ซี่โครงไก่

[DavidHouston]

The following is from this weekend's Matichon:

'. . . นายสมัครยังไม่ได้มีภาพของ "ผู้มากด้วยบริวาร" เหมือน พล.อ.ชวลิต ตรงกันข้ามกลับมีภาพของ "นักการเมืองซี่โครงไก่" ที่เน้นการประหยัดมาโดยตลอด'

The larger context is an analysis of why the remnants of the Thai Rak Thai party through the People's Power Party (and by implication Thaksin) want to choose Khun Samak, rather than General Chawalit as party chairman, including the lower financial costs of supporting him.

My question is the meaning of the phrase "นักการเมืองซี่โครงไก่". I have been unable to find a definition anywhere. ซี่โครงไก่ according to Domnern-Sathienpong is "chicken carcass" (beyond just the ribs, apparently). Might the meaning here be an analog of the English "bare-boned"?

If so, the sentence could be translated as: "Mr. Samak does not carry the image of "a man with an [entire] entourage" as would be the case with General Chawalit. Rather, the opposite is true: he has the image of "a bare-boned politician" who has always stressed the need for frugality."

Thanks.

Might there be another meaning for "นักการเมืองซี่โครงไก่"?

[aanon]

The following is from this weekend's Matichon:

'. . . นายสมัครยังไม่ได้มีภาพของ "ผู้มากด้วยบริวาร" เหมือน พล.อ.ชวลิต ตรงกันข้ามกลับมีภาพของ "นักการเมืองซี่โครงไก่" ที่เน้นการประหยัดมาโดยตลอด'

The larger context is an analysis of why the remnants of the Thai Rak Thai party through the People's Power Party (and by implication Thaksin) want to choose Khun Samak, rather than General Chawalit as party chairman, including the lower financial costs of supporting him.

My question is the meaning of the phrase "นักการเมืองซี่โครงไก่". I have been unable to find a definition anywhere. ซี่โครงไก่ according to Domnern-Sathienpong is "chicken carcass" (beyond just the ribs, apparently). Might the meaning here be an analog of the English "bare-boned"?

If so, the sentence could be translated as: "Mr. Samak does not carry the image of "a man with an [entire] entourage" as would be the case with General Chawalit. Rather, the opposite is true: he has the image of "a bare-boned politician" who has always stressed the need for frugality."

Thanks.

Might there be another meaning for "นักการเมืองซี่โครงไก่"?

hey david,

i haven't come across the expression before either. the first thing i think of with respect to 'chicken frames' is that they are dirt cheap (about $0.20 each in australia) and can be boiled up to make a large quantity of tasty clear soup. add a little hairy melon, a little coriander, a touch of seasoning....mmmm. so, getting back to the point, perhaps "นักการเมืองซี่โครงไก่" just means ที่เน้นการประหยัด. if so, perhaps he's a 'bare essentials' politician.*

the other possibility is that the term actually does contrast with ผู้มากด้วยบริวาร, so นักการเมืองซี่โครงไก่ would be implying that samak runs a lean operation without a vast network of hangers-on. if so, perhaps he's a 'lean machine' politician.

all the best.

*to me, the english expression 'bare bones' doesn't really imply frugality, it's more about simplification to core structure or issues - similar to 'back to basics'.

ps. samak also has a background in food, being something of an advocate for thai cooking and hosting the ชิมไปบ่นไป TV cooking show. this might have played a part in the journalist's choice of words.

Edited August 5, 2007 by aanon

[DurianChips]

My wife says ten years ago there was a bit of a scandal when Chawalit suggested in an interview that if the poor were starving, they should save the chicken ribs ซี่โครงไก่ and make soup out of them. Kind of like a 'let them eat cake' moment. I think the reporter is being sarcastic. Referring to Chawalit as the chicken rib guy might be like a reporter here in the US referring to the 2004 candidates as John "Flip-Flop" Kerry and George "I'm the Decider" Bush.

In this light, the first part of the sentence could be read to say that Samak isn't yet known as a the entourage guy, but Chawalit already has an image as the chicken rib guy.

[gampaan]

My wife says ten years ago there was a bit of a scandal when Chawalit suggested in an interview that if the poor were starving, they should save the chicken ribs ซี่โครงไก่ and make soup out of them. Kind of like a 'let them eat cake' moment. I think the reporter is being sarcastic. Referring to Chawalit as the chicken rib guy might be like a reporter here in the US referring to the 2004 candidates as John "Flip-Flop" Kerry and George "I'm the Decider" Bush.

In this light, the first part of the sentence could be read to say that Samak isn't yet known as a the entourage guy, but Chawalit already has an image as the chicken rib guy.

I have to agree with that. My wife also, while not very politically active, sort of tried to explain it to me, and after reading this, I am confident that is what she meant...