Thai Govt Needs A PR Campaign Urgently, Experts Say

[Bakseedaa]

Anand and Danai are wonderful, but the govt/military already own every TV station on air. We need free speech and an independent media.

Thats just nonsense.... where did you get those facts from... nearly all Thai TV stations are privately owned by foreign owners.. non-alligned to any party... please back up your statements please... you cannot...

[Bakseedaa]

Thailand needs a political design that 95% of Thais would love, The Joseph Solution and a sure fire strategy and time table for implementing TJS, The Joseph Plan; otherwise, it is quite obvious, the Kingdom will break up into 3 countries.

hmmm PR eh? as in PRopoganda maybe. They need something that will take the wind out of the Pridians sails!

Why would the Joseph plan or solution work this time... it failed miserably over the protest outcome..!!! and not a surprise to anyone...!!!

[Bakseedaa]

Yeah definitely, after being so blasted by biased international media. Honestly, if I was in other countries and having to rely only on the CNN, BBC, etc. I can picture the army going crazy on a bunch of peace loving protestors.

The Gov't need a spin doctor, etc and fast. They have to get their story to the international communities and clarify their use of force.

What force..???

[Bakseedaa]

Nimitz Modrakee, of 124 Communications offers some useful advice, but I think a new election monitored by independent observers (like the Carter Center) would be the most powerful statement to the world that Thailand could make.

A new, fairly elected government would achieve instant legitimacy and provide the springboard needed to begin a process of reform.

and wouldnt the timing be great if Abhisit called an election in 3 months time while support for the reds is low but then I cant see Abhisit doing it as he is to scared of losing and inexperienced as he hasnt yet fought let alone won an election!

And why should he.... Prime ministers don`t win elections... they are voted in by the MPs who win elections... Thailand will get its election when it is due... same as all democratic nations... Learn the facts please before you post such rubbish...

[xminator]

So in other words, the Democrats should use state money to promote its election campaign for 2011. Or will it be 2012.

[Thai at Heart]

And whilst no one was watching, the Chinese familys who run this country, have won.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ID27Ae01.html

Whom are we talking about precisely?

I would call them the old feudalists. The feudal elite, people like the [Kasikorn Bank founders] Lamsam family, those types. They were beginning to see their power base decline slowly. When they saw Thaksin start intervening in areas that no politician [before] dared to intervene in, which included military reshuffles, they got even more scared.

Why's that?

Well, because I can command the people. You see I have a different way of looking at things. Politically, I always believe that if I can get the middle classes all across the country to be on my side, the middle classes are the ones who suffer most, whose rights have been infringed upon, who have been taxed to the hilt, who haven't been given a chance or opportunity to get what they deserve.

Then here I came and they all came out because I represent them. Ninety percent of the middle class have Chinese blood. They look up at me and say, he is my man who dares to speak on my behalf. And I sincerely believe and still do that if we can organize this middle class well, arouse their political rights, telling them that they have rights as much as the elite have, it's time to get up and protect our rights, that is a threat.

So there was an ethnic-Chinese component to your anti-government rallies?

Of course. Their biggest mistake after kicking Thaksin out, instead of allying with me and agreeing with me that there is a need to reform the whole country, they look at me as a threat. So they cut me off.

Sorry to cut through all the BS, but i hoped and have finally given up on this website to provide me any more understanding of how this country REALLY works. Not a single word i have heard for the last 6 months on this chatroom has contributed a single titbit(except one phone call from a more esteemed member of this discussion room) to helping me really understand better how this country works . I am tired of waiting to find the links, innuendos and obvious statements that I believe are there. I am tired of hoping that someone here could provide me with something that I couldn't read in a newspaper.

This came out of the guys mouth 2 or 3 years ago and you all sit around and argue here and there about this and that whilst it is all in front of your faces if you just dig and remember what people say. And people wonder why his car was riddled with bullets?

We are in the middle of a Chinese turf war. Some people allied one way, some people allied another. Some people paid more, some people didn't pay enough. The last great piece to land, after a great man passes away.

