General Prem Tinsulanonda Recognised By Poll

[Jai Dee]

Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda is recognised as the prime minister who leads a life of virtue

Most of the Bangkok people surveyed by ABAC Poll named Gen. Prem Tinsulanond as the prime minister who lives a life of virtue.

Poll director Noppadon Kannika (นพดล กรรณิกา) said findings came from a recent opinion survey of people in Bangkok and its perimeters on “23 Thai Prime Ministers and the 10 Virtues in National Administration”.

Mr. Noppadon said Gen. Prem, now statesman and the privy council president, was given top scores for his integrity, politeness, high morality, sacrifice of personal benefits in the interest of the public, emotional control, use of power fairly and fairness to others.

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ranked first for being generous, diligent and patient, he said.

Mr. Noppadon said respondents knew little about Thai political history. About 60% could name only 12 of the 23 prime ministers and less than 50% knew only 10. Only Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin was known to be prime minister by almost all respondents, or 99.5%.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 17 July 2006

[jdinasia]

:-) Penz will have fun with this one!

[chownah]

From the article:

"About 60% could name only 12 of the 23 prime ministers and less than 50% knew only 10."

This shows a definite lack of understanding of numerical significance. Since it is obvious that less than 41% knew less than 10 (because 60% knew 12) it is not incorrect to say that less than 50% knew less than 10 but on the other hand you could just have said that less than 100% knew less than 10 also.......so much for the quality of press releases concerning ABAC poles....I

[Ijustwannateach]

Aside from whether or not the esteemed General is in fact living a life of virtue (and I'm sure he is), thank goodness that college students from ABAC, of all places, are still seemingly the main source of poll data for government announcements. Are these the same college students who are allowed to decide what internet sites we can look at?

ABAC, for those of you who don't know, is a private, Catholic "university" attended primarily by those with more money than wit- a rich bad boys'/bad girls' playground. The worst failure of all the students in all the years my current EP program has been in existence was finally consigned to go to ABAC (in disgrace).

[Siripon]

General Prem's recent speech in which he urged all civil servants, especially the army,to remember their first loyalty lies to the country and King was a timely reply to Thaksin's previous insinuations.

I liked his comparing the government to a jockey, the jockey may be good or bad, but he's not the owner of the horse, that is the country and King. He's from the cavalry himself.

I remember when he left the PM's office after all those years, still had a car worth only a few hundred thousand baht, a good man whose country needs him more than ever.

[Netfan]

Actually those numbers of people knowing previous PM's are impressive. If you polled Americans, the vast majority certainly couldnt name half the presidents, and most probably couldnt name half the presidents who have served in their lifetime. Something like 30% of Americans cant even find Iraq on a map.

[Old Man River]

Actually those numbers of people knowing previous PM's are impressive. If you polled Americans, the vast majority certainly couldnt name half the presidents, and most probably couldnt name half the presidents who have served in their lifetime. Something like 30% of Americans cant even find Iraq on a map.

I have to say this. Everytime I see Netfan, I laugh. I have been a Maverick fan since they first came in the league (we were robbed).

As it relates to your message. I can find Iraq on the map. On the other, all bets are off.

[jdinasia]

I would be happy to see Prem's name top the list of PM's again. Yes he is old .. but he seems to be respected by almost everyone at every level of Thai society

[Old Man River]

I would be happy to see Prem's name top the list of PM's again. Yes he is old .. but he seems to be respected by almost everyone at every level of Thai society

I would also like to see Anand Panyarachun, but that will never happen either.

[Siripon]

General Surayudh Chulanont is another name that has been mentioned as a possible interim PM, a decent man respected by many.

[jdinasia]

all 3 worthy choices <for a year or two> to get things back on track

[Old Man River]

Incidentally, Senator elect Samak has again taken verbal shots at PC Gen. Prem on a local radio show. One thing can be said, it is never dull when Khun Samak is around.

