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This column covers "developing stories" meaning that you can expect additional stories on the same subject in the near future. The material that follows was written using much of the same language as your Bangkok Post writers use in their stories. April 05, 2005

INTERNATIONAL Mr Thaksin reaches out A newly open prime minister wins applause Democrat chief adviser and list MP Chuan Leekpai speaks about unrest in the deep South and proposses solutions during the joint parliamentary debate on violence in the three southernmost provinces. — Pattanapong Hirunard The rap against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has always been that he is too self-confident for his own good. According to his critics, Mr Thaksin believes he knows what is best for the country and if others disagree, they are wrong or, worse yet, unpatriotic. He doesn’t feel the need to listen to those who criticise him, they say, because he believes they lack information and understanding. He won’t admit mistakes, because he doesn’t make them. The prime minister, critics say, has very little respect for the opposition. In his mind, opposition politicians are next to useless, skilled only at tearing down government policies without offering anything constructive in return. Last week none of these criticisms seemed to fit. If anything, Mr Thaksin ’s behaviour seemed the very opposite. There he was in a nationally televised joint session of Parliament on the troubles in Thailand’s deep South admitting his policies were flawed. He was seen listening appreciatively to Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and heard thanking him for his advice. The prime minister said he was ready to make significant changes in his harsh, military-oriented policies in the restive southern provinces “We are human, and humans make things right or wrong. I am now determined to undo what I have done wrong in the past,” he said. Mr Thaksin said he agreed with Mr Abhisit that violence breeds violence, and he would implement many of the opposition’s peace resolutions. One of the first steps may be a reduction in the number of heavily armed combat forces that are now deployed in the three most troubled provinces. Watch to see if this happens. Earlier in the week, the prime minister’s new openness was on display as he accepted, without amendment, the list of National Reconciliation Commission members recommended by its chairman Anand Panyarachun. This, despite the fact, the Commission will contain some of the prime minister’s most vocal critics. Mr Thaksin’s action won applause from the Bangkok Post’s editorial staff who have also been quite critical of his policies in the South. “The 48 commissioners, a third of them Muslims who represent along with the other members a broad cross-section of the community, should convince our Muslim brothers and sisters in the three worst hit provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat that their voices will be heard and not drowned out as in the past,” last Tuesday’s editorial observed. Not everything was sweetness and harmony last week, however. Despite his apparent change of tack, Mr Thaksin came in for some blistering criticism in Parliament. One of the most damning analyses of his policies in the South came from former prime minister Chuan Leekpai. The blame for the southern violence lay squarely on Mr Thaksin’s shoulders, Mr Chuan said. His most egregious error was failing to continue the tried and true policies of previous governments dating all the way back to former prime minister Kriangsak Chomanan. Instead, mistakenly believing the separatist movement had withered out, Mr Thaksin disbanded the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre with disastrous results, Mr Chuan charged. Despite the criticism, Mr Thaksin ended the week with improved stature among his supporters and critics alike. Although, he may not have intended it, this should prove very useful during a time when his own Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party is beset by internal squabbles. TRT factions upset over their declining influence and power seem petty in comparison with a prime minister willing to make major policy changes for the good of the country. Actions like snubbing invitations to play golf, demanding the prime minister’s presence at a birthday celebration and investigating TRT cabinet members are unlikely to win factional leaders many favours. Too much factional infighting is not a good thing, however, and watch to see if Mr Thaksin is able to patch up relationships before serious damage is done. applause praise rap criticism too self-confident for his own good believing too strongly in his ability to decide what to do and causing himself trouble as a result unpatriotic not loyal to your own country constructive positive: helpful joint session of Parliament a meeting of Parliament in which members of both the House of Representative and the Senate attend flawed containing mistakes; not perfect restive trouble restive trouble undo to correct; to cancel the effect of something breeds causes (in return) implement to carry out resolutions official decisions made by a group or organization combat trained to fight in a war deployed put in position and ready to take action amendment change vocal forcefully expression your opinions cross-section a group of people that is typical of a larger group harmony a state of peaceful existence and agreement apparent seeming tack direction; position; course blistering very critical squarely directly; without an uncertainty egregious extremely bad separatist of members of a group who want to separate from the rest of the country withered out gradually weakened and died disbanded stopped from operating as a group charged accused someone of doing something bad stature importance and respect given to a person because of their ability and achievements beset affected in an unpleasant or negative way squabbles noisy, often minor, disagreements factions groups within a larger group petty concerned with small and unimportant matters snubbing insulting by ignoring patch up to repair; to try and stop quarrelling and be friends

