'Good Talking' PM Abhisit Now The Subject Of Regular Gibe

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

'Good talking' PM now the subject of regular gibe

By The Nation

"Good only at using big words" has been a popular phrase used to attack Prime Minister and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. He faces it everywhere, including when he went campaigning in the Southern province of Pattani on Monday.

For the PM, the phrase is a fabrication by opponents who have sought to prevent him seeing and communicating with people, as well as to discredit him.

The first time a sign carried this message was on March 6, when Abhisit spoke at an event to commemorate International Women's Day. Jittra Kotchadej, leader of the laid-off Triumph International workers, brought the sign after she thought of red shirts who died in the political turmoil last year. She called him a "murderer" but claimed no one was listening. She had other signs: "Whose hands are blood-stained?" and a sarcastic "Yeah?"

No matter if Jittra is one of the red shirts or if she supports the opposition, the reds and Pheu Thai regularly use her words to attack Abhisit. "Good at only using big words" is a phrase he recognises well.

In a Facebook note Abhisit said he wrote while returning from a World Economic Forum meeting in Indonesia, he gave a list of achievements as proof he is more than just talk - and has accomplished a lot.

He said that if he just talked, his life would have been easier. He said it was Thaksin Shinawatra who only used big words to the red shirts - wooing them to the protest last year; someone who promised he would stand "side by side" with them on the front lines if there were gunshots - but was actually shopping in Paris during the drama.

Abhisit said that in the past two years, his government had lifted the country out of an economic slump to almost 8-per-cent growth, turned around shrinking exports and boosted tourism to a historically high level.

He said his government had steered the country through a world economic crisis without millions of people losing their jobs. His government kept inflation low while the rate in some neighbouring countries was close to 30 per cent. Moreover, he said the country's public debt compared with gross domestic product had been reduced to lower than 40 per cent, which was lower than that under governments led by Thaksin.

Reacting to Abhisit's Facebook note, Jittra wrote that the Democrats could not really prevent unemployment. She thought its job training for laid-off workers did not suit their skills, and that the 15 years of "free" education cost parents much more than state subsidies as the minimum wage had not been hiked to Bt250, as Abhisit once said it should for workers to survive. In her view, Abhisit has not accomplished what he promised and he must continue to face the accusation.

In fact, as the election looms, all parties and politicians are making sweet promises to voters via various policies. No one has been as heavily attacked as the PM. The claim of only being good at talking - rather than doing - may have lingered partly because the Democrats are seen as a party full of tactful people. All eyes are watching the ruling party at a time when people have heightened political awareness and competition is especially fierce.

Pheu Thai and the red shirts will, undoubtedly, not let up on this attack on Abhisit. But this should also be a signal to all politicians to watch their words, keep their promises and not give big words that could take them away from reality.

-- The Nation 2011-06-23

[geriatrickid]

Well, it seems to have worked. As far as political slogans go, it is somewhat mild compared to the nastiness that I have seen in the forums in regard to former Prime Minister Thaksin. It also is quite mild compared to the rhetoric of U.S. and some EU elections. Whether or not the allegation is true, it is hardly hate speech. It is up to PM Abhisit to change the perception by speaking in a decisive and convincing manner. Based upon the poll results to date, he doesn't seem to have done that yet..

Edited June 23, 2011 by geriatrickid

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Well, it seems to have worked. As far as political slogans go, it is somewhat mild compared to the nastiness that I have seen in the forums in regard to former Prime Minister Thaksin. It also is quite mild compared to the rhetoric of U.S. and some EU elections. Whether or not the allegation is true, it is hardly hate speech. It is up to PM Abhisit to change the perception by speaking in a decisive and convincing manner. Based upon the poll results to date, he doesn't seem to have done that yet..

Yes.

It's hard for him to defend himself against it though; what else can he do other than more words, or rely on friends in high places to have her arrested, which would make it worse.

Obama faced the same allegation though and overcame it very well.

Quite possibly Abhisit just needs to have some Southern terrorists shot in the head and dumped at sea? Sending Burmese boat refugees to their deaths doesn't seem to cut it.

[sungod]

And how would one describe Yingluck? She doesn't say anything. Just smiles as she laps up the support.

"only good at using NO words'

[KKvampire]

Yingluck;s not Blonde so we cant use the D-word in reference, But maybe she's not the D***, one . The minions who fail to challenge her on the issues in Thailand perhaps fall in that category

[geriatrickid]

And how would one describe Yingluck? She doesn't say anything. Just smiles as she laps up the support.

