunctional in a way that is familiar to us!

[tomhell]

I almost forget Cambodia. I have seen the killing fields not far from Pnomh Penh. Really a nightmare what happend to the people there.

Pol Pot was well educated in France and a member of the communist party. I think he was very idealistic in the beginning and then he developed his theory of stoneage communism. Extreme times where the Thais had to protect country and people.

Very interesting article. This forum is a great source of information. I can understand more and more this deep rooted anti-communism here in Thailand.

For example this part: "Vipar sees a parallel with the past in the process of dehumanising the enemy. Back then, communists were made into evil figures, something non-human. Today, said Vipar, Thaksin and red shirts are often portrayed as non-human and the political hatred is even extended to the young son of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
"The cult of nationalism can turn 'the other' into evil,"

I can see it also in this forum where the "national extremists" very often insult redshirts (or the so called TV-Reds) and compare them to animals or call redshirts in general terrorists.

Thailand is deeply social divided. A lot of power still in the hands of the old family clans. What they want is clear. Keep the power for themself.

This hole situation here in Thailand is a mirror for the problems which exist in the society.


Thailand a country of extremes.

Tom

Thailand vehemently rooted communism out of Thai society. If you understand what went on in Cambodia I guess it was worth it.

However, they have followed the childish idea that any social change is inherently communist or dangerous, so, now its time to find a way to spread the wealth a bit, or thailand will go pop.

[art vandelay]

Society deeply polarised, veteran insurgents say

really? i hadn't noticed.