Thai govt struggles to put on a brand new face

[webfact]

Govt struggles to put on a brand new face
Attayuth Bootsripoom

BANGKOK: -- The recent Cabinet reshuffle was viewed as an attempt to help improve the government's worsening image problem, particularly the damage done by the corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme.

Ruling politicians have taken moves in a bid to create a better look for the government ahead of the next parliamentary session, which starts on August 1.

Why the need for a good image before the next parliamentary session? It's because the government will have to face several political challenges after the new parliamentary session begins. A number of draft laws - some of them controversial - are expected to be deliberated by Parliament during this session. Many of these bills could threaten the government's stability, or even its survival.

The first is the amnesty bill. Despite support from red-shirt supporters of the government, the bill faces strong opposition from many people. It remains unclear if the so-called reconciliation bills will also be tabled for parliamentary deliberation. But if that is the case, it is certain that big street protests will be held against the government.

There are also three bills for constitutional amendment that have already passed the second reading of Parliament. If the Speaker of the House of Representatives tables these bills for parliamentary endorsement, the risk of confrontation will be high - as high as for the amnesty and reconciliation bills.

In addition to those bills of a political nature, there is also the government's draft law that would empower the Finance Ministry to borrow Bt2 trillion for funding mega-projects to overhaul the country's transport infrastructure, which will bring credit to the government if it succeeds.

The opposition, particularly the Democrat Party, has strongly opposed these bills. Suthep Thaugsuban, a key Democrat figure, said the party would campaign against the bills both inside and outside Parliament.

The Democrats have described parts of the pending legislation as an attempt to whitewash former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's wrongdoings before his return to Thailand. Thaksin is believed to be pulling the strings behind the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

With all the opposition, suspicion and political headaches, the government will be badly in need of a good image. It needs a lot of political support, particularly from the public, to push those bills through Parliament. However, dissolution of the House could come up as an option if the government finds it too difficult to push those bills through. The people will be allowed to make their decision at the ballot box again.

Despite its efforts to create a bold new face, the government still has many problems proving to be self-destructive.

In the recent reshuffle, a number of people with good credentials were appointed to the Cabinet. Controversial figures, including a particular red-shirt leader, were excluded and this upset many red shirts who complained about the ruling party's "failure to reward its loyal warriors" and warned that these "warriors" might not "fight for them" again when they face another crisis.

It appears the government wants to stay in power at least until it manages to push the Bt2-trillion borrowing bill and the Budget Bill for fiscal 2014 through Parliament.

Some key red-shirt leaders instead want the government to focus on the amnesty bill to help the red shirts in jail and their colleagues who face legal cases stemming from the political unrest of 2010. Jatuporn Promphan, a key red-shirt leader, told the government not to "be motivated by money". But judging from what the ruling politicians are doing, they are opting for money.

Another headache for the government is a mysterious audio clip that threatens to undermine its credibility. The clip contains a purported conversation between two men who sound like Thaksin and Deputy Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha. The two men talked about issues ranging from intervening in the appointment of top military brass and issuing an amnesty law in the form of an emergency decree, to high-level connections in the Myanmar government and ending the conflict with political foes.

Little by little, the government's credibility has been undermined by those problems. They still will not lead to an immediate collapse of the government. But if the ruling politicians continue to make self-destructive moves, those "wounds" will keep widening and some day they’ll be too serious to cure.


-- The Nation 2013-07-11

[bigbamboo]

Perhaps they should try a mask instead?

I hear they're all the rage just now.

[chooka]

Same dog, different leg action.

[sustento]

"Thai govt struggles to put on a brand new face"

They've got plenty to choose from...

[MaxLee]

The while world AND South East ASEAN is laughing into Thailand's FACE

[noitom]

Save face. Put on a brand new one.

[ramrod711]

Thaksin is believed to be pulling the strings behind the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

Really?, who would believe that? Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai does, ministers fly to Hong Kong to complain about the cabinet shuffle, the chief of police meets with the fugitive and has him pin his bars on, Thaksin skypes cabinet meetings and on and on.