[ratcatcher]

""Prem slams 'unethical leaders' BANGKOK POST---JULY 29.2006

Soldiers again warned where their loyalty lies

WASSANA NANUAM

Unethical leaders should have no place in Thailand, Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda said yesterday.

During a special lecture given to 350 naval cadets and some high-ranking navy officers at the Naval Academy in Samut Prakan yesterday, Gen Prem said it is important for national leaders to have ethics and morals.

"Only good people have ethics and morals. Bad people don't. People who work in public office or those who are commanders and leaders, in particular, must embrace ethics and morality otherwise things will collapse. There will be corruption, favouritism, nepotism and greed if leaders lack ethics and morals.

"Individuals who have no ethics and morals are bad people who are full of greed. They may want to live comfortably with a lot of money. But if they have acquired wealth through illegal or unethical means, they no longer deserve to be in this country," said Gen Prem, a former prime minister.

He also reminded the navy officers that they "belong to" His Majesty the King and the country, and not to the government. Their foremost loyalty should always lie with the country and the King.

"In my lecture to army cadets two weeks ago, I told them about who owns the soldiers. This time, I have to make it clear again that we soldiers belong to the country and to the King. A government supervises soldiers in compliance with the policy declared to parliament only," said Gen Prem, adding that he was referring to a government in general.

In his special lecture to some 950 cadets of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy at Khao Cha-ngoke, Nakhon Nayok province, on July 14, Gen Prem touched on the issue of where the loyalty of military officers should lay. He likened the government to a jockey and soldiers to horses, saying jockeys come and go, but the owner of the horses stays the same.

Gen Prem was accompanied to the Naval Academy by three former chiefs of the navy - Adm Chumphon Patjusanon, now also a privy councillor, Adm Prasert Bunsong and Adm Prajet Siridej.

He told the gathering to respect good people and shun those who get rich through illegal and unethical means.

"Some social values are wrong. For example, people respect those who have money without caring whether they have acquired it through ethical means or not. We should not wai individuals who make money illegally. Samlor (tricycle) and taxi drivers are more respectable than those individuals," he said.

Gen Prem urged the navy officers to follow the good examples of Adm Chumphon, Adm Prasert and Adm Prajet - professional soldiers who kept their distance from politics.

He also quoted US Gen Douglas MacArthur's famous line, "Old soldiers never die," to remind the officers that they should strive to be professional soldiers.

A source said Gen Prem was invited by the three armed forces to give his special lectures. A lecture to air force officers is scheduled for next month.

Meanwhile, deputy Thai Rak Thai spokesman Jatuporn Promphan defended caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying he was "an ethical leader".

"I don't know who Gen Prem referred to as an unethical leader in his lecture. But Mr Thaksin has proved that he is ethical and loyal to the institution [of monarchy] and people can make their own judgement who is ethical or not."

So if Thaksin is "ethical & loyal", to whom was Gen.Prem referring?

Edited July 29, 2006 by ratcatcher

[womble]

That's tough talking, the strongest yet.

I'd love to see Thaksin relieved of his plundered wealth and booted out of the country.

[Arsenal]

I would be happy to see Prem's name top the list of PM's again. Yes he is old .. but he seems to be respected by almost everyone at every level of Thai society

Perhaps it would be instructive for an independent audit to be undertaken of any future PM's assets, which would quantify wealth and determine its origin.Oddly enogh Thaksin might well pass this test as his wealth has been generated though business, albeit in a monopolistic environment.But such a scrutiny might be problematic for politicians who have spent their careers in the civil service or military.

[Siripon]

The gloves are definitely off now, General Prem made it very clear who he was referring to regards ill-gotten wealth.

Suriyasai of PAD expressed concern regarding Thaksin's call for every ex-TRT MP to 'find' 3,000 people in their constituency; could they be a possible 'mass force' to challenge anyone when Thaksin declares himself as PM he wondered.

[bobfla]

With Gen 'Pa' Prem's phone seemingly being bugged now etc, it is all starting to make Watergate look like a kids tea-party!

[sriracha john]

Aides claim Prem's house phone tapped

Close aides to Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda said yesterday that the former prime minister's home telephone had been bugged, despite denials by cabinet ministers. ''He [Gen Prem] was not involved in any malicious plot,'' said one of the aides, who requested anonymity, adding that Gen Prem was continuing to use his home phone as usual. Another close aide added: ''We sometimes say hi to caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin [shinawatra] on the phone to suggest to an intelligence unit listening that we know what it's up to.''

nice touch...

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/01Aug2006_news04.php

[steveromagnino]

Aside from whether or not the esteemed General is in fact living a life of virtue (and I'm sure he is), thank goodness that college students from ABAC, of all places, are still seemingly the main source of poll data for government announcements. Are these the same college students who are allowed to decide what internet sites we can look at?

ABAC, for those of you who don't know, is a private, Catholic "university" attended primarily by those with more money than wit- a rich bad boys'/bad girls' playground. The worst failure of all the students in all the years my current EP program has been in existence was finally consigned to go to ABAC (in disgrace).

er...where to start.....

ABAC poll is affiliated to ABAC university; while some of the project work is carried out by actual students, much of it is carried out by employees of ABAC poll. Similar to Dusit Poll, Chula's research unit, Mahidol's research unit, Sasin's research unit and so on. They don't actually poll the students as you seem to imply, and most of the analysis is done by professors and people with research backgrounds; having discussed several research projects with them first hand, I can say that at least the people I spoke to have as much knowledge or more as the so called researchers working in the private sector. Politicians can easily hire a market resaerch firm to come up with the findings they want, but the uni polls are somewhat less swayed; at least some of the people at ABAC are pretty neutral or anti TRT, which is why you see polls asking these sorts of questions, and on the other hand why you have seen an influx of pro TRT deans to the university (and some pro Democrat deans ousted).

These surveys are conducted for 'interest' in many cases, so there is no financial incentive for the private sector to hold the same survey which has an attention span of maybe 1-2 days.

BTW Thank you for your kind observations on the standard of ABAC. I will be sure to pass it on to some of my fellow alumni next time I see them, namely the Central family, The Mall Group family, and about 25% of the business people I meet day to day. I am sure that your vast exposure to the Thai education system by virtue of teaching gives you ample ability to make sweeping statements about the nature of each university and their graduates.

All private universities have the issue that without any real entry requirement they take whoever can pay. And despite my own concerns that ABAC is sliding down it is still a fair way from being simply 'more money than wit' just yet. There are plenty of private universities that would fit this claim considerably better.

[OZONE]

Aside from whether or not the esteemed General is in fact living a life of virtue (and I'm sure he is), thank goodness that college students from ABAC, of all places, are still seemingly the main source of poll data for government announcements. Are these the same college students who are allowed to decide what internet sites we can look at?

ABAC, for those of you who don't know, is a private, Catholic "university" attended primarily by those with more money than wit- a rich bad boys'/bad girls' playground. The worst failure of all the students in all the years my current EP program has been in existence was finally consigned to go to ABAC (in disgrace).

BTW Thank you for your kind observations on the standard of ABAC. I will be sure to pass it on to some of my fellow alumni next time I see them, namely the Central family, The Mall Group family, and about 25% of the business people I meet day to day. I am sure that your vast exposure to the Thai education system by virtue of teaching gives you ample ability to make sweeping statements about the nature of each university and their graduates.

Even the Thai students will tell you that ABAC is a school for kids who couldn't make the grades at Mahidol, Chula, Thammasart... , and its especially for the rich spoiled kids who need to get pass school without worries.

Sorry its the truth.

[jdinasia]

deserved or not ... (in many cases obviously deserbed) this is ABAC's rep ...

However ... thatmay not have anything to do with the polling ... as is stated by steve

[Plus]

The Mall Family - I've been told that they pay lowest salaries in business.

Central Family - every working member of the family is entitled to a company car, regardless of the position and seniority.