Prayut denies BBC Thai's 'staged handshake' Facebook post

[webfact]

UNGA
Prayut denies BBC Thai's 'staged handshake' Facebook post
WASAMON AUDJARINT
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday denied that his handshake with US President Barack Obama was staged, saying it was everyday etiquette.

"Why would I have to ask him to shake hands with me? I have my dignity. I'm a country's leader. Why wouldn't he do that with me?" he said.

A news article posted on BBC Thai's Facebook page indicated that the greeting was prearranged for a photo op.

However, the general saw no need to clear up the matter with BBC Thai.

"Did they tell you the truth? Why would I have to talk to them?" he said.

BBC Thai yesterday defended its refusal to identify the "outside contributor" who authored the controversial article titled "The UN meeting starts at home", published by the British Broadcasting Corporation last Friday.

It said on Facebook that it had sought an interview with deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukonthapatipark after he claimed the article had no basis in fact. However, he demanded that the BBC reveal the identity of the writer first.

BBC Thai said the corporation had the legal right to honour media ethics by keeping its promise of anonymity to the writer, citing pressure against freedom of expression amid the present political climate in military-ruled Thailand. It also dismissed allegations of a political motive behind the dissemination of the article, saying |it aimed to present well-rounded news.

Prayut also lamented how many media "continued producing news in such ways".

"I don't know how they do their work. Do they just wake up, write news and then send their stuff to their office?" he said.

"They have kept this up for 60-70 years, and people all over the country are still intoxicated by their news.

"When I was a military commander in 2006, they criticised the prime minister then," he said, referring to Thaksin Shinawatra.

"But now they're turning on me. Why is that? I've never done anything wrong. I've only used the law in creative, peaceful ways."

Prayut also wondered why he could not simply "invite" the media to talk to him.

"Have any media gone to jail?" he said. "It's up to them how to write the news, but man, don't be too free, or people will get hurt."

The current news approach |cannot be continued any longer, he said.

"Please understand me. It's usual that I can be moody. Just don't go against me too much."

He was not infringing people's rights, he was just asking for the media to go in the right direction, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prayut-denies-BBC-Thais-staged-handshake-Facebook--30270331.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-07

[choff56]

In bermannor speak, this guy is a "looser"!

[coulson]

Oh my Buddha.......

[Reigntax]

"I've only used the law in creative, peaceful ways".

Wrong, you have broken the highest law of the country for yours and your cohorts personal benefit and totally ignored the wishes of the majority. You have committed the most extreme offence possible and most people can see right through you.

Worse still, you hve no idea of what you are doing and you are a fake.

[BuckBee]

He is indeed a grumpy hi-so twit ...

stopping freedom of speech, looking at internet policing & controlling the news is not the actions of a man who never done anything wrong !

It's the actions of a man hiding all that wrong & creating false perspective for personal benefit.

things will get ugly either from uprising or suppression :-( either way this uncle buck is exactly the type of twit Thailand didn't need ....

[jaidam]

"I've only used the law in creative, peaceful ways."

Blaming a murder victim for having been pretty. Threatening witnesses with legal charges. Recently he did just this in a case in the south of Thailand. Creative, yes certainly it is that, but peaceful, no, not at all.

Nice to see his staged meeting causing him trouble, just like his predecessor Thaksin's alleged meeting with Mandela caused trouble due to poor Thaksin having a negro gentlemans fingers.

[Bluespunk]

All those handshakes are part of a staged. Any social event around conferences such as this one are huge PR events with nothing left to chance. Protocol is nothing more than the veneer of politeness applied on top of it.

Even Putin got to clink glasses with President Obama at one gala event......eventually.

[Bluespunk]

""Have any media gone to jail?" he said. "It's up to them how to write the news, but man, don't be too free, or people will get hurt."

I'm assuming that's a poor translation of what he meant.

[taony]

He's lost his marbles.

[NongKhaiKid]

Of course such a principled, dignified man would never do anything just for publicity.

Modest too, " I'm a country's leader ", well at least he thinks he is.?

[lovelomsak]

"When I was a military commander in 2006, they criticised the prime minister then," he said, referring to Thaksin Shinawatra.

I think in the above sentence he meant he criticised in 2006. I think most newspapers in the free world supported the Prime minister at that time. A little confused with history. that's ok he is a very busy man "It's up to them how to write the news, but man, don't be too free, or people will get hurt."n. In the free world this statement he made would probably be understood as a veiled threat also.

Edited October 7, 2015 by lovelomsak

[bamnutsak]

I think "staged" might mean different things to different people?

But yes, it was requested, negotiated, orchestrated at the insistence of the Thai "delegation". The U.S. (handlers) caved, but made some demands, re: usage.