I really hope people would have the time to actually read some book about SE Asia and understand why 75 to 90% of the wealth of SE Asia is in the hands of so few. It is because, under the guise of democracy they have made or bought slaves of the politicians and their constituents.

I was hoping that someone could read between all the lines of rubbish that I trawl though everyday, and no one has any insight.........................................................................

...... beyond Yellow sometimes good/sometimes bad/probably awful/minor terrorists/, red sometimes ok/good/probably awful/arsonists/worthy of shooting on sight.

Oh how simple minded we all are. Sondhi is probably laughing and rubbing his war wounds at us all.

And it took me 5 years of frustration and silence before I wrote this, so I don't expect the BBC to find it in a day.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[Siam Simon]

Who could they use for this supposed "PR" campaign that everyone would accept?

Korn is the only one I can think of, and that is a bit of a stretch. That said, they desperately need to connect with the foreign media. Sitting on high with a grey backdrop and bits of cut out foam like a cheap Thai wedding is not the way forward. Where they would find someone with the media savvy and connections to get the stories they want out to CNN, BBC, and all the others I don't know.

I don't know why anyone is surprised that the BBC didn't exactly follow the government line. The previous correspondent got shipped out to Turkey after getting whacked with lese majeste charges.

Maybe Dan Rivers would fancy a posting. A million a month and a nice apartment should do it.

It's not as if the big newscorps have vested interests in Thailand's politics. They just call it as it is and try to summarise it for their global audience. Those brutally plain truths upset many right-wing Thais and expats. So what? Jonathan Head flagged up Thaksin's abuses but he became 'Dick Head' when he flagged up the PAD as being rather more sinister than a bunch of families on a picnic protest. Then he was effectively run out of Thailand. The big newscorps know what's really going down and they don't shy away from reporting it.

[selftaopath]

The country does need an influential PR campaign to regain international faith after the poor (in my opinion) western journalism labelled Thailand a 'failed state'. The so-called underground militants need to be addressed as well as the end of this curfew malarky; before any campaign (PR) can be implemented. I'm from the UK and I still feel safer over here inspite of recent events. Perhaps a focus on the community spirit shown during the clean-up operations around Silom would be a good starting point for PR....

How about Thailand embracing fairness/transparency/honesty/ and decent internet capabilities. Oh and how about a genuine feeling of WELCOME - really welcome foreigners/inverters etc? We are more than ATM machines. I'm closing my business now. Have had enough of being "bent over" without being kissed :-)

[selftaopath]

One can try to use "bandages" to cover old wounds, but I think part of the PR campaign is for the government to come out with an authentic document outlining what they are going to do to lessen the descrimination between the "haves and the have-nots" AND THEN IMPLIMENT IT! (NO, I was not a Red supporter during BKK's seige and rebellion by the Red Party.) I am referring to the improvement of education in the rural areas (so they have critical thinking skills and know how democracy works in their country); an incentive to stay in school and not drop out at age 15; to give more university scholarships for student who graduates from highschool; to set up community colleges that can teach vo-tech skills such as being a mechanic, carpenter, plumber, electrician, hair dresser, chef...; give more farm subsidies to help out with expenses; provide more co-op farm machines/tractors for agriculture ( most of the rice is still done by hand); raise minimum wage and lower the number of hours in the workweek (I know some Thais that work 10 hour days, 6 days a week-for 200 baht a day. You cannot live on 200 baht a day in BKK) Pass laws against discrimination in hiring and in the workplace (can of worms). Run a public campaign on Thai TV to educate the public what "descrimination" is...

Various countries have faced "social clashes" in the past and have made progress in eliminating them. Back in the 60's there was the political conflict between the Chinese-Malay and the Malays--laws were passed to help the Malays make more progress in their country; then you have the racial riots in the USA in the 60's that resulted to laws prohibiting discrimination and guidelines that improved educaton in the schools for minority groups. (Yes, you critics, I know it isn't perfect.)

Yes, a commercial campaign is needed to erase the images that world has of Thailand around the world...but in the long run will these campaigns get rid of corruption? of the mobs? of hiring someone because of their "name" -not their skill? --get rid of poorly educated people that can be easily manipulate in Thailand?

