The Nation
The "Air Force One" that served then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is now a spare aircraft for His Majesty the King.
His Majesty's new personal aircraft is a Boeing 737-800, which left Seattle, Washington, on Sunday and landed at 11.30am yesterday, after making refuelling stops in Hawaii and Saipan.
"Air Force One", an Airbus ACJ319, carries the official name "Thai Khu Fa", from the building inside the Government House compound. The name will be removed and replaced by "Royal Thai Air Force". The plane will also be repainted in traditional livery, white on the fuselage with light and dark blue stripes from nose to tail.
A Boeing 737-400, which currently serves as the King's aircraft, will be decommissioned in three years after 13 years in operation, Air Force spokesman Group Captain Monthol Satchukorn said.
The Air Force has another Airbus, a 319-300 model, to use as His Majesty's spare plane. Both Airbuses are available for members of the immediate royal family.
The Boeing 737-800 was produced exclusively by the American manufacturer to honour His Majesty's 60th year on the throne.
Boeing was chosen as the supplier because Air Force pilots and maintenance crews are thoroughly familiar with Boeing airliners.
The new 737-800's passenger cabin will be decorated by artists from the Fine Arts Department and fitted with emergency medical equipment and a noise-reduction system.
Of course, here is more "sufficiency theory" hypocrisy. The royal family lives way beyond the means of a poor country like Thailand. I wonder who paid for all these jets. The Crown Property Bureau or the Thai taxpayer
And why is "Airforce One," which is barely a few years old, no longer the government's jet? Also, there is something almost insulting about giving "Thaksin's plane" to the king, unless it is considered a princely spoil of war for signing off on the coup.
As the story points out, the king will have a brand new Boeing and "Air force One." All for somebody who never flies in planes!
What a waste! Because once the Royal Family uses these planes, they can't be used by the Thai government for civilian or military business.
This is definitely not sufficiency theory in action.
28 comments:
(From Matty)
Fonzi(or RealPolitik) the Ponzi,
Sometimes I wonder whether your head is in the price place and is proctologically misplaced.
I don't believe you are even Thai and understand Thai sensibilities.
The Thai people will NOT want their King to use a second hand plane EVER!
And your moronic brain of course won't undersand what I mean.
For Thaksin's old big big plane . . . maybe this can be refurbished for use by any Thai PM. But first they must clean out all the stench and malice and odor of Thaksin that still fouls this plane making it unusual to humans! - Matty
(From Matty-2)
Fonzi(or RealPolitik) the Ponzi,
Sometimes I wonder whether your head is in the RIGHT place and is proctologically misplaced.
(correction of my first sentence)
For Thaksin's old big big plane . . . maybe this can be refurbished for use by any Thai PM. But first they must clean out all the stench and malice and odor of Thaksin that still fouls this plane making it UNUSABLE to humans! - Matty3
(correction of last sentence of Matty-1)
Hey Matty, calm down a bit. Thaksin isnt coming back and the King is a God. OK now?
(From Matty)
Of course the Thai King is not god. But Thaksin THOUGHT he was god . . he thought he was invincible and he thought he was above the rule of law (too much Khmer voodoo!).
Thaksin thought his Khmer voodoo powers meant he does NOT have to pay taxes and he thought his Khmer voodoo powers meant he can give thumbs down orders, like a Roman emperor, to his extrajudicial police hicks to execute, without due process, criminal suspects during his insane anti-yaa ba campaign.
Matty-
Do you understand that when the government gave "Airforce One" to the king he was given a second hand plane?
Why are you attacking me for something we agree on?
I think the government should keep "Airforce One" for future government use and let the king keep the jets that he already has and never uses.
Doesn't that make sense?
(From Matty)
Yes Fonzi we agree on your recommendation but NOT on your premise. And certainly I do NOT view any hypocrisy in a proud economically sufficient Thailand gifting their revered King Bhumibhol a brand new Airforce One.
We have met before Fonzi the Ponzi in other forums and if you will trace back our debate . . you and your sidekick Tosakan were FIRST to cast the personal insults and I merely responded.
But I can carry on civil debates of course if my adversary so chooses.
