PM reflects on Covid crisis: It looked so beautiful now it's come to this - blames rule breakers

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Thailand's prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was in philosophical mood as he took to Facebook to speak to his people.

 

He called the present moment a "turning point" and asked his "brothers and sisters" to have patience and follow the rules.

 

This after he took aim at those very people for getting Thailand into this mess, infecting each other and dragging the country down despite his own sterling efforts, reported Daily News. 

 

The PM reflected how it had been a year and more since his first emergency decrees came to the rescue starting March 25th last year. 

 

We beat the first wave, he claimed, thanks to the medical services and everyone in the country pulling together. 

 

We brought infections down to zero and the world looked on and said what a marvellous job Thailand had done. 

 

Then came the caveat from his post with one simple Thai word "TAE"....

 

But.....

 

But then, said the PM came the bad news that the virus had other ideas and wasn't giving up that easily. More infectious variants arrived.

 

He said this was not peculiar to Thailand, many other countries who thought they were in control discovered they were not and had to resort to more lockdowns.

 

Even countries that have vaccinated their populations well, he said.

 

This was the closest he came to an admission that his administration had not done well with the vaccine rollout, notes ASEAN Now. 

 

"We are at a turning point", he said admitting that Thailand was now at its worst stage and that lockdown and curfew in ten provinces (including Bangkok) needed to be expanded to 13.

 

This would mean more business closures, more travel restrictions as those introduced the other week for ten provinces clearly weren't having the desired effect. 

 

He blamed his compatriots for bringing Covid into family arenas infecting the old and those with underlying conditions who were now dying in record numbers. 

 

Then he took aim at the principal causes citing familiar bugbears:

 

People gambling

 

People drinking alcohol

 

People having parties

 

People congregating in too large numbers.

 

Such people have brought death and illness, he said, blaming certain sections of the public for reckless behavior endangering and causing trouble to others.

 

He said he appreciated how many people have lost their jobs and this makes him sad. 

 

"But I have always been there for you", he continued "providing you with help" in many ways. 

 

He mentioned benefit schemes, cheaper electricity and water rates, cheaper school term fees and other policies. 

 

But now was the time to ramp up the restrictions at least for the next 14 days, he said.

 

Otherwise things will only get worse. 

 

"I implore you to be patient once again and follow the regulations to the letter for the benefit of all". 

 

ASEAN Now notes that at no point in the PM's statement did he mention any personal failings or mistakes on behalf of his government. 

 

It was about the virus being a virus, the people not obeying the rules - despite all His good work. 

 

-- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-21

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

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[Shuya]

The hub of “never take responsibility for anything”.

[Thaiwrath]

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

dragging the country down despite his own sterling efforts,

You've dragged the country further down with your absolutely pathetic vaccination plans.

[wasabi]

If Thai people would stop their selfish breathing he could've eradicated the virus by now.

[dinsdale]

Absolutly discraceful and will not wash with the public. Everyone knows where the blame lies. Alcohol in the cross hairs. I'm a bit suprised there hasn't already been a blanket ban. Maybe it's coming.

[Dmaxdan]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said he appreciated how many people have lost their jobs and this makes him sad.

Ironically, the one person who should have lost his job..... hasn't!

[pokerface1]

Government people gambling with the lives of it's people in oh so many ways I just can't count

[AndyFoxy]

When this is all over, if not before, he'd better get the hell out of Thailand as the people's whirlwind is coming.

[JonnyF]

No shame whatsoever. People losing their lives because of his government's pathetic, corrupt vaccine strategy and he has the nerve to blame the same people whose liberty he stole illegally in 2014.

 

Absolutely incredible.

 

 

[SooKee]

Allowing, nay, encouraging people to travel the length and breadth of the country at Songkran just as the virus was going nuclear of course had absolutely nothing to do with it.  Way, way more people infected as a result of that idiotic decision I would think than have ever been infected as a result the rest of the sins 'it' points out bundled together!! Simply unbelievable.

[keith101]

26 minutes ago, webfact said:

We brought infections down to zero and the world looked on and said what a marvellous job Thailand had done. 

There was very little testing being done and thats why the numbers were low but not zero .

[david555]

He forgot "the Thonglor VIP's club" to mention .....

[dan42]

Wow....I cannot imagine this happening in Europe man....He would be completely destroyed by the media, opposition, social media... Probably even your own party... How can you tell your own people those things when they are suffering so much? 

 

Unbelievable.

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by dan42

[robblok]

Was it not Prayut who said go on Songkran, were it not high ranking officials in the Crystal club. Is it not the army that could not control the smuggling in of migrant workers. To me it seems Prayut started it and is looking to shift the blame.

 

Not to mention failed vaccine procuration and lies. Nice deflection but not good enough for anyone who read the news.

[tomazbodner]

It may be, and likely is true that the spread is coming from those who don't care about anyone else and put their own entertainment at the top priority, much higher than the right of others to live.

But the man is Thai. He's old enough to know that in Thai culture, there is little or no planning for tomorrow, that most people live by the day and do not care about the consequences of their actions tomorrow.

As such, this should have been expected, considered and included into the planning. It wasn't. And that is a huge failure on his, and government's part.

 

Then again, when I see what's going on in the West, I don't think they are faring that much better. They have done what is demanded here from government - got hold of vaccines, for instance, available anywhere and immediately, where people have choice which they want. But... People refuse to take them and instead go for holiday to Spain.

 

Should that have been expected? Yes, actually it should but it wasn't there either.

 

So from a helicopter view, this pandemic has only confirmed that no matter how big the problem, unlike in the movies, the World will NOT come together as one to fight it. Instead people will become even more self-centered, claim anything that restricts their freedoms is a conspiracy, call anyone who disagrees with them "blind sheep" and blame the government for outcome. And this is in pretty much every country on this planet.