INTERNATIONAL Marking the pontiff’s passing Newspaper obituaries struggle to capture the stature of a religious giant Pope John Paul II is pictured 03 April at the Clementine Hall in the Vatican City. Grief swept across the world on Sunday as more than 100,000 people packed the Vatican's square and surrounding streets. The death of Pope John Paul II set in motion a series of rituals that are many centuries old, but the first official news of his demise actually went out to journalists by email. Almost immediately, the world’s great newspapers began preparing their final drafts of the beloved pontiff’s obituary for their online and paper editions. The obituaries for famous people are usually written well in advance of the person’s death, but, in this case, the writers clearly left a lot to the last moment so they could capture the atmosphere surrounding the Pope’s last moments. Below is a sampling of the introductions to the obituaries from some of the English-speaking world’s most respected newspapers. Notice that there were a variety of themes – sadness and dignified suffering obviously, but there were also references to his place in history in terms of doctrine and even world politics. The Guardian (UK): The news that the world had been waiting for with a mixture of grim resignation and sadness finally came at just after 8:30pm last night when Archbishop Leonardo Sandri told crowds gathered in prayer in Rome’s St Peter's Square: “Our Holy Father John Paul has returned to the house of the Father.” The Times (UK):  Pope John Paul II died peacefully last night in his Apostolic apartment above St Peter's Square, ending a period of public suffering that spoke of the sanctity of life and the dignity of death. In a ritual that has not been altered for centuries, bells tolled mournfully in the Vatican to mark the demise of the 84-year-old pontiff. They were soon being echoed by bells all over Rome. The Independent (UK): John Paul II, the Pope who, for all his conservative views, captured the hearts and imaginations of people of all faiths and none, died yesterday evening, the Vatican announced. He was 84. Washington Post (US): Pope John Paul II, who played a key role in the fall of communism in Europe while leading the Roman Catholic Church for more than 26 years, died Saturday night in his Vatican City residence after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and other ailments. He was 84. New York Times (US) Pope John Paul II died on Saturday night, succumbing finally to years of illness endured painfully and publicly, ending an extraordinary, if sometimes polarising, 26-year reign that remade the papacy. stature the reputation of a person based on that person’s behaviour, achievements and ability rituals sets of fixed actions which take place as part of ceremonies demise death pontiff formal for “pope”, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church obituary a report, especially in the newspaper, which carries the news of someone’s death and details of their life dignified valued and respected doctrine the set of beliefs taught and accepted by a particular group, especially a religious or political group grim worried and without hope resignation acceptance of something that cannot be changed sanctity very important and worthy of respect altered changed tolled rang slowly and repeatedly mournfully with great sadness, especially because of the death of someone Vatican the main offices of the Roman Catholic Church in Rome, including the building where the Pope lives echoed repeated ailments illnesses succumbing dying or suffering badly from a disease endured suffered something difficult, unpleasant or painful polarising to cause people to divide into two opposing groups papacy the position or authority of the pope

•This lesson was prepared by Acharn Terry Fredrickson, BA Stanford, MA (TESL) University of Minnesota, Manager/Editor of the Learning Post at the Bangkok Post and general editor of this programme. Read our other What's news columns here. Back to our home page |© The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2005 | Last modified: April 05, 2005