Thai government launches publicity centre

BANGKOK: -- A Thai government publicity centre named Rakmuangthai -- We Love Thailand -- has been established to keep the public promptly and accurately informed of government affairs and its

handling of varied situations and crises.

Government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp said the Rakmuangthai centre will launch a proactive publicity campaign and invite citizens networks and popular organisations from all regions of the country to

contribute to the distributing of accurate, updated information about the government's handling of both routine matters and emergency cases involving national security, the public interest and other matters.

Mr. Yongyuth said the publicity centre will by no means turn out to be a propaganda campaign for the government but will help educate the people about political reforms, teach moral and ethical principles

(among other interesting subjects), and uphold patriotism and the monarchy. The government centre will not only publicise information to citizens inside the country but also to overseas audiences.

Activities of the Rakmuangthai Centre will be evaluated at two-month intervals, while citizens may apply to contribute to the government publicity centre via www.rakmuangthai.com.

The Public Relations Department is yet to lay out detailed operations of the publicity centre, the government spokesman added.

--TNA 2007-02-09

You have got to be kidding.

Thai government publicity center!! I will volunteer to work there.

Will set up a display for

Hopewell transportation system,

Thai morality;

corruption cases solved;

bombers jailed

polite tuk tuk drivers

Khlong dan wastewater treatment plant

oh; and the new asia airport hub

should be able to put this up in one of the phone booths in the middle of the sidewalk and still have room for people to use the phone

This turns increasingly orwellian here.

According to TRT people I know marketing was the massive buzzword that went around TRT circles as they rose to preeminence. Everything had to be marketed, and it was in a brilliant way complete with cathcy soundbites. It is quite surprising to me that the Junta have been so slow catching on to this and setting up their own marketing department.

This turns increasingly orwellian here.

Welcome to Airstrip Neung.

According to TRT people I know marketing was the massive buzzword that went around TRT circles as they rose to preeminence. Everything had to be marketed, and it was in a brilliant way complete with cathcy soundbites. It is quite surprising to me that the Junta have been so slow catching on to this and setting up their own marketing department.

I am not so sure that the junta does "marketing" here. I fear, given the statements, and roles of the people involved, that this comes out of a genuine sense of ideology (whith the usual sycophants and opportunists who just follow the general flow).

TRT was brilliant in their marketing strategies. Thaksin portrayed himself very differently for each separate audience and social sector. For the villagers he was the poor man who made it against the odds, very little nationalism though there. For the urban middle classes he was the patriot fighting against the bad evil world, and for the rich business elite he ws the pragmatic leader with a sound business policy including protectionism for their businesses.

I think, different to the junta and the present government, Thaksin adopted all different ideologies only for a purpose, when it served him, but did not have any ideology himself whatsoever.

Are you joking? They called this center "We Love Thailand"? <deleted>?

Imagine if Bush started a publicity center called "We Love America" he'd be the joke of the world, so what lets these guys off the hook?

According to TRT people I know marketing was the massive buzzword that went around TRT circles as they rose to preeminence. Everything had to be marketed, and it was in a brilliant way complete with cathcy soundbites. It is quite surprising to me that the Junta have been so slow catching on to this and setting up their own marketing department.

An important distinction has to be made: The TRT was a political party with ambitions, like all political parties of garnering enough good publicity to guarantee it a role in politics for years to come.

If the current government is seriously committed to restoring democracy, then it should NOT behave like a government seeking re-election. Of course I don't think this is their intent- they simply perhaps, want to be seen as good guys- but one could argue that it was in part due to Anand's good guy image, that this government- and indeed, the coup- was welcomed so enthusiastically.

I note though, that Mister Yongyuth has specifically said that this is not about pro-govt/ (pro-junta) propaganda. So we will have to wait and see.

I keep waiting for these reaction to a Thai news story: "Great Decision!" "Those Thais are really on the ball!" "Thais really think things through."

But they never come.

Rosy Valentine's Day for Thai government: poll

Thailand's interim government led by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont could expect a "rosy" Valentine's Day this year, as a recent poll released Sunday found 73.5 percent of Bangkokians willing to give a rose to the government for its performance.

According to Thai News Agency, the poll was conducted by Ramkhamhaeng University, one of the leading universities in Thailand, among 1,470 adults in Bangkok during Feb. 9-10, which found the majority said the government deserves at least one rose.

66.2 percent of the interviewees said they would like to give one to 99 roses, 4.4 percent would give 100 to 999 roses, and 2.9 percent would hand 1,000-9,999 roses to the government on Valentine's Day, which falls on this coming Wednesday.

The government proves more popular among female respondents and teenagers than male and older generations. It is also favored by those educated to degree levels, while business people show least affection for the government as they are the most economical with roses.

Although most interviewed were found willing to praise the current government with symbol roses, only 8.6 percent believed there is true love between a government and the people, while 51.3 percent said they were not sure and 40.1 percent rejected the idea.

Source: Xinhua - 12 February 2007