PM Yingluck's Gaffe - Remember Your Lines

[Buchholz]

I hope to see more videos of Yingluck speaking Engrish as I feel great pressure when I listen to her. The laughter is great stress lelib.

It's a shame this video news has expired and is no longer viewable. As an extemporaneous interview (as opposed to a well-rehearsed and still-gaffed speech), it revealed her true level of English as abysmal, despite having a Masters degree from an American university in English.

Well I've just seen the Aussie interview, With YINGLUK, Business qualities I have no Idea, the same as most others, hearing her answer questions to points made, there was no intelligent impact coming over on t.v. I found her command of English shocking(she must have been taught by her brother) the same sort of answers you could expect from her brother.

Yingluck did not come over as a politician , she came over as a spokesperson for the red shirt fraternity. I actually felt embarrassed for Thailand to think they would vote for a person who could NOT and NEVER command the world stage as this countries leader.. I have given an honest opinion-and posted this reply on what I saw and heard. I have my own feelings of right and wrong, and who I personally would like at the helm here BUT as I said my comments here reflect only on the interview.

Video News - ABC News interview

http://www.abc.net.a.../01/3233091.htm

i can see why she does not want to debate with Abhisit now

Edited November 20, 2011 by Buchholz

[Ricardo]

The beautiful country of Thailand has a population of about 70m, (about the population of London, England)

Ching ching ?

A more common estimate, for the extended metropolitan area of London, might be 12-14 million.

[Fookhaht]

This criticism is rich, considering that it comes from the pages of a paper that apparently did away with proofreaders long ago.

[lounger]

Sounds more Freudian to me.

Thats quite funny.

I suspect that Yingluk's US education permitted her to learn deliberate substitutions ( nasturtium for aspersion, what can I do you for?, etc). Switching 'overcome' for 'welcome' could well be a calling card for an attractive woman!

[elcent]

to the bride and groom and before boom boom consider this and make a good example. We don't need another dowry with billions of missing monies

[hyperdimension]

It's a shame this video news has expired and is no longer viewable. As an extemporaneous interview (as opposed to a well-rehearsed and still-gaffed speech), it revealed her true level of English as abysmal, despite having a Masters degree from an American university in English.

A search on YouTube for "Yingluck" brings it (and a few other relevant videos) up:

Edited November 20, 2011 by hyperdimension

[Buchholz]

It's a shame this video news has expired and is no longer viewable. As an extemporaneous interview (as opposed to a well-rehearsed and still-gaffed speech), it revealed her true level of English as abysmal, despite having a Masters degree from an American university in English.

A search on YouTube for "Yingluck" brings it (and a few other relevant videos) up:

Thanks for that... brings the chuckles back from its first airing.

Interesting to hear it again now, post-election.

.

[phiphidon]

snip endless repeating of the same video link/text

Thanks for that... brings the chuckles back from its first airing.

Interesting to hear it again now, post-election.

.

Perhaps she would have been better off studying in the UK. As Dylan Thomas said "European writers and scholars in America were up against the barrier of a common language" - so what chance did a Thai national stand........................

Edited November 20, 2011 by phiphidon

[KKK]

Wonder how much Thai Hirrally has at her command.

I believe she was heard saying "ca-ca" while agreeing with something that Yingluck had said....I might be wrong of course and the caca was meant as something else.........

[KKK]

Prime Minister Yingluck was not appointed to lead the government ruling party because of her expertise in reading English but for her expertise in political leadership.

Um...Duh...just what planet did you just arrive from.....EXPERTISE IN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP....my arse...it was all about who her elder brother is.

[KKK]

Just look around you....mistakes in written English are everywhere.

Well-come

WiFi Free Zone

Laun Dry

to name but a few common ones.

For Yingluck NOT to have made a mistake would have been the biggest endorsement for 'Miracle Thailand' ever.

[Buchholz]

Just look around you....mistakes in written English are everywhere.

Well-come

WiFi Free Zone

Laun Dry

to name but a few common ones.

For Yingluck NOT to have made a mistake would have been the biggest endorsement for 'Miracle Thailand' ever.

An appropriate comparison in situations where the sign maker completed a Masters Degree at an American university in English.

.

[KKK]

Just look around you....mistakes in written English are everywhere.

Well-come

WiFi Free Zone

Laun Dry

to name but a few common ones.

For Yingluck NOT to have made a mistake would have been the biggest endorsement for 'Miracle Thailand' ever.

