Like it or not, the prime minister has to speak up: Thai editorial

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Like it or not, the prime minister has to speak up
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- So far, Yingluck Shinawatra has remained tight-lipped, or professed ignorance, on controversial issues. With criticism mounting, it's time for her to do her job and be accountable

Silence may no longer be golden for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, although it's not getting any easier for her to speak up on issues. She has reached the point where keeping her mouth shut can be seen as a form of provocation. At the same time, trying to address an issue head-on might only inflame it. Thailand's first female head of government is finding her job increasingly delicate and difficult.

An example of the extreme dilemma for Yingluck concerns an assault by pro-government red shirts on anti-government "white mask" protesters in Chiang Mai last week. It was natural for government critics to call on Yingluck to take a stance on the incident, since government spokesmen stayed silent. But what was she supposed to say, really? Politically and logically, she couldn't criticise those who were attacked for "asking for it", and yet one wrong word against the assailants could antagonise the entire red-shirt movement. There was no stance that could pacify one side and not make the other go berserk.

Partly, she can blame it on the national divide. Partly, she can blame her brother Thaksin, whose growing desire to be whitewashed and come home a free man is not allowing her to perform her prime ministerial duties normally. But Yingluck also has herself to blame for always resorting to elusiveness as her key strategy. She has done so since taking office in 2011.

Yingluck's characteristic reticence has earned her much ridicule. But it has also helped her through difficult circumstance, as when the Foreign Ministry undertook dubious diplomatic manoeuvring to make life in exile easier for Thaksin. As a reluctant newcomer to politics, Yingluck scraped through the early days thanks to her perceived naivety as well as bitter understanding among rivals of Thaksin that she might not like what she was doing that much.

Such political luxury is long gone, and what is expected of Yingluck now is what is expected of any prime minister anywhere. Being the premier of a deeply divided nation doesn't make it any easier, but she should have realised that when she decided to stand for the post two years ago. More importantly, she should have known that leading a strife-torn country requires even greater communication in itself, never mind communication skills. As it turns out, Yingluck has left several issues for the likes of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung to handle publicly - sometimes to disastrous effect.

Everyone knows that Yingluck is not a great public speaker. But if she can deliver a speech overseas attacking political opponents in Thailand, people can rightly assume that she can also take a prime ministerial stand on political protesters who were physically assaulted by the government side while exercising their right to free speech. She also needs to comment publicly on the murky circumstances in the murder of a hardcore anti-government businessman. Yingluck has let partiality dictate her public role too often, which makes her silence on certain issues much more deafening.

Her government earlier this month formed a proactive public-relations team. It earlier appointed a new government spokesman and a new director-general for the Public Relations Department. But nothing has changed. It's still one-way communication - from the government to its supporters, who form a vast comfort zone for the ruling Pheu Thai Party. Between the government and its political opponents is nothing but mistrust and exchanges of hostility.

One might ask what Yingluck is supposed to do. Bluntly put, she must bite the bullet. It's true that, in many cases, it's a no-win situation for her, but trying to explain things to the public comes with her job in a democracy. Her predecessor, Abhisit Vejjajiva, was forced to handle hot topics several times and address highly hostile activists directly. Even if Yingluck lacks Abhisit's eloquence, she is nevertheless now wearing the same hat he did, and it's the same heat in the same kitchen. She has dealt with it differently, applying silence to constant political tumult, and to considerably good effect until recently. But that luxury is no longer available to her.


-- The Nation 2013-06-22

[barefoot1988]

a prime minister who isnt a decent public speaker and skip meetings. words fail me

[Thai at Heart]

And apparently, no policies of her own.

She's just the bomb huh?

[Thait Spot]

Left her voice in Mongolia

[MaxLee]

EDITORIAL

Like it or not, the prime minister has to speak up

-- The Nation 2013-06-22

I'd rather have her not to say anything because anything cones out of her mouth is completely BS. No sense, no substance, just brainless sh*******t Edited June 22, 2013 by MaxLee

[rametindallas]

The writer is pushing for Ms. Yingluck to have a nervous breakdown. As the youngest of her family she was not raised for, nor is she prepared for, taking responsibility. I'm concerned she won't be able to finish her full term because of all the stress from all the demands on her. Shopping can only do so much to relieve the psyche. It such a waste of time to demand answers from Ms. Yingluck because everything that her government is doing is not of her making; it's her brother, Dr. Thaksin, making all the decisions and he should be the one speaking up and defending his government instead of hiding behind his sister. So, everyone, just leave Ms. Yingluck alone. She really needs a Thai Cris Crocker right now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc

[OzMick]

Time for another Prime Ministerial visit, perhaps Iceland. Then she could come back, tell us how nice it was, and suggest Thailand be changed to be more like it.