"only good at using NO words'

If the goal is to win the election and this strategy is working, why change?

[moe666]

Its all about winning,it doesn't matter if you are better at goverance if you cannot run a reelection campaign to win, you donot deserve to win.

[hanuman1]

It's a bit of a cheap shot to attack Abhisit on this. If he's made claims that can't/haven't be backed up by actions, that's one thing, but simply having a go because of his phrasing is no reason to lose votes and is just a matter of style.

If someone doesn't know that a 'sanitation officer' can mean a toilet cleaner then the onus would be on them to find out what it can mean. It may damage his accessibility to some voters, but again this is just a matter of presentation (which he should adjust if his message isn't getting across to targetted voters), and doesn't have a bearing on his ability to deliver.

Edited June 23, 2011 by hanuman1

[Who, me ?]

And how would one describe Yingluck? She doesn't say anything. Just smiles as she laps up the support.

"only good at using NO words'

If the goal is to win the election and this strategy is working, why change?

Maybe just to enlighten all Thai people about her program, or about her brother's program rather

[animatic]

It's a bit of a cheap shot to attack Abhisit on this. If he's made claims that can't/haven't be backed up by actions, that's one thing, but simply having a go because of his phrasing is no reason to lose votes and is just a matter of style.

If someone doesn't know that a 'sanitation officer' can mean a toilet cleaner then the onus would be on them to find out what it can mean. It may damage his accessibility to some voters, but again this is just a matter of presentation (which he should adjust if his message isn't getting across to targetted voters), and doesn't have a bearing on his ability to deliver.

Quite right. But this is the same parochial group mentality that got George Bush elected, and not the eloquent and much better qualified John Kerry. Bush 'kept it simple stupid'. He had to, he is not too bright. And acted the man of the people, who the average Joe could think he can have a beer with. Kerry talked like a statesman, which is what the job requires, that didn't resonate with the average snook.

Same problem for Abhisit, the electorate preferring someone they think is one of them, or at least someone they want or be, or want to sleep with and not get their ear talked off, and not someone who is good with world leaders, and can understand the issues, make properly weighed decisions and has a vocabulary that reflects intelligence.

We saw how good the Bush decision came out....

No doubts we will see similar this time, but not on a world scale, since she isn't world class capable politically speaking.

Edited June 23, 2011 by animatic

[Steely Dan]

And how would one describe Yingluck? She doesn't say anything. Just smiles as she laps up the support.

"only good at using NO words'

If the goal is to win the election and this strategy is working, why change?

Better big words than sedition, violent insurrection and arson. As George Bernard Shaw once wrote - Democracy is a device which ensures we are governed no better than we deserve.

[MrChangers]

It's all about window dressing, getting the punters to see what the shop has to offer and get them through the door. With good window dressing you can sell a load of cheap tat, with poor window dressing you will not pull the punters even when the goods are quality. As I see it, and yes I'm ready for the knowledgeable rebuffs, Yingluck as the better window dressing, especially the posters.

As for policies, both the front runners would not look that good under an eyeglass let alone a microscope.

[lungmi]

And how would one describe Yingluck? She doesn't say anything. Just smiles as she laps up the support.

"only good at using NO words'

If the goal is to win the election and this strategy is working, why change?

Sarah Paulin PM of Thailand

[lungmi]

And how would one describe Yingluck? She doesn't say anything. Just smiles as she laps up the support.

"only good at using NO words'

If the goal is to win the election and this strategy is working, why change?

Better big words than sedition, violent insurrection and arson. As George Bernard Shaw once wrote - Democracy is a device which ensures we are governed no better than we deserve.

Outside topic: I agree with old wisdom of the West and the East. But we are in minority.

[AleG]

And how would one describe Yingluck? She doesn't say anything. Just smiles as she laps up the support.

"only good at using NO words'

If the goal is to win the election and this strategy is working, why change?

Sarah Paulin PM of Thailand

Hey, that's unfair.

As ridiculous as the mere notion of Sarah Palin running as VP of the US she at least had been elected as governor of Alaska before. I don't think Yingluck's curriculum includes any political activity or service to the country before being appointed for the PM post by her brother.

