<p>Ajarn Piyabutr Saengkanokkul made the observation that:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><em>"When we speak of French history, why is it that we only think about the French Revolution and the beheading and overthrow of the king? Really, there are many other interesting issues. Not every uprising in French history led to the overthrow of a king. It took a long time to set the system of political life in France.&nbsp; France had to deal with the king, and not until 1899 did it manage to bring him under control and move towards a progressive republic, after becoming a republic in 1870 and going through a gradual process and compromise with royalists.</em></p>

<p><strong>Burma in 2012</strong><br /><br />2012 was an important year for Burma, a Southeast Asia country with a population of approximately 60 million and also known as Myanmar, with significant and dramatic changes. The Military regime that ruled the country for many decades devolved. The undemocratic constitution, which was adopted by force and fraud in 2008, came into effect through the 2010 election, which placed the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in power. Burma’s democratic opposition is now working within the new political system. The National League for Democracy (NLD) party, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, has joined the Parliament through the by-election in April 2012. Ethnic politicians who boycotted the 2010 election have formed political parties and are prepared to stand in future elections. Workers are allowed to form trade unions&nbsp; and peoples are allowed to stage peaceful protest&nbsp; subject to advance permission.</p>

<p>Craig J. Reynolds, a historian of Southeast Asia at the Australian National University, reviews Tyrell Haberkorn's book <em>Revolution Interrupted: Farmers, Students, Law, and Violence in Northern Thailand</em>, which was launched in late 2011.</p> <p></p>

<p>The sounds of pretty drum majorettes, cheerleaders and whimsical music were blaring. The colour of pink on the shirts of hundreds of students was being paraded from Chula to a stadium nearby, where the Traditional CU-TU Football Match was about to take place. The once-a-year event is seen by many students as a chance to show their pride, unity and loyalty to their institutions.&nbsp;</p> <p></p>

<p>The expressions of outrage at the sentencing of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk to 10 years for lèse majesté offences have, rather embarrassingly, been overwhelmingly from foreign organizations.&nbsp; Not only has the National Human Rights Commission, alongside the government, been the recipient of these protests, rather than the author of one or two, but the Thai Journalists Association has also so far maintained a studied silence.</p> <p></p>

<p>The recent 11-year sentence against Somyot Prueksakasemsuk relating to lèse majesté and Thailand’s defamation laws has, once again, brought into focus questions that seek to fairly examine the current status of human rights and freedom of expression within Thailand.&nbsp;</p>

<p>We’ve all seen the films.&nbsp; The suspect is being interrogated in a room with no windows, but maybe a one-way mirror.&nbsp; One table with chairs on either side and some form of recording device.&nbsp; The police sit on one side, the accused and perhaps a lawyer on the other. &nbsp;And the dialogue ensues.</p> <p>There we can follow the cut-and-thrust, the clever ploys, the unwitting give-away.&nbsp; One side asks the questions.&nbsp; The other side tries not to answer.</p> <p>It’s not like that in real Thai life.&nbsp;</p> <p></p>

<p>Japan has embarked on adjusting its foreign policy following the electoral victory of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which brought Shinzo Abe back to the premiership for the second time. After the Cabinet was formed on 26 December, Abe sent his deputy, Taro Aso, a former prime minister now in charge of the finance ministry, to Myanmar.</p> <p></p>

<p>OK, I’m bored. &nbsp;This Premier season has gone on long enough. &nbsp;The new faces have begun to pall, as have the permutations of old faces in new places.</p> <p></p>

<p>Optimism is running high in Myanmar. After several decades under the military rule, Myanmar is now undertaking a series of political reforms. And so far, the move has been impressive.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This ASEAN Economic Community cannot come a moment too soon. &nbsp;If nothing else, it will give Thailand a chance to learn how to do things properly from the more advanced countries in ASEAN. &nbsp;Like Lao.</p> <p></p>

<p>On 15 January 2013, the Philippine Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case challenging the constitutionality of Republic Act 10175, commonly known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act, which was adopted last September 2012. At least 15 petitions have been filed with the Supreme Court from various groups challenging this law. The question being asked now is whether or not the Supreme Court will uphold the Philippine’s tradition of free speech.<br /></p>