An appropriate comparison in situations where the sign maker completed a Masters Degree at an American university in English.

And those sign writers are in front of TV cameras and a bevy of reporters just as Yingluck had a chance to open and check her dictionary...Plus I doubt she "completed" the course..paid the fee is more like it....

[hyperdimension]

I wonder who wrote the speech. Red Shirts would say it was Yingluck herself. I'd say Yingluck is incapable of writing such content, and it was Robert Amsterdam who did it for her under instruction from Thaksin.

Edited November 21, 2011 by hyperdimension

[hyperdimension]

Is this evidence of her insecurity?:

Copies of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's profile booklet were made available for the media during the 19th Asean Summit on Friday -- something that experienced journalists described as "unusual".

Source: Yingluck's bio booklet makes the scene at Asean Summit

Edited November 21, 2011 by hyperdimension

[Buchholz]

Just look around you....mistakes in written English are everywhere.

Well-come

WiFi Free Zone

Laun Dry

to name but a few common ones.

For Yingluck NOT to have made a mistake would have been the biggest endorsement for 'Miracle Thailand' ever.

An appropriate comparison in situations where the sign maker completed a Masters Degree at an American university in English.

And those sign writers are in front of TV cameras and a bevy of reporters just as Yingluck had a chance to open and check her dictionary...Plus I doubt she "completed" the course..paid the fee is more like it....

I wouldn't wish to impugn her good name by presuming that was the case.

.

[KKK]

An appropriate comparison in situations where the sign maker completed a Masters Degree at an American university in English.

And those sign writers are in front of TV cameras and a bevy of reporters just as Yingluck had a chance to open and check her dictionary...Plus I doubt she "completed" the course..paid the fee is more like it....

I wouldn't wish to impugn her good name by presuming that was the case.

.

Well, if she had "completed" the course it doesn't say much for the university..come to think of it, if she had just "paid the fee" doesn't say much either. mmmm either way the university doesn't come out very good does it.

And add Bath instead of Baht to my list of commonly misspelt words. That one is an absolute classic.

Edited November 21, 2011 by KKK

[tropo]

And add Bath instead of Baht to my list of commonly misspelt words. That one is an absolute classic.

How can you misspell a word which has been transliterated from another language and script?

For example, is Chom Tien a mispelling of Jomtien or visa versa?

Most transliterated Thai words have multiple English spellings.

Edited November 21, 2011 by tropo

[tropo]

Well I've just seen the Aussie interview, With YINGLUK, Business qualities I have no Idea, the same as most others, hearing her answer questions to points made, there was no intelligent impact coming over on t.v. I found her command of English shocking(she must have been taught by her brother) the same sort of answers you could expect from her brother.

Yingluck did not come over as a politician , she came over as a spokesperson for the red shirt fraternity. I actually felt embarrassed for Thailand to think they would vote for a person who could NOT and NEVER command the world stage as this countries leader.. I have given an honest opinion-and posted this reply on what I saw and heard. I have my own feelings of right and wrong, and who I personally would like at the helm here BUT as I said my comments here reflect only on the interview.

I think your understanding of foreign diplomacy is embarrassing along with your arrogance as an English speaker.

Now we know exactly why leaders from Russia, China, Japan and other non-English world powers seldom communicate in English on international forums - so their intelligence isn't brought into question by their lack of English speaking skills.

This is apart from the fact that being a good international communicator has nothing to do with who wins elections in most countries. First and foremost they serve their own people and voters are more concerned in how they will benefit domestically.

Your own (and mine) Australian prime minister certainly doesn't come across as being highly intelligent or educated either if you judge her solely on her terrible Australian drawl and general presentation.

Perhaps Yingluck should communicate solely in Thai with a translator so she can avoid unwarranted criticism?

[sparebox2]

YS should debate with Abhisit in English via BBC HardTalk.

That will be fun.

[KKK]

And add Bath instead of Baht to my list of commonly misspelt words. That one is an absolute classic.

How can you misspell a word which has been transliterated from another language and script?

For example, is Chom Tien a mispelling of Jomtien or visa versa?

Most transliterated Thai words have multiple English spellings.

I suggest you take another look at what I wrote......

Thailand's unit of currency is Baht NOT Bath...you can take a bath, buy a bath but NOT spend 100 bath...you spend 100 baht.....

I see your point about Jomtien vs Chom Tien and when spoken sound very similar....but BATH and BAHT do not (sound similar)

[hyperdimension]

their intelligence isn't brought into question by their lack of English speaking skills.

