Abhisit No Longer 'lord Of The Rings'

[webfact]

BETWEEN THE LINE

Abhisit no longer 'lord of the rings'

By Supalak(at)nationgroup.com

Published on October 13, 2009

It appears as if Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was wrong in believing that grandmothers in the Northeast to help him establish a stronghold in the region.

Nine months ago, when he was appointed prime minister, Abhisit disclosed that he was engaging with the Northeast populace through Grandma Nium Phanmanee from Ubon Ratchathani, who had given him a ring at an election campaign in August 2007.

Abhisit decided to use the ring as a gimmick to make people in the Northeast believe that he would work for them, as he promised Grandma Nium. Perhaps, Abhisit was hoping to have his presence felt in Isaan, the stronghold of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

For years the ruling Democrat Party has been struggling to get a foothold in the Northeast, and for a short while it appeared as if the grannies were opening the door for them.

Unfortunately, the charm of the ring didn't last too long, because Grandma Nium died shortly after Abhisit took office in December.

Now, nine months later, Abhisit has a new tale to tell with Grandma Hai Khanjantha, also from Ubon Ratchathani, as the lead character.

Grandma or Yai Hai as she is known in Thai has been in the news for a while now, thanks mainly to her three-decade-long battle against the authorities to protect her farm from floods caused by the dam in Na Tal sub-district. In 2004, the Thaksin government had the farm drained and she was made eligible for state compensation.

Abhisit's Cabinet, just recently, allocated Bt4.9 million to compensate Hai and other affected farmers in the area, and though the money could have been transferred electronically, Abhisit decided to use this as a PR opportunity and flew over to Ubon Ratchathani this weekend to hand her the cheque.

Sadly, Grandma Hai didn't turn out to be a lucky charm for him, because her struggle against the government began long before he took office. In fact, her battle began long before Abhisit even became a politician, and people seem to remember that the previous two

Democrat governments had done little to help her.

Now there's a new grandma in the scene, Nheng Yarak, Grandma Nium's daughter in law, who presented Abhisit with another gold ring on Saturday.

However, Abhisit is no longer the "Lord of the Rings" because this latest present has given the opposition a perfect chance to attack him. They allege that accepting anything worth more than Bt3,000 is unconstitutional and it so happens that the latest ring is worth Bt4,200.

So, perhaps the time is up for charming grandmothers in the Northeast and their lucky charms for Abhisit.

-- The Nation 2009/10/13

[animatic]

Reporters searching for ANY story.

Pheu Thai looking for any reason to hassle Abhisit.

Non-story.

Edited October 13, 2009 by animatic

[Kiotic]

That's one god awful title!

[DocHolliday]

They allege that accepting anything worth more than Bt3,000 is unconstitutional

Was that allegation made by the honorable Mr. Chalerm...?

[jayboy]

Reporters searching for ANY story.

Pheu Thai looking for any reason to hassle Abhisit.

Non-story.

It's not much of a story I agree.

A more important and less reported story is the depth of the government's unpopularity in many parts of the North East.Abhisit's irregular visits there are necessary (there can be no no-go areas for a PM) but a PR nightmare for the administration.That's why we always hear slightly dubious spin about grateful grandmothers or outright fibs about Abhisit adoring fans in the NE, when the reality is that he and his unsavoury path to power are detested. The reactionaries and the gullible believe or pretend to believe it's all orchestrated by Thaksin and the PTP.The reality is that disenchantment is widespread.

[Plus]

depth of the government's unpopularity

I remember in Si Sa Ket elections Newin candidate lost but still managed to get about a third of the vote. That's quite a lot, about the same as Dems got in the national tally on party list.

Imo, more appropriate would be saying that Abhisit hassles show that reconciliation with extreme elements is impossible and they need to be further isolated from the mainstream society.

On red radio they are engaged in absolutely brutal, uncivilized campaign against him, calling him all kinds of names and referring to him not as a person but as "it". No wonder folks who listen to this trash behave like they do.

But again, it doesn't reflect Abhisit's perception among non-radical groups.

