Expert speaker to head Thai politics update seminar: How did we get here?

[webfact]

Expert speaker to head Thai politics update seminar: How did we get here?
The Phuket News


Graham Catterwell, has long been a keen observer of Thai politics, even before he became an international affairs advisor to Prime Minister Gen Kriangsak Chomanan.

PHUKET: -- The British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT), in collaboration French, German, Italian and the Netherlands with chambers of commerce, will hold a Phuket business dinner and discussion under the topic: “Update on the Thai Political Situation”

Guest speaker at the event will be Mr Graham Catterwell, who has long been a keen observer of Thai politics, even before he became an international affairs advisor to Prime Minister Gen Kriangsak Chomanan.

“International affairs advisor” sounds like a grand title, says the BCCT release announcing the event, but the main task was produce a daily basic guide to what happened in the world yesterday and overnight, as the then-massive turgid tomes from the Foreign Ministry proved too much of a challenge.

“For decades, Mr Catterwell has never been too far from the centre of political power. Having had personal dealings with most Thai prime ministers in the period, he has colourful anecdotes on most… but unfortunately not all of these can be related in an open forum.

“He has of course been very closely following recent developments, and appreciates a close working relationship with military intelligence,” the announcement noted.

The event will held on June 25, from 6:30 to 8:30pm, at the Amari Phuket Beachfront Resort & Spa.

Tickets to the event costs B850 per person, and include a three-course dinner and soft drinks. For more information visit BCCThai.com.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/expert-speaker-to-head-thai-politics-update-seminar-how-did-we-get-here-52674.php

-- Phuket News 2015-06-08

[Somtamnication]

It's going to be one of the quietest meetings ever. Wrong time to talk politics or "anything else".

[smedly]

by eco bus I hope..........(answering the OP headline)

[noitom]

That paragraph leading "international affairs advisor" is unintelligible. He "appreciates a close relationship with military intelligence." This augers poorly for an honest fact based discussion. Looks like a waste of 850 baht, but they are including a three course dinner and soft drinks.

[chainarong]

This would be an interesting event to attend , even just to hear the pussy footing language ( Politcal speak) and mannerism that will probably be exhibited, it is hard to believe that Mr Catterwell has been very close to all PM's of Thailand and to be close to military intelligence , maybe, although I have heard of him through his work , however I will declining any invitation, I don't need any update on the current situation, I know only too well the direction Thailand is going.

[Estrada]

I had the same discussion with him for free over drinks in Cosmos Bar Patpong last week.

[steelepulse]

I had the same discussion with him for free over drinks in Cosmos Bar Patpong last week.

So save us all a few hours and 850 baht and go ahead and give us the bullet points.

[catterwell]

I had the same discussion with him for free over drinks in Cosmos Bar Patpong last week.

So save us all a few hours and 850 baht and go ahead and give us the bullet points.

That was an old version! A (sanitised) summary will be made made available afterwards on the BCCT website, as well as on my linkedIn and FB pages (where older versions are already posted). Sometimes I can get away with being blunter than other perhaps dare, but sometimes I have to phrase things carefully so as to avoid a free attitude-adjustment holiday courtesy of the RTA. Come if you like, don't come if you don't want to; I don't care; I'm just the after dinner entertainer.

[Maggusoil]

It's going to be one of the quietest meetings ever. Wrong time to talk politics or "anything else".

What can one really say in Thailand?

It would just be interesting as an exercise to see just how much spin can be put on nothing.

Like the sound of one hand clapping.

The sound of nothing spinning.

[Lupatria]

I can imagine how he is going to welcome the guests"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, to make sure every attendant is well entertained, nobody will lose face, there will be no criticism about any of those in power. As I already know you are tired of issues like human rights, free speech and freedom of the press I will leave issues out."

[EnglishJohn]

I can imagine how he is going to welcome the guests"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, to make sure every attendant is well entertained, nobody will lose face, there will be no criticism about any of those in power. As I already know you are tired of issues like human rights, free speech and freedom of the press I will leave issues out."

I think you missed the point : the talk is on how Thailand got here, not where it is now.

Hence the discussion will more likely be about mass cronyism and corruption on a huge scale, along with government terrorism against peaceful protestors while desperately clinging onto power. Then add an Army General who had to intervene to protect innocent people from being slaughtered because the Thai police were on-board with it too and you are probably closer to the mark.

[Thailand]

I can imagine how he is going to welcome the guests"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, to make sure every attendant is well entertained, nobody will lose face, there will be no criticism about any of those in power. As I already know you are tired of issues like human rights, free speech and freedom of the press I will leave issues out."

I think you missed the point : the talk is on how Thailand got here, not where it is now.

Hence the discussion will more likely be about mass cronyism and corruption on a huge scale, along with government terrorism against peaceful protestors while desperately clinging onto power. Then add an Army General who had to intervene to protect innocent people from being slaughtered because the Thai police were on-board with it too and you are probably closer to the mark.

The acceptable form of current political gathering then?

Has the huge potential of a non event or simply a thigh slapping uniform bash.

[Srikcir]

I had the same discussion with him for free over drinks in Cosmos Bar Patpong last week.

So save us all a few hours and 850 baht and go ahead and give us the bullet points.

That was an old version! A (sanitised) summary will be made made available afterwards on the BCCT website, as well as on my linkedIn and FB pages (where older versions are already posted). Sometimes I can get away with being blunter than other perhaps dare, but sometimes I have to phrase things carefully so as to avoid a free attitude-adjustment holiday courtesy of the RTA. Come if you like, don't come if you don't want to; I don't care; I'm just the after dinner entertainer.

Just be sure to have extra seating for any uninvited army officers to assure purity of thought.

Or you may become the after-dinner entertainment.

[masquerade]

No free grog included, so won't see me there.

[sickwaterbuffalo2]

Another Walter Mitty expert..........

[quandow]

Did they clear this meeting with the NCPO first? If not, it's gonna be a really really short meeting.

[catterwell]

Did they clear this meeting with the NCPO first? If not, it's gonna be a really really short meeting.

No NCPO clearance. But if they cut it short, I won't mind. The last one recently in Phuket, with an audience of around 70, began around 6 pm and went on until just after midnight. I would appreciate more beer drinking time. But if they try to cut it too short, then I will object. If my objection is not noted, then I will seriously object (if Cher doesn't mind).

Edited June 9, 2015 by catterwell

[catterwell]

Actually, regarding the title, "How did we get here?" was a previous one. The forthcoming one is "The shape of things to come".

[NamKangMan]

Why speak about "How did we get here" - when you should be speaking about "Where is Thailand heading?"

[jayboy]

Why speak about "How did we get here" - when you should be speaking about "Where is Thailand heading?"

Because to get a feel for the latter one must understand the former.Indeed I don't in fact think it is possible to develop a credible view of where Thailand is going without a solid grasp of its history (widely interpreted to include social, economic and political).The speaker is better placed than most foreigners in Thailand to speak with authority on the historic background up to and including the current New Jerusalem.But the future of Thailand is a more difficult subject though his views on this (I have no idea what they are) would no doubt be interesting.For me the unknowable aspect is the way young Thais (say under 30) are going to jump.Have we really for example seen the beginning of the end of the deference culture? My view? I think the views of millions of many young Thais across wealth and class lines would astonish many. I tend however in the end to agree with the historian JM Roberts who in his masterful History of the World wrote,

''Only two general truths emerge from the study of history.One is that things tend to change much more, and more quickly, than one might think.The other is that they tend to change much less, and much more slowly than one might think..The past hangs around longer and is more difficult to keep peacefully buried, even by strenuous efforts, than we believe"