The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXI, Part 1-2, 1983 - Khamkoo

.REVIEWS
Asian Action
Newsletter of the Asian Cultural Forum on Developmenf (ACFOD)
Three bound volumes.
Vol. I Nos. 1 to 5 (1976)
Vol. II Nos. 6 to 10 (1977)
Vol. III Nos.ll to 31 (1978-l981)
Published.in Bangkok; Thailand
The Asian Cultural Forum on Development (ACFOD) was organized following
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an initial meeting in· Bangkok in i9p of Asians representing a broa~ spectrum of
religious and cultural traditions. . Those attending were concerned about the dramatic
changes taking place in Asia; changes which ~ere too often instigated by the West for
Western purposes. Those attending wanted to bring insights andperspectives growing
out of the great traditions of Asia to the problems, needs and aspirations of the peoples
of this continent.. There was also a concern that there be a forum for the "small
voices" in addition to the many ~nyolving officialdom.
The three·.volumes under review contain ACFOD's newsletter Asian Action,
which has been published since January ~976. After a shaky first year in which monthly
publication was_attempted,-it is now issued regularly six times,~! year.
Each issue focuses on one main theme. These vary widely; eg. Issue number
7 (1977) has several articl~s on "Asian Rural Drama" while Issue No. 25 (1978-81)
deals with the nuclear threat to the peoples and countries of the Pacific.
Many of the
issues feature the development needs and pr;oblems of a single country. Other issues
highlight critical c_oncerns with illustrations from several countries. Issue No. 16
focuses on "modernization" as experienced in Japan and South Korea. Another
example is the examination of the "crisis in fishing" (Issue No. 12) as seen in Malaysia
and the Philippines.
Western readers will find reading Asian Action a helpful supplement as well as
corrective to articles on development more widely available in Europe and North
America. Asian voices speak to areas of concern in the development" process which
may not occur to Western experts. People participation is stressed as of paramount
importance. Appropriate technology rather than Western "High-Tech" is encouraged
as it is seen as more likely benefitting the lower economic levels. Advanced technology
is _shown to benefit the rich with few advantages for the poor.
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