Smiles Now, But It Could All Go Wrong Soon: Thai Opinion

[webfact]

VENUS' VISION

Smiles now, but it could all go wrong soon

Veena Thoopkrajae

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has done it yet again: "Yinglucked" her way out of trouble. She survived the censure motion in Parliament and received a vote of confidence from the majority of the House. But is that enough?

Love her or hate her, we have to give credit when it is due. It takes something for a novice politician like her to keep a sweet smile on her face while being grilled in Parliament. It brought to my imagination the image of her starring in the lead role in a romantic comedy, an innocent premier in the same light as Bridget Jones, or Elle Wood from "Legally Blonde", surrounded by politician wolves.

And I can understand if the public gives her support. Think, if the Parliamentary debate were a movie, she surely landed the role of an underdog. It is natural that we tend to root for the underdog. You may argue that it is not convincing that the prime minister should be one, but Yingluck is still a political novice who has no clue about in engaging in an argument. On the other hand, the opposition benches are filled with top dogs who revel in her incompetence and mistakes.

See, Yingluck is a natural fit for such a role: she doesn't try to outsmart anyone and she relies heavily on her staff to hand her scripts to answer questions in debates. We have all seen the funny photos on the social media showing the minions hiding behind her chair and writing scripts for her.

Her scripted answers can't really save her but if you look at her in the same light as Jones or Wood, you can just laugh along with the "script". Ask her, "Have you anything to say about corruption in the rice price subsidy scheme?" and she shouts back, "My name is Pou and I'll do my best for the country." As a common joke goes, the opposition Democrats just don't ask the right questions!

There are basically two ways a woman reacts when faced with trouble - argue until she drops dead, or kill the trouble with a sweet smile. Yingluck obviously chooses the latter. The wolves at the Democrat Party tried in vain in the Parliament to lambast her over the irregularities in the rice scheme and the budget for flood prevention. She hardly showed any urgency to counter those allegations. In fact, her smile and calmness almost convinced observers that she might not really understand at all how serious the allegations are, and that she was being grilled not only as the premier but also the chair of the rice scheme.

On the bright side, Yingluck is more confident and comfortable, but the major flaw is still that she is unable to answer any question in depth. Her longest speech, lasting almost an hour, was more like a promotion of government policy rather than an answer to allegations.

"Parliament The Movie" ended up with the premier "Yinglucking" her way out of it, but now that the curtain has closed on that act, she has to face another role, and in this one she might not get any sympathy as the underdog. She has to be accountable for the consequences of the government's rice scheme. She can forget the Democrats' allegations if she considers them as politicised issues. But she cannot ignore the warnings from leading academics including former central bank chairman Virabongsa Ramagkura, who is also seen as a government adviser, and former finance minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula. Both have warned her government that the subsidy policy will cost Thailand dearly. Virabongsa bluntly pointed out that the policy should be immediately scrapped if the government wants to complete its term. He said it opened the door wide to corruption.

Post censure motion, with the public's wellbeing involved, Yingluck is in the role of a powerful woman who could be soon transformed into a villain if she takes a wrong path. As well as the Democrat wolves, she is also surrounded by poor farmers and hard-pressed taxpayers who contribute their hard-earned money to subsidise the government's mistakes.

As Yingluck sighed with relief after victory in the House, she should be aware that the underdog role could be coming to an end. Now she is poised to take the role of leading villain if she fails to do the right thing and prevent people from suffering.

We hope she will have a "Hollywood" moment and that she eventually becomes the heroine and save us from this policy, for her survival means Thailand's survival.

-- The Nation 2012-12-01

[asiawatcher]

She didn't (read couldn't) answer the questions put to her. The whole thing was a farce. Why was there no impeachment lodged? That really needs an answer from the dems.

[JurgenG]

Boring old stuff

One and half year she has been PM and despite all the prophets of doom, she is still here and still going strong.

Just remind me, how long the longest democrat administration ever stayed in place ?

But the really best is here : "As well as the Democrat wolves, she is also surrounded by ..."

The democrats wolves ?

[noitom]

This article is a child like written story. It is substandard journalism.

[ramrod711]

See, Yingluck is a natural fit for such a role: she doesn't try to outsmart anyone

"to dream the impossible dream"

[Moruya]

This article is a child like written story. It is substandard journalism.

When you have that particular subject matter, it would be difficult to write anything approaching a magnum opus.

It would be like writing a dissertation on Gummy Bears

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[Payboy]

This article is a child like written story. It is substandard journalism.

At least the Nation is consistent in what it does.

[Lancelot]

This article is a child like written story. It is substandard journalism.

At least the Nation is consistent in what it does.

