Interview With Thai Finance Minister Kittiratt: 'White Lies Sometimes Needed'

[salavan]

No politician could be this stupid could they?

he knows there will be a good chance he will have to resign over this. Political fallguy?

resign you must be joking he will get promoted for this, he's a hero in the eyes of any goverment, one of the requirements of being a politician is being able to tell lies, he's a good man and well qualified for his job

[Thai at Heart]

No politician could be this stupid could they?

he knows there will be a good chance he will have to resign over this. Political fallguy?

resign you must be joking he will get promoted for this, he's a hero in the eyes of any goverment, one of the requirements of being a politician is being able to tell lies, he's a good man and well qualified for his job

Ah, so he was lying?

[bigbamboo]

Actually there is a positive side to this story.

Think of all the Thais with guesthouses and restaurants who will no longer feel paranoid that all those tourists have been avoiding them.

[Bluespunk]

A lie is a lie regardless of colour. Just as an idiot is an idiot regardless of their political status. This sort of financial policy brought Greece to it's knees.

[ramrod711]

In addition, corruption in both public and private sectors is endemic, he said.

Well, he may be a liar.....but he wasn't lying about that!

[trainman34014]

The only politician anywhere that will not lie to your face....is a dead one.

[imthemanhere]

So, domestic private investment grew by 10% in the first half of this year.

How can you believe this after his initial comment?

Amazing. Maybe he should move to an inactive post.

Not possible. He IS already at an inactive post..

[imthemanhere]

The only politician anywhere that will not lie to your face....is a dead one.

are you sure that a dead one would have stopped to lie? old habits die hard...

[Priceless]

I actually think this is quite encouraging. When he maintained, as lately as a few weeks ago, that Thailand's exports this year would increase by 15%, everybody with an elementary economics insight considered him a complete idiot. What he is saying now is that he is not a complete idiot, just a habitual liar. That just might be better

/ Priceless

[SICHONSTEVE]

No politician could be this stupid could they?

he knows there will be a good chance he will have to resign over this. Political fallguy?

I can remember his very first uttering upon becoming finance minister.....

The 300 baht minimum pay promise will not have a great deal of a negative effect on the governments finances as it is "a one off payment"!!!!!!! Not exactly a very good start for this idiotic dope was it!!

As to admitting lieing well.... they just cannot do this - he should be removed immediately and banned from politics/economics for life!!!

[cloudhopper]

As to admitting lieing well.... they just cannot do this

'This' being lying, or admitting to it?

[laobali]

Lying has always come naturally to the Thais; it's part of the culture of non-confrontation; just like the thoughts hidden behind the false smiles.

[SICHONSTEVE]

As to admitting lieing well.... they just cannot do this

'This' being lying, or admitting to it?

Both!! - lieing was inexcusable and then admitting it was plain stupid.....shows what sort of a character he is!!

It is almost as if he is proud of the fact of what he has done, unbelievable jerk!

[tragickingdom]

Kittiratt is obviously a brainless idiot, or plain naive. I guess he is just a crook descending from a Greek father. At the very least this gentleman will never ever get a job anywhere else in the world. He cannot be trusted anymore. Bet you that this gentleman has falsified as much statistics as the Greek financial people did before entering the Euro.

He still has a chance though. He could become a board member of one of those sleazy Wall street banks.

[Exsexyman]

Of course politicians in the rest of the world never lie! At least in Thailand they are honest about it!

[Narratio]

Colour chart please! I've lost the ability to tell the difference between a white lie, a black lie and a lie that is something more mid greyish.

So, who will proclaim Thailand the "Hub of Lies"?

[jcb2001]

No politician could be this stupid could they?

he knows there will be a good chance he will have to resign over this. Political fallguy?

Sadly, His "Little White Lies" will go right over the head of most Thais.

Edited August 24, 2012 by jcb2001

[stefb1964]

The political and economical world are filled with white and other lies. Economics and politicians alike create bubbles and love to see them grow while their pockets get filled with money and everybody believes everything is going wonderful.

It lasts and it lasts.. until the bubble bursts....

Look around...

[cloudhopper]

Sadly, His "Little White Lies" will go right over the head of most Thais.

Political lies go right over the heads of most people everywhere.

[Felt 35]

That was only the Finance Minister. Think I hear white ones on a weekly basis from most ministries here with new hubs popping up daily and trillions of tourists around the corner.

The fact are well that since 2001 there have been one long lie.......

[Bagwan]

No politician could be this stupid could they?

he knows there will be a good chance he will have to resign over this. Political fallguy?

1. Yes.

2. No chance.

[Thai at Heart]

No politician could be this stupid could they?

he knows there will be a good chance he will have to resign over this. Political fallguy?

1. Yes.

2. No chance.

I have a feeling this will lead to a change at the finance ministry with one of the banned making a grand comeback.

[aguy30]

Kittiratt is in training to be Yingluck's replacement when she steps down.

[Skywalker69]

Kittiratt is in training to be Yingluck's replacement when she steps down.

I would love to see him in Burberrys.

[maidu]

Instead of chastizing the fellow who comes out and says something silly, and admits to lying. Let's look at all those at the top of the pyramid and gauge who is lying and how harmful those lies will prove to be. That's what the Thai electorate should be doing. Unfortunately for the little people, they have to choose which group of liars lies less. Since they don't have the mental acuity to determine (andd lying is not frowned upon in Thailand, anyway), then the teeming masses simply vote for whomever promises them riches, and pays them 200 to 500 baht for their vote. .....and that's about as good as democracy gets in Thailand.

[JoeLing]

Thai people NEVER lie - they only joking!!!

Thai people NEVER steal - they only borrowing!!!

[JoeLing]

I have heard it all now! I hope none of the major corporations who were considering investing in Thailand read this article! Any confidence that this moron has tried to instill in the market and the traders who make it move has now just been blown straight out of the water. Thai politicians all seem to share a common fault, non of them have been media trained yet they all seem to love listening to their own voice and giving ill considered interviews. This should be another one destined for the axe at the cabinet reshuffle. Morons, morons, morons!

On the bright side it could be a good time to short the SET today!!

Their fault is they really think they can fool all of the people all of the time.

Sadly - they can!!!

[Mosha]

He's probably the nearest thing to an honest politician you'll get. He's admitted he lies.

[Puccini]

I was reminded of this topic when I saw this cartoon today:

Edited August 25, 2012 by Puccini

[hellodolly]

The big problem now will be who is going to take the time to explain to

Yingluck the damage he has done by openly admitting he is a liar.

Any one out there have a spare day or two to do the job.

She is so used to lying from her brother she probably agrees it is OK to lie to the people.

Edited August 25, 2012 by Maestro
Deleted baiting comment.