PM Yingluck Finds Firmer Footing Since Flood Crisis

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

PM Yingluck finds firmer footing since flood crisis

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Yingluck Shinawatra has come of age in the position of prime minister. Government critics need to rethink if they still believe Yingluck is a stopgap leader keeping the seat warm for the man in Dubai.

In a recent remark, "He is not coming home just yet," she has not just quelled the controversy about the homecoming plans for her fugitive brother Thaksin but also asserted her leadership.

PM Yingluck has survived the sink-or-swim lesson faced during last year's massive flood. She has managed to gain a firm footing instead of being swept away by the run-off.

Her unique leadership has the ability to deflect whatever problems come her way to the backyards of someone else. And she has executed her deflection in a discreet manner, so few accuse her of dodging her responsibility.

In politics, the fine line between astuteness and wickedness is often blurred.

Last week, Social Development and Human Security Minister Santi Promphat pushed through the removal of his permanent secretary Panita Kambhu na Ayutthaya.

Yingluck went along with Santi's decision. She then turned around to give a hug to Panita in a gesture of support for a bid to clear her name.

Pheu Thai MP Pravat Utamote has mounted a fierce political battle for the reinstatement of Panita, his sister, so the prime minister has opted to remain a good friend to both sides. Even though each is trying to corner her to choose a side, she has kept her distance by branding the issue as personal.

At one stroke, she took the Panita case out of her responsibility, to be resolved by Santi and Pravat.

Faced with high costs of living attributed to rising fuel prices, Yingluck convened an urgent meeting of ministers in charge of the economy.

The government hyped up the meeting to highlight her prompt attention to the soaring price of essential goods. Emerging after the meeting, she kept mum on whether the government had mapped out any tangible measures to keep prices in check.

She took full credit for addressing the cost of living but delegated Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong to take the heat from the public about recent price increases.

Government critic Thirayuth Boonmi has been highly critical of Thaksin administrations and his populist policies. But on Sunday, he could not find the words to critique the Yingluck leadership.

Thirayuth spent so much time rehashing his old critique of Thaksin before making a prediction that Yingluck could win a best-dressed woman award.

It is a common mistake of men to assume beauty comes without a brain. But if Yingluck is seen as an airhead, then why has a political veteran like Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat leader, failed time and again to outpace her popularity?

With less than a year at the helm of the government, Yingluck is not yet in the same class of world leaders such as Britain's Margaret Thatcher or Germany's Angela Merkel. She seems, however, to possess two qualities that might help her to outwit and outlast her opponents.

The first is her rightful place as an heiress for the political fortune of populist policies. For better or worse, the majority of voters have embraced a quick fix to their grievances rather than making a long-term sacrifice. This is the political reality manifested in elections since 2001.

The second quality is her ability to claim credit and deflect the blame. As long as PM Yingluck can pass on the blame with few detecting or complaining about her cunning, she is safe in her job.

-- The Nation 2012-03-20

[CalgaryII]

"PM Yingluck finds firmer footing since the flood crisis", #1^

"Yingluck Shinawatra has come of age in thye position of prime minister. Government critics need to rethink if they still believe Yingluck is a stopgap leader keeping the seat warm for the man from Dubai"

• The only slippage I saw involving opinionating from her support base, was just prior to the New Year.
  
• This concerned what they perceived as foot-dragging, regarding Constitutional reforms.
  
• The initiatives since the New Year have put those grumblings aside.
  
• The UDD/Red Shirts have as one of their primary objectives, to protect this Govt. They strongly believe that the current Coup-rooted Constitution is an existential threat to this Govt., and accordingly lamented what they saw as inaction.
  

" As long as PM Yingluck can pass on the blame with few detecting or complaining about her cunning, she is safe in her job"

• All-in-all, an excellent summation of Ms. Y's continued strength amongst her electoral base.
  
• This thoughtfull approach puts into perspective the agenized, unsubstantiated negativity I have seen coming from the Opposition.
  
• No Prime Minister could be safer in their job than Ms. Y, as long as a bright light continues to be shone on Coupist machinations. Mr. Jatuporn is looking after that little matter.
  
• I get a chuckle out of the "good cop - bad cop" game Ms. Y. and Chalerm are engaged in.
  

Edited March 20, 2012 by CalgaryII

[Unkomoncents]

"PM Yingluck has survived the sink-or-swim lesson faced during last year's massive flood. She has managed to gain a firm footing instead of being swept away by the run-off."