I thought the story was OK, just pointing out that Yingluck doesn't rise to the opposition bait. Pretty savy IMHO

[ratcatcher]

[GazR]

Quote: "Her survival means Thailand's survival."

The author didn't seem to realize that this part of the summary flatly contradicts the body of the article.

How did this ever make it into print? T.I.T.

[tony walker]

Quote: "Her survival means Thailand's survival."

The author didn't seem to realize that this part of the summary flatly contradicts the body of the article.

How did this ever make it into print? T.I.T.

it was printed in "the nation" say no more

[Pimay1]

This article is a child like written story. It is substandard journalism.

At least the Nation is consistent in what it does.

I thought the story was OK, just pointing out that Yingluck doesn't rise to the opposition bait. Pretty savy IMHO

You have made an interesting comment. Can you please expand it a bit and state what she does rise to?

[Fozfromoz]

This article is a child like written story. It is substandard journalism.

At least the Nation is consistent in what it does.

I thought the story was OK, just pointing out that Yingluck doesn't rise to the opposition bait. Pretty savy IMHO

You have made an interesting comment. Can you please expand it a bit and state what she does rise to?

Daily ablutions?

[otherstuff1957]

Quite frankly, the whole debate & censure motion were non-events. The opposition does not have enough votes to do anything against PT's wishes.

[nakhonandy]

Quite frankly, the whole debate & censure motion were non-events. The opposition does not have enough votes to do anything against PT's wishes.

Of course it would only matter if her own party went against her, not going to happen methinks.

Then again it is also politically stupid to go for this censure knowing it wont fly.

The so called wolves were more like puppies.

She knew she would be OK yet the nation calls her the political novice.

I don't think the opposition are up to much either.

[chainarong]

These censure motions are a daily hazard in thai politics, if its not the dems doing it its the other mob, while the dogs are barking the cats are laughing, all show and no go, bring on the coffee

[antpet]

She is an embarrassment.

She is intellectually lightweight, inexperienced and politically inept. That is the reality of a premier who strangeles the English language to the same degree as her Shinwat predecesor.

As w westerner I find it rather farcical.

Power, or rather the abuse of, and money keep her in government. An election that was bought and paid for, an uneducated electorate, policies that benefit her own family interests and the continuing institutionalised corruption that devours the country's assets like a cancer; is all that the Shin clan will ever deliver.

It's third world corruption. As long as it has no influence beyond Thailand, and devours itself, I personally don't care what happens. The erosion of democracy, as fragile as it is, the denying of civil liberties and rights, the endemic eternal corruption, the lack of equal opportunity or education, the lack of welfare of adequate health care, the terrible example of having a place like Pattaya; the list is almost endless.

And yet to list what is good or improving about Thailand is to stare at a blank piece of paper.

I thought that under Abhisit no matter how uphill the task taking on the Thai establishment of engrained corruption and inertia to change, he remained the presentable, able, educated and articulate politician that could hold his own on the world stage. He was simply a credit to Thailand.

I feel that with the return of anything 'shin' is akin to a return to the political dark ages; Machiavelian and destructive. There is no hope as the people remain ignorant and uneducated.

You could believe they get what they deserve. But would you really wish the 'Shinawatras' on anyone? The world is seeing despots fall. Civil war has embraced several countries and yet here we have this throw back country in which democracy is ambushed, misunderstood, denied and abused.

The problem is so deep and entrenched that acceptable methods of removal, the ballot box, are negated by the tentacles of corruption. It is only when the people feel motivated to demand an improvement to their lives, to have an equality hitherto unknown, to demand a better life for their children as a right, that change will be achieved.

Until that day there is no hope of ridding thailand of these cancerous people and their cancerous relatives.

[Moruya]

This article is a child like written story. It is substandard journalism.

At least the Nation is consistent in what it does.

I thought the story was OK, just pointing out that Yingluck doesn't rise to the opposition bait. Pretty savy IMHO

You have made an interesting comment. Can you please expand it a bit and state what she does rise to?

Obama

[NCFC]

When all else fails, let's go the sexist route. Sigh....

[Chrisswe]

No question, she's the right person to lead Thailand for the future.

[cup-O-coffee]

So, Veena Thoopkrajae, do you say what you think when addressing Thai authority, or do you kiss ass and kahp kahp kahp-o kahp-lan them to death whilst wearing the biggest, sweetest smile you can put on?

Would you, were you to be given the opportunity, sit in front of the Prime Minister, and tell her like it is, or would you stoop to the level of that nauseating Thai politeness and never really get around to saying what you have said in the above article?

I think I already know the answer. Pot... kettle... Thai black!

Edited December 1, 2012 by cup-O-coffee

[Moruya]

No question, she's the right person to lead Thailand for the future.

Leapfrog team?

