Buffet cabinet and New Thailand

Published: 24/01/2012 at 04:51 PM
Online news: Opinion

About 100 Pheu Thai MPs are lining up, waiting for their turn at a cabinet seat, redolent of a large group of diners eagerly lining up at a buffet table which can seat only 35 people at a time.

Pornsak Charoenprasert who? The name may not ring a bell with most of us, not even people in the media. The five-time Si Sa Ket MP of Pheu Thai Party was the deputy agriculture minister in the first cabinet of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra which was reshuffled last week, and he was among the 10 ministers who lost their jobs.

If several of the axed ministers were disappointed because they were not given any advance notice by the prime minister, or their boss in Dubai, but Mr Pornsak was not. Instead, he took his dismissal in his stride, saying that he had already fulfilled his dream of being a cabinet minister and brought honour to his Charoenprasert clan - even if his term in the office was only nearly six months.

In an interview with Post Today newspaper, a sister publication of the Bangkok Post, Mr Pornsak explained that he was removed not because he did not perform or under-performed, but because of a "heart-to-heart" agreement with his boss in Dubai, ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, that his ministerial term would be brief and that Pheu Thai MPs should take turns at cabinet seats.

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra

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About the author

: Writer: Veera Prateepchaikul; Position: Former Editor

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loopholes
Post : 146
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Discussion 13 : 24/01/2012 at 11:12 PM13
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With newly appointed cabinet ministers from all walks of life, it is very much similar to the mock parliament TV series, right ?
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golf
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Discussion 12 : 24/01/2012 at 09:56 PM12
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It's a pitty that this beautiful country is getting exploited by people who are just interested in themselves and their own profit - financially or just to fulfill their dream of being someone.
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beer_sing
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Discussion 11 : 24/01/2012 at 08:51 PM11
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In comparison , it is certainly better than having one made from the barrack or telling the public that the protester were killed because they ran toward the bullet.
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nitnoi
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Discussion 10 : 24/01/2012 at 08:45 PM10
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Khun Veera, perfect analogy, every one who is promised the feast at smorgesbord. anyone who already gorge themselve to burst should step aside so the hungry and starved one that wait on the line will have a chance to gorge themselves as well. Let say this government completes 4 years term, it will have new cabinet every 6months, if there are screws or nails or any hardware in cabinet go loose between period of 6 months that will be more of readjustment between these period. There are many temp. workers in USA some by immigrant legal or illigal hold the job much longer than Thai government workers. It is indeed ridiculous to turn every hungry vultures to become well fed one and unusual wealthy.
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manny
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Discussion 9 : 24/01/2012 at 07:12 PM9
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Instead of reconciliation, flood management control or improving education, Thailand gets musical chairs with its government MP's, all in the name of paybacks. Is this really what the people voted for? Disgraceful.
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democrazy
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Discussion 8 : 24/01/2012 at 07:06 PM8
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This is the "amazing thai style democraZy". Corrupt third world politics.
And it is getting worse and more worse everyday......
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aussie
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Discussion 7 : 24/01/2012 at 06:17 PM7
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Truethai Dis # 6 , I Bet You Believe What You Post Too , Just Like Real Demok Too I Guess ?
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truethai
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Discussion 6 : 24/01/2012 at 05:54 PM6
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It was a pretty good strategy to cut short a Minister Term. This was to avoid them from being too powerful in a ministry to create havoc or corruption. If they can't perform, than release them. This can satisfy all PT members taste of Ministers life. So in future they will not grumble and thinking that a minister life is easy. "If you have been there, you will know".

Veera, I know the grape is sour for you because, you don't have the chance to taste them, not this life time of yours.
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bluebkk
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Discussion 5 : 24/01/2012 at 05:32 PM5
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But here we are in this Land of Smiles, which should better be called the Land of the Ridiculous.." I totally agree, and this thanks to a fugitive in Dubai!!!...very well written, Khun Veera, as usual I would say... too bad for the red glorifiers on this forum...
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khunbill
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Discussion 4 : 24/01/2012 at 05:20 PM4
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Veera when are you going to retire and give us all a break from you poor journalism....if you want to even call it that. You are so drunk of yellow shirts and Demos
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