PM Forced to Speak to Virtually Empty Seminar Room

BANGKOK: -- In an event hosted by the Economic Reporters Association, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was scheduled to give a speech on the 2012 GDP. The event took place this morning at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok.

According to the program, more than 400 participants, consisting of economic reporters and business leaders, were supposed to attend and listen to the PM's thoughts on this year's economic growth. However, when the time came for the prime minister to take the stage at 10:10 AM, the seminar room was virtually empty, leaving white linen covered chairs unoccupied.

Very few economic reporters attended the event and practically no business people bothered to come. The only people present were reporters who cover the prime minister's beat.

Accounts from reporters at the scene indicate that Prime Minister Yingluck became increasingly agitated, frequently asking whether or not the seminar room was close to being full.

In the end, Yingluck's team and the event's organizers decided to ask the cameramen, assistant cameramen, hotel interns and employees of a nearby Bangkok Bank branch to come participate in the event, trying to fill as many seats as possible.

The prime minister unwillingly took the stage and gave her speech at 10:30 AM.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittirat Na Ranong refused to attend the event, claiming he had an important meeting with the SME Association.

Translated from www.manager.co.th

-- Tan Network 2012-02-01

the seminar room was virtually empty, leaving white linen covered chairs unoccupied.

Accounts from reporters at the scene indicate that Prime Minister Yingluck became increasingly agitated, frequently asking whether or not the seminar room was close to being full.

Does the PM need glasses?

.

Need she get a headache and cry?

I thought she was a man of the people. Why not invite the motorcycle taxi drivers to fill the empty seats?

In the end, Yingluck's team and the event's organizers decided to ask the cameramen, assistant cameramen, hotel interns and employees of a nearby Bangkok Bank branch to come participate in the event, trying to fill as many seats as possible.

Talk about losing face

Better to get the news directly from the "thinking" source (in Dubai).

Edited February 1, 201214 yr by Jingthing

So why did everyone who was invited not show up? Are there no gentlemen left in Thailand? It's very bad form to abandon a lady in distress.

Edited February 1, 201214 yr by bigbamboo

the seminar room was virtually empty, leaving white linen covered chairs unoccupied.

Accounts from reporters at the scene indicate that Prime Minister Yingluck became increasingly agitated, frequently asking whether or not the seminar room was close to being full.

Does the PM need glasses?

.

Perhaps when one becomes so accustomed to being told what to think, what to say, and being told what to do, one develops a need, as a further extension of that, to be told what one is seeing.

PM Forced to Speak to Virtually Empty Seminar Room

accompanying photo to the OP article

So what's the difference,giving a speech to a full room where nobody is listening or interested anyway, or giving a speech to an empty room

PM Forced to Speak to Virtually Empty Seminar Room

accompanying photo to the OP article

I'm confident that picture was taken during the actual speech.

Popularity on the wane according to an ABAC poll.

Last one out, turn off the lights!

She should have feigned a sore throat and then went home.

"Can both of you hear me, at the back ?"

Assuming the facts are as reported …

Maybe the ‘Peter and the Wolf fable’ is a close analogy for what is slowly enveloping the current government.

So many times the government has tried to reassure the general public, the world at large, that everything is all right … everything is fine (it’s cool and the ointment is sweet … close your eyes, close your eyes and think of nothing tonight (J C S)).

Think the floods situational analysis.

The terrorist threat.

The tourist numbers.

I am sure others will add more.

Now, on the world stage, the media was asked to accept that which the government believes is the forecast by the government for Thailand’s economic growth forecast.

Maybe the tide is turning … just maybe

I do not sympathise towards the Yellow or Red shirts, just trying to understand Thai Politics for what it is …

The reporters voted with their feet, maybe there was some factual reporting to be done elsewhere ... maybe?

If here minders are smart, this public loss of face won't be allowed to happen again ... unless the depty PM has greater plans?

Quick go get the peasants and all the common people you can find. I am a Shinawtra and I will not be treated this way.

Assuming the facts are as reported …

Maybe the ‘Peter and the Wolf fable’ is a close analogy for what is slowly enveloping the current government.

So many times the government has tried to reassure the general public, the world at large, that everything is all right … everything is fine (it’s cool and the ointment is sweet … close your eyes, close your eyes and think of nothing tonight (J C S)).

Think the floods situational analysis.

The terrorist threat.

The tourist numbers.

I am sure others will add more.

Now, on the world stage, the media was asked to accept that which the government believes is the forecast by the government for Thailand’s economic growth forecast.

Maybe the tide is turning … just maybe

I do not sympathise towards the Yellow or Red shirts, just trying to understand Thai Politics for what it is …

The reporters voted with their feet, maybe there was some factual reporting to be done elsewhere ... maybe?

If here minders are smart, this public loss of face won't be allowed to happen again ... unless the depty PM has greater plans?

It won't be allowed to happen again. Probably true.

If I wasn't such a kind hearted guy I'd feel sorry for the woman, a huge snub.

However what will they do in future offer the public seats and pay them B300 or bring 'em at gunpoint ?.

Should have filled the room with certain TV members,they seem to know everything about Thai politics.

Clearly no one is interested in what a puppet says. Better to get the information direct from Dubai....

Well done! Can't blame them, they didn't wanna come and lose brain cells.

Hilarious, in the picture no one is even close to paying attention. They're chatting or playing with their phone.

Smarter minds would have got her a smaller room.

Should have filled the room with certain TV members,they seem to know everything about Thai politics.

That's even worse. The would have only had about five people (supporters that is).

Smarter minds would have got her a smaller room.

With mirrors on the walls.

(Walls i said, not ceiling)

seems to me that she finally got a message back from the people - one that cannot and should not be ignored, a vote of confidence or should I "no" confidence is very plain to see, maybe the next cabinet reshuffle should be her

Needs a lesson in "public speaking", first the public has to be there!

This situation reminds me of events I have had to participate in at different jobs over the years here. One gets a feeling for which events actually matter for the job in question, and which are simply money-spinners which need retroactive justification by way of bums on seats. I've often been tempted to cut to the chase: I'm fine if you put my name down- but can I just not go?

I'm not sure if this was said during the meeting of the OP, but the other newspaper says the PM spoke of a V-shape growth for this year. Makes you wonder where on that V-shape we are at the moment.

Anyway, regarding the OP it's good the PM already planned to go out and meet the locals

Thai PM expects 5% growth in 2012

BANGKOK, February 1, 2012 (AFP) - Thailand's economy will grow roughly five percent in 2012, rebounding from the impact of months of devastating floods last year, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Wednesday.

That would mark a sharp pick-up from 2011, when the export-reliant economy is estimated to have expanded by 1.5 percent, according to the government's National Economic and Social Development Board.

"The government targeted the country's economic growth at five percent this year," Yingluck told an economic forum.

She said Thailand aimed to reduce its dependence on the United States and Europe as export destinations, in favour of emerging markets such as the Middle East, India and the rest of Southeast Asia.

"Now time is running out. Other countries have highly competitive economies, while Thailand was recently affected by the massive floods," Yingluck said.

"I believe that the government's economic policy will bring about a V-shape recovery, and we will see better signs from the second quarter."

Many factories in Thailand's industrial heartland have been closed for months because of the damage caused by last year's floods.

Japanese auto giant Honda has idled operations since early October at its factory in Ayutthaya and expects to restart the plant from late March.

Thailand's central bank in January cut its benchmark interest rate for the second time in three months, to 3.00 percent, in a bid to stimulate the weakened economy.

The government said Wednesday that inflation slowed to an annual rate of 3.38 percent in January, from 3.53 percent in December.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-02-01