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  1. #1
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    The Village Scout Movement in Thailand

    Has anyone read this book or know more about this subject? Cheers.

    "...a significant contribution to cross-disciplinary understandings of mass movements, violence, and the role of ritual in the formation of the nation-state.

    ...The Village Scout movement was founded in 1971 to counter what was perceived as the "communist threat" spreading throughout Southeast Asia at that time. It succeeded in becoming the largest right-wing popular organization in Thai history, recruiting almost one-fifth of the adult population during the 1970s.

    ...Bowie looks at how the Scout movement was used by local gangsters and right-wing elite to expand their influence over provincial officials.



    ...obedience to authority and passivity were stressed as traits deemed necessary for a stable, secure nation.

    ...a fascinating and powerful book about a pivotal period of Thai history and about the role of ritual in the formation of the modern nation-state."

    H-Net Review: Sara Van Fleet <saravf@u.washington.edu> on Rituals of National Loyalty: An Anthropology of the State and the Village Scout Movement in Thailand


    Katherine A. Bowie. Rituals of National Loyalty: An Anthropology of the State and the Village Scout Movement in Thailand. New York and Chichester: Columbia University Press, 1997. ISBN 978-0-231-10391-6; $18.50 (paper), ISBN 978-0-231-10390-9.

  2. #2
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    ^ wow, interesting and insidious. havent read it but looks gud.

  3. #3
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    there is always reference to these guys in discussions of Thai history and the shaping of .

    is the book available in Thailand ?

  4. #4
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    My wifes Grandfather has talked about two communist guys that were living in the village a long time ago and they were there to trianing the local villages to fight.

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    The Village Scouts main claim to fame was to beat, lynch and burn to death students at the Thammasart University in October 1976.

    Thailand's finest, for sure!

    I could write more, but I think I could risk breaking a certain law if I did....

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    Quote Originally Posted by Whiteshiva View Post
    The Village Scouts main claim to fame was to beat, lynch and burn to death students at the Thammasart University in October 1976.

    Thailand's finest, for sure!

    I could write more, but I think I could risk breaking a certain law if I did....
    ^ Yup! But there's more of what you're alluding to in the link. Apparently the Scouts have been massing again in the South.

  7. #7
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    Ill-intentioned peole try to pave way for coup this month: Kowit
    October 15, 2008 : Last updated 06:58 pm

    The government is striving to safeguard democracy while ill-intentioned people have tried to inflame the turmoil to pave way for a coup to happen this month, Interior Minister Kowit Watana said Wednesday.

    "If this month passed without the seizure of power, then I might remain in the job," Kowit said in a speech to newly-appointed provincial governors.

    The political rifts remain the root cause of instability and the volatility has intensified because certain people siding with the People's Alliance for Democracy want the soldiers to intervene and seize power, he said.

    He urged provincial governors to brace for disturbances, such as the blockade of road or airport.

    He also called on the governors to focus on projects designed to forge unity and reconciliation, including the revival of the village scouts and the ongoing run bearing the national flag nationwide as party of the celebrations of the royal birthdays of Their Majesties the King and Queen.

    nationmultimedia.com


    the revival of the village scouts
    oh oh ,

  8. #8
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hootad Binky
    The Village Scout movement was founded in 1971 to counter what was perceived as the "communist threat" spreading throughout Southeast Asia at that time.
    Helping old ladies cross the street is definitely not in the charter of these "Scouts".

    A lot of yellow in the pic but normally the dress is "brown shirts".

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mid View Post
    Ill-intentioned peole try to pave way for coup this month: Kowit
    October 15, 2008 : Last updated 06:58 pm

    The government is striving to safeguard democracy while ill-intentioned people have tried to inflame the turmoil to pave way for a coup to happen this month, Interior Minister Kowit Watana said Wednesday.

    "If this month passed without the seizure of power, then I might remain in the job," Kowit said in a speech to newly-appointed provincial governors.

