Plodprasop's Trash Talk Is Out Of Order: Thai Editorial

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Deputy PM's trash talk is out of order
The Nation

Plodprasop Suraswadi says environmental activists shouldn't be allowed to upset his meeting; he has a lot to learn about democracy.

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi has attracted much criticism for comparing environmental activists protesting against the government-hosted Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Chiang Mai to garbage. He also threatened to have them arrested, saying the summit was not a venue for demonstrations.

His remark that "Chiang Mai people also should not allow this garbage to mess around" is deemed derogatory by many.

Hannarong Yaowalers, who chairs the Foundation for Integrated Water Management, said Plodprasop's remark proved he did not understand democracy or the concept of public participation. "We only wish to express our opinions in line with the principles of democracy," he said, referring to activists planning a parallel forum to the Chiang Mai event, which began on Tuesday. It was beyond comprehension why Plodprasop compared people to rubbish. "I did not expect such derogatory and threatening words to come from the mouth of a deputy prime minister."

According to Hannarong, the activists merely want to express their concern about the government's Bt350-billion water-and-flood-management mega-project. They want the government to ensure that it will help tackle flood and drought problems in a sustainable way. He said the activists would organise a parallel forum, with no intention of obstructing the summit.

The Human Rights Lawyers' Association, in a statement issued on Tuesday, described Plodprasop's remark as a violation of human dignity, a threat to activists and an infringement of their basic rights. Plodprasop's remark also became a hot topic of discussion on the social media, with many criticising him.

It is understandable that Plodprasop wants the international conference to take place without incident. As chairman of the Water and Flood Management Commission and the Cabinet member responsible for organising the summit, the deputy premier certainly doesn't want any protest to "spoil" the event. However, he should be aware that environmentalists, as citizens of this country, have the constitutional right to free expression and assembly.

Plodprasop's view is unlikely to be described as democratic. Hopefully, his view is not representative of the Cabinet or the ruling Pheu Thai Party. Other senior Cabinet members appear to be distancing themselves from his controversial remark. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, asked to comment, said her government welcomed all opinions about the water project and she would ask Plodprasop about the intention in his remark. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said he did not think Plodprasop was serious about arresting protesters.

MPs - Plodprasop included - are representatives of the people. They should represent all groups of people, not just their constituents or their party's supporters. In winning an election, MPs become the people's representatives. And if their party wins a majority in the House of Representatives, they become part of the government and possibly the Cabinet. But that does not mean these politicians have "more rights" than ordinary eligible voters. And they have no right to prohibit other people from exercising their legal rights and freedoms, such as the right to public assembly.

Cabinet members - as the major part of the government - have a duty to work for all the people in this country, including those who did not vote for them and those who criticise them or disagree with them. It is not right that they only treat their supporters well while treating others badly. They have a duty to enforce the law fairly. If a peaceful gathering by the government's red-shirt supporters is not against the law, a peaceful protest by environmental activists should not be prohibited either. Prime Minister Yingluck recently said the red shirts have the right to gather outside the Constitutional Court to protest against its judges, following their decision to accept for judicial review a petition against parliamentarians supporting constitutional amendment. However, she has not publicly made any supportive comment about the environmentalists' right to public assembly at the water summit.

Politicians who claim to be democratic have to act accordingly. Start with tolerating views that differ from their own and complying with democratic principles such as the right to peaceful and unarmed public assembly. They should know that the use of threat and intimidation is undemocratic.


-- The Nation 2013-05-16

[Robby nz]

They should know that the use of threat and intimidation is undemocratic.

Oh they know all right.

But didn't their big boss say something like " Democracy is not my aim"

[Bellweather]

Yingluck will ask him about the remark and Chalerm says he wasn't serious about having demonstrators arrested but OH YES HE WAS ! I wouldn't expect PTP to do anything but support Plodprasop just as I don't expect them to stop making disgraceful statements, riding roughshod over the laws of the land and making the rules up as they go along.

[MaxLee]

Ploddi, the man who "didn't know" that hitting a plastic water tank with a hammer and a wooden pin pointer, would break the containers' surface and cause a leaking

[Bellweather]

Just seen in the Post that Plod is standing by his remarks and will not apologise on the grounds " they never apologise when they saw impolite things about me. "

When it comes to Thai politics and politicians I've seen more grown up behaviour in a primary school playground.

[bigbamboo]

Plodrasop the buffoon, Chalerm the cowardly bully and Kittirat the lying king. Surely the only reason they are around is to make our PM Dorothy look good.