OH YES. If only... but TIT where a poor functioning institution, child, adult is not acknowledged b/c of the "face" crap.

[intothefuture]

We are in the middle of a Chinese turf war. Some people allied one way, some people allied another. Some people paid more, some people didn't pay enough. The last great piece to land, after a great man passes away.

I really hope people would have the time to actually read some book about SE Asia and understand why 75 to 90% of the wealth of SE Asia is in the hands of so few. It is because, under the guise of democracy they have made or bought slaves of the politicians and their constituents.

Some thoughts: Perhaps it isn't just an ethnic or religious turf war. Remember that Gen Sonthi was a Muslim? Are you really thinking that so many Thais in the military backed him up because of his religious and ethnci background? The mix of races, religion and ethnicity runs right thru Thai Society. To try to see it all as one race or ethnic group or religious faction...against another.... does not appear to be the real cause of conflict. Yes, there are divisions, there is racism, there is ethnocentrism, there is elitism in every country in the world.

The problems in Thailand now have more to do with the country going thru growing pains in becoming a mature democracy. There will always be politicians and power brokers trying to "game" the system. Like it or not....But the best way forward is, and will always be, for all sides to embrace democracy fully, warts, blemishes, abuses of process and all. Little by little...by adhering to Rule of Law, backing up the courts rather than criticizing every decision, pressing forward on reforms to assure that each person has a vote, trying to catch and make it more difficult for politicians, of all parties, to buy votes; calling out politicians who place friends and family members into positions of authority (cronyism), police upholding rule of law...allowing all persons to express their views and gather in a PEACEFUL manner...etc. This is the ONLY way forward...it is not pretty. It is not cute. It won't happen overnight. But if all Thais commit themselves to democracy and the eradication of all efforts to undermine it....over time, a better, more complete and more fair democracy will unfold here in Thailand.

A PR campaign emphasizing all Thais commitment to Democracy, Democratic process and Rule of Law...will be more impressive to the leaders of other democratic nations...than simply providing a smile campaign....though smiles are always good .

[sokal]

It is unlike the Thai to use pr for anything. They are too arrogant and they thing they know everything.

I hope use a western PR company to help hi, they will run a poll and then propose a method to use. We will see if they do anything sine everything is quite now, and hope it will stay like this for a long time

These PR firms are just as bad as ambulance chasers.

[Tejas]

It is unlike the Thai to use pr for anything. They are too arrogant and they thing they know everything.

I hope use a western PR company to help hi, they will run a poll and then propose a method to use. We will see if they do anything sine everything is quite now, and hope it will stay like this for a long time

These PR firms are just as bad as ambulance chasers.

This "civil war" was generated because of an "information war" paid for by the perpetrator of these events.

Many of us know this to be true. Most do not.

We saw the hate-filled speeches on TV and heard the same on the radio.

In a very real sense, this is an information war.

I have said that repeatedly, but it falls on deaf ears on ThaiVisa (perhaps because of a lack of understanding of how culture, ideas, decision-making and behavior come about).

The govt. , and the perpetrator who lives abroad, both know this is an information war.

[bkkjames]

Handing out millions of Baht to local PR companies won't help anyone but them.

It's too early for a PR campaign anyways although I doubt it will stop TAT from saying the opposite.

I suspect any day now an announcement will come out that a massive fam-trip for agents from overseas is planned followed by the proverbial 'Grand Sale' of some kind.

Here's how I would do it.

1) Pay for a 1 minute long commercial to be played world wide that combines Thai folk of all colours saying "we are sorry, please come back and let us prove it to you".

2) In about two months time I would then start an online competition / campaign with thousands of trips to be won. Yes : thousands.

3) Forget the Grand Sale - cliche stuff: Communications must be about safety, reliability, value.

4) Celebrity Endorsement: I don't mean some local celeb that nobody has heard of - we need superstars talking about how much they love Thailand etc.

5) Plan. No adhoc crap to satisfy the noisy wheel of the week.

Wishful thinking by the non educated. the only correct statement is the 'too early'.