[way2muchcoffee]

It's not much of a story I agree.

A more important and less reported story is the depth of the government's unpopularity in many parts of the North East.Abhisit's irregular visits there are necessary (there can be no no-go areas for a PM) but a PR nightmare for the administration.

An alternate interpretation is that there are a handful of hard-core demonstrators in each province who gather to protest at any opportunity. The only aim is to heckle, make the PM or others as uncomfortable as possible, and to hopefully make the newspapers. It really doesn't matter to them whether the purpose of the visit is valid, helpful, or necessary.

[jayboy]

depth of the government's unpopularity

I remember in Si Sa Ket elections Newin candidate lost but still managed to get about a third of the vote. That's quite a lot, about the same as Dems got in the national tally on party list.

Imo, more appropriate would be saying that Abhisit hassles show that reconciliation with extreme elements is impossible and they need to be further isolated from the mainstream society.

On red radio they are engaged in absolutely brutal, uncivilized campaign against him, calling him all kinds of names and referring to him not as a person but as "it". No wonder folks who listen to this trash behave like they do.

But again, it doesn't reflect Abhisit's perception among non-radical groups.

I agree there's an unpleasant extreme but it's just one end of the spectrum, just as nutty right wing radio jocks don't really represent the Republicans in the US.Have the attacks on Abhisit been more vitriolic than those on Obama by extremists in the US I wonder? The current Thai government is genuinely unpopular among the mainstream in the NE and much of the North.You can blame this on agitators if you like but is that really convincing? My guess is that the ham fisted and expensive government PR campaign has been counter productive.It rests on the assumption that ordinary Thais are gullible and ignorant fools whose duty is to be deferential.And with all those with eyes to see and the wit to understand, that assumption just ain't true.

[Plus]

Jayboy, earlier you said:

The reactionaries and the gullible believe or pretend to believe it's all orchestrated by Thaksin and the PTP

Someone organizes those "protests", even the "weapons" seem to be standard across many provinces.

The current Thai government is genuinely unpopular among the mainstream in the NE and much of the North.

As I said, govt candidate got a third of the votes in the latest by-elections in Thaksin's heartland, and there are large swaths of the country where PPP got a lot less than that in 2007, and even in failed 2006. In latest Suratthani's by-elections PTP got less than 20%.

The current govt appears to be better accepted than a PTP based alternative would, but the reds make the opposition much more vehement, and one reason behind their attacks is to create exactly that impression. If you remember, they adopted these tactics in the by-elections earlier this year in the North, pelting Dem candidates with eggs, that was all over the news just like now, creating a similar impression, yet their candidate eventually lost.

[TAWP]

This article would perhaps have made sense if the grandma hadn't passed away long time go already and publicly withdrew her support...as it stands now, it is just about...nothing.

[Plus]

Which of the grandmas publicly withdrew her support?

[Gary A]

This is the type of thing that is wrong with the childish politicians who are supposed run the country. They are ALL too busy nitpicking to pay any attention to getting the country back on the track.

[TAWP]

Which of the grandmas publicly withdrew her support?

None. See the operative word *if*.

[Lost in LOS]

Poor guy....... He is trying hard and these idiots are just waiting in the wings to jump on everything he does. He is the best hope I see for Thailand, finally a guy with an international education that is trying to clean up the problems, not a good thing for some I guess. If he would have turned down the right the headlines would be " Abhisit shuns granny........present not good enough for him "

[Siripon]

The red shirts were campaigning in the villages of Udon Thani over the weekend, making speeches and trying to drum up recruits, perhaps because Udon Thani and Chiang Mai are on Apisit's itinerary soon.

Thaksi was complaining about the budget used to protect Apisit on his Issan visits so Apisit replied if the red shirts understood free speech and could behave themselves, there would be no need for so much protection.

Call off your dogs squarehead and save the country money.

