The New Mandala blog is usually infested with conspiracy theorist with brains addled by university years spent taking drugs rather than lectures but sometimes they come up with some classics such as today's post trying to lay claim to the term "Sufficiency Democracy"

 

the original 2006 New Mandela post said

 

Not only are rural people to be shielded (or excluded) from full and active participation in the national economy but their full and active participation in electoral democracy has been pushed aside in favour of Bangkok

This whole "Self Sufficiency" thing is nothing more than Merchantilism Lite.

There's still a whole Class in Thailand that think it's the 1700's.

 

But still, where is there more hope and modern thinking in SE Asia?

 

The generals in Burma who still think it's 1946?

 

The Communist Aparatchniks in Laos and Veitnam who are still waiting for the fruits of their glorious revolution?

 

The Mullahs in Malaysia who think the answer is to return to the 16th century?

 

Or maybe the Bubble-istas in Singapore that "grew" a whopping 30+% last year in spite (or because?)of the fact that one can't spit on the street and gets one's a$$ whupped if one paints doodles on the side of a wall?

 

Oh, I almost forgot the ex-Khmer Rouge (and anti-gay) Kleptocracy that rules Cambodia - the supposedly new gay sex tourist "mecca".

 

The Thais, as frustrating as the political situation is, are "working it out". The rest of the above nations aren't even trying.

But still, where is there more hope and modern thinking in SE Asia? . . . maybe the Bubble-istas in Singapore that "grew" a whopping 30+% last year in spite (or because?)of the fact that one can't spit on the street and gets one's a$$ whupped if one paints doodles on the side of a wall?

Dismissing Singapore just because it has some pretty severe punishments on the law books is a pretty pathetic argument IMHO. Do you know what Singapore was like 50 or so years ago? Do you know that 88% or more now own their own homes? Or that it boasts some of the largest foreign exchange reserves in the world? Or perhaps that it is one of the safest cities in the world?

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm no apologist for the right wing dictatorship that virtually rules the place, and personally I feel 'awkward' if I am there for more than a few days. But I have nothing but admiration for what Lee Kwan Yew and his governments have achieved in a very sort space of time, carving an ultra-modern city state out of what was virtually a swamp. If I was a Singaporean, I'd be pretty happy with the way the country is run, especially with its amazing record of economic growth. How many in the US or Europe in their present states of near-bankruptcy and zero growth can say the same thing? And I'll bet most Thais envy what Singaporeans have.

 

Sure, there are those who carp about the punishments for painting graffiti, leaving your chewing gum under the subway seat and spitting in public. But I for one am delighted to see graffiti-free walls and not to have drying-gum stick to my pants or witness people spitting in the street.

Having very recently been in Singapore, I can find no argument with Fountainhall. An interesting thing: we were going back to Johor Buhru by taxi and the driver was telling us that on the causeway they have lanes only for motorbikes and during the rush hour in the evening all the lanes are for motorbikes. Cars must use a lower level. The most interesting thing is you are not allowed to sound your horn on the causeway. If you do and get caught you will lose your privilege to go to Singapore for TWO YEARS. The government certainly knows how to make people behave in a civilized way.

Or maybe the Bubble-istas in Singapore that "grew" a whopping 30+% last year in spite (or because?)of the fact that one can't spit on the street and gets one's a$$ whupped if one paints doodles on the side of a wall?

 

I'm completely in favour of corporal punishment for painting graffiti. It would be nice to see a similar policy in the UK for all petty vandalism and crime. This is considerably more civilised than letting yobs get away with the destruction of our society.

 

Singapore has got an excellent government, which maintains law and order and has delivered the highest GDP per capita in all of Asia. I would be delighted to have such an option on the ballot papers in the UK.