If you knew anything about ads you would realise the 1 minute TVC would be a croc. Blind Freddy drives the remote between the stupid soap operas. A TVC of any impact would cost USD200,000 and 40% would be in graft to the TAT. Then to air the sucker would be as high as 30,000 USD in prime time say LA. You would need more than 1M USD for a 30 day showing and that is LA, start multiplying that out by 165 cities across the US then try the same exercise across the 3, 290 prime cities globally. Hmm,.. good move. But we could always borrow it from Takky!

Trips may work....

Celebs cost a lot. Ask Angelina to come back and she would bypass straight to Cambodia. No - Jean CLaude can't get enough snow, Nic Cage cannot figure out why Bangkok Dangerous didn't work (he forgot it was about a mute) and then we have ...?

Great Post so far - can I have episode two?

Thanks for your very constructive reply. So essentially you are saying that we should just sit on our ass and bitch and complain.

Ok got it. You are hired.

[MaxLee]

There needs to be a PR campaign targeted to the Red Shirt supporters. They are the people who need to have their ways of thinking changed.

Possibly one way could be to get Red Shirt leaders to talk on their radio station about how he or she regrets what they've done and the way forward is to operate within the law and with integrity and respect to all parties.

Veera's surrender speech could be seen as a kickstart to a PR campaign targeting the Red Shirt supporters:

Veera said after his surrender that he was saddened by what had happened over the past couple of days and considered it "a tragedy". He called on "the real red shirts" to adhere to peaceful and non-violent means to fight for their cause.

"I understand what happened over the past few days may cause the red shirts to be angry and upset. I want all parties to end their mutual anger. I would like to tell you that anger will never lead to real peace, and democracy cannot be created by vengefulness and bias," he said.

Source: Time to rebuild By The Nation Published on May 21, 2010.

The initial aim should be to pacify the Red Shirt supporters such that they will no longer be a danger to society.

Even if that Veera dude means it, it is too late anyway. I have the feeling that by now, there are definitely UDD protestors who stayed in Bangkok undercover forming their own Mafia underground to plot a coup of vengeance one day. So people must stay on their guard at all times...

"In my opinion, the government should act as 'facilitator', not 'controller'. It should not obstruct communications or the flow of information from either side's [pro- and anti-government] media. I think that people have a right to consume information, whichever side they are on. People will make their own judgements as to which information is right or wrong, and as to what they should believe," said Nimitz.

That in my opinion is one of the key reasons why Thailand is frowned upon. Too much control over the human's rights, censorship, and the resulting insult of intelligence by so called Culture Minister who arrogantly and stubbornly aim to raise their status and thinking they can do whatever they want with their pathetic campaigns.

For example, referring to that first sentence of this quote: Now the government must really be careful not to overdo it with their current curfew campaigns or it might work against them that not only UDD Portestors, but everybody in Thailand will have a grudge against Abhisit and co.

The ministry of culture needs a real overhaul, that would be good for a start because I cannot stand their stubborn view of "Thai culture"<- from their point of view

[misterjag]

...The problems in Thailand now have more to do with the country going thru growing pains in becoming a mature democracy. There will always be politicians and power brokers trying to "game" the system. Like it or not....But the best way forward is, and will always be, for all sides to embrace democracy fully, warts, blemishes, abuses of process and all. Little by little...by adhering to Rule of Law, backing up the courts rather than criticizing every decision, pressing forward on reforms to assure that each person has a vote, trying to catch and make it more difficult for politicians, of all parties, to buy votes; calling out politicians who place friends and family members into positions of authority (cronyism), police upholding rule of law...allowing all persons to express their views and gather in a PEACEFUL manner...etc. This is the ONLY way forward...it is not pretty. It is not cute. It won't happen overnight. But if all Thais commit themselves to democracy and the eradication of all efforts to undermine it....over time, a better, more complete and more fair democracy will unfold here in Thailand.

A PR campaign emphasizing all Thais commitment to Democracy, Democratic process and Rule of Law...will be more impressive to the leaders of other democratic nations...than simply providing a smile campaign....though smiles are always good .

Actions speak louder than words. Instead of talking about Democracy, Abhisit should call an election. Use an international monitoring group so there aren't any questions about its fairness.