Like many dust-ups, the PM could have avoided this by just being a bit more, well, diplomatic. But he needs to be perceived as loved, admired, in-charge, so he'll do pretty much anything.

[russ1]

I'm a country's leader.

I think he meant to say i'm a country's self appointed leader.

[Lovekorat]

You are not the country's elected leader. You just took it.

[LannaGuy]

I have my dignity. I'm a country's leader

Yes you are appointed by the gun and if you have any dignity hold elections and get a mandate from the people you profess love you so much.

Get that and this poster, for one, will support the democratic process and although I might not like the result will support YOU as the people's choice. Stop the 'attitude adjustment' camps - have some DIGNITY!

[Jeremy50]

In normal politics, this man wouldn't have progressed beyond the local village council.

[mark131v]

Oh dear me, so much I want to say about this but the great leader has made my point far, far more eloquently...

[robblok]

All those handshakes are part of a staged. Any social event around conferences such as this one are huge PR events with nothing left to chance. Protocol is nothing more than the veneer of politeness applied on top of it.

Even Putin got to clink glasses with President Obama at one gala event......eventually.

So this was no more staged as any of it. BBC lying again. If Obama really had a problem there would never be a handshake his handlers are not stupid.

This time lots of hot air from the BBC.

But the good general is again reacting with the grace of an elephant in a china-shop. He should not even have commented on the BBC. I have seen bias articles form them before, no news agency is impartial.

[mark131v]

In normal politics, this man wouldn't have progressed beyond the local village council.

Council you say, I can think of another local village job that would suit him to a tee I think dorftrockel is the German word for it if I remember correct....

[bamnutsak]

So this was no more staged as any of it. BBC lying again. If Obama really had a problem there would never be a handshake his handlers are not stupid.

The article is 100% accurate.

The Thai delegation requested the photo-op, the POTUS's handler's finally acquiesced after some brief on-the-spot negotiations.

So in that sense it was staged. Not sure why the PM is so up in arms about how the picture was generated? Some people are never happy I guess?

His skin is getting thinner by the day, and pink is not a flattering color for him. Maybe better to stay in his room on Tuesdays?

Edited October 7, 2015 by bamnutsak

[LannaGuy]

All those handshakes are part of a staged. Any social event around conferences such as this one are huge PR events with nothing left to chance. Protocol is nothing more than the veneer of politeness applied on top of it.

Even Putin got to clink glasses with President Obama at one gala event......eventually.

So this was no more staged as any of it. BBC lying again. If Obama really had a problem there would never be a handshake his handlers are not stupid.

This time lots of hot air from the BBC.

But the good general is again reacting with the grace of an elephant in a china-shop. He should not even have commented on the BBC. I have seen bias articles form them before, no news agency is impartial.

haha one finally showed up! you, djjamie, H90, Rubl or Bearboxer or one of the rest of the Junta apologists were bound to show up to defend your hero...

BBC lying? they offered to meet so the General's people could 'tell them' where they had been lying but, of course, this could not be allowed to happen and so the General's people asked for the name of the writer KNOWING the BBC could not divulge it.

I know it's early in the morning but WAKE UP man!

[robblok]

All those handshakes are part of a staged. Any social event around conferences such as this one are huge PR events with nothing left to chance. Protocol is nothing more than the veneer of politeness applied on top of it.

Even Putin got to clink glasses with President Obama at one gala event......eventually.

So this was no more staged as any of it. BBC lying again. If Obama really had a problem there would never be a handshake his handlers are not stupid.

This time lots of hot air from the BBC.

But the good general is again reacting with the grace of an elephant in a china-shop. He should not even have commented on the BBC. I have seen bias articles form them before, no news agency is impartial.

haha one finally showed up! you, djjamie, H90, Rubl or Bearboxer or one of the rest of the Junta apologists were bound to show up to defend your hero...

BBC lying? they offered to meet so the General's people could 'tell them' where they had been lying but, of course, this could not be allowed to happen and so the General's people asked for the name of the writer KNOWING the BBC could not divulge it.

I know it's early in the morning but WAKE UP man!

No you should wake up.

All these handshakes are staged, and Obama's handlers who are PR experts would have made sure Obama would never have shaken the general's hands if there was a problem. Do you think his PR department is stupid ?

This was just a meaningless handshake like countless others Putin gets his hand shaken too.

Don't make too much out of it, but then you got the BBC fabricating a story. Don't you think Putin is a few steps down from the General and even he gets a handshake.

[Srikcir]

"Do they just wake up, write news and then send their stuff to their office?"

Yes.

They learned from the best - from both the current Thai government and RTP.