Matty-
You crack me up. You are welcome here, of course.
As for the sufficieny theory, it is hypocrisy, because the king doesn't need two brand new planes.
If he was traveling all over the world and around the country on a continual basis, then it would make sense, but now he stays mostly in Hua Hin and when he does travel, he takes a helicopter and not a jumbo jet.
By the way, I am not real politick.
Fonzi, sufficiency theory isn't about NEED - it's about MEANS.
General Surayud doesn't need millions of baht worth of watches and jewelry. But since his family has been serving the Chakri for generations, he's accumulated enough wealth to own and display such objects.
Likewise, it's OK for the King to have 3 personal airplanes, since he is, after all, one of the wealthiest men in the world.
Sufficiency theory says its OK to be wealthy, it's OK to flaunt your wealth.
However, it's not OK to flaunt wealth that you don't have. It's not OK for a poor farmer to borrow money from the government to buy a pickup truck to take his goods to market.
I like that Anonymous กล่าวว่า...(April 22, 2007 12:00 AM).
I would also like to add that it is also not OK to flaunt ill-gotten wealth and to flaunt tax-free and offshore assets hiding skills with such shameless arrogance while one is a Prime Minister of Thailand. That is idiocy of the most malicious kind and idiocy like that deserve a hammering, which the coup delivered deservedly!
ad, you stupid thick skulled clod! Don't you recognize satire when you see it?!?
Matty. We should all get what we are worth. HMK has been caring for his people for 60 years, raising their standard of living and generally advancing their cause. 90% of them are still dirt poor so he hasnt done a wonderfully good job now has he? Perhaps a Honda would be more like actual worth. One with 2 wheels.
Sufficiency economy isn't about RESULTS, it's about INTENTIONS.
It doesn't matter if the King's sacrifices for the Thai people over the past 60 years have had little effect on their well-being and no effect on their political development - what matters is his virtuous intentions. Likewise, it doesn't matter if Surayud made the Southern Fire worse or that he's screwed up the economy - he had good intentions and has a pure heart.
Thaksin and his allies focus people too much on the beneficial results of his policies, but try to get people to ignore the evil dark intentions that everybody knows are at his heart. He is the true enemy of virtue and the sufficiency economy.
Isn't anyone going to talk about the core issue here, why is it ok for the plane to be appropriated?
Isn't anyone going to talk about the core issue here, why is it ok for the plane to be appropriated?
Who appropriated it?
Who owned it previously?
Who owns it now?
"The King owns the horse, the government is only the jockey."
Hobby, look at the beginning of the article. The plane that was Thaksin's plane has transferred away from the government and is not a government (people) asset anymore. It will be used as a spare. Is there not another possible use for it?
So the ownership has not changed?
It was being used by Thaksin (and presumably being funded by the state?)
Now someone (the air force?) has set it aside as a spare plane for the king.
I agree it does not seem to be the best utilization of state assets - Will the new government need such a plane?
If it is surplus to expected needs perhaps the government could sell it (maybe Thaksin might be interested in buying it?)
"The King owns the horse, the government is only the jockey"
Right. Exactly right. And what do horses do most? And where do they do it? And who cares that Thais are already knee deep in the stuff? Not HMK
I got to get me a copy of Paul Handley's Book, I think it would give some insights as to the nature of the problem this place has got.
I got to get me a copy of Paul Handley's Book, I think it would give some insights as to the nature of the problem this place has got.
Interesting discussion on that book over here:
New Mandala
(I'm nganadeeleg - see comment #33)
Hobby: interesting read, I would love to get a copy.
I disagree with what was said countering the view that HMK's image has been systematically raised to semi-divine levels. This has been a remarkably successful brainwashing exercise, which could not possibly have been done without his knowledge and active support, and helped by the fact that the Thai isnt (on average) very intelligent and is not encouraged or assisted to get a good education to change that situation. In addition, the Thai is culturally encouraged to be blindly and unquestioningly devoted to 'seniors' and 'pooyay'.