Sure depends on who you ask. This is right from the horse's mouth. These kinds of admissions in the local media demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt how disconnected from reality Thais and Thailand are. She passed what test? According to whose standards? Do we have a concept of the definition of that infernally strange term, "standards"? Thailand does have a firm footing. As long as the current global order prevails, Thais will be welcome to behave in any ludicrous way they please (see Burma for proof of this). Thailand is for Thais (to act however they so feel).

[pedro01]

In a recent remark, "He is not coming home just yet," she has not just quelled the controversy about the homecoming plans for her fugitive brother Thaksin but also asserted her leadership.

LMAO!

There was me thinking it was her sticking to the script.

Asserted her leadership! Lordy! Where do they get these people.

Thaksin thinks....

[jonclark]

"PM Yingluck finds firmer footing since the flood crisis", #1^

"Yingluck Shinawatra has come of age in thye position of prime minister. Government critics need to rethink if they still believe Yingluck is a stopgap leader keeping the seat warm for the man from Dubai"

• The only slippage I saw involving opinionating from her support base, was just prior to the New Year.
  
• This concerned what they perceived as foot-dragging, regarding Constitutional reforms.
  
• The initiatives since the New Year have put those grumblings aside.
  
• The UDD/Red Shirts have as one of their primary objectives, to protect this Govt. They strongly believe that the current Coup-rooted Constitution is an existential threat to this Govt., and accordingly lamented what they saw as inaction.
  

" As long as PM Yingluck can pass on the blame with few detecting or complaining about her cunning, she is safe in her job"

• All-in-all, an excellent summation of Ms. Y's continued strength amongst her electoral base.
  
• This thoughtfull approach puts into perspective the agenized, unsubstantiated negativity I have seen coming from the Opposition.
  
• No Prime Minister could be safer in their job than Ms. Y, as long as a bright light continues to be shone on Coupist machinations. Mr. Jatuporn is looking after that little matter.
  
• I get a chuckle out of the "good cop - bad cop" game Ms. Y. and Chalerm are engaged in.
  

LMAO - Yesterday you were all guns blazing stating how opinion pieces aren't factually correct and here is an editorial opinion piece and you lap it up like truth; brilliant contradiction - LMAO

[Gweiloman]

I'm just sitting back and waiting for the torrent of abuse and childish inane remarks from the resident chauvinistic, over achieving, superior farangs on TV

[Thai at Heart]

So obviously the writer genuinely believes that politics is a game where you win by appearing to do a lot, whilst actually doing nothing. One would assume that hopefully, that politics has a little more to it than just horsetrading and backstabbing. Patently not.

This piece is actually rather insulting to the intelligence of the reader.

[CalgaryII]

Two instances where she excelled IMHO, and which weren't mentioned in the article were:

1. Her empathetic and hard working leadership during the flood crisis. No other national leader I have seen, matched her genuine and sincere compassionate approach, all the while managing some powerfull influences pulling her in disparate directions.
   
2. Her muscular Cabinet reshuffle. It shocked the PT Party. Apparently she had been dogged by some Cabinet members seeking second opinions, when receiving her directives. The changes she wrought has insured current cabinet members don't make the same mistake. She has also made it crystal clear, she will not be above doing it all over again when the 111 return. Current Cabinet guys are working very hard as a result.
   

Regarding #1 above, and to pre-empt any unsubstantiated, agenized claims about flood mismanagement, most don't believe a word of that oppositional mantra, unless one can prove other nation-states did better, in similar circumstances of a similar magnitude.

Edited March 20, 2012 by CalgaryII

[jonclark]

Two instances where she excelled IMHO, and which weren't mentioned in the article were:

1. Her empathetic and hard working leadership during the flood crisis. No other national leader I have seen, matched her genuine and sincere compassionate approach, all the while managing some powerfull influences pulling her in disparate directions.
   
2. Her muscular Cabinet reshuffle. It shocked the PT Party. Apparently she had been dogged by some Cabinet members seeking second opinions, when receiving her directives. The changes she wrought has insured current cabinet members don't make the same mistake. She has also made it crystal clear, she will not be above doing it all over again when the 111 return. Current Cabinet guys are working very hard as a result.
   

Regarding #1 above, and to pre-empt any unsubstantiated, agenized claims about flood mismanagement, most don't believe a word of that oppositional mantra, unless one can prove other nation-states did better, in similar circumstances of a similar magnitude.

Oppositional mantra..... you're a fine one to be talking about a mantra!!! We get your double spaced mantra everyday. Hang on......the last post wasn't double spaced!!! Miracle Thailand !!!