[SooKee]

9 minutes ago, keith101 said:

There was very little testing being done and thats why the numbers were low but not zero .

100%.  Plus they got EXTREMELY lucky.  Yes they locked down the country fairly swiftly and were fortunate to have had a largely compliant population BUT they were dealing with vanilla Covid and because of their luck got complacent, thought they could just flip the semi-lockdown kill switch and stop it dead any time it surfaced, along with the thoughts of the other imbecile that thought the winds would blow it away.  Beggars belief really.  Now the D variant is here which they successfully distributed across the whole country having squandered over a year of relative safety and suddenly it's YOUR fault for going and partying and drinking like we told you to do.

Edited July 21, 2021 by SooKee

[WineOh]

I cant stand him, or any of the other dinosaurs in his sycophantic cult.

 

I yearn for the day when the youth of Thailand are finally at the controls.

 

Won't be long now...... Fingers crossed.

 

 

[WEBBYB808]

Its sad to say, but here we are, 2100 curfew till 0400, with possibilities  of step accountability,  other parameters are please stay home ... two things really need to happen, and I just dont know why its not been done.  At least a three week, stay at home dont come out, with the military  in fulL PPE keeping people at home, that would also stop the border crossing. And vaccinating,  and not just here, this needs global cooperation.   It sounds harsh, it sound traumatic,  but I bet if you ask a child what they feel would stop this global crisis,  they might say its the only way.  Unfortunately  its the scene  from science fiction,  but thats the way to stop it.  People just cant be trusted to do the right thing.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

38 minutes ago, webfact said:

Even countries that have vaccinated their populations well, he said.

 

You mean, unlike 5 percenter Thailand?

 

[Johnny Mac]

Imagine a PM saying this in a proper country...The UK health minister had to resign just for kissing a bird.

[sucit]

You don’t beat anything in the end. You just delay. 
 

whatever anybody thinks is gained by delaying infections will be lost, and then some, through consequences of lockdowns. 

[sezze]

While im not in front in this government i'd say he is right 100%  . Meeting others , anybody , can be sister. brother , child , parent , friend , parent anybody at all , can lead to further spread of the virus . It really is anybodies own case which gives it reason to exist .  Government can only give advise , it is all up to you and meeting anybody can lead to spreading it further .

[CANSIAM]

The Authoritarian's ban on the 'TRUTH' that began April 2020, has led his country to this "turning point" 

Edited July 21, 2021 by CANSIAM

[smedly]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

He called the present moment a "turning point" and asked his "brothers and sisters" to have patience and follow the rules.

 

This after he took aim at those very people for getting Thailand into this mess, infecting each other and dragging the country down despite his own sterling efforts

lets get this out of the way first - this should read "sterling failures"

 

This man has a right cheek on him trying to blame the people for his and his DPM Anutins massive failures - he is now more interested in a blame game than putting effort into vacine procurement - he and his whole government need to go now.

 

If I was a Thai I would be enraged by this baffoon trying to blame them for his and Anutins failures - enraged and mad 

[robblok]

10 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

It may be, and likely is true that the spread is coming from those who don't care about anyone else and put their own entertainment at the top priority, much higher than the right of others to live.

But the man is Thai. He's old enough to know that in Thai culture, there is little or no planning for tomorrow, that most people live by the day and do not care about the consequences of their actions tomorrow.

As such, this should have been expected, considered and included into the planning. It wasn't. And that is a huge failure on his, and government's part.

 

Then again, when I see what's going on in the West, I don't think they are faring that much better. They have done what is demanded here from government - got hold of vaccines, for instance, available anywhere and immediately, where people have choice which they want. But... People refuse to take them and instead go for holiday to Spain.

 

Should that have been expected? Yes, actually it should but it wasn't there either.

 

So from a helicopter view, this pandemic has only confirmed that no matter how big the problem, unlike in the movies, the World will NOT come together as one to fight it. Instead people will become even more self-centered, claim anything that restricts their freedoms is a conspiracy, call anyone who disagrees with them "blind sheep" and blame the government for outcome. And this is in pretty much every country on this planet.

That is Thai culture, forgetting about the foreigners caught in the bar in Chang Mai and all the foreigners moaning about their alcohol and bars on this forum. Feeling their freedom / human rights are taken away.

 

Its not a Thai thing but a certain part of the population thing.

[Laughing Gravy]

Ships anchor.

 

[ikke1959]

He forget to mention :

-people who send people home to play Songkran

-people who don't order vaccines

-people who give only expensive not very effective vaccines

-people who give false hopes to the nation

and so on and so on...

 

 

[Cake Monster]

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

This after he took aim at those very people for getting Thailand into this mess, infecting each other and dragging the country down despite his own sterling efforts, reported Daily News. 

What  a load of B######s

The people that started this whole new mess of an outbreak, were the Hi-So Friends of the Government.

The Illegal Migrant Worker Agents, and the Thong Lor Party people, as well as Thai Nationals Border Jumping in their Thousands.

These are the Three main sectors of " Society " that must take the blame, and they, and also the PM know it. And so do the Thai people .

All these people were aided and abetted by the entire Government in there Illegal activities, and everything was OK until the Covid suddenly became an issue that the Government could not handle, so its now time  for the blame game to be played.

 

[Tarteso]

A Press conference in pajamas ? ????

Edited July 21, 2021 by Tarteso

[Eric Loh]

There is now a serious deficit of trust of Prayut and his ministers competency to lead the country out of this crisis and post crisis economic rebuilding. He can’t continue to lead the country when majority of the people feel that he is the problem not the solution. The best thing for him to “stand with the people” is for him and his government to resign and form a unity government and promise an early election. 

Edited July 21, 2021 by Eric Loh
Wrong word