• Yoon
  • ranking : Nation Staff
  • email : yoon@nationgroup.com
  • created : 2007-06-13
  • entry : 351
  • visitors : 148574
  • votes : 105
  • send msg :
Thai Talk
Analysis and comments on political and current affairs
Permalink : http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/ThaiTalk
Sunday , July 20 , 2008
Samak launches "Talk Back" on Channel 11 to counter ASTV
Posted by Yoon , Reader : 815 , 12:31:51  
Print

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej says the 2007 constitution contains provisions that were nothing but a "trap" to snare his government. Now, he is falling into another trap by declaring that beginning tomorrow  (Monday, July 21), he will have his team of spokesmen launch an hour-long programme on Channel 11 Monday to  Friday to counter the anti-government ASTV channel.

The "an-eye-for-an-eye" war on the air will intensify the current confrontation between the government and the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). The divisiveness will grow and Samak will get himself into a new dilemma from which he can't get out easily.

In his weekly television show this morning, Samak continued to hit out at the National Election Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the judicial process in general.

The war of words will get worse before it gets better. 

Read comment

comment 17
Plaadip date : 22/07/2008 time : 10.40

Hi Mamasan

Please accept my late appology about my fitfull response to you comment. I tought you were about to cross a line, wchih turned out to be my imaginary fear. I am sorry about the misunderstanding.

About your version of "The New Politics", I think you are bold enough to accept the idea probably because it is actually not a new idea except that the period you suggested is a little longer than the norm of Thai politics after 1988. I still want to set my hope on the restructuring of party politics after the verdict of Thaksin's case. The people will be same old politicians, but might be with better behavior, more accountable in a new power ballance. Maybe I'm too naive but I want to see first what's going to happen.

Plaadip
comment 16
Piset date : 21/07/2008 time : 16.53
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Oooops!

I am sorry!

I didn't really meant to tip off Samak about his silly plan to talk back on air on national broadcasting, thus, broadens the awareness of his government's questionable conducts.

He got off the hook already, too bad.
comment 15
wch date : 21/07/2008 time : 11.00

If the abbot dislike the temple, it is he who shall leave the temple.

Even the temple dogs observe the temple rules.
comment 14
MamaSan date : 21/07/2008 time : 10.21
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mamasan

Hello Khun Plaadip-San,

Please do not feel offended or get mad. We all have good intentions here. Sometimes we say things half jokingly to spice up life a little, but there is meaning in our words. Remember the saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

In my humble opinion, no one among all the political parties right now is truly qualified to be PM. What I mean by that is no one that I can think of has the leadership ability and the charisma to ensure that a clean, honest and hard-working government can be formed to tackle the many problems facing the country today.

We should blame this situation to the political system that exists in the country today. The way political parties are organized and financed today and the existing civil service practices force politicians and government servants to be corrupt. Politics and government service have become magnets for the crooked and cunning individuals who see having a position in government as a ticket to accumulate vast wealth through illegal means. There are many well-educated, good and hard-working individuals in the private sector who will not touch politics with a 10-foot pole.

In order to start tackling the corruption problem in the country one should really take a good look at the civil service commission and truly reform the system. One should look at the political system and stop the proliferation of multiple small political parties who really have no objectives other than to become parasites of bigger parties once elections are conducted. In a relatively small country like Thailand, two to three major political parties with clear intentions, objectives and mottos should be the maximum allowable.

We are not talking about stifling democracy here. We are talking about being realistic and pragmatic. Financing of these political parties should not come from a few wealthy individuals but instead should come from open and transparent private and/or public donations with no strings attached, and/or reasonable budget allocations by the government itself.

To ensure thae corruption is suppressed at all levels, look to Hong Kong and Singapore for role models. Both of these "city states," if you can call them that, have also gone through periods of rampant corruptions in the civil service under britis rule, but they have overcome those difficult periods and are now the teo most open and least corrupt territories in Asia today. Thais must swallow their pride and start emulating the good practices that others have evolved. There is no need and no time to re-invent the wheel

While the country is going through these transitions, what it needs is a good and honest provisional government set up by a non-elected, professional, well-recognized individual known for his experience, honestly, integrity, and good judgements who must be vetted and royally appointed to a term of no less than 4 to 6 years. He must be given a free hand to form a government comprising of people like him who are professional, well-experienced. honest and hard working and who are determined to get things done quickly, completely. on-time and within budgets that are not bloated with bribes and corruption.

They must have the will and power to instill honesty at all levels of the civil service. The law must be on their side to effectively punish any individuals, regardless of background and family ties, if they are found to be dishonest and corrupt, both in the public and private sectors. And most importantly, government servants must be rewarded with attractive remuneration packages commensurate with their responsibility and perfromance that will deter them from even thinking of being corrupt.