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[Zooheekock]

That is the reality of a premier who strangeles the English language to the same degree as her Shinwat predecesor.

A - Who cares how good her English is? It's about the most trivial complaint one could make.

B - 'Strangeles', 'Shinwat' and 'predecesor'.

I thought that under Abhisit no matter how uphill the task taking on the Thai establishment of engrained corruption and inertia to change, he remained the presentable, able, educated and articulate politician that could hold his own on the world stage. He was simply a credit to Thailand.

Aside from the rather obvious fact that Abhisit is the Thai establishment (and as always with the 'Democrats', corruption was out of hand in their administration) saying the Butcher of Bangkok was a credit to Thailand is like saying Charles Manson was a credit to the hippies.

[Tanaka]

This article is a child like written story. It is substandard journalism.

At least the Nation is consistent in what it does.

I thought the story was OK, just pointing out that Yingluck doesn't rise to the opposition bait. Pretty savy IMHO

Doesn't rise? That is just because she doesn't understand any of it.

[Moruya]

That is the reality of a premier who strangeles the English language to the same degree as her Shinwat predecesor.

A - Who cares how good her English is? It's about the most trivial complaint one could make.

B - 'Strangeles', 'Shinwat' and 'predecesor'.

I thought that under Abhisit no matter how uphill the task taking on the Thai establishment of engrained corruption and inertia to change, he remained the presentable, able, educated and articulate politician that could hold his own on the world stage. He was simply a credit to Thailand.

Aside from the rather obvious fact that Abhisit is the Thai establishment (and as always with the 'Democrats', corruption was out of hand in their administration) saying the Butcher of Bangkok was a credit to Thailand is like saying Charles Manson was a credit to the hippies.

How is it an "obvious fact" that Abhisit is the "Thai Establishment"?

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[Zooheekock]

^ What? That's like asking why a dog is a mammal. If you know who Abhisit is and what establishment means (and what it means to assign a predicate), you'll understand the sentence.

[Moruya]

^ What? That's like asking why a dog is a mammal. If you know who Abhisit is and what establishment means (and what it means to assign a predicate), you'll understand the sentence.

You too are a mammal because you have breasts.

However your inability to lactate makes you a singularly useless mammal.

Shinawatras, Damapongs, Wongsawats etc. etc. are the new establishment bonded by DNA

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[Hssl]

Yingluck is a just a 'presenter' for the real PM

[yoshiwara]

No question, she's the right person to lead Thailand for the future.

Fine, as long as Thaksin does not return. That's the deal.

[asiawatcher]

She is an embarrassment.

She is intellectually lightweight, inexperienced and politically inept. That is the reality of a premier who strangeles the English language to the same degree as her Shinwat predecesor.

As w westerner I find it rather farcical.

Power, or rather the abuse of, and money keep her in government. An election that was bought and paid for, an uneducated electorate, policies that benefit her own family interests and the continuing institutionalised corruption that devours the country's assets like a cancer; is all that the Shin clan will ever deliver.

It's third world corruption. As long as it has no influence beyond Thailand, and devours itself, I personally don't care what happens. The erosion of democracy, as fragile as it is, the denying of civil liberties and rights, the endemic eternal corruption, the lack of equal opportunity or education, the lack of welfare of adequate health care, the terrible example of having a place like Pattaya; the list is almost endless.

And yet to list what is good or improving about Thailand is to stare at a blank piece of paper.

I thought that under Abhisit no matter how uphill the task taking on the Thai establishment of engrained corruption and inertia to change, he remained the presentable, able, educated and articulate politician that could hold his own on the world stage. He was simply a credit to Thailand.

I feel that with the return of anything 'shin' is akin to a return to the political dark ages; Machiavelian and destructive. There is no hope as the people remain ignorant and uneducated.

You could believe they get what they deserve. But would you really wish the 'Shinawatras' on anyone? The world is seeing despots fall. Civil war has embraced several countries and yet here we have this throw back country in which democracy is ambushed, misunderstood, denied and abused.

The problem is so deep and entrenched that acceptable methods of removal, the ballot box, are negated by the tentacles of corruption. It is only when the people feel motivated to demand an improvement to their lives, to have an equality hitherto unknown, to demand a better life for their children as a right, that change will be achieved.

Until that day there is no hope of ridding thailand of these cancerous people and their cancerous relatives.

Well written and I think the majority of us totally agree with the content. Having met Abhisit he is well spoken, articulate and knows exactly what needs to be done. Thailand had its chance. Abhisit just did not have any support and even his own party would jump ship if someone offered to pay. They had the right guy, no doubt in my mind. Now Thailand is in the clutches of the narcissistic Shin clan and as you clearly state, the ballot box means nothing.