King Bhumibol of Thailand dies, aged 88 - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#14726297
Good riddance to a parasite. The royals in Thailand are decadent and privileged. The king was the richest royal in the world.
The Air Chief Marshall Of Thailand Was A Poodle Named Foo Foo And He Just Had A Four Day Funeral
The beloved miniature poodle of Thailand’s crown prince has been cremated after four days of Buddhist funeral rights — an extravagance that’s surprising until one realizes that Foo Foo formally served as the country’s Air Chief Marshall.
In a diplomatic cable revealed by WikiLeaks, the U.S. ambassador to Thailand, Ralph “Skip” Boyce, wrote about a gala he hosted in which the pooch came “dressed in formal evening attire complete with paw mitts” and at one point hopped on the table and drank from his glass.
As if a pet with overcoats and senior military rank didn’t make enough of a statement, Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn scandalized the Thai people when photographs emerged of his wife’s 30th birthday. In them, Princess Srirasm fed the prized poodle birthday cake, while wearing little more than her birthday suit.
Thais have for years been put off by the playboy prince’s disconnected — and lurid — lifestyle, but few air their distaste for fear of the harsh penalties that come with even veiled dissent.
Still, photos of Foo Foo’s lavish burial rites have opened the door to satirical social media posts. The biggest question seems to be that of succession, since the prince is due to succeed his ailing, 88-year-old father as the next Thai King.
Many in Thailand would rather see Princess Sirindhorn take the throne. A far cry from her brother’s bad boy ways, she’s often called “Princess Angel” in Thailand for her saintly image and charitable works.
But questioning the King’s choice for his heir would be asking for trouble.
Although the King said in 2005 that he welcomes criticism, in reality, anyone who criticizes the royal family faces harsh repercussions. Freedom of speech is highly restricted in Thailand, especially when it relates to the powers that be.
In November, Thai authorities detained several students who flashed the three-finger salute of Hunger Games fame after the symbol came to represent resistance to Thailand’s military rulers who grabbed power in a coup last May.
The ruling military junta has embarked on a “witch hunt” against activists under an unforgiving law guarding the royal family, according to the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights.
In just six months after the coup, authorities arrested 18 people under Thailand’s lèse-majesté laws. The laws are officially meant to safeguard the monarchy, but instead are used to suppress opposition and settle political scores.
A former professor and political activist was arrested for wearing a black shirt in the “auspicious month” of December when Thais are expected to don yellow to extend best wishes to the King, who was born in that month.
Two students face up to 15 years in jail under the laws for staging a play about a fictitious king. Although the script has not been circulated, the fact that it was to be performed on the 40th anniversary of a pro-democracy protest led by students was perhaps cause enough for their arrests.
It is “political weaponry in the guise of a legal system,” Jakrapob Penkair, a former employee in the Prime Minister’s Office told Time Magazine. Penkair was himself accused of lèse majesté for criticizing Thailand’s culture of royal patronage.
He noted that the laws are especially insidious because they can be brought by any Thai citizen — even those who don’t live in the country.
Giles Ji Ungpakorn, a Thai activist who was charged with lèse majesté after he voiced opposition to a 2006 military coup, said in an interview with Green Left that the military’s connection with the monarchs has led to further abuse of the laws.
“What we are really seeing is a conflict between the old order, crystallized around the military, using the monarchy as their symbol,” he said. “The King is constantly being used as an excuse to stage coups or to lock people up…[T]he military need[s] him more than anyone as it doesn’t have any legitimacy itself to intervene into politics. Therefore, it calls on the ‘legitimacy’ of the King.”
“In my opinion,” the exiled activist said, “The monarchy doesn’t really have any power, but people build him up to appear to have power.”
While that may be true, it’s in the interest of the military to maintain the King’s majesty — if only to rubber stamp their own hold on power.
And let’s not forget that with an estimated $30 billion to his name, Thailand’s King Bhumidol Adulyadej is considered to be the richest monarch in the world.
And upon the octogenarian monarch’s death, his playboy son is likely to inherit not only the thrown but vast riches and some real sway with the military. That means there may be yet more extravagant pet funerals to come.
#14726347
8 is considered a lucky number in much of east Asia, my personal theory is because it's reminiscent of the yin and yang symbol, others say it's the infinity symbol. So he passed away at a good age. He was a much-beloved king and his people will rightfully mourn his passing. Globalization has been a very mixed bag for Thailand and he represented the traditional strain in the country, which has seen a lot of turmoil. The prince is apparently considered an ass, which is symbolic of the transitions Thailand has been going through, but maybe he will improve.
#14726497
And yet Thailand still has a lower poverty rate than the US, and the people still love the royalty for everything that they have done for the people. Everyone condemning the Thai royalty does so out of complete ignorance.
#14726507
That's bullshit, and based on what, exactly, Suntzu? Ignorance, I'll bet. I live in Thailand, and I live with middle class Thai people. They live quite nicely.

They do not live the same, as in the US, and hold different things more important than others(for instance TV isn't venerated), and they are far more social, than in the US. A person who doesn't know any better could think like you do.
#14726511
AFAIK wrote:One King has died (at a ripe old age) and you guys are talking like the monarchy has fallen. :roll:

I'm sure his children will inherit his fortune and his son will ascend the throne.



The Crown Prince's popularity can easily cause the monarchy to fall. It seems that he's less popular than Prince Charles of the UK, and is standing on shakier grounds than Kim Jong-un of North Korea.
#14726519
Godstud wrote:That's bullshit, and based on what, exactly, Suntzu? Ignorance, I'll bet. I live in Thailand, and I live with middle class Thai people. They live quite nicely.

They do not live the same, as in the US, and hold different things more important than others(for instance TV isn't venerated), and they are far more social, than in the US. A person who doesn't know any better could think like you do.

The same could be said about the tribe's living in Papua New Guinea.
All monarchs must go, how can a nation of people allow themselves to be defrauded by one family for so long. Any man who kowtows to another man is worthless.
#14726523
Monarchs don't need to go just because you think they should. Many people still want monarchies, and many serve as checks and balances in many countries throughout the world. Look up constitutional monarchy.

#14726527
Zionist Nationalist wrote:I think monarchy is primitive and doesn't belong to the 21st century


Monarchy is at least one step away from primitiveness. Communism seems closer to it.

Merging the two, though, we get North Korea.
#14726537
Godstud wrote:That's bullshit, and based on what, exactly, Suntzu? Ignorance, I'll bet. I live in Thailand, and I live with middle class Thai people. They live quite nicely.

They do not live the same, as in the US, and hold different things more important than others(for instance TV isn't venerated), and they are far more social, than in the US. A person who doesn't know any better could think like you do.


The per capita GDP of the U.S. is more than three times that of Thailand. The average welfare slug in the U.S. has a wide screen TV, cable, cell phone, car and lives in air conditioning not to mention free medical care and education.

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