Whispers From Within: Politics Undermines Govt Agenda: Thai Talk

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THAI TALK

Whispers from within: Politics undermines gov't agenda

By Suthichai Yoon

The Nation

For an accurate analysis of the "performance index" of the Yingluck government, five weeks after taking office, I deliberately avoid talking to the opposition party. I also refuse to be influenced by those well known for their dislike for the current government.

Instead, what the advocates of the red shirts and Pheu Thai Party are concerned about on how things have been working out for the administration seem to be a much more significant barometer of political happenings.

These are the people who have been telling all critics to "give the government a chance". They have also cited the fact that at least 15 million voters cast their ballots in support of their policies. The current government therefore has the necessary mandate to run the country, for better or for worse.

Some of my pro-Pheu Thai friends have admitted that they aren't too happy with how things are going at the moment. They aren't ready to be quoted, but some of them have said that their main concern is that the government has been spending most of its time managing politics rather than running the country's business.

Premier Yingluck, her advocates admit, has yet to demonstrate her ability to get things done. Most people may be ready to give her the benefit of doubt when it comes to politics. But somehow, her experience as a smart business executive should be translated into launching some real action in regard to the main policies that were popular among the voters.

But so far, no clear road map has yet been decided on the Bt300 minimum wage and the Bt15,000 minimum monthly salary for new university graduates. In fact, Deputy Premier Kittiratt na Ranong, who is supposedly the chief of the government's economic team, admitted the other day that the government was in no position to force the private sector to follow that directive. If the "economic czar" can't get it done, very few people expect Premier Yingluck to be able to intervene and declare "Let me handle this one."

The other populist action that was among the first to be taken up by the government was the reduction of diesel and benzene prices, which immediately raised an outcry about sending the wrong messages on the policy regarding the promotion of renewable energy. Some frantic attempts at correcting that first misstep have been detected. But the overall energy pricing policy continues to be rather confusing.

The government's crucial policy on the rice price subsidy is a litmus test. It is supposed to be launched on October 9 but already rice exporters are predicting a 30-40 per cent drop in rice exports because the project will drive up the price of Thai rice. Of a higher degree of concern is how the government can avoid the well-known mismanagement, corruption and abuse of power that typically comes with this type of scheme.

The government has yet to convince the public that real farmers will get real benefits from such an expensive and fraud-prone project.

Chairman of the Thai Farmers' Association, Prasit Boonchuey, has complained publicly that the deputy premier has not kept his promise of naming farmers' representatives to the National Rice Price Committee to observe the operations in action. Kittiratt has denied that he made such a pledge. "I only said that we would be ready to listen to farmers' opinions on every issue in every forum."

Some pro-government commentators are worried that the Yingluck Cabinet has yet to prove its "management skills". The focus on political gimmicks, in what is seen as an all-out attempt to help absolve former premier Thaksin Shinawatra from guilt, is nothing less than playing with fire.

The controversial move to pursue a royal amnesty for Thaksin, and Deputy Premier Chalerm Yoobamrung's public support for a thinly-veiled plan to seek a civilian court's verdict to get a revision of the criminal court's earlier two-year jail term over the Ratchada land case, will only revive the severe conflicts within Thai society.

The speed with which some Pheu Thai MPs are moving to have the constitution amended is also seen in the same light - that it's all part of a package to get Thaksin back home without him serving his sentence.

None of these political moves were ever part of Pheu Thai's campaign platform. And Yingluck has insisted all along that they aren't on her agenda. The fact that, despite her denials to the contrary, these goings-on are real and that she hasn't been able to deliver the economic and social goods as promised, could well prematurely shorten her political life.

Considering the fact that these are basic concerns aired by well-wishers - those who want to see the Yingluck government succeed - what do you think the hardcore opposition critics plotting to undermine the administration are telling the public?

-- The Nation 2011-09-15

[siampolee]

Nothing will change until the time that politics stops undermining policies.

Policies are a long term project and each time the government changes so do the policies all rather like musical chairs, only one winner and it is not the state nor its people, it is whatever political party may win the election.

Yet again we see the current government like all its predecessors' stalling programmes, moving the targets and generally manipulating schemes and projects to create a popular support base within the enfranchised electorate.

Sadly it is the electorate ( read the general public and the nation ) that are the ultimate losers in the merry go round of politics.

Bus projects, rail projects etc do not happen overnight they take time and until such time as those projects like many others are on the playing field and subject to the whims of the politicians for their own political benefit we will never see progress. policies are like a marriage a commitment a contract to a long term relationship.

Get the the long term policies off of the political playing field and as a result of such a move we will all benefit, that includes the politicians as well as the general population.

[Thaddeus]

Create a sentence using the words up, piss and brewery.

[siampolee]

Or perhaps it's a "No Hands Government ?"

[renaissanc]

Don't worry! Thaksin will soon be back to help Yingluck. Then there will be a new election next year and Thaksin will be PM again; assuming that there has been no coup in the meantime.

[Bkkorupcountry]

Don't worry! Thaksin will soon be back to help Yingluck. Then there will be a new election next year and Thaksin will be PM again; assuming that there has been no coup in the meantime.

This might be the best thing for Thailand at this point in time, a steady hand at the helm.

[rubl]

Don't worry! Thaksin will soon be back to help Yingluck. Then there will be a new election next year and Thaksin will be PM again; assuming that there has been no coup in the meantime.

