Karata, New Zealand - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra did not miss a beat when a flock of sheep on a New Zealand farm near Auckland ignored her presence.
A gumboot-less Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra walks toward a flock of sheep at a farm near Auckland. (Photo by Wassana Nanuam)
Ms Yingluck took a short break from hectic rounds of official functions on Sunday to visit a sheep and dairy farm in Karata, about 40 kilometres south of New Zealand's business capital.
The aim of the trip was to see a demonstration of farm techniques to boost milk production and cattle raising.
The prime minister walked towards a flock of sheep in a paddock, but they simply walked away from her. "I cannot be a shepherd because I'm sincere," she said, referring to the shepherd boy in Aesop's Fables, who learns a hard lesson about lying when he cried "Wolf!".
"At least coming here I can refresh myself. I feel fresh after taking deep breaths," she said, while wishing she had a chance to wear jeans for such a casual outing.
Ms Yingluck left the farm to prepare for her next port of call in Papau New Guinea where she will wrap up her South Pacific visit on Monday.