If you don't allow investigative journalism in Thailand, how can you criticize its deficiency anywhere else?

[LannaGuy]

All those handshakes are part of a staged. Any social event around conferences such as this one are huge PR events with nothing left to chance. Protocol is nothing more than the veneer of politeness applied on top of it.

Even Putin got to clink glasses with President Obama at one gala event......eventually.

So this was no more staged as any of it. BBC lying again. If Obama really had a problem there would never be a handshake his handlers are not stupid.

This time lots of hot air from the BBC.

But the good general is again reacting with the grace of an elephant in a china-shop. He should not even have commented on the BBC. I have seen bias articles form them before, no news agency is impartial.

haha one finally showed up! you, djjamie, H90, Rubl or Bearboxer or one of the rest of the Junta apologists were bound to show up to defend your hero...

BBC lying? they offered to meet so the General's people could 'tell them' where they had been lying but, of course, this could not be allowed to happen and so the General's people asked for the name of the writer KNOWING the BBC could not divulge it.

I know it's early in the morning but WAKE UP man!

No you should wake up.

All these handshakes are staged, and Obama's handlers who are PR experts would have made sure Obama would never have shaken the general's hands if there was a problem. Do you think his PR department is stupid ?

This was just a meaningless handshake like countless others Putin gets his hand shaken too.

Don't make too much out of it, but then you got the BBC fabricating a story. Don't you think Putin is a few steps down from the General and even he gets a handshake.

Robblok the BBC are not lying and offered to meet to discuss this but the Thai side made sure that could not happen by imposing an impossible CONDITION 'Thai style'.

Read what the General say's you don't think he's a dangerous control freak? he's as far away from dignity as a lie is to honesty.

[BoristheBlade]

He's lost his marbles.

Some might say he never had any to start with.

[bamnutsak]

All these handshakes are staged

No, not exactly.

This one was outside the normally acceptable and prescribed traditional photo-ops.

The Thai delegation was quite persistent is requesting this "staged" handshake, which was meant to look "impromptu". The POTUS's handlers probably should have not allowed this, evidently there was some spirited negotiations re: how the image would be used, but I imagine that Obama prefers that they err on the side of respect.

But again, I can't understand why the PM is so peeved? He got the photo-op he wanted.

Seems he's never happy.

Edited October 7, 2015 by bamnutsak

[klauskunkel]

he truly is Thailand's leader. His emotional age is about 10 years, the average Thai about 5 years.

(to KarenBravo: this is a joke, I don't have official statistics or research results on this)

[robblok]

So this was no more staged as any of it. BBC lying again. If Obama really had a problem there would never be a handshake his handlers are not stupid.

This time lots of hot air from the BBC.

But the good general is again reacting with the grace of an elephant in a china-shop. He should not even have commented on the BBC. I have seen bias articles form them before, no news agency is impartial.

haha one finally showed up! you, djjamie, H90, Rubl or Bearboxer or one of the rest of the Junta apologists were bound to show up to defend your hero...

BBC lying? they offered to meet so the General's people could 'tell them' where they had been lying but, of course, this could not be allowed to happen and so the General's people asked for the name of the writer KNOWING the BBC could not divulge it.

I know it's early in the morning but WAKE UP man!

No you should wake up.

All these handshakes are staged, and Obama's handlers who are PR experts would have made sure Obama would never have shaken the general's hands if there was a problem. Do you think his PR department is stupid ?

This was just a meaningless handshake like countless others Putin gets his hand shaken too.

Don't make too much out of it, but then you got the BBC fabricating a story. Don't you think Putin is a few steps down from the General and even he gets a handshake.

Robblok the BBC are not lying and offered to meet to discuss this but the Thai side made sure that could not happen by imposing an impossible CONDITION 'Thai style'.

Read what the General say's you don't think he's a dangerous control freak? he's as far away from dignity as a lie is to honesty.

The BBC is stating that all Obama's his handlers are fools and that this handshake could never be and you believe it. Seriously just gossip from the BBC they don't even show their source.

The General is a bull in a China shop but that does not make his point not valid.

[Bender]

Prayut get upset not because the BBC, but because the thai social media. Thai people are laughing at him...
So here the story behind this picture.

In NYC, Uncle Too spend his 5 days running behind Obama and others world leaders, like a teenage girl running behind Justin Bieber.

He needed selfies so he can claims success, but as a world pariah, everyone was avoiding him (look at the picture of his press conference)

Then the last day, Obama got fed up, pity, bored noticed Uncle Too standing behind him. Then he shook his hand. Uncle Too was surprised....

[bamnutsak]

The General is a bull in a China shop but that does not make his point not valid.

Correct. The truth makes his "point" invalid.