[Tatsujin]

Plodprasop Suraswadi says environmental activists shouldn't be allowed to upset his meeting; he has a lot to learn about democracy.

Thailand as a whole has a LOT to learn about Democracy.

[hellodolly]

Seems to me the man did the best he could with what he has. "nothing"

On the other hand the demonstrators had no business there. The convention is not about the mismanagement of Thailand's money in water management. They are attempting to derail uit from it's real purpose of the whole Asia Pacific water management.

Any thing positive that can come out of the convention should be allowed to come forth. Not skipped over because a group of people want to derail it for their own ends. If they feel strongly about it why don't they hold their demonstrations in front of Parliament when it is in session. This whole convention is about Asia Pacific water management it goes a lot farther than just Thailand. Maybe some positive ideas will come out of it.

Yes it is the peoples right to demonstrate but it is also their right to vote stop taking bribes and vote the best man in.

Here in Chiang Mai they have closed the schools down in an effort to make it look like Chiang Mai has no problems with traffic. rubbish. Speaking of looks how many people will consider using Chiang Mai for there convention if every one of them is harassed by protestors.

[Halion]

Both Plodrasorp and Chalerm's past records speak for themselves. They are a total disgrace to any office they have held and can only survive through nepotism and ignorance. The have traits in common with intolerance and an arrogance which abounds ever time they open their mouths and as do many of their colleauges they feel beyond reproach.

While the Thai public continue to give any credibility to such people then reform ,progress and stability are simply not attainable.

Sadly the current blight on this country is a self inflicted wound which is growing gangenrous by the day and which if left to fester will take the whole country down . The Thai people seem to be incapable to learn from their mistakes. While they continue to have the bar set so abysmally low with regard to te performance of these MP, then they are doomed.

[dahinni]

hi

Edited May 16, 2013 by dahinni

[virtualtraveller]

Next to Mr 'CY', he's one of the two most embarrassing and odious character written into the political farce. Just follow his string of controversial projects, actions, and faux paux. Years ago the Night Safari had to quickly ditch plans to serve exotic meats in their restaurant after this guy announced to the world that you could order, giraffe, zebra, lion, and other meats off the menu. Such a pity people like this end up in such important positions spending so much money.

[GentlemanJim]

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said he did not think Plodprasop was serious about arresting protesters.

Well he was serious enough about a 1000 boats on a river!

[Thai at Heart]

I don't care whether Plodprasop is seen as pro or anti-democracy, rather, that he sees it ok to hurl insults around will nilly.

[GentlemanJim]

Seems to me the man did the best he could with what he has. "nothing"

On the other hand the demonstrators had no business there. The convention is not about the mismanagement of Thailand's money in water management. They are attempting to derail uit from it's real purpose of the whole Asia Pacific water management.

Any thing positive that can come out of the convention should be allowed to come forth. Not skipped over because a group of people want to derail it for their own ends. If they feel strongly about it why don't they hold their demonstrations in front of Parliament when it is in session. This whole convention is about Asia Pacific water management it goes a lot farther than just Thailand. Maybe some positive ideas will come out of it.

Yes it is the peoples right to demonstrate but it is also their right to vote stop taking bribes and vote the best man in.

Here in Chiang Mai they have closed the schools down in an effort to make it look like Chiang Mai has no problems with traffic. rubbish. Speaking of looks how many people will consider using Chiang Mai for there convention if every one of them is harassed by protestors.

I am a little surprised that you wrote this. The protestors are not inside the summit so will not affect the success of what goes on inside there. This is also the perfect platform for the protestors to raise awareness to world leaders that there IS huge mismanagement of the proposed water management issues in Thailand. You cannot say one thing inside the summit to persuade the world you are doing the right thing, when you are actually doing the opposite thing in the real practical world. It is telling that many organizations pulled out of the bidding process for involvement with Thailands water management plan.

As long as the protest is peaceful and does not obstruct others from attending the summit or from going about their daily business then that IS democracy.

[chainarong]

The character of the this Thai politician is one of a biligrant wind bag who should learn some manners, the problem this spiff has , is someone is questing he's authority and he dose not like it, how dare they question my judgement he tells Dubai, they are just useless peasants, placed here to do as I command, news for you Plod, time to grow up, there are better people in the environmental movement that you will ever be , recommend : back off and behave your self and behave like a Politician should, betcha ya can't do that.

[TackyToo]

I have no expectation in Mr. Propellerflopp. He proved to be unfit even to run a zoo and came up with some of the most stupid suggestions regarding the flood and the haze. Who says-Thailand got talent?

