SlashAsia » Thailand

Thailand’s political crisis deepens

enrico — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:36:43 +0000

Days after army confrontation with Red Shirt protesters in Bangkok, Yellow Shirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul was ambushed in what analysts say may be a politically motivated assassination. Tensions have flared in the country, between Red Shirt protesters calling for PM Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down, and Yellow Shirts, who caused last year’s government to topple five months ago. The Red Shirts support former deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra, and call for democracy, while the Yellow Shirts argue Thaksin’s corrupt policies were not democratic. Last weekend after protesting in thousands in the streets, Red Shirts stormed an ASEAN summit , forcing Abhisit to end the summit. Now exiled Thaksin is accusing the army of killing thousands during last Monday’s confrontation with army, recalling a 1992 crackdown where more than 200 students were killed in an attempt to sway international opinion.

In-depth analysis of Thai crisis and Western media bias in coverage Smoke, mirrors and lies, Asia Times

Thailand’s Yellow Shirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul survives assassination attempt, Times UK

Red shirt Thai protesters disrupt summit, state of emergency called

enrico — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:04:20 +0000

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva canceled a weekend ASEAN summit and has declared a state of emergency for Bangkok and five provinces after thousands of anti-government protesters stormed a summit venue on Saturday. 100,000 red-shirt protesters filled the streets of Bangkok earlier this week, demanding Abhisit step down. Rioters support former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, deposed for corruption, whose populist policies had widespread appeal amongst poor rural voters. Leaders from the ten member ASEAN and Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand had gathered in Thailand’s south to discuss unified response to economic recession, free trade and North Korea. Just under five months ago rival protesters, Thai royalists, took over airports for a week, forcing the former pro-Thaksin government’s downfall. Some analysts say the two groups of rioters have such opposing views that a low-grade civil war could break out. Commentary in the Thai national paper, The Nation, sums it up as “an-eye-for-an-eye showdown.” “You fight for democracy that rejects corrupt politicians, we can fight for democracy that respects the voices of the poor.”

Round two: everyone loses, The Nation
Thai summit halted amid protests, WSJ
Political turmoil spreads to Asia summit site, Jakarta Post
Thailand declares emergency, cancels Asian summit, AP/Yahoo

Asia: Markets rally, currencies at 2009 high

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:01:56 +0000

Asian currencies strengthened this week following an announcement that American banks could stand without government buyout, and optimism about new Chinese and Japanese stimulus packages. Japan’s Nikkei rose 5.15%, South Korea’s Kospi 6.7%, while Singapore’s Strait Times Index rose 5.6%. The Malaysian ringgit increased by 0.3% after the government announced a US $16 billion stimulus plan. The Taiwan dollar rose 0.8%, and the Thai baht 0.4%. Despite a regional rally, the Philippines peso and Vietnam dong were unaffected, and China’s Shanghai Composite actually dropped by 0.2%, after Wen Jiabao expressed concern about the stability of US Treasuries.

The Bank of America Corp., JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. announced this week that they do not need government support and may even see profits this year, boosting confidence in the Asia region as well as Europe. While analysts say this is just a temporary respite, things may be looking up in Southeast Asia. Citigroup has indicated it’s confidence that Southeast Asian countries will come out of the crisis soon, announcing plans to start equity brokerage business in Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia

Links and sources:

Citigroup to boost Asian equity trade , Gulf Daily News

Nikkei surges 5% as US bank hopes lift Asian markets , CNBC News

Asian stocks lifted , The Straits Times

Asian currencies best of week 2009, led by won, rupiah , Bloomberg

Asia: Internet-nanny states on rise

Alexandra Stevenson — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:55:50 +0000

According to a recent article in Asia Times Online, the 2007 Computer Crime Act in Thailand had made the use of proxy servers punishable by law and more recently 2, 300 websites have been shutdown for insulting the monarchy. The Justice Ministry has sought court orders to shut down an additional 3000. In Singapore the government, wary of any criticism, frequently sues publications like The Economist and the Far Eastern Economic Review for referring to the one-party government rule as ‘authoritarian’. The government, which uses economic success as legitimacy for it’s hold on power, harassed an Asia Times contributor for discussing financial trouble in the city-state. In Malaysia last year, local ISPs were told to block renowned blogger and critique of the government, Raja Petra Kamarudin, from accessing the Internet. He was later arrested under the Internal Security Act. The Burmese government is taking lessons from Russian and Chinese officials on how to tighten it’s grip in cyberspace too, in a more sophisticated way than has previously done.

Links and sources:

An opening in cyberspace closes, Asia Times Online

China’s Internet censorship explained, China you ren website

Asia: ASEAN countries to demonstrate self-sufficiency and open trade

Alexandra Stevenson — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:35:08 +0000

Finance ministers in the Asia region are holding bilateral talks in the lead up the 14th Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) summit, in a show of greater strategic cooperation to prevent trade protectionism. Malaysia held bilateral talks with Indonesian and Chinese finance ministers this weekend, to promote trade. Officials from Japan, China and Korea met Saturday afternoon to discuss counter-measures to economic slowdown. Finance chiefs from Asean countries and Japan, China and South Korea will gather at the summit on February 27 in Thailand to discuss concrete and collective response to financial woes.

Asean will speak out against using trade protectionism as a way to cope with the current financial crisis, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said. Mr. Abhisit has encouraged Asean countries to seek aid from other regions, acknowledging that the IMF ” simply does not have the resources, money and time to look into the various problems in different regions.” The Asia Development Bank will participate in the summit as Asean members determine the details of a foreign reserve fund pool agreed upon last May. Contributing countries will discuss management and size of fund.

Links and sources:

Asean to resist protectionism, Straits Times

China, Indonesia and China trade talks, Malaysia Star

Asea foreign reserve pool, Xinhua