E-mail sent to Chiang Mai Universitys Pinkaew Laungaramsri: Hello Ms. Pinkaew Laungaramsri, May I ask you a few questions? 1. Why does a bookstore in Chiang Mai require foreign funding? Doesnt a bookstore make money by selling books? 2. What interaction do you have with USAID and OSF? 3. How did you first receive funding from them? Did you contact them, or did they contact you and in what context? 4. Are there conditions upon receiving the funding? 5. Do they regularly communicate with you on how the money is spent? 6. Why has none of this information been openly disclosed to the public? 7. As a member of Thailands academic community and an avid pro-democracy campaigner, what message does it send to Thais when people like you fail to demonstrate the same transparency and honesty you demand from those you oppose? 8. Are you receiving any other money or assistance from overseas? 9. Do you support Thaksin Shinawatra and his Peua Thai Party? Do you support his UDD red shirt street front? Do you receive material support from Shinawatra or any affiliate of his political party including the UDD? 10. Do you believe that supporting elections contested by a party openly run by a convicted criminal hiding overseas harms the credibility of democracy more in the long run? Why havent people like you pointed out this dangerous abuse of democracy instead of defending it? 11. What relationship do you have with Prachatai - also funded by the US government millions of baht a year? Does it trouble you that it appears your entire network is funded by the US government and that each of you go through extraordinary efforts to conceal that funding? Does that fact not conflict with the very principles of democracy - that change should come from the people, not led along by organizations funded from overseas? Thank you in advance. Tony Cartalucci
Posted on: Sat, 31 May 2014 14:35:25 +0000