'lies' Fall-Out Hurts More Than Kittiratt's Image

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

'Lies' fall-out hurts more than Kittiratt's image

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong's "white lie" controversy has led to negative consequences against him as well as the government.

He has come under heavy attack from opposition Democrat politicians and his colleagues in the ruling Pheu Thai Party are pressuring him to "take responsibility" for damaging the government's credibility with his remarks.

This controversy could even cost him his job of heading the government's economic team.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has insisted she has no plan to replace Kittiratt, who is also a deputy prime minister. "I have no [other] people to help me with economic matters," she said.

Former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is Yingluck's big brother and believed to be pulling strings behind the ruling party, has reportedly been unhappy with Kittiratt's performance in dealing with the rising cost of living and other economic problems.

However, Yingluck insisted she wanted Kittiratt to remain as her economic czar. She is more comfortable working with Kittiratt, who is considered her friend and trusted adviser on economic matters.

It has yet to be seen if the prime minister, for the rest of her time in office, can resist mounting pressure for her finance minister to be replaced.

Last Thursday, Kittiratt admitted that sometimes he had to exaggerate the country's economic growth in public statements, even though the government had been fully aware the global economic slowdown was likely to affect Thailand.

"The finance minister needs to lie sometimes to create good feelings. The world knows this as a 'white lie'. As leader of the government's economic team, I'm allowed to tell white lies. The goal is to create confidence, which in turn benefits the country's economy as a whole," he said.

His move came after the National Economic and Social Development Board, the state planning agency, revised down its forecast for export growth to 7.3 per cent this year due to a slump in the global economy, compared to the government's earlier projection of a 15-per-cent increase.

The prime minister early this week defended her finance minister, saying she had faith in him and believed he had good intentions towards the country.

Kittiratt is part of a small group of politicians working closely with the prime minister. This group also includes Suranand Vejjajiva, who was recently appointed as the PM's new secretary-general. Kittiratt meets the PM regularly at Government House and often reports on the economic situation during weekly Cabinet meetings.

Yingluck's trusted team of economic advisers, with Kittiratt included, is being threatened by the rising influence of rival groups closely connected to Thaksin.

The PM's more senior economic advisers, handpicked by Thaksin, have complained that the prime minister has ignored their counsel. Another group of economic experts who completed their five-year political ban a few months ago is expected to join the fight for Cabinet seats in an upcoming reshuffle, likely next month, ahead of a censure debate or sometime in October.

These ex-Cabinet members include former deputy finance minister Warathep Ratanakorn and former energy minister Prommin Lertsuridej. The economic experts who were replaced in Yingluck's first Cabinet reshuffle - Olarn Chaipravat and Mingkwan Sangsuwan - are also seeking to make a return.

In addition to the rising competition, the PM's trusted team of economic advisers has its own weaknesses. Due to their lack of experience and political prowess, they have become easy targets for political attack.

The worsening economic problems, particularly the higher cost of living, are undermining the government's credibility. The opposition Democrats have blamed government inefficiency for the problem of "expensive throughout the land".

Political observers have pointed out the issue of rising costs - in addition to the corruption problem - is becoming the government's major weak point and threatens its survival.

-- The Nation 2012-08-30

[Thai at Heart]

They only just realised. Shame is they completely neglected to notice it might even be cause a problem with their international credibility.

The entire slant of the article is navel gazing.

[BookMan]

Hard to believe the government's credibility would have been damaged. They haven't got a lot of credibility to begin with

[Pond Life]

The truth is always deeply unpopular, not only in this country.

[chainarong]

Not worth commenting on , I'd be only lying

[cloudhopper]

Me thinks they protesteth too much.

[Gonzo the Face]

Is there anyone out there, like myself, who now wonders about every government released story/report, if it is true or contains more 'white lies' ? I find myself questioning almost every govt headline.

[marshbags]

Hard to believe the government's credibility would have been damaged. They haven't got a lot of credibility to begin with

Complete edit by marshbags as the content did not download as posted.

marshbags

[SICHONSTEVE]

Is there anyone out there, like myself, who now wonders about every government released story/report, if it is true or contains more 'white lies' ? I find myself questioning almost every govt headline.

I did BEFORE this so called 'white lie' debacle.

He's even got that wrong - as an economist he should have known that 'a white lie' is portraying something different by being economical with the truth, not blatant full-on lies designed to misinform and deceive to serve purpose!!!!

[Thai at Heart]

This controversy could even cost him his job of heading the government's economic team.

Like I said elsewhere, wouldn't this be a very neat way to shuffle one man out of position and keep his "face" intact so that one of the banned 111 can make a comeback

[laislica]

Is there anyone out there, like myself, who now wonders about every government released story/report, if it is true or contains more 'white lies' ? I find myself questioning almost every govt headline.

Totally agree. It seems that the Big Businesses - through their lobbyists run every country.

The revolving door between political office and highly paid jobs in Big Businesses.

(Sorry for the rant - I don´t want to hijack the thread)

[Mitker]

Is there anyone out there, like myself, who now wonders about every government released story/report, if it is true or contains more 'white lies' ? I find myself questioning almost every govt headline.

Same as you except this feeling didn't start today