The timing couldn't be better for the government. They can capitalize on the Red Shirt's disarray.

[doggie888888]

PR by government = PROPAGANDA.

If there is too much emphasis on PR fluff (of the "we are all Thais, let's all unite for a group hug" type), there will be little effort on real substantive changes/improvements.

[toptuan]

When it comes to information for the masses, the Thai government will always be a controller rather than a facilitator. The masses are the children, and the government is the parent who "knows what's right" for the children. Most of the masses, having the same outlook, put up with it. It's the ingrained mindset.

Don't forget that timeless truth: "People get the government they deserve." --Thomas Jefferson

[hyperdimension]

A PR campaign emphasizing all Thais commitment to Democracy, Democratic process and Rule of Law...will be more impressive to the leaders of other democratic nations...than simply providing a smile campaign....though smiles are always good .

The campaign should be aimed at the Red Shirt supporters. Quench the flame. Efforts to change the perception of other countries should not currently be as high a priority, unless the Thai government is seeking intervention from those countries.

[hyperdimension]

The masses are the children, and the government is the parent who "knows what's right" for the children.

The UDD seem to have understood that very well. The article Bringing about a fair view of the reds vs govt issue by Chularat Saengpassa from The Nation states that they have set up hundreds of brainwashing schools for children:

Sompong Jitradub Angkhasuwathin, who teaches education at Chulalongkorn University, said most educational institutions were still too naive. They now seemed to lag behind the system adopted by the political schools set up by the red shirts, or the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

They had no knowledge of political developments and have taken no role. While the UDD has established hundreds of schools in various provinces to promote its ideology and gather supporters, most other teachers did not know how to equip children also with the right knowledge on their duty and rights under the democratic system. This can be done through the councils of children, students and teenagers.

While urging the government to quickly address social inequalities to avoid another protest, Sompong said all schools should encourage their students to discuss the current political crisis and work up a project about democracy for local communities. Teachers must correctly educate them about democracy, not take the lead in fuelling divisiveness.

"Education can shape a person's attitudes. So, schools must take a more proactive role," he said.

[intothefuture]

...The problems in Thailand now have more to do with the country going thru growing pains in becoming a mature democracy. There will always be politicians and power brokers trying to "game" the system. Like it or not....But the best way forward is, and will always be, for all sides to embrace democracy fully, warts, blemishes, abuses of process and all. Little by little...by adhering to Rule of Law, backing up the courts rather than criticizing every decision, pressing forward on reforms to assure that each person has a vote, trying to catch and make it more difficult for politicians, of all parties, to buy votes; calling out politicians who place friends and family members into positions of authority (cronyism), police upholding rule of law...allowing all persons to express their views and gather in a PEACEFUL manner...etc. This is the ONLY way forward...it is not pretty. It is not cute. It won't happen overnight. But if all Thais commit themselves to democracy and the eradication of all efforts to undermine it....over time, a better, more complete and more fair democracy will unfold here in Thailand.

A PR campaign emphasizing all Thais commitment to Democracy, Democratic process and Rule of Law...will be more impressive to the leaders of other democratic nations...than simply providing a smile campaign....though smiles are always good .

Actions speak louder than words. Instead of talking about Democracy, Abhisit should call an election. Use an international monitoring group so there aren't any questions about its fairness.

The timing couldn't be better for the government. They can capitalize on the Red Shirt's disarray.

Respectfully disagree. This is exactly what Not to do. All Thais, of all political persuasions must start following the law and not have coups, nor have elections based on mob rage. By law, Abhisit is the duly elected prime minister, voted in by the majority of MPs who were voted in by a free election in 2007. The next election is in about two years. Those that don't like Abhisit's policies, or the policies of his coalition government, should work hard for the next two years to prepare for the election and use their votes, not rebellion, to democratically elect the MP's they favor, who in turn will elect the next PM. That is Thai Democracy and it should be followed. Griping, as some do, about unfairness of the courts or process...doesn't help. Calling a snap election in response to violence, doesn't help. It just allows both sides to justify not following the law and constitutional electoral process.