    The political rifts remain the root cause of instability and the volatility has intensified because certain people siding with the People's Alliance for Democracy want the soldiers to intervene and seize power, he said.

    He urged provincial governors to brace for disturbances, such as the blockade of road or airport.

    He also called on the governors to focus on projects designed to forge unity and reconciliation, including the revival of the village scouts and the ongoing run bearing the national flag nationwide as party of the celebrations of the royal birthdays of Their Majesties the King and Queen.

    nationmultimedia.com


    the revival of the village scouts
    oh oh ,
    What revival? They kind of disappeared in the early 80's but never really went away, they had a big rally in Sanam Luang in 2004. There are still a lot of these scumbags around. They were, and maybe still are, associated with Border Patrol Police, a most unsavoury lot. They don't generally wear the full uniforms anymore, just the brown neckerchiefs. The Queen herself, not so long ago, called on the Scouts to defend the monarchy and the nation, and they have been responsible for a number of murders in the south. They are very, very close to the hearts of those at the top. Those of you with a copy of "The King Never Smiles" should have a look at page 237.

    Quote Originally Posted by http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/146/special.shtml
    “I have been thinking of this for the last few days, after the bombing at the Hat Yai international airport, that I cannot sit idly by, because the incident is quite serious,” the Queen said. “It will affect the tourism industry and the economy could collapse,” she said.

    The 72-year-old queen made the remarks during a heartfelt and deeply patriotic speech to some 1,200 village defence volunteers and scouts at the Royal Palace in Bangkok. The village defence volunteer and scout system was created during the Cold War as an anti-communist measure, but continues to this day.
    “I do not incite you to arm and mount retaliatory killings ... but I plead to you all not to remain idle because this situation is very dangerous to our country,” she said."

    The 40-minute address was taped and broadcast on every Thai television station during prime time.
    Chiangmai Mail August 2005
    The article the above quote was taken from is worth reading in full as an example that when it comes to boot-licking, kowtowing, and fawning, the farang press in Thailand can give the Thai press a good run for its money.

    There have been many village scouts seen at PAD rallies, both veterans and new members. Many PAD members dress so as to emulate or proclaim their membership of the scouts;

    The PAD makes use of military and martial symbolism. Some of the leaders like to wear brown shirts and black shirts that resemble military and paramilitary uniforms. The headbands worn by leaders and followers recall the outfits of traditional warriors, samurai, and jungle fighters. The oversized neckscarf comes from the scouts, village scouts, and jungle fighters.
    http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008...n_30078561.php
    Some other recent mentions of the Village Scouts

    SPECIAL REPORT
    General pushed for coup privately and publicly

    Published on October 22, 2006

    One of the key men behind the coup was General Saphrang Kalayanamitr, assistant commander of the Royal Thai Army and former commander of the Third Army Division.....

    A week later, on July 25, Saphrang told Village Scouts and visitors offering him moral support at Naraesuan Army Compound that "it appears that the country is weakening like never before. In the past we fought with communists, enemies whose identity we knew as well as where they came from. However, we now have to fight an internal enemy who stems from evilness, who is born out of greed, selfishness and lack of ethics and morality. Bad people congregate but good people are hardly united."
    http://www.nationmultimedia.com/sear...ewsid=30016821

    Published on July 18, 2005



    The village Scout Operation Centre (VSOC) is hoping to have at least one of its members in every village in the five southern border provinces within three years.

    “It’s our long-term plan to restore peace in the deep South,” Khunying Rangsima Wanglee, the chairwoman of Bangkok village scouts, said yesterday.

    She said the VSOC had requested a budget of more than Bt280 million from the Interior Ministry to finance its plan.

    Rangsima described it as a measure to add one more good person to each village.

    “Then we have a greater chance of creating more good people.

    ” She said village scouts were loyal to their nation, their religion and the monarchy.

