Changing horses in ferocious midstream: Thai opinion

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Changing horses in ferocious midstream
Tulsathit Taptim



BANGKOK: -- When you shake things up too often, people may just wait to see what gets shaken up next and may not do much else in between. "Cabinet reshuffle" is a sword with one edge very sharp and the other absolutely blunt. Which edge will betray you when the enemy looms is a huge gamble.

Like her big brother, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is a Cabinet musical chairs advocate. While this mentality can keep everybody on their toes, it's questionable whether it's effective management. People can simply get very nervous, because if you can be at the Science Ministry one day and the Commerce Ministry the next, it means either you are extremely versatile or just useless.

Chalerm Yoobamrung, surely, does not see himself as useless. But he apparently does not consider himself to be very versatile, either. In a characteristic outburst before the Cabinet reshuffle became official, he confessed that he sometimes had no idea why he ended up at certain ministries. Once, he said, he was given the post of public health minister, a job he had no clue about whatsoever. "I didn't know why [then PM Somchai Wongsawat] put me there, because all I saw was syringes and needles," he deadpanned.

You can only thank God we aren't living in a world where the public health minister is required to perform surgeries. But then again, it's disturbing to know we have had guys like him lay down ideas, approve projects and sign off budgets for things they have no knowledge of.

And talk about disturbing, Pongthep Thepkanchana has become the latest victim to be thrown off the Education Ministry merry-go-round. He seemed like a decent, sincere politician, and in an article eight months ago, when he was appointed education minister, I vowed to demand dissolution of the Education Ministry if he was to lose the job in the next reshuffle. So, here it is: DISSOLVE THE MINISTRY FOR GOD'S SAKE!

The point is not that Pongthep appeared to be a capable guy. The point is that he was the 12th education minister since 2001 and every education reporter will tell you that the phenomenal frequency of changes have made everyone at the ministry lazy from top to bottom. That Pongthep's successor, Chaturon Chaisang, is another "good" appointee offers little comfort, and neither does the argument that if the policy is great, it doesn't matter who implements it.

Thailand's education is next to backwater. Therefore, either the policy is not great, or those chosen to implement it aren't, or simply haven't had time to carry out anything. Or it could be everything combined. It could be that the policy is shortsighted and fouled by politics, a situation made worse by the frequent changes at the top.

To be fair to Chaturon, who was education minister before the 2006 coup, he should be comfortable when signing off projects. Can the same be said about Yingluck as defence minister? Of course, background in a related field is not a prerequisite when naming ministers these days, but isn't putting Bridget Jones there stretching it a bit too much? Geena Davis could chair meetings of top American generals, but she was only playing a US president in a TV series.

Some analysts believe that Yingluck doubling as defence minister is a political strategy to increase Pheu Thai's leverage on the military council responsible for making top-level reshuffles. Noted. But, again, did it really have to be her?

People say we have to change things when things aren't good. If that's the case, things have been bad too regularly for comfort. One may argue that we change things not necessarily because they are bad, but because there is room for improvement. Well, define "improvement", especially in the contexts of Chalerm getting jobs he doesn't want, the revolving door at Education, and of Yingluck contemplating helicopter gunships and surface-to-air missiles.

There must be something good, some might think. All government changes, even ones effected by the world's worst rulers, must contain at least some positives, mustn't they? How about this Cabinet reshuffle?

There is something positive, actually, although it doesn't concern what was "put into" the Cabinet line-up, but rather what was kept out of it. Jatuporn Promphan has missed out again and his loss, no offence, is many people's gain.

For the rest of the changes, one has to be of a very optimistic mind to be remotely hopeful. Maybe Paveena Hongsakul as social development and human security minister can bring some confidence, but experts checking the facelift at the Commerce Ministry are still searching for promising signs. New Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisarn has vowed to restore faith in the scandalous rice price-pledging scheme, but the fact that he was already in the Cabinet begs a troubling question: If he's really qualified to oversee this important government policy, why wasn't he picked from the beginning?

When the sea is calm, it is all right to have sailors switch jobs on a ship. Cooks can play engineer and entertainers can play navigator. If they do so when the vessel is battling a big storm, it's likely that the one giving the orders is drunk and wearing a life jacket.