[Ricardo]

It's all about window dressing, getting the punters to see what the shop has to offer and get them through the door. With good window dressing you can sell a load of cheap tat, with poor window dressing you will not pull the punters even when the goods are quality. As I see it, and yes I'm ready for the knowledgeable rebuffs, Yingluck as the better window dressing, especially the posters.

As for policies, both the front runners would not look that good under an eyeglass let alone a microscope.

I'd agree that the PTP's merchandising & perception-management are fully up-to US/international standards, whereas the Dems' campaign seems less professional, but at the end of the day I'm more interested in what the products will deliver after July 3rd.

[AleG]

It's all about window dressing, getting the punters to see what the shop has to offer and get them through the door. With good window dressing you can sell a load of cheap tat, with poor window dressing you will not pull the punters even when the goods are quality. As I see it, and yes I'm ready for the knowledgeable rebuffs, Yingluck as the better window dressing, especially the posters.

As for policies, both the front runners would not look that good under an eyeglass let alone a microscope.

I'd agree that the PTP's merchandising & perception-management are fully up-to US/international standards, whereas the Dems' campaign seems less professional, but at the end of the day I'm more interested in what the products will deliver after July 3rd.

That may be related to Thaksin actually using a US based PR firm. (Amsterdam & Peroff)

[steveromagnino]

I believe if I had a bumper sticker made up that said "Thaksin gave up 50% of his personal wealth to fund 30b healthcare.... Abhisit has made 100b baht profits from media control since 2009"

That I could get plenty of the taxis who have whatever slogan is the popular one at the moment of PT/Red shirts to stick it on and actually believe it to be true.

Of the many taxi drivers I've spoken to in the last year, the red shirters fondly recall how Thaksin looked after them, and the non red shirters fondly remember how Abhisit increased the minimum 35b charge for the first 2 km, and no one pretty much did much for them before that for years, other than TRT pushing an extra few thousand taxis onto the road and allowing the existing fleet another 4 years to drive around before they would get retired.

It's all to do with selective perception.

However, just like in USA 5-6 years ago, it now seems a negative to have a decent education, to be well spoken and to be not some sort of pseudo gangster pretending to be 'street'. This hasn't exactly been too different to the past, but it's up to Abhisit to get around this, and it isn't exactly difficult.

You wouldn't see Newin taking c*&p from anyone.....sometimes to appeal to an uneducated rural majority, it helps to speak in terms and language they respond to (as Thaksin did with his whole cult of personality I am a poor person just like you I used to make coffee my daughter works in McDs publicity drives)

Yingluck somehow has managed to appear as a person of the street,despite all logic suggesting that she is the exact opposite of that.

Some people in some parties really need to hire a decent PR strategist (and a decent market research arm to support it) if they want to win.

The mind boggles......

I'd say Thaksin's bumper sticker could be "Dee Dtae Sung" because let's face it, 2 years in a row he's claimed he will come back to surf in on the waves of revolution, and he's now saying he doesn't have anything to do with the red shirts at all, and never ordered nuffin'. Now that's dee.

Edited June 23, 2011 by steveromagnino

[Thai at Heart]

I believe if I had a bumper sticker made up that said "Thaksin gave up 50% of his personal wealth to fund 30b healthcare.... Abhisit has made 100b baht profits from media control since 2009"

That I could get plenty of the taxis who have whatever slogan is the popular one at the moment of PT/Red shirts to stick it on and actually believe it to be true.

Of the many taxi drivers I've spoken to in the last year, the red shirters fondly recall how Thaksin looked after them, and the non red shirters fondly remember how Abhisit increased the minimum 35b charge for the first 2 km.

It's all to do with selective perception.

However, just like in USA 5-6 years ago, it now seems a negative to have a decent education, to be well spoken and to be not some sort of pseudo gangster pretending to be 'street'. This hasn't exactly been too different to the past, but it's up to Abhisit to get around this, and it isn't exactly difficult.

You wouldn't see Newin taking c*&p from anyone.....sometimes to appeal to an uneducated rural majority, it helps to speak in terms and language they respond to (as Thaksin did with his whole cult of personality I am a poor person just like you I used to make coffee my daughter works in McDs publicity drives)

Yingluck somehow has managed to appear as a person of the street,despite all logic suggesting that she is the exact opposite of that.

Some people in some parties really need to hire a decent PR strategist (and a decent market research arm to support it) if they want to win.

The mind boggles......

Couldn't agree more. the Dems have really failed miserably in their PR. As for the sit in the street at Rajprasong, 10 days before the election, I don't think I have ever heard of a more stupid idea in the world.