Edited March 20, 2012 by jonclark

[Buchholz]

Two instances where she excelled IMHO, and which weren't mentioned in the article were:

[*]Her empathetic and hard working leadership during the flood crisis. No other national leader I have seen, matched her genuine and sincere compassionate approach

Staying personally dry and in fashion was her approach

Edited March 20, 2012 by Buchholz

[Unkomoncents]

I'm just sitting back and waiting for the torrent of abuse and childish inane remarks from the resident chauvinistic, over achieving, superior farangs on TV

Is this related to the OP's post? Weren't you the guy that said Thailand shouldn't listen to any of America's terrorism bullsh*t and then there actually was the Iranian terrorist incident that you were so convinced was a sham? You are among the most reliable of TV's posters: if you say one thing, the opposite is most often true.

[MEL1]

Two instances where she excelled IMHO, and which weren't mentioned in the article were:

1. Her empathetic and hard working leadership during the flood crisis. No other national leader I have seen, matched her genuine and sincere compassionate approach, all the while managing some powerfull influences pulling her in disparate directions.
   
2. Her muscular Cabinet reshuffle. It shocked the PT Party. Apparently she had been dogged by some Cabinet members seeking second opinions, when receiving her directives. The changes she wrought has insured current cabinet members don't make the same mistake. She has also made it crystal clear, she will not be above doing it all over again when the 111 return. Current Cabinet guys are working very hard as a result.
   

Regarding #1 above, and to pre-empt any unsubstantiated, agenized claims about flood mismanagement, most don't believe a word of that oppositional mantra, unless one can prove other nation-states did better, in similar circumstances of a similar magnitude.

Oppositional mantra..... you're a fine one to be talking about a mantra!!! We get your double spaced mantra everyday. Hang on......the last post wasn't double spaced!!! Miracle Thailand !!!

Most people who write double spaced do so because they can't see very well !

-mel.

[MEL1]

PM Yingluck finds firmer footing since flood crisis

According to who?

What another ridiculous editorial title. Of course she's found firmer footing, as she couldn't have been any more unfirmly footed than she was, bar slipping away. Waste of a web page IMO, but then obviously a set up for calgaryII to get his painful tosses in.

-mel.

[Gweiloman]

I'm just sitting back and waiting for the torrent of abuse and childish inane remarks from the resident chauvinistic, over achieving, superior farangs on TV

Is this related to the OP's post? Weren't you the guy that said Thailand shouldn't listen to any of America's terrorism bullsh*t and then there actually was the Iranian terrorist incident that you were so convinced was a sham? You are among the most reliable of TV's posters: if you say one thing, the opposite is most often true.

No, I wasn't the guy you are referring to.

In your opinion, you think that the opposite of what I say is true - that's probably because of your nationality so don't blame yourself

[waza]

Great publicity for Yingluck. Hopefully she will become more popular than christ Thaksin, that would put the cat amongst the pigeons.

[MAJIC]

She has certainly learned how to Duck and Dive,and make it appear to be Delegating.

[Buchholz]

She has certainly learned how to Duck and Dive,and make it appear to be Delegating.

she's at her ducking and diving best.... again

The prime minister declined to express her opinion about the way to rebuild national reconciliation given the matter is under the responsibility of the House committee on national reconciliation.

March 22, 2012

http://www.thailando...?DataID=1053772

.

Edited March 23, 2012 by Buchholz

[jayboy]

She has certainly learned how to Duck and Dive,and make it appear to be Delegating.

she's at her ducking and diving best.... again

The prime minister declined to express her opinion about the way to rebuild national reconciliation given the matter is under the responsibility of the House committee on national reconciliation.

March 22, 2012

http://www.thailando...?DataID=1053772

.

I would have thought that was a perfectly reasonable response in the circumstances.

Of course any suggestion that the PM is doing reasonably well - which most reasonable people agree - enrages the haters.I note even the stale canard about the Burberry boots - actually cheap Chinese knock offs ( It was Korn's PAD loving wife who wore the genuine Chanel boots!) has been irrelevantly dragged out again.

[Buchholz]

She has certainly learned how to Duck and Dive,and make it appear to be Delegating.

she's at her ducking and diving best.... again

The prime minister declined to express her opinion about the way to rebuild national reconciliation given the matter is under the responsibility of the House committee on national reconciliation.

March 22, 2012

http://www.thailando...?DataID=1053772

.

I would have thought that was a perfectly reasonable response in the circumstances.

Yes, reasonable of her not to express an opinion.

That's her standard operating procedure AKA ducking and diving, as noted earlier.

.