Thai News
Six days of U.S./Thai trade talks in Chiang Mai has resulted in a stalemate with the help of 10,000 protesters…an alliance of 11 groups who are resisting trade liberalization. They are not ready, says the director of the AIDS Success Foundation, for expensive drugs caused by prolonged protection of intellectual property rights that will only benefit a few businesses instead of the Thai people. Other activists and academics have expressed grave concern that liberalized trade would open Thailand to foreign firms that would bring western values that would destroy the already endangered Thai way of life.
The irony was stark, however, when in the same week the Bangkok Post featured a glossy full page picture of Thailand’s beloved “Jazzy King” playing his saxaphone…celebrating six decades during which he has inspired, entertained and encouraged Thai people. He plays on Saturday nights at Klai Kingworld Palace on Hua Hin Beach south of Bangkok where the 78 year old king lives. He learned to play while he was studying as a student in Lucerne Switzerland. He and his band plays Dixieland, New Orleans and Big Band music and has jammed with the likes of Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa and Lionel Hampton. He sometimes composes spontaneously while playing…an aide writing the notes while he blows.
Tags: Bangkok, Thailand, World Watching And Politics
Zoe
Just reading over comments to my posts and realized my comment above should have been to a different post. You must have thought I was nuts, Melissa! 🙂
But thanks for recommendation of the book. Think I’ll order it from Amazon. We are having a big discussion about neoliberalism in the International Group on couchsurfing.com.
BTW, what did you end up thinking from your classroom discussions?
Thanks for comment…glad someone is reading the blog! From the talks I heard the other night, it seems to be more of an identity/separatist thing…purification of their Islam that they identify with…and a refusal to see themselves as Thai. “Thai” is a loaded word for them…implying forced assimilation into a culture that is not theirs. They are proud of their Malay culture…as the area in the south was originally Malay. Kind of have to study the history to understand what is going on.
Interesting personal account of the resistance movement against neo-liberalism. Do you think it is an identity movement? or an economic justice movement? this is what we discussed extensively in a class I took last semester. If you need any light (HA!) reading while you’re recovering from your dental work try _A Movement of Movements_ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1859844685/103-6970741-6461424?v=glance&n=283155
Each chapter is a different activists personal history.
Glad to see your posts, Eunice!
~M!