PR - public relations and populist rule

MY TWO SATANGS

PR - public relations and populist rule

Published: 26/02/2011 at 03:32 AM
Newspaper section: News

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" is probably what Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had running through his mind earlier this week when Kesarin Wutthiwong, a hearing-impaired woman in need of cochlear implants, disrupted a speech he was giving on teenage pregnancy.

Kesarin Wutthiwong interrupts Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva as he speaks at a conference in Bangkok on Monday.

Because he is an English passport-holding gentleman, the PM smiled politely and said to an audience of around 1,000 civil servants that he would help Ms Kesarin to find the 800,000 baht she needs to pay for her ear operation.

This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.

About the author

: Writer: Arglit Boonyai; Position: Multimedia Editor

Keep this article in your social bookmark:

Latest stories in this category:

Your comments

GenetheMachine
Post : 93
Send message

Discussion 10 : 27/02/2011 at 06:50 AM10
Post this to my Facebook
Thank you khun Arglit Boonyai for doing your job and educating the people that can read. Your are correct of coarse. The politicians do at least hear about these articles. If we keep holding their feet to the fire they eventually will response.

Another story I would like to see is the amount of wealth each politician has when they begin their service and when they complete their term. Let the people see how much money they accumulate while in office versus the salary they are paid.

Travis (disc #6) Good job. "If everyone swept the sidewalk in front of their house, the whole world would be clean." -a Gothic writer
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
fma
Post : 136
Send message

Discussion 9 : 27/02/2011 at 01:54 AM9
Post this to my Facebook
I would challenge the journalists in all media to do their homework, investigate and publish all questionable acts by the politicians and bureaucrats. Remember their their promises and make them accountable. Challenge their 'reasoning' instead of accepting it. How much land do they own, why is it possible to use a relative as a stand-in, where did their wealth come from etc. etc?
We can obviously not rely on the judiciary system for this.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
franklin
Post : 739
Send message

Discussion 8 : 27/02/2011 at 12:40 AM8
Post this to my Facebook
Regardless of whether one likes or dislikes the current Prime Minister, this stunt sure shows some glaring shortcomings in whatever group is tasked with providing security to this countries leader.But then, during Songkran 2004 on Thapae Road, Chiangmai I was able to literaly toss water along with hundreds of others on PM Thaksin as he was mobbed waking towards Thapae Gate. Hmmm.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
Hypocrisy
Post : 97
Send message

Discussion 7 : 26/02/2011 at 12:21 PM7
Post this to my Facebook
I fully agree with the author, why should people get priority just because AV wants votes?

#2 wrote "many more could be helped if you guys backed your PM for once" I seem to remember very recently three successive PM.s getting the backing from the majority of the guys, however they were removed by the army generals and then the judiciary! then the constitution was conveniently altered.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
travis
Post : 261
Send message

Discussion 6 : 26/02/2011 at 08:41 AM6
Post this to my Facebook
Yesterday I made a schoolgirl pick up the trash she had just thrown on the sidewalk. Everyone looked at me as if I were a leper. They think it's perfectly normal, which is why this society has failed, Arglit got that right.

The point I am making is - the people's mindset needs to be changed. Nobody here ever considers that anything is HIS responsibility, it's always "someone else" has to fix things. And Arglit is quite right, the poor just sit waiting for handouts while everything, including their own house! It is laziness, and greed. A good many of the "poor" are "poor" because they are bone idle. Some villages fix their own things, engage in "sufficiency" farming, sell their own products, improve their own lot. Others just sit.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
browser
Post : 710
Send message

Discussion 5 : 26/02/2011 at 08:38 AM5
Post this to my Facebook
D 1 - I agree completely. This seems to be an article in search of an angle. Indeed, there is no surprise that any poiltician ( particularly Mr. Chalerm ) would be invested with the ideas of PR. It's what polticians do. The anecdote about the PM's encounter during a speech is indication that there seems to always be someway of crtisizing his behavior. Most politicians would be flustered. And I also agree that this particluar PM has done as well - and likely far better - than anyone could have imagined one year ago. I say well done.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
rpt777
Post : 463
Send message

Discussion 4 : 26/02/2011 at 07:04 AM4
Post this to my Facebook
Thailand is run for the benefit of the elite. To expect that anything would be done to help out the average person is too much to ask unless it helps out those above him even more. EVERY and I do mean "every" politician that I have seen in Thailand looks for what "he" can get from his position of power, instead of using that position to to make positive change in the country.Until that mentality changes there will be no improvements. Until there is a legal system free from influence from anyone there will be no change.And until there is free press to point out the corruption it can not be stopped.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
ricardofel
Post : 99
Send message

Discussion 3 : 26/02/2011 at 06:23 AM3
Post this to my Facebook
Well written article Arglit...unfortunately, for Thailand, nothing really changes...ever. The "powers-that-be" never read these "opinions"-they have their own agenda. In Chiangmai, the burning of trash continues on a daily basis, trash litters the roadways, teachers teaching who paid for their degrees under the table and the list goes on and on. It is a sad state of affairs.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
ykcir9
Post : 270
Send message

Discussion 2 : 26/02/2011 at 05:37 AM2
Post this to my Facebook
The point is, if the current government wants to stand any chance in the upcoming elections it needs to stop focusing on looking good, and actually start doing some good. We need to see a bit of follow through in their actions.
why do you think abisit is solely responcible for doing good. do you know the word bureaurcracy.
it seems to means that there someone in the line that wants a kickback before he does anything in thai.give the man some support to do the good hes trying to do. or abisit knows the problem this lady understands the problem.this of the cuf gesture IS HIS JOB. he didnt have to go thru bureaucratic piles of forms to do a great justure. many more could be helped if you guys backed your PM for once. easy to critisize.walk the walk please
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
DongKampo
Post : 13
Send message

Discussion 1 : 26/02/2011 at 05:37 AM1
Post this to my Facebook
Every government in the civilised world uses PR and has a spin machine, standing by to take advantage of whatever situation.
I don't think it was "Because he is an English passport-holding gentleman," did I detect a note of sarcasm there, probably because he is a gentle man and means well.
I read your article deriding the Thai government and think Who else could do as well, in my book no one even close for now ?
Chief of Puea Thai MPs Chalerm Yubamrung commented that government projects were "designed to make people rely on government handouts rather than encourage them to stand on their own feet".
This is what any government should be doing, helping the less fortunate, elderly, and infirm and those that can stand on their own feet should also be encouraged to do so.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment

PR - public relations and populist rule | Bangkok Post: opinion