Teashop Politics

By WITHAYA HUANOK

RANGOON — A rustle and something tickling the back of my neck made me turn around. The Rangoon teashop was a mid-morning beehive of activity, the tables almost entirely filled. Behind me was a woman in an elaborate sari, squeezing between chairs to get to her table.

Aung Win, who brought me here, chuckled. “You can see Indians, Chinese, many nationalities in our country. But they all like Myanmar food,” he said, while squeezing lemon juice into his bowl of shwetaung hkauq sweh, noodles mixed with chicken curry and oil.

“This was Ne Win’s favorite dish,” my companion told me. “Ne Win was Chinese. His real name was Shu Maung. He lived to be almost 92, you know.”

Kyaw Kyaw, a quiet, older man, dismissed any suggestion that shwetaung hkauq sweh had anything to do with Ne Win’s longevity. “He lived to be 92 because he had many wives!” he said with a mischievous chuckle.

It is almost a ritual now. On every visit to Rangoon I go with Kyaw Kyaw and Aung Win to the same tea shop for shwetaung hkauq sweh, where we discuss contemporary politics over multiple cups of sweet, spiced tea.

“Today, let’s talk about the land,” said Aung Win as we settled into our discussion on this visit. “In your country, who owns the land?”

I replied: “In Thailand, if you are a Thai citizen, you can buy land, and you get a title deed. You are then free to sell that or buy other land as you please. Even the government, if they want your land for a project, like a road, they have to buy it from you at a reasonable market value.”

Aung Win’s eyes widened. “Really? Here it is not like that. The government can just take [the land], no need to pay. I live near Scott Market [now Bogyoke Aung San Market], the area is getting prosperous. I worry a lot, if a general or minister decides he wants the land, he can just take it away.” He paused briefly before adding: “No compensation.”

The conversation soon drifted to the events unfolding in Bangkok and the anti-government protests there.

“Here, there is no official news [about the Thai protests],” said Kyaw Kyaw.

We sipped our spiced tea, amidst the buzz of the busy and noisy teashop.

“Do you like Thaksin?” asked Aung Win.

I shook my head, explaining the many instances of alleged corruption, conflict of interest, and cronyism that were prominent features of his and his nominees’ administrations.

“Thaksin was elected but he was far from democratic, even though today he still claims to defend democracy,” I said.

“He disdained the media, harassing and threatening journalists. Thailand used to rank amongst the region’s leading countries in respect of press freedom. That all changed under Thaksin.

“Under Thaksin’s administration, human rights abuses increased, including killings or disappearances of activists and the murder of people in the name of a war on drugs. And he was a friend and business partner of the generals, especially Khin Nyunt.”

Aung Win shook his head. “We liked Thaksin,” he sighed. “We thought that because he was a businessman, he would be good for the people, he would bring prosperity.”

He paused again and then added in a lower tone: “At least you can change your government.”