Engilish communication skills aside, the intelligence of someone can be discerned by the content of what they say, particularly in interviews and debates. Have you watched that ABC interview with Yingluck from before the election that has been posted earlier in this thread? Do you see a lot of substance and insight in her responses?

[animatic]

This criticism is rich, considering that it comes from the pages of a paper that apparently did away with proofreaders long ago.

Purely an involuntary financial action.

They know, but the market and margins are so tight for print newspapers, that everything gets shaved to the nub, even in major markets, let alone backwaters like English in Thailand.

[sparebox2]

Just look around you....mistakes in written English are everywhere.

Well-come

WiFi Free Zone

Laun Dry

to name but a few common ones.

For Yingluck NOT to have made a mistake would have been the biggest endorsement for 'Miracle Thailand' ever.

An appropriate comparison in situations where the sign maker completed a Masters Degree at an American university in English.

And those sign writers are in front of TV cameras and a bevy of reporters just as Yingluck had a chance to open and check her dictionary...Plus I doubt she "completed" the course..paid the fee is more like it....

I wouldn't wish to impugn her good name by presuming that was the case.

I wonder how many million "Taxi-Meter" are there is Bangkok.

And no one, no one at all care to point out to Thai that they should have it printed the other way round.

[thaihome]

Someone like Sondhi leading yellow shirts and village scouts to close down Thailand's airport, a major international hub for almost two weeks, and the military and government standing by doing nothing is more of an embarrassment than Yingluck. The military killing and beating lots of Thammasat students on more than one occasion is more embarrasing han Yingluck. Just my 2 cents.

The irony of you bringing up the village scouts and the Thammasat massacre considering who was PM for most of the PAD protests in 2008 is almost unbearable and is certainly an insult to those that died that day.

TH

[steveromagnino]

Yingluck's past experience in AIS and SC Asset did not see her providing substantial speeches and media interaction; most was managed journalism, as is often the case in Thailand, with scripted interviews, a bevy of handlers and the right to edit materials after interviews are given.

This is not substantially different to the experience of MANY Thai CEOs.

Because of the relatively young age of Thai journalists, often CEOs can get by running through a series of buzz words and platitudes, without any real substance, the same the world over in business.

In politics, such skills are insufficient. If you think that it was difficult to listen to this in English, almost all her speeches in Thai to date once they go beyond the scripted practised component, sounds almost the same content wise, just with a better accent.

She has the uncanny ability like her brother to inject the buzz words in, but is not sufficiently PR savvy to handle questions and provide neutral listeners with a feeling of having learned something and appreciating the interviewee's commentary (this is the art of being a good public speaker....making the listener feel this has occurred while actually providing the talking points you wish to put forward irrespective of the questions asked).

However, we overestimate the importance of the neutral listener; actually she could say very little, as she has basically done since 5 weeks pre election, and the people who matter, her supporters, will be satisfied.

For all the amusement of terrible english, circular answers with no substance in Thai, the backbone of her support probably do not care if she is or isn't a good public speaker. PT have set up an environment where insulting her is apparently an attack on women, and her deliberate choice to push her feminity and lack of aggression helps protect her, since anyone attacking her seems mean.

It's a good strategy that falls apart when she is measured against traditional standards of performance in the modern western world, but at the end of the day, much like Thaksin's letter, it may appear insincere, manipulative and infantile to some, but her followers think it's the madd words, like something from Maurice Day and the Time.

Edited November 21, 2011 by steveromagnino

[tropo]

their intelligence isn't brought into question by their lack of English speaking skills.

Engilish communication skills aside, the intelligence of someone can be discerned by the content of what they say, particularly in interviews and debates. Have you watched that ABC interview with Yingluck from before the election that has been posted earlier in this thread? Do you see a lot of substance and insight in her responses?

I disagree.

If a person is speaking non-native language, and especially a language that the person struggles with. you will not get a good impression of that person's intelligence.

[tropo]

She has the uncanny ability like her brother to inject the buzz words in, but is not sufficiently PR savvy to handle questions and provide neutral listeners with a feeling of having learned something and appreciating the interviewee's commentary (this is the art of being a good public speaker....making the listener feel this has occurred while actually providing the talking points you wish to put forward irrespective of the questions asked).

What???

[waza]

and yet theres more

[Buchholz]

and yet theres more

I just knew it was the U.N. Secretary-General's fault the Thai floods got worse.

Thanks, Yingluck, for confirming.

.