Newsweek Names Thai PM Yingluck One Of World's 150 Fearless Women

[whybother]

They must have been scraping the bottom of the barrel to find 150 fearless women.

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[gemini81]

courage of the cowardly lion award. Good thing the ranking excluded: avoiding debates/discussion/punctuality/credibility/not crying/confidence/knowledge/experience/results from campaign promises/going to meetings despite slight illness/. She is at the bottom of the rubbish bin regarding all of the above.

Thatcher I can understand, but this is the biggest chuckle of the week for me.

Edited March 9, 2012 by gemini81

[ballpoint]

Nah, that was Kim Jong Il, after a round of golf. ;-)

She got started right away: just one month before she took office, Thailand was beseiged by floods, and a quick-thinking Shinawatra immediately set up relief operations and long-term prevention measures.

Newsweek should also do a story about how she fought-off a tiger barehanded when she was just 7.

I didn't know Tiger was into male Koreans.

Edited March 9, 2012 by ballpoint

[pipo1000]

Other fearless leaders I have known.

Saddam hoessein

Ferdinand Marcos

Hosni Moubarak

Muammar Gaddafi

Edited March 9, 2012 by pipo1000

[ratcatcher]

I'm sure Newsweek took into consideration how hard P.M. Yingluck has had to fight to get where she is today.

Her poverty stricken childhood, her working extra jobs in order to save for her education.

Her rise through the corporate jungle populated by powerful chauvinistic men.

Finally her struggle to win the hearts and minds of the Thai people and become Thailand's first female P.M.

Aung San Suu Kyii pales into insignificance by comparison.

[arthurwait]

A well researched article.

[surangw]

fine line between fearless and don't give a dam_n

[looping]

I guess it doesn't take brains, ethics, morals, education or a conscience to be FEARLESS so they could be onto something.

[letitbe]

you have to laugh its so stupid

[thanchart]

If she really is fearless, why haven't we ever seen her in an in-depth interview (not just a 5-minute one in which she can recite some key words) or debate?

Just very recently I watched Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim participate in a long interview on Thai PBS which covered many topics, including controversies relating to the multiple charges of sodomy against him. He did a good job in answering the questions and explaining his points of view.

while I am not partoicularly a fan of Yingluck, we must realized she is very new to Politics while Anwar (whom I have respect for) is an old hand and was at one point even on course to be the next Prime Minister after serving lng years under Mahahtir. Surely this cannot be an apple to apple comparison?

I would suggest if one must judge, do it after the next flood season. Only then will there be concrete measuremeent as to wherher she has learnt from the last experience. Put yrself in her shoes - do u seriously believe you would be able do much beeter?

Do you know Anwar when he was a young poltician? He was radical and even threaten to jump onto the railway track at an oncoming train to protest at that time the visit of the Israeli PM to Signapore? That was the affairs of another coutnry! Whether it was out of the anger at heat of the monent or a show, one will ever know (but it was election time . But certainly he did mature over time (many years) to earn my respect/

[hyperdimension]

while I am not partoicularly a fan of Yingluck, we must realized she is very new to Politics while Anwar (whom I have respect for) is an old hand and was at one point even on course to be the next Prime Minister after serving lng years under Mahahtir. Surely this cannot be an apple to apple comparison?

"new to Politics" means lack of experience, yet she "fearlessly" got to the highest position in government in a single leap. So you think we have to give her at least a whole year to settle in?

[lannarebirth]

^{Context of the article is important and I haven't read it. Maybe they find her fearless in her gall, equivocation and perfidy. I'd have to agree if that's the case.}

[Bagwan]

If she really is fearless, why haven't we ever seen her in an in-depth interview (not just a 5-minute one in which she can recite some key words) or debate?

Just very recently I watched Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim participate in a long interview on Thai PBS which covered many topics, including controversies relating to the multiple charges of sodomy against him. He did a good job in answering the questions and explaining his points of view.

Did he had sex with another man (men)?

A totally irrelevant point. In any event the Malaysian courts said NO.

Another irrelevance. Have you ever had sex with another man? If so, you might get him to inject some common sense into you.

[Gonsalviz]

When I saw it was from Newsweek, I knew it was just some liberal fodder they there. Newsweek claims Obama doing a fine job and the American economy is just perfect.

[Heimdallr]

It takes a lot of courage to lead a country knowing so many people think you're a complete joke and in every way disqualified to do what you do.

[MILT]

Time and Time again. Who else is on this list?

[rijb]

Bernard Keane (crikey.com) wrote that female politicians attract 3 types of female-specific abuse:

1. Physical attractiveness. A female politician’s physical appearance will receive inordinate attention, and any faults ruthlessly exposed. But an attractive female politician will also be the victim of a subtle prejudice that assumes she’s a lightweight. Inevitably, they receive far more attention to their appearance than male politicians.

2. Failing to behave in a naturally maternal, nurturing and ladylike manner, somehow at odds with nature.

3. Female politicians are unduly influenced by men. Muammar Gaddafi, who once claimed that Margaret Thatcher, like any woman, didn’t act without being told to do so by a male — in that case, Ronald Reagan.

-------

Is it true that if you scratch a misogynist you'll find a homophobe?

[Buchholz]

Please tell me that last bit wasn't directly taken from the Newsweek caption (I'm sure there weren't more than a few words on Yingluck, not least because Newsweek and Time magazines are like the comic books of news magazines).

Astoundingly inaccurate as it is, the last part is verbatim what was written by Newsweek in their article:

Thailand's first female prime minister won a landslide election in August with a campaign promising to eradicate poverty by boosting the minimum wage, building high-speed trains, and giving free computers to every student.

Yingluck Shinawatra, the little sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had no political experience before assuming office, but inspired hope of reconciliation in the country torn apart by two years of violent political protests.

She got started right away: just one month before she took office, Thailand was besieged by floods, and a quick-thinking Shinawatra immediately set up relief operations and long-term prevention measures.

[rijb]

Obama was given a Nobel Peace Prize. Go figure!

[hellodolly]

How does riding your brother's coattails into office get you the fearless moniker? During the floods she was useless. What has she done other than get elected?

That is why she is fearless. She has a big brother with lots of money and no scruples.