This might be the best thing for Thailand at this point in time, a steady hand at the helm.

Rumour has it that hand may already be at the helm. It's about 50 - 50 whether it's good or not. depends on who you ask

[Bkkorupcountry]

Don't worry! Thaksin will soon be back to help Yingluck. Then there will be a new election next year and Thaksin will be PM again; assuming that there has been no coup in the meantime.

This might be the best thing for Thailand at this point in time, a steady hand at the helm.

Rumour has it that hand may already be at the helm. It's about 50 - 50 whether it's good or not. depends on who you ask

Between Yingluck and Thaksin, who would be better to govern? And please, serious question so no inane answer such as "neither" (this comment not directed at you rubl, but at some of the other immature posters).

[rubl]

Between Yingluck and Thaksin, who would be better to govern? And please, serious question so no inane answer such as "neither" (this comment not directed at you rubl, but at some of the other immature posters).

Concentrating on simply and only 'governing' with k. Thaksin having experience in governing and Ms. Yingluck none, the answer is: k. Thaksin.

As we also have to consider other aspects, and abuse of power is unfortunately one of them, the question has to remain a hypothetical question. Too many issues around the figure of Thaksin.

The current government should take more time governing and less in playing around 'helping big boss Thaksin'. The 'helping' is not my opinion, too many government spokespeople, Pheu Thai big mouths and of course Dept. PM Chalerm have said so.

[Bkkorupcountry]

Between Yingluck and Thaksin, who would be better to govern? And please, serious question so no inane answer such as "neither" (this comment not directed at you rubl, but at some of the other immature posters).

Concentrating on simply and only 'governing' with k. Thaksin having experience in governing and Ms. Yingluck none, the answer is: k. Thaksin.

As we also have to consider other aspects, and abuse of power is unfortunately one of them, the question has to remain a hypothetical question. Too many issues around the figure of Thaksin.

The current government should take more time governing and less in playing around 'helping big boss Thaksin'. The 'helping' is not my opinion, too many government spokespeople, Pheu Thai big mouths and of course Dept. PM Chalerm have said so.

Fully agree. However, I wonder how many of us really know what the government is really doing on a day to day basis, other than what we read here on TV's Nation articles. It's easy to just take everything printed here and assume that's all that is happening over at Government house but I am sure that a lot more is happening that the Nation does not report on. Furthermore, if journalists keep asking leading questions and then publishing those articles, it's just cheap journalism.

[serenitynow]

Nothing will change until the time that politics stops undermining policies.

Policies are a long term project and each time the government changes so do the policies all rather like musical chairs, only one winner and it is not the state nor its people, it is whatever political party may win the election.

Yet again we see the current government like all its predecessors' stalling programmes, moving the targets and generally manipulating schemes and projects to create a popular support base within the enfranchised electorate.

Sadly it is the electorate ( read the general public and the nation ) that are the ultimate losers in the merry go round of politics.

Bus projects, rail projects etc do not happen overnight they take time and until such time as those projects like many others are on the playing field and subject to the whims of the politicians for their own political benefit we will never see progress. policies are like a marriage a commitment a contract to a long term relationship.

Get the the long term policies off of the political playing field and as a result of such a move we will all benefit, that includes the politicians as well as the general population.

To be fair, many of those in governmnet have not had time to setup their family run consultancies and procurement companies, let alone offshore accounts. You just need to give the government a little more time.

[Dap]

Create a sentence using the words up, piss and brewery.

I'm sorry Thaddeus, I didn't understand your post. Can you please explain what your post meant.

[Thaddeus]

Create a sentence using the words up, piss and brewery.

I'm sorry Thaddeus, I didn't understand your post. Can you please explain what your post meant.

Please tell me you aren't serious.

But just in case you are, replace the x's with the words mentioned that have the same number of characters.

Couldn't organise a xxxx xx in a xxxxxxx.

Clearer?

[rubl]

Between Yingluck and Thaksin, who would be better to govern? And please, serious question so no inane answer such as "neither" (this comment not directed at you rubl, but at some of the other immature posters).

Concentrating on simply and only 'governing' with k. Thaksin having experience in governing and Ms. Yingluck none, the answer is: k. Thaksin.

As we also have to consider other aspects, and abuse of power is unfortunately one of them, the question has to remain a hypothetical question. Too many issues around the figure of Thaksin.

The current government should take more time governing and less in playing around 'helping big boss Thaksin'. The 'helping' is not my opinion, too many government spokespeople, Pheu Thai big mouths and of course Dept. PM Chalerm have said so.

Fully agree. However, I wonder how many of us really know what the government is really doing on a day to day basis, other than what we read here on TV's Nation articles. It's easy to just take everything printed here and assume that's all that is happening over at Government house but I am sure that a lot more is happening that the Nation does not report on. Furthermore, if journalists keep asking leading questions and then publishing those articles, it's just cheap journalism.

Journalists have to ask questions. What is 'leading' depends up-to-a-point on one's own point of view. What some think leading, others think valid. If only we would see things black and white rather than in colours and shades, life would be easier.

"We needed to have the press be our friend ... We wanted them to ask the questions we want to answer so that they report the news the way we want it to be reported."

--Sharron Angle, during an interview with Fox News Channel's Carl Cameron, Aug. 2, 2010

Edited September 15, 2011 by rubl