Has Yingluck said anything for the last 3 days? She may be on holiday, meanwhile the media is busy discussing why the Dems are bothering to go to a rally that they are holding with the idea of not trying to get votes (?????????), and Abhisit is having to explain why he isn't a man of the people.

[Siripon]

I believe if I had a bumper sticker made up that said "Thaksin gave up 50% of his personal wealth to fund 30b healthcare.... Abhisit has made 100b baht profits from media control since 2009"

That I could get plenty of the taxis who have whatever slogan is the popular one at the moment of PT/Red shirts to stick it on and actually believe it to be true.

Of the many taxi drivers I've spoken to in the last year, the red shirters fondly recall how Thaksin looked after them, and the non red shirters fondly remember how Abhisit increased the minimum 35b charge for the first 2 km.

It's all to do with selective perception.

However, just like in USA 5-6 years ago, it now seems a negative to have a decent education, to be well spoken and to be not some sort of pseudo gangster pretending to be 'street'. This hasn't exactly been too different to the past, but it's up to Abhisit to get around this, and it isn't exactly difficult.

You wouldn't see Newin taking c*&p from anyone.....sometimes to appeal to an uneducated rural majority, it helps to speak in terms and language they respond to (as Thaksin did with his whole cult of personality I am a poor person just like you I used to make coffee my daughter works in McDs publicity drives)

Yingluck somehow has managed to appear as a person of the street,despite all logic suggesting that she is the exact opposite of that.

Some people in some parties really need to hire a decent PR strategist (and a decent market research arm to support it) if they want to win.

The mind boggles......

Couldn't agree more. the Dems have really failed miserably in their PR. As for the sit in the street at Rajprasong, 10 days before the election, I don't think I have ever heard of a more stupid idea in the world.

Has Yingluck said anything for the last 3 days? She may be on holiday, meanwhile the media is busy discussing why the Dems are bothering to go to a rally that they are holding with the idea of not trying to get votes (?????????), and Abhisit is having to explain why he isn't a man of the people.

I can't recall Yinglak saying anything since the election campaign began, except for please wait until after the election, she's already becoming boring.

It's true the Democrats PR is awful,it always has been, they have learnt nothing since 2001 in that respect, their election billboards are so dull for example - and yet in a blind poll where voters didn't know which party policies came from, their policies were favoured over Pheua Thai in Issan!

[steveromagnino]

Couldn't agree more. the Dems have really failed miserably in their PR. As for the sit in the street at Rajprasong, 10 days before the election, I don't think I have ever heard of a more stupid idea in the world.

Has Yingluck said anything for the last 3 days? She may be on holiday, meanwhile the media is busy discussing why the Dems are bothering to go to a rally that they are holding with the idea of not trying to get votes (?????????), and Abhisit is having to explain why he isn't a man of the people.

It is so frustrating, because having had dealings with some of the scumbags involved on both sides of the house, the current Dem line up with guys like Korn are probably the stronger option for improving Thailand long term.

Otherwise we get stuck with the Shinwatra/Sanoh/Banharn/red shirt mob, whose economic policy other than being a nice santa's wish list to the poor, has almost zero content and will be like the last giveaway fest in the early 2000s, burning through a ton of cash but on balance failing to generate long term competitive competencies in new markets; long term structural reform or enough long term improvements in infrastructure (admittedly a few were good, but a lot of them cannot really be credited to the party then in power) and certainly not any real thought seriously given to changes to the way in which rural Thailand operates, enabling increased social mobility and productivity.

And it worries me even more that pretty much every party is coming up with the exact same formula for success (well except Chuwit).

For this reason, I may need to do some investigation of Chuwit's policies later this evening, as I also need a bit of a wash anyhow ;-)

Edited June 23, 2011 by steveromagnino

[Thai at Heart]

Couldn't agree more. the Dems have really failed miserably in their PR. As for the sit in the street at Rajprasong, 10 days before the election, I don't think I have ever heard of a more stupid idea in the world.

Has Yingluck said anything for the last 3 days? She may be on holiday, meanwhile the media is busy discussing why the Dems are bothering to go to a rally that they are holding with the idea of not trying to get votes (?????????), and Abhisit is having to explain why he isn't a man of the people.

It is so frustrating, because having had dealings with some of the scumbags involved on both sides of the house, the current Dem line up with guys like Korn are probably the stronger option for improving Thailand long term.