    They also cherished unity and brotherhood, regardless of nationality, religion, culture, age and financial or social status, she said.
    The Nation: Thailand's top English news website

    Published on April 27, 2005

    Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont said yesterday that Her Majesty the Queen had delivered her speech on violence in the deep South on her own initiative and was not asked to give the speech on behalf of His Majesty the King, as was reported in an English-language newspaper.

    While addressing a gathering of village scouts last Saturday, Her Majesty called on citizens nationwide to stand united and condemn perpetrators of violent acts in the southern border provinces.

    The Bangkok Post reported on Sunday that Her Majesty was heard telling Surayud: “Actually, His Majesty wanted to say this but feared it would be too strong [an act], so he asked me to speak instead.

    ” Surayud said Her Majesty asked permission from His Majesty on her own initiative to make the speech.

    “Her Majesty believed that if His Majesty came out to speak, it could have caused overly strong feelings, so Her Majesty asked for permission to make the speech herself,” Surayud said.
    http://www.nationmultimedia.com/sear...?newsid=114975


    Village scouts in 2004 shouting "Chai Yo" as the march past Thammasat University. The university where the Village Scouts massacred protesting students.
    Last edited by DrB0b; 16-10-2008 at 01:43 PM.
    The Above Post May Contain Strong Language, Flashing Lights, or Violent Scenes.

  10. #10
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    I worked in a primary school on the Burma border in Kanchanaburi province last year. Ever thursday was "scout" day and the kids would come to school in scout uniforms - brown for the boys, green for the girls. The kids and teachers all wore kerchiefs, but they were mostly blue or a light pink color.

    Can somebody explain if/how this is related to the scout movement Bowie talks about?

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    ^It's not. What you're talking about is the normal boy/girl scout movement, the Baden-Powell bunch. Village scouts are nothing to do with that.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gnu167 View Post
    I worked in a primary school on the Burma border in Kanchanaburi province last year. Ever thursday was &quot;scout&quot; day and the kids would come to school in scout uniforms - brown for the boys, green for the girls. The kids and teachers all wore kerchiefs, but they were mostly blue or a light pink color.

    Can somebody explain if/how this is related to the scout movement Bowie talks about?
    your good question received an abrupt close off from Dr Bob I suppose it depends if the particular boy/girl Scout leaders are also members/paid by the Village Scouts I note the same "allegiance" - nation, religion and monarchy seems terribly easy for one to morph into another....

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    Government to revive village scouts | Prachatai English


    Government to revive village scouts

    Thu, 15/09/2011 - 08:45 | by prachatai

    On 14 Sept, Yongyuth Wichaidit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, told reporters that the previous government’s policy to protect the monarchy was not considered a policy, as it was ‘above’ policy, and to protect the institution was the soul and spirit inherent in the blood of all Thai people.

    Policies are about solving problems, and are finished within certain timeframes or continued if the government wants it, he said.

    ‘The government has the idea to revive village scouts in concrete form for the sake of the reconciliation of Thais to encourage them to love the country and religion, and to be an important force in the future. No budget will be allocated for this, but [the government] will promote the idea of sacrificing for the country. And the main task is to fight the drugs problem,’ he said.

    Source:
    http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.php?newsid=1316004874&grpid=03&cat...

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    Quote Originally Posted by DrB0b
    And the main task is to fight the drugs problem,’ he said
    Sounds like this bloke has had a few too many.

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    Another good source of information on the Village Scouts is Paul Handly's book "The King Never Smiles".

    Tough to get hold of a copy here in Thailand though.

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    ^and after the are

    Quote Originally Posted by Boon Mee
    Tough to get hold of a copy here in Thailand though.
    Judging by the arrest of US Citizen Joe Gordon it might not be legal in Thailand to even mention that book on a public internet site.
    A Thai with American citizenship arrested and denied bail | Prachatai English

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    ^No impure thoughts, please.

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