[keepsamuiclean]

Another article brought the news that Phue Thai complained to the NACC (National Anti Corruption Committee or a little bit different) about the value of this ring (which might have been decades ago 300 Baht) exceeding now 3000 Baht which is supposed to be the limit for gifts politicians can accept. A little bit higher and it's called CORRUPTION... A curious understanding of corruption regarding a ring which might have been given from the heart according to Thai culture.

[Plus]

Wait until they build an entire three day Parliament debate around this ring. The government is robbing the country blind, they'd scream. Abhisit accepted a gift worth four thousand baht, they'd scream. Thief!

[animatic]

The opposition is clutching at straws, or straw men,

and hoping something ANYTHING will stick.

Problem is, as an individual, Abhisit is pretty much the cleanest pol to hit the top office ever.

So they are desperately trying any tactic they can gin up for any traction against him.

So this ring thing is just one more lame attempt to make anything, ANYTHING shame, or worse,

their worst possibly enemy. A clean pol in the top job.

Sure he is surrounded by more typical Thai political operatives, but Abhisit is a different animal.

And rightly so he was raised to be just this 'hard to take down' exception and they waited till

a good time to use his particular benefits.

If the best they can do is this ring fiasco, they are really getting desperate.

Tapegate last month was a pratfall for all, especially Chalerm and his mouth.

And even if this idiotic ring claim got the slightest traction, Abhisit could

a ) donate it to a national museum b ) donate it to HRM as a gift from his people.

Poo Thai is really scraping the bottom of the logic barrel and doesn't deserve for a moment to run the country,

they just don't have the skills to do it adequately, let alone the morals.

Edited October 14, 2009 by animatic

[KhaoNiaw]

Often ignored is the fact that these areas of the Northeast that Abhisit visits are solid Democrat areas. They never went to Thaksin, so not correct to assume that the NE is solidly red anyway.

[Asa]

Wait until they build an entire three day Parliament debate around this ring. The government is robbing the country blind, they'd scream. Abhisit accepted a gift worth four thousand baht, they'd scream. Thief!

How about 500 baht gas bill paid to the driver for driving Samak to a cooking show, toppling Samak from seat. Cause, that payment made him an employee of the TV show, by definition beyond any law.

[TAWP]

Wait until they build an entire three day Parliament debate around this ring. The government is robbing the country blind, they'd scream. Abhisit accepted a gift worth four thousand baht, they'd scream. Thief!

How about 500 baht gas bill paid to the driver for driving Samak to a cooking show, toppling Samak from seat. Cause, that payment made him an employee of the TV show, by definition beyond any law.

The issue wasn't the drivers gas-bill and by claiming so you are being dishonest.

The driver could be paid any sum and that would have been fine.

The PM cannot be.

[animatic]

Wait until they build an entire three day Parliament debate around this ring. The government is robbing the country blind, they'd scream. Abhisit accepted a gift worth four thousand baht, they'd scream. Thief!

How about 500 baht gas bill paid to the driver for driving Samak to a cooking show, toppling Samak from seat. Cause, that payment made him an employee of the TV show, by definition beyond any law.

The issue wasn't the drivers gas-bill and by claiming so you are being dishonest.

The driver could be paid any sum and that would have been fine.

The PM cannot be.

And Samak l,i,i,i,i,i lied on court about what he did get and when he knew it,

and got caught;100% nailed. You can't change historical fact to the absurd,

just because your sides man stepped on his pud for all to see.

Edited October 16, 2009 by animatic

[Asa]

adn I rested my case

[TAWP]

You mean, you usually rest your case when you have been proven wrong or caught lying about facts?

Have you ever won any case with this tactics?

[hammered]

Often ignored is the fact that these areas of the Northeast that Abhisit visits are solid Democrat areas. They never went to Thaksin, so not correct to assume that the NE is solidly red anyway.

True the areas of the Isaan that went for Thaksin were the NAP, Solidarity, Seritham, Chart Pattana areas of the Isaan or basically virtually the whole Isaan. Interestingly these parties all melded into TRT. The Dems kept their little Isaan pocket around Ubon, Yasothon and Amnat Charoen.