Otherwise we get stuck with the Shinwatra/Sanoh/Banharn/red shirt mob, whose economic policy other than being a nice santa's wish list to the poor, has almost zero content and will be like the last giveaway fest in the early 2000s, burning through a ton of cash but on balance failing to generate long term competitive competencies in new markets; long term structural reform or enough long term improvements in infrastructure (admittedly a few were good, but a lot of them cannot really be credited to the party then in power) and certainly not any real thought seriously given to changes to the way in which rural Thailand operates, enabling increased social mobility and productivity.

And it worries me even more that pretty much every party is coming up with the exact same formula for success (well except Chuwit).

For this reason, I may need to do some investigation of Chuwit's policies later this evening, as I also need a bit of a wash anyhow ;-)

In fairness though, I am not sure there are too many people of any talent in the Dems other than Abhisit (and even he hasn't wiped his pained smile of his face in those posters) and Korn (who for probably the 2nd tallest guy in the country, can't seem to be seen anywhere). It really seems that the old warhorses of the Dems have failed to realize the mathematics of what they are trying to achieve, which is gaining seats beyond their traditional strongholds.

The funny thing is, the old dem warhorses like Suthep will go back into Parliament and still coin it in from their constituencies. Maybe they don't really care for this nationwide idea anyway. All the people can heckle, but PTP doesn't appeal nationwide, well in various incarnations, they have managed to get very close to or once achieve a single party victory. They appear to be leading in BKK.

The Dems have never achieved a single party victory in all their years of campaigning. I think obviously that the local powerbrokers in the Dems with their power centres in the South, Bangkok dominate the dems strategy far too much. It is also obvious that they give Abhisit all the possibly unpopular (among the business community) policies to announce, i.e. minimum wage rises, but then no one in the party comes out and shows their undivided support for the policy, and the policies then get shot down by academics and the such.

It really is a case of the real meaning of "up to you"; "If it goes wrong it is all your fault".

Edited June 23, 2011 by Thai at Heart

[RickBradford]

Well, it seems to have worked. As far as political slogans go, it is somewhat mild compared to the nastiness that I have seen in the forums in regard to former Prime Minister Thaksin.<snip>

The quote is a bit snappier and more catchy in the original Thai 'ดีแต่พูด' ( dee dtae puut' -- Good only speaking) and there was apparently a big banner to this effect being driven around on the back of a pick-up near the stage where Abhisit was speaking in the South yesterday.

Maybe the Dems should start getting nasty and greeting Yinglak with big banners saying หุ่นเชิด ('hun chert' -- puppet) and see what happens....

[Ricardo]

It's all about window dressing, getting the punters to see what the shop has to offer and get them through the door. With good window dressing you can sell a load of cheap tat, with poor window dressing you will not pull the punters even when the goods are quality. As I see it, and yes I'm ready for the knowledgeable rebuffs, Yingluck as the better window dressing, especially the posters.

As for policies, both the front runners would not look that good under an eyeglass let alone a microscope.

I'd agree that the PTP's merchandising & perception-management are fully up-to US/international standards, whereas the Dems' campaign seems less professional, but at the end of the day I'm more interested in what the products will deliver after July 3rd.

That may be related to Thaksin actually using a US based PR firm. (Amsterdam & Peroff)

Well Thaksin & PTP deserve the best 'spin' money can buy, all those outstanding court-cases (and the convictions) might otherwise give the wrong impression, let alone the violent-demonstrations & black-shirted gunmen & arsonists. 'True democracy' takes a lot of 'selling'.

[MrChangers]

It's all about window dressing, getting the punters to see what the shop has to offer and get them through the door. With good window dressing you can sell a load of cheap tat, with poor window dressing you will not pull the punters even when the goods are quality. As I see it, and yes I'm ready for the knowledgeable rebuffs, Yingluck as the better window dressing, especially the posters.

As for policies, both the front runners would not look that good under an eyeglass let alone a microscope.

I'd agree that the PTP's merchandising & perception-management are fully up-to US/international standards, whereas the Dems' campaign seems less professional, but at the end of the day I'm more interested in what the products will deliver after July 3rd.

From what I have witnessed so far it's a choice of either 1 or 2 moons on a stick and we all live happily ever after in the department of rainbows and sunshine with loads of spare cash all round......

Mrs Changers is still hopeful her "We're having a party in the shop" party is a winner here in Chiang Mai