-- The Nation 2013-07-03

[NongKhaiKid]

and a certain K. Chalerm is sitting in the wings confident they wlil HAVE TO invite him back to the inner circle.

[Robby nz]

There is something positive, actually, although it doesn't concern what was "put into" the Cabinet line-up, but rather what was kept out of it. Jatuporn Promphan has missed out again and his loss, no offence, is many people's gain.

So the author thinks the only positive is that Jatuporn was left out. (actually had a laugh at that one)

Could be right.

But the whole reshuffle thing does distract from the real problems for a little while.

[noitom]

the whole "Thai shuffle" is a euphemism for work avoidance.

[noitom]

Yingluck and the short guy on the end are the only ones smiling.

[Ricardo]

Meanwhile when is the next reshuffle due, will this lot make it as far as Christmas, or will the 'real PM' decide once again that they're all useless sooner-than-that ?

[OzMick]

Did they leave the W off horses?

[Pib]

Nothing worst than frequently changing the top leadership like the PM has been doing. It just creates confusion and fear in the govt ranks...by that I mean govt workers and managers will say, "Let's wait and see what the new boss wants before we change/fix anything otherwise we could get in trouble." Seems the PM is playing a musical chairs game which involves no chairs being removed, just some of the players being swapped out. I guess the PM has a lot of friends to reward by letting them into the game for a while.

[SICHONSTEVE]

There is something positive, actually, although it doesn't concern what was "put into" the Cabinet line-up, but rather what was kept out of it. Jatuporn Promphan has missed out again and his loss, no offence, is many people's gain.

So the author thinks the only positive is that Jatuporn was left out. (actually had a laugh at that one)

Could be right.

But the whole reshuffle thing does distract from the real problems for a little while.

OK. Tell us what other positives there are!! actually there is one I can see (his red 'comrade in arms') Nattawut has gone - I think, after that rice pledging media debacle thing with Booma whatever his name is, that he wondered what he was doing there and may actually be relieved that he is gone now such was the embarrassement of the whole episode!!! He reminded me of Mr. Bean at times and it was a darned good impression, if I must say so!!

Edited July 3, 2013 by SICHONSTEVE

[rametindallas]

Yingluck and the short guy on the end are the only ones smiling.

One thing I have always admired about the PM is that she can always smile.

I have been told that, in Thailand, there are many types of smiles, Once I was having dinner with a Dallas friend and his new Thai bride. She was serving us and as she got close to him, he put his arm around her waist and gave her a little hug. She smiled broadly and I told my friend to look at his new wife's smile and to take note of it because it was the smile of a conservative, old-fashioned Thai lady who is extremely embarrassed by his public display of affection and that she would like to strangle her new husband at that moment.

Ms. Yingluck was well-raised.

[MaxLee]

Nothing worst than frequently changing the top leadership like the PM has been doing. It just creates confusion and fear in the govt ranks...by that I mean govt workers and managers will say, "Let's wait and see what the new boss wants before we change/fix anything otherwise we could get in trouble." Seems the PM is playing a musical chairs game which involves no chairs being removed, just some of the players being swapped out. I guess the PM has a lot of friends to reward by letting them into the game for a while.

Nothing makes it LESS different by changing the cabinet, because they have all one thing in common:

Idiocracy and ignorance and lust for money and power

[SICHONSTEVE]

Nothing worst than frequently changing the top leadership like the PM has been doing. It just creates confusion and fear in the govt ranks...by that I mean govt workers and managers will say, "Let's wait and see what the new boss wants before we change/fix anything otherwise we could get in trouble." Seems the PM is playing a musical chairs game which involves no chairs being removed, just some of the players being swapped out. I guess the PM has a lot of friends to reward by letting them into the game for a while.

Nothing makes it LESS different by changing the cabinet, because they have all one thing in common:

Idiocracy and ignorance and lust for money and power

Suitability, qualification, intelligence, due dilligence, good judgement and decision making don't come into it, it seems.

Liking the colour red, being chummy with a fugitive (being in his class in police school also ticks a box), making easy money and having hooligan tendencies are the only thing that DO matter!!