All of these ideas may seem like pipe dream today. But if the powers that be truly love this country and want it to change for the better, they better wake up now and do something about it. I am not joking here. Thailand today is regressing while most of its neighbors are progressing fast and furious. This country is being left behind and may soon "turn to dust" if it does not do something to save itself from disintegrating into pieces. Somebody said in this blog "One must be BLIND not to see the truth." How true it is when applied in this context.


Mama San
Bangkok
July 21, 2008
comment 13
Ian date : 21/07/2008 time : 03.36
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/anterian36

No problem Plaadit:-)
comment 12
Plaadip date : 21/07/2008 time : 00.07

Not to Mr. Iran. To Mr.Ian. Belive me, this is not intentional one. See you.
comment 11
Plaadip date : 21/07/2008 time : 00.01

Mr. Iran I feel happy to here you share the same feeling as me thoguh I am not as old as you. Probably I misunderstood what you wrote. But if you know what Thai people are waiting for in a chaotic situation, you sould be more careful in your wording. That's why I wrote that at minimum it could cause some misunderstanding. Anyway, I would apologize it if I misunderstood your intention. I don't want to discuss this anymore, if you would accept it.
comment 10
Ian date : 20/07/2008 time : 23.15
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/anterian36

Plaadip, I am at a loss, are you complaining about me or Mamasan? Who said what on the 17th of July? What is an OC.

Mamasan, whilst I agree with your general drift, as I have written elsewhere any truly able person in Thailand would not touch politics with a barge pole, even prostitution has a better standing in Thai society. How do you make politics rspectable?
As to HM I feel he is in a cleft stick, if you have a family of squabbling children what do you do? Plus I think he has his own concerns, health being a major one. I am in the same age bracket I can empathise.
comment 9
Plaadip date : 20/07/2008 time : 22.24

Your answer to Mr.Ian is enough subtle but I cannot accept his comment on 17 July, which may be part of his questions that you answered to.At minimum hiis comment could cause some misunderstanding. I don't want to be a OC but I would like to make a discussion within the bounds of decency in this country. For me, his satire to the subject is not funny at all.
comment 8
MamaSan date : 20/07/2008 time : 21.59
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mamasan

Plaadip-San,

I beg your pardon, did I say something that offends you or anyone else? I hope not.


Mama San
Bangkok
July 20, 2008
comment 7
Plaadip date : 20/07/2008 time : 21.42

Mamasan Yeah I think it' better for you stop posting here.
comment 6
MamaSan date : 20/07/2008 time : 21.30
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mamasan

Hello Ian-San,

I saw your remarks on the "caning" description. I have done some more investigation and realize that my second-hand information may be outdated and not accurate. However, I do not think I want to go back to kid's blog since Felix has basically killed it with his BS nonsense about legalizing drugs. I shall be publishing a new blog on the subject soon. Thanks for your remarks.

As for who is more capable and able than Samak, don't look to me for an answer. Thailand has a lot of knowlegeable and very capable people who can take that job and do very well. I personally know quite a few myself, but it is not up to me to say who.

It's a matter of how desperate the country is and how much they are willing to offer to attract the right person and the right team of people to get things turned around and headed in the right direction.

Look at it this way, if the PM's job pays less than what my young daughter make in 6 months, then the country will only be able to attract a person half as capable as she is. It is as simple as that. How to get the country's civil service reformed is a different story.

Right now I believe the only person who could do something about the situation is you know who. He sits on the BIG CHAIR and rubber stamps everyhting passed to him by the "council of wise men," but does not want to take any positive action or cannot take action because of existing laws that limit his powers.

Unfortunately, he needs to do that if he would like to see our country remain in one piece and not disintegrate into pieces. These are extra-ordinary times requiring extra-ordinary actions on the part of the powers that be. He will surely know who among his people are best suited for the difficult tasks ahead. There is no need for me to make suggestions, since I am just a simple-minded commoner with no special education or qualifications, but please ask him not to include ex-Gen "Do Nothing" Surayud in the short list!




Mama San
Bangkok
July 20, 2008
comment 5
Piset date : 20/07/2008 time : 21.00
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

I like the way Yoon put up his picture, it look like the way this man should have been or would soon be, that is, a dead man.

Oh, just skip that first part. I don't want Ian to come storming in and screaming, "I know you hate him!" again.

This "Hit Back" TV program carries with it some rather interesting meanings and implications.

1) It means Samak's govrnment after having used dozