Fortune tellers fine but no plan to run in polls: PM Prayut

[webfact]

PM
Fortune tellers fine but no plan to run in polls: Prayut
The Nation


Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha talks with journalists after the Cabinet meeting at Government House yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday that he had no plans to run for election and denied that he had consulted a famous fortune teller on the subject.

Prayut was asked by a reporter yesterday whether he had had a session with the famous astrologer known as ET, which he denied.

Prayut defended the widespread practice of consulting fortune tellers, however, saying there was nothing wrong with it.

Asked if he believed in fortune telling, he said one should not look down on it. He cited one example, saying he had been warned about clashes with reporters.

Asked if he thought doing good would enable him to become a prime minister again in the future, Prayut replied that it was up to fate and his karma.

Prodded again on whether he was told by any fortune teller how long he would last as a prime minister, Prayut said it depended, adding that some fortune tellers predicted he would hold the position for a short period, and others said he should stay for the long term. In essence, he said he didn't know.

Prayut shook his head when asked if he had any plan to become an elected prime minister one day, and added: "No, no."

Asked if he was content with just being a prime minister installed through a coup d'etat, Prayut retorted, "I might throw [the podium at you]. Enough. Enough."

The day also saw Prayut insisting that people were happier today than before the coup staged four months ago. He also defended the requirement that academics submit topics of university talks for approval by the government before presenting them. He insisted he was not limiting academic freedom, however, but merely wanted to avoid political gatherings.

Prayut added that if the government discovered that a topic requested for university discussion differed from the reality of the talk, the event would be shut down immediately.

The prime minister said he was prepared to visit all 77 provinces but would first drop by those facing problems.

As for foreign visits, he said the matter was being arranged, but he did not dwell on details.

On the national budget, Prayut said this year's could not be fully utilised but the administration would try to spend more on infrastructure in the first quarter of next year.

He also said he had assigned the Agriculture Ministry to look into ways to assist rubber farmers and would soon invite farmers for consultation.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Fortune-tellers-fine-but-no-plan-to-run-in-polls-P-30243991.html


-- The Nation 2014-09-24

[englishoak]

[NongKhaiKid]

Not the first VIP to defend superstition, fortune telling etc then quickly deny that they get involved.

[ChrisY1]

Bring out the Tarot cards now........you gotta love this stuff!

Don't look down on fortune tellers.....)

[Carib]

In the west we have likewise mumbo jumbo, we even put nonsense on the side of coins and ask some fictitious prophet to bless the country.

Same same but different.

[Suriya4]

Foreign trip like north Korea, sudan, cuba, and albania?

[visionchaser45]

"Prayut shook his head when asked if he had any plan to become an elected prime minister one day, and added: "No, no.""

At least he is honest about his chances of winning an election.

[binjalin]

"saying he had been warned about clashes with reporters" those pesky reporters again! I thought he had told them "no awkward questions" and "no chat about democracy" and "be happy or else" ?

[jesimps]

"Prayut shook his head when asked if he had any plan to become an elected prime minister one day, and added: "No, no.""

At least he is honest about his chances of winning an election.

Election! What's that???

[HUAHIN62]

"Prayut shook his head when asked if he had any plan to become an elected prime minister one day, and added: "No, no.""

At least he is honest about his chances of winning an election.

Election! What's that???

Election are a process by which a political party gains a mandate from the citizens to govern the country. Their version is - an election is a process whereby stupid people (buffalo's) vote in corrupt politicians (never to be proven) to gain limited power (under the new constitution to be approved next year) and if the winning party do anything we don't like we will coup them, again and again untill they do as they are told.

[fab4]

Prayut was asked by a reporter yesterday whether he had had a session with the famous astrologer known as ET, which he denied.

Asked if he was content with just being a prime minister installed through a coup d'etat, Prayut retorted, "I might throw [the podium at you]. Enough. Enough."

..............and then he left

[Costas2008]

I think the guy is taking the piss out of the reporters.

Good on him.

[ezzra]

In Thailand, it's perfectly ok to ask a PM whether he has consulted a Mo Doo, or a soothsayer,

Fung Shui masters are very sought after people...

every respectful politician has a widgy board in his closet, wouldn't field hos candidacy with

out it.. one Ex Pm even changed his date of birth ( Banhan Silipa Acha) for more auspicious one,,

really, I kid you not...

[binjalin]

I think the guy is taking the piss out of the reporters.

Good on him.

trust you to not understand Thainess again if you think that

[tx22cb]

I think the guy is taking the piss out of the reporters.

Good on him.

Luckily for him, the PM knows that it's a 1-way street. He can mock reporters, but if they (or anyone else) try to criticize him, they could be censored or prosecuted.

[Mudcrab]

In Thailand, it's perfectly ok to ask a PM whether he has consulted a Mo Doo, or a soothsayer,

Fung Shui masters are very sought after people...

every respectful politician has a widgy board in his closet, wouldn't field hos candidacy with

out it.. one Ex Pm even changed his date of birth ( Banhan Silipa Acha) for more auspicious one,,

really, I kid you not...

There was a very good documentary on the telly called "Altered" Statesman.

Well worth watching.

These blokes ran the world in the 50', 60's and 70's.

I doubt much has changed.

[Frank James]

All of you people who think Ronald Reagan's face should be added to Mt. Rushmore, (or at least be inscribed on the $3.00 bill) remember Nancy Reagan was a confirmed believer in astrology, and backdoor-managed the Gipper's presidency following their advice.

Don't believe me? Look it up.

[Docno]

"Prayut shook his head when asked if he had any plan to become an elected prime minister one day, and added: "No, no.""

At least he is honest about his chances of winning an election.

Or maybe this is simply a signal about whether there will even be elections in the foreseeable future!

[but also, don't forget that this is the same guy who once said that he had no intention to launch a coup].

[Fred Flinstone]

I predict he might have an accident abroad

[mrfill]

"Prayut shook his head when asked if he had any plan to become an elected prime minister one day, and added: "No, no.""

At least he is honest about his chances of winning an election.

Election! What's that???

Just because some people have difficulty with pronunciation and say their R's as L's doesn't mean you should question them...

[dominique355]

Maybe General Prayut would be well advised to rather consult the Thai people, nothing wrong with that.