[hellodolly]

Nothing worst than frequently changing the top leadership like the PM has been doing. It just creates confusion and fear in the govt ranks...by that I mean govt workers and managers will say, "Let's wait and see what the new boss wants before we change/fix anything otherwise we could get in trouble." Seems the PM is playing a musical chairs game which involves no chairs being removed, just some of the players being swapped out. I guess the PM has a lot of friends to reward by letting them into the game for a while.

Nothing makes it LESS different by changing the cabinet, because they have all one thing in common:

Idiocracy and ignorance and lust for money and power

Suitability, qualification, intelligence, due dilligence, good judgement and decision making don't come into it, it seems.

Liking the colour red, being chummy with a fugitive (being in his class in police school also ticks a box), making easy money and having hooligan tendencies are the only thing that DO matter!!

I think suitability has a lot to do with it. If you are not suitable to take orders from clones both home and abroad you are not suitable and can look for a short term in the cabinet.

I like the bit about Chaturon Chaisang being minister of education under Thaksin. In another article he was credited with helping to set up the system we have now and which the former Minister said was broken and needed a new system.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Nothing worst than frequently changing the top leadership like the PM has been doing. It just creates confusion and fear in the govt ranks...by that I mean govt workers and managers will say, "Let's wait and see what the new boss wants before we change/fix anything otherwise we could get in trouble." Seems the PM is playing a musical chairs game which involves no chairs being removed, just some of the players being swapped out. I guess the PM has a lot of friends to reward by letting them into the game for a while.

Nothing makes it LESS different by changing the cabinet, because they have all one thing in common:

Idiocracy and ignorance and lust for money and power

Suitability, qualification, intelligence, due dilligence, good judgement and decision making don't come into it, it seems.

Liking the colour red, being chummy with a fugitive (being in his class in police school also ticks a box), making easy money and having hooligan tendencies are the only thing that DO matter!!

I think suitability has a lot to do with it. If you are not suitable to take orders from clones both home and abroad you are not suitable and can look for a short term in the cabinet.

I like the bit about Chaturon Chaisang being minister of education under Thaksin. In another article he was credited with helping to set up the system we have now and which the former Minister said was broken and needed a new system.

All I can say is that he can have another go at getting it right.

Everyone should be allowed a second chance!!!.

[kimamey]

Nothing worst than frequently changing the top leadership like the PM has been doing. It just creates confusion and fear in the govt ranks...by that I mean govt workers and managers will say, "Let's wait and see what the new boss wants before we change/fix anything otherwise we could get in trouble." Seems the PM is playing a musical chairs game which involves no chairs being removed, just some of the players being swapped out. I guess the PM has a lot of friends to reward by letting them into the game for a while.

Nothing makes it LESS different by changing the cabinet, because they have all one thing in common:

Idiocracy and ignorance and lust for money and power

Suitability, qualification, intelligence, due dilligence, good judgement and decision making don't come into it, it seems.

Liking the colour red, being chummy with a fugitive (being in his class in police school also ticks a box), making easy money and having hooligan tendencies are the only thing that DO matter!!

I think suitability has a lot to do with it. If you are not suitable to take orders from clones both home and abroad you are not suitable and can look for a short term in the cabinet.

I like the bit about Chaturon Chaisang being minister of education under Thaksin. In another article he was credited with helping to set up the system we have now and which the former Minister said was broken and needed a new system.

I believe he also said the former minister was right.

[chainarong]

One dose not wish to be disrespectful but the photo shoot looks more like Thailand's America's cup crew, talk about living in yester-year, one thing the democrat's need to realise that to be an influence you need to keep modern in approach and thinking , time Thailand emerged from two centries back and started to go modern or be left behind or at it's worse left in a limbo vacuum like now.

[bigbamboo]

Nothing worst than frequently changing the top leadership like the PM has been doing. It just creates confusion and fear in the govt ranks...by that I mean govt workers and managers will say, "Let's wait and see what the new boss wants before we change/fix anything otherwise we could get in trouble." Seems the PM is playing a musical chairs game which involves no chairs being removed, just some of the players being swapped out. I guess the PM has a lot of friends to reward by letting them into the game for a while.

There is no 'top leadership' in PT and the PM certainly has no say in changing it.

There is one leader and what he says goes.