Raise your hand if you want to speak!

[george]

No, no!! Not *THAT* finger...

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is known among Thai bureaucrats for being a somewhat imperious micromanager. But he has broadened that reputation by asking 21 world leaders meeting in Bangkok this month to raise their hands like schoolchildren if they wish to speak.

Thaksin will host the APEC forum in the Thai capital from Oct. 20 to Oct. 21, with US President George W. Bush and Russia's Vladimir Putin among those attending.

Although the meeting has been billed as "informal" and features "retreats," Thaksin sent a letter to his fellow leaders last month giving detailed guidelines for the meeting.

The prime minister has contributed his personal suggestions about how to keep the talks moving, according to a copy of the letter seen yesterday.

"To facilitate the flow of discussion during the retreats, I propose that leaders employ simple hand signals to indicate they wish to take the floor," says the letter.

"One raised index finger would mean the intervention would be on the same subject. Two raised fingers would mean that the intervention would be on a new or unrelated subject. I will give priority to one-finger signals," it said.

Thaksin, who suggests that the leaders keep their interventions "short and pithy," also shows a keen appreciation of the subtleties of "networking," explaining that seating arrangements have been made "to enable the leaders to be seated next to different colleagues ... to ensure maximum exposure."

The letter also lays out the topics to be discussed at the gathering, which will include four sessions together -- two retreats, a gala dinner and a working lunch. Issues discussed will range from economics and trade to fighting terrorism.

Thaksin, a fan of management theory fads, is a successful businessman who became a billionaire through the telecommunications industry.

--AP, 2003-10-11

[sbk]

fabulous!! mother may i???

[Axel]

Very nice.

Who speaks without raising the finger, will be hit

by a bamboo-rod. Use the thumb up or down and THAT FINGER if you really disagree.

Barnharn was harmless, he only wanted to order some people to their seats and contributed with his "sank you, sank you"

[Axel]

If I believe this morning's BKK-post, one of the biggest achievements of APEC should have been

1993 when agreement was reached to have all leaders wear the same outfit for a group photo.

Now under such aspects our great Thaksin's finger show might top this.

[francois]

and what if they show the wrong finger?  

who could guess that toxin liked kid's game?  

[dr_Pat_Pong]

One or two raised fingers usually gets people into trouble. I always use 5 fingers when waving to a cop    

[chonburi]

Hey this would be a good thing if it worked, anyone having viewed the State or Commonwealth Parliament sittings in Australia would have to agree!  

A more unruly group of supposed adults than they is yet to be seen, they also have been known to raise one or two fingers to indicate something, though I doubt it was a wish to speak :cool:

Ah Taksin the tyrant, he'll pull them into line.  

[Kan Win]

One or two raised fingers usually gets people into trouble. I always use 5 fingers when waving to a cop    

   

Nice Good Dr. P.P.

LOL

 

[plachon]

And I wonder if the "pupils" will also get a maths lesson along the lines of the Mathayom kids the other day? "Now George, if I went into a shop with 10 baht in my pocket and bought something for 4 baht, how much change would I get back?" GWB: "Well, Kru Toxin, you sure know how to ask tricky questions. Let me ask my small team of advisers here and we'll get back to you later" ...........................10 hours later........ "Wakey, wakey, Capn. We got ourselves an answer here, boy. Look, this is APEC right?, and we control the show, right? You guys throw a good party n'all that, and Laura here just loves the tuk-tuks and shopping, but this baht business is really impractical. They're just ittie-bittie coins with no practical value to anyone. So right, we propose that the official currency of APEC shall be the mighty greenback henceforth. Do I hear any objections? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Right boys, motion carried. Now rephrase that question in dollars and cents, Ajarn Moonface".

[Rinrada]

21 World leaders make their gestures........

-V-V-V-V-V-V-V-V--V-V-V-V-V-V-V-V-V-V-V-V-V.