But judging from what the ruling politicians are doing, they are opting for money.

When Abhisit was PM, he said that corruption costs the government 30% of all tendered projects. Sounds like about 700 billion baht for Thaksin to divide amongst the faithful (and i don't mean the red shirts).

[Tatsujin]

The recent Cabinet reshuffle was viewed as an attempt to help improve the government's worsening image problem, particularly the damage done by the corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme.

Fail. Try doing things in an open, honest, transparent manner for once . . . you might just get the respect of everyone (perhaps) if you did it that way, rather than the current trend of doing whatever the hell you want whilst raping the country for everything you can get your hands on in as short a time as possible.

[Thait Spot]

A face from the Marcos family would fit the bill

[Bellweather]

I've been imaging the new face, the new PR and possible headlines but would have to be captured by men in white coats with large butterfly nets to believe they would ever happen.

" Yingluck answers a question ".

" Chalerm turns himself into DSI, AMLO, NACC and BIB taking his sons with him ".

" Plod apologises for " garbage " remark and claims Thai really does Rak Thai.

[TomTao]

The recent Cabinet reshuffle was viewed as an attempt to help improve the government's worsening image problem, particularly the damage done by the corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme.

Fail. Try doing things in an open, honest, transparent manner for once . . . you might just get the respect of everyone (perhaps) if you did it that way, rather than the current trend of doing whatever the hell you want whilst raping the country for everything you can get your hands on in as short a time as possible.

Try doing things in an open, honest, transparent manner for once

Can't do that, saving face is waaaaaaay more important than doing what is right, we don't want to be giving the people a good example now do we? They wouldn't know what hit them.

[thhMan]

Yeah... and pigs fly

[johnlandy]

"Thai govt struggles to put on a brand new face"

They've got plenty to choose from...

Never know "they could lose them all"

[Neilly]

Posted Today, 06:59

Govt struggles to put on a brand new face

Attayuth Bootsripoom

Govt struggles to Save face

There, fixed it for you

[unanimosity]

A face from the Marcos family would fit the bill

Or from the Berlusconi or Obama families.

[slapout]

I think a better description of the present governments, 'new look', is they are mooning the Thai people from the train and the rest of the world is catching a glimpse of what real arse holes look like.

[Pops]

The recent Cabinet reshuffle was viewed as an attempt to help improve the government's worsening image problem, particularly the damage done by the corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme.

Fail. Try doing things in an open, honest, transparent manner for once . . . you might just get the respect of everyone (perhaps) if you did it that way, rather than the current trend of doing whatever the hell you want whilst raping the country for everything you can get your hands on in as short a time as possible.

They are all the same, old government, new government, same game, different players.

Only difference, the old regime has had more time practicing, so is way more skilled at playing the game.

Listen, for years already, sometimes hundreds of millions of baht, of someone's personal funds, are spend to get elected for a 4 year, 100,000 thb. a month job.

This goes for current government as well as previous ones.

Makes one wonder why, doesn't it ?

[lungmi]

New pampers for new sh*t.

[Halion]

New face, same dirty underwear.

[chainarong]

The government has not got a clue and that is the crux of the problem, they bounce from one problem to another, the Administration mouths off with programs that have no substance and short on detail ,have a mind set that they have the right on everything, to interfering in social media, they are one notch above the junta of old, on subjects of law, and have no clue on what the people want it's all what we want. They breath in oxygen that is not rightfully theirs.

[LuckyLew]

New faces in different places

same same

mai pen rai

a thief is a thief

Incompetent in one position ... ok in three positions

[mrfill]

Would that be a genuine face or one of the cheap fake ones available down Silom Road?

[anon2]

They can struggle al they want, and they wont get enywere

[surangw]

same face the bargirls pay 30bt to get put on just before going to work?

[wayned]

Difficult to put a size 6 mask on a size 12 face!