The images I have seen prior to screening films at cinemas are indisputably that Thais are encouraged to see HMK as a Magical being, empowerered to magically cause rain and to distribute magic rice seeds. All of which may seem infantile but all of which is designed simply to prevent a popular uprising by the poor and ill-educated against an increasingly exploitative and iniquitous elite and middle class in Thailand.
There is a persistent rumour in Thailand that the downfall of Thaksin was engineeered by the use of 'black magic' or 'voodoo' (even though Voudun is an African thing not an Asian thing). Call it what you like but there is an increasing perception among psycho-whatevers that a manipulation of the 'group mind' (known as the collective unconscious by Jungian psychologists) can be achieved by some means. Who knows? If, there is any truth in this thinking (whatever I think of it doesnt matter), then I wonder if the next step would likely be to gradually create the circumstances which result in a ramping up of the level of education of rural Thais. The challenge would then be to prevent the almost inevitable conflict when the elite and middle classes in Thailand inevitably take exception to the poor but multitudinous rural masses deciding they are not quite so willing to be exploitable cannon-fodder as they have been in the past.
perhaps the means is irrelevant, perhaps the end is all that matters. Perhaps the 'voodoo' of mass thought manipulation in the cultural arena is being countered by a different, more scientific 'voodoo'. perhaps a lot of things. Progress should be welcomed as progress no matter how it is started.
Whilst I acknowledge the significant promotion of the royals, I'm not so sure about the 'semi-divine' thing.
Most Thai's I speak with do love the king, but they laugh at the suggestion that he is any sort of god/buddha/saint/whatever.
Propaganda can only go so far, and last so long - if the king was not an inherently good person, then no amount of promotion would make the people love him.
Handley is a good read - I just disagree with the main premise that Thailand is held back because of the king - In my view Thailand is held back in spite of the efforts of the king.
Only the king and those in the inner circle would know the real truth - everything else is just conjecture.
Hobby, I acknowledge your view. One cannot love someone one doesnt know. Thais dont know their King, they only know what they have been told and that is highly dubious but their need to identofy is so strong it ouweighs most scepicism. I refer you to the Nation that (commenting on the daft You-Tube thing) said that HMK was a religious icon in Thailand. of course I accept there is an undeclared competiotion as to who can be most fulsome in their hyperbole about HMK, that makes them better Thais. Obviousy. So he is considered at least semi-divine, dont know what will happen when he dies.
O the other point you made. lots of bad people have been 'idolised' by their people. The history books is full of them but I wont mention any here in case I am accused of identifying HMK with any of them. Delicate ground.
And Thaksin was another of course...
60 years is a long time to be idolised.
We can only judge someone on what we know, and have seen and read.
I've read Handley and observed the royal propaganda, and whilst I have some concerns about royal favoritism, the CPB and the blurred line between state and personal assets, overall I am comfortable with the kings position regarding democracy.
I can see consistent recurring themes in the kings speeches.
I also agree with Handley that succession is the big question mark, and it should have been resolved by now. Bhumibol, the man, will be hard to top.
I broadly agree with you, except he hasnt been idolised for 60 years, quite, it likely took a long time to build up to the current state of adulation. I do think that without even HMK to provide an example, this place would have fallen on itself like thieves long since, and I do agree that he is broadly a good man if not imho a wonderfully capable leader and figurehead. The vast majority of the people he has been nurturing so devotedly for 60 years are still dirt poor and horribly exploirted by those who have sufficient money already not to need more. I suggest it is reasonable to have expected more after 60 years custodianship.
As to the succession, look carefully at the PR campaigns, media reports and a certain very large poster near the Palace. It is already decided and being implemented I think.
"The vast majority of the people he has been nurturing so devotedly for 60 years are still dirt poor and horribly exploirted by those who have sufficient money already not to need more. I suggest it is reasonable to have expected more after 60 years custodianship".
I agree, but unfortunatly that seems to be the way throughout most of the world.
It would not be so bad if they at least had equality in the law (in practice), but 'money talks', especially in Thailand.
Fully agree Hobby. Money talks, It doesnt always make good sense but it speaks loudly. But wait! Isnt that what Thais do? I think I may have stumbled upon an understanding! LOL!
Cheers...
ps where da Fonz?
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