To use the most misused word in the local media: Thailand- hub of ministerial incompetence.

[MunterHunter]

Seems to me the man did the best he could with what he has. "nothing"

On the other hand the demonstrators had no business there. The convention is not about the mismanagement of Thailand's money in water management. They are attempting to derail uit from it's real purpose of the whole Asia Pacific water management.

Any thing positive that can come out of the convention should be allowed to come forth. Not skipped over because a group of people want to derail it for their own ends. If they feel strongly about it why don't they hold their demonstrations in front of Parliament when it is in session. This whole convention is about Asia Pacific water management it goes a lot farther than just Thailand. Maybe some positive ideas will come out of it.

Yes it is the peoples right to demonstrate but it is also their right to vote stop taking bribes and vote the best man in.

Here in Chiang Mai they have closed the schools down in an effort to make it look like Chiang Mai has no problems with traffic. rubbish. Speaking of looks how many people will consider using Chiang Mai for there convention if every one of them is harassed by protestors.

So you are basically saying that people do not have the right to protest at that site, only at parliament?

I'm pretty sure the folks who live and work around Ratchaprasong (myself included) felt the Reds didn't have the right to hold their homes and businesses to ransom over the Reds political point of view... but that didn't stop the Reds from doing a two month, highly disruptive protest, some elements get violent and various locations burnt down. (and lets not talk about the smell of human feces, the massive amounts of garbage and little left behind etc)

Lets not have any double standards here, people have the right to demonstrate according to the constitution and the spirit of democracy... If they chose to demonstrate where the minister for water mis-management is holding a conference, so be it. Hey, at least they didn't burn anything down or shoot anyone, right?

[madmitch]

If the insult had been the other way round what are the odds that Plodrasop would be suing for defamation?

[Thaddeus]

I bet he has to wear slip-on shoes.

[wiyada]

Seems to me the man did the best he could with what he has. "nothing"

On the other hand the demonstrators had no business there. The convention is not about the mismanagement of Thailand's money in water management. They are attempting to derail uit from it's real purpose of the whole Asia Pacific water management.

Any thing positive that can come out of the convention should be allowed to come forth. Not skipped over because a group of people want to derail it for their own ends. If they feel strongly about it why don't they hold their demonstrations in front of Parliament when it is in session. This whole convention is about Asia Pacific water management it goes a lot farther than just Thailand. Maybe some positive ideas will come out of it.

Yes it is the peoples right to demonstrate but it is also their right to vote stop taking bribes and vote the best man in.

Here in Chiang Mai they have closed the schools down in an effort to make it look like Chiang Mai has no problems with traffic. rubbish. Speaking of looks how many people will consider using Chiang Mai for there convention if every one of them is harassed by protestors.

Who cares if they don't hold summits in Chang Mai, as you say the traffic there is already bad without adding to it.

Obviously you feel its ok for red shirts to protest wherever they like but not other groups ? you sound like a government misguided troll

[wilcopops]

K. Plodprasop was due in court last month....can anyone say what happened?

[PhilipCook]

embrace his right to speak his mind, embrace the controversy and airtime his actions bring to the subject at hand, lets not be foolish to imagine he represents the best interests of the entire country but by all means let him dig his hole as deep as he wants so as to expedite his removal from the position he holds.

[khunken]

Rather a different (hypocritical) set of opinions coming from PTP about Plodprasop's 'put the plebs in their place' remarks and the furore over the cartoonist's remarks about Yingluck's Mongolian diatribe.

Is Plodprasop a case of SNAFU or FUBAR?

[theajarn]

The Communist Dictatorship of Thailand is starting to bear its ugly fangs.

Edited May 16, 2013 by theajarn

[ResX]

If I were there I wish to be among the protestors too. Maybe not for the same reason as the majority of the protestors. The first reason is, I don't think it is wise idea to spent THB 350billion to improve water management for thE Chao Pharaya. You are not starting from zero. I doubt you need that much. The second reason is maybe he is good in water management, but I hardly see he rally understand the problem. He can't solve the problem taht he doesn't understand.

[ResX]

-Deleted-

Edited May 17, 2013 by ResX

[wilcopops]

I have no expectation in Mr. Propellerflopp. He proved to be unfit even to run a zoo and came up with some of the most stupid suggestions regarding the flood and the haze. Who says-Thailand got talent?

To use the most misused word in the local media: Thailand- hub of ministerial incompetence.

so - when is the court case about the Sri Racha tiger zoo????