doseiai
01-07-07, 06:31 AM
Most people, even the Thai themselves don't really know whats going on...:confused:
Thailand's political system draws striking similarities to another historical system, that of Azuchi-Momoyama periods of Japan, when 3 powerful figures ruled the country in the name of the emperor.
Both periods, the King (or Emperor) commanded complete respect and devotion from the people. And in both periods, the King (or Emperor) didn't control the country.
The truth is, the king and his family is held captive (remember the coup that established the constitutional monarchy?) by powerful forces. They had already killed the King's older brother Ananda for being too bold, as a warning.:eek: The Princess Mother, in shock, made the King promise to always take care of the Royal family, and not do anything too bold. In other words, the King is the eye of the hurricane. In a hurricane, an eye is eerily peaceful and quiet, while hundred mile an hour winds thrash out just outside.
The King of Thailand and his family is held captive by a group of powerful mafia forces who had long ago commandeered the military. The current leader is of course, none of than Privy Council president Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda. The two others key members are Surayud and Sonthi. In Japan, they were Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, from oldest to youngest. Of course, despite having their hands tied, the Imperial (Royal) family still has considerable leverage.
In Thailand, Thaksin became Prime Minister in 2001, and a month later (March 2001) learned his head was wanted, with a failed attempt at his life by blowing up an airliner he was to board. Knowing fully well it was Prem, :mad: and that the major mafia business base of Prem lies in the drug trade, he fought to destroy the base that feeds the mafia. Prem saw this as a bid for Thaksin to build his own mafia to challenge that of Prem's, so as to control the King's family himself. (Similar to Hideyoshi, who challenged Nobunaga). The aged and wise King (similar to Emperor Go-Shirakawa manipulating behind the scenes to rid themselves of the shoguns, liking neither, but playing along) knew whoever won this battle either way was still a loss,:( so he went along with the ouster of Thaksin, despite desperately wanting to rid himself of the grips of the mafia, meanwhile having a secret weapon.:) The King meanwhile put his faith in a relatively unknown outsider, Muslim General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin to command the only power strong enough to save the Royal family from the grips of mafiosos and wannabees (Thaksin) once and for all...the military.
Meanwhile, like Japan's imperial restoration coup, which started in rebellious Christianized Satsuma Province, the southernmost, Thailand's is likely to start in Pattani, also rebellious, southernmost, and Islamic. An alliance between Islamic and Royalist is most improbable, and therefore, the only one that has a chance to slip by Prem's nose. Evidence of their alliance already exists; the King and Sonthi went leanient on Islamists, and stopped Buddhism as the state religion.
Pattani is the "training ground" for pro-Royalist insurgents that will join the Sonthi-Royal alliance in a bid to create an Islamic Royal State of Thailand and ultimately rid Thailand of the mafia. It's not that the King likes Muslims, but they are his last resort and hope, and the lessor of all evils. This is why, despite Islamists bombing Bangkok in January, Sonthi refuses to even consider them as culprits, and the King grants them amnesty. Surayud, like any wise man, is keeping good relations with both Prem and the Royalists, but the day when he is forced to choose sides will come.
Thailand's political system draws striking similarities to another historical system, that of Azuchi-Momoyama periods of Japan, when 3 powerful figures ruled the country in the name of the emperor.
Both periods, the King (or Emperor) commanded complete respect and devotion from the people. And in both periods, the King (or Emperor) didn't control the country.
The truth is, the king and his family is held captive (remember the coup that established the constitutional monarchy?) by powerful forces. They had already killed the King's older brother Ananda for being too bold, as a warning.:eek: The Princess Mother, in shock, made the King promise to always take care of the Royal family, and not do anything too bold. In other words, the King is the eye of the hurricane. In a hurricane, an eye is eerily peaceful and quiet, while hundred mile an hour winds thrash out just outside.
The King of Thailand and his family is held captive by a group of powerful mafia forces who had long ago commandeered the military. The current leader is of course, none of than Privy Council president Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda. The two others key members are Surayud and Sonthi. In Japan, they were Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, from oldest to youngest. Of course, despite having their hands tied, the Imperial (Royal) family still has considerable leverage.
In Thailand, Thaksin became Prime Minister in 2001, and a month later (March 2001) learned his head was wanted, with a failed attempt at his life by blowing up an airliner he was to board. Knowing fully well it was Prem, :mad: and that the major mafia business base of Prem lies in the drug trade, he fought to destroy the base that feeds the mafia. Prem saw this as a bid for Thaksin to build his own mafia to challenge that of Prem's, so as to control the King's family himself. (Similar to Hideyoshi, who challenged Nobunaga). The aged and wise King (similar to Emperor Go-Shirakawa manipulating behind the scenes to rid themselves of the shoguns, liking neither, but playing along) knew whoever won this battle either way was still a loss,:( so he went along with the ouster of Thaksin, despite desperately wanting to rid himself of the grips of the mafia, meanwhile having a secret weapon.:) The King meanwhile put his faith in a relatively unknown outsider, Muslim General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin to command the only power strong enough to save the Royal family from the grips of mafiosos and wannabees (Thaksin) once and for all...the military.
Meanwhile, like Japan's imperial restoration coup, which started in rebellious Christianized Satsuma Province, the southernmost, Thailand's is likely to start in Pattani, also rebellious, southernmost, and Islamic. An alliance between Islamic and Royalist is most improbable, and therefore, the only one that has a chance to slip by Prem's nose. Evidence of their alliance already exists; the King and Sonthi went leanient on Islamists, and stopped Buddhism as the state religion.
Pattani is the "training ground" for pro-Royalist insurgents that will join the Sonthi-Royal alliance in a bid to create an Islamic Royal State of Thailand and ultimately rid Thailand of the mafia. It's not that the King likes Muslims, but they are his last resort and hope, and the lessor of all evils. This is why, despite Islamists bombing Bangkok in January, Sonthi refuses to even consider them as culprits, and the King grants them amnesty. Surayud, like any wise man, is keeping good relations with both Prem and the Royalists, but the day when he is forced to choose sides will come.