[Bellweather]

Time for her to speak up is a nice thought but it's not going to happen as she's afraid and not suited for public speaking. Even if she did start talking would anyone understand what she's on about ?

[ratcatcher]

Time for another Prime Ministerial visit, perhaps Iceland. Then she could come back, tell us how nice it was, and suggest Thailand be changed to be more like it.

That would be quite a convenient transition Mick. From Iceland to Riceland.

[Robby nz]

Indeed time for another overseas trip.

She has only visited 42 countries in the last 2 years so there are still plenty left to choose from.

[hellodolly]

I think she is being treated unfair. Give her six months.

Or enough time to receive a skype call from Dubai explaining to her why she acts the way she does,

[monkey4u]

Time for another Prime Ministerial visit, perhaps Iceland. Then she could come back, tell us how nice it was, and suggest Thailand be changed to be more like it.

dont forget to bring a new car back in your luggage so it may be reassembled and sold off

[winstonc]

The writer is pushing for Ms. Yingluck to have a nervous breakdown. As the youngest of her family she was not raised for, nor is she prepared for, taking responsibility. I'm concerned she won't be able to finish her full term because of all the stress from all the demands on her. Shopping can only do so much to relieve the psyche. It such a waste of time to demand answers from Ms. Yingluck because everything that her government is doing is not of her making; it's her brother, Dr. Thaksin, making all the decisions and he should be the one speaking up and defending his government instead of hiding behind his sister. So, everyone, just leave Ms. Yingluck alone. She really needs a Thai Cris Crocker right now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc

well she took the job on,so get on with it or leave,and everything the government does is down to her,,she is in charge afterall,constitutionaly that is,,

[chainarong]

Quiet obviously in granting the position of Prime Minister to and inexperienced person is starting to tell , never do you do such a thing in the real world , so one can assume that the PTP are on another planet, the problem you have is that the current P.M. has no knowledge of the workings or procedures for a government to run a country properly, the chickens are starting to come home to roost ,the likely scenario was Mr "T" should have returned by now to take control , this hasn't happened, another failure on the part of the PTP planning.

[Bellweather]

Quiet obviously in granting the position of Prime Minister to and inexperienced person is starting to tell , never do you do such a thing in the real world , so one can assume that the PTP are on another planet, the problem you have is that the current P.M. has no knowledge of the workings or procedures for a government to run a country properly, the chickens are starting to come home to roost ,the likely scenario was Mr "T" should have returned by now to take control , this hasn't happened, another failure on the part of the PTP planning.

Spot on, this hasn't gone to script and now small matters like the rotting rice mountain and protests are getting in the way more and more.

[Halion]

The hens are coming home to roost.

Inspite of the ambivalence of much of Thai society there is only so much they will take.

This woman neither had the acumen or ability for even a junior political position and this has been most evident from evident from the onset, however, it was simply an accident waiting to happen and further catalyzed by her or her brothers choice of ministerial leaders.

Review the events of the past 12 months and providing you possess an IQ bigger than your hat size it is evident that the current administration have neither the mental or moral fibre to run a massage parlour let alone a Government.

During her tenure she , in keeping with the tradition of the Shiniwatra clan, has milked her position for all it was worth on a personal level while providing an abysmal negative return to the voting public in all aspects of her mandate and responsibilities.

She and her cadre have been constantly exposed for the avaricious and fatuous cartoon characters they are. The north east of this country have to remove their heads from what ever dark place they have been residing and come to terms that their support for this band of brigands and buffoons has done nothing but brought conflict and decay to this country both at home and abroad.

[Chris Lawrence]

Then again why would you speak to The Nation?

[Thai at Heart]

The writer is pushing for Ms. Yingluck to have a nervous breakdown. As the youngest of her family she was not raised for, nor is she prepared for, taking responsibility. I'm concerned she won't be able to finish her full term because of all the stress from all the demands on her. Shopping can only do so much to relieve the psyche. It such a waste of time to demand answers from Ms. Yingluck because everything that her government is doing is not of her making; it's her brother, Dr. Thaksin, making all the decisions and he should be the one speaking up and defending his government instead of hiding behind his sister. So, everyone, just leave Ms. Yingluck alone. She really needs a Thai Cris Crocker right now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc

Right now, she's wondering why her brother sold AIS and delivered her this crappy job.

[kimamey]

Then again why would you speak to The Nation?

Is anyone asking her to talk to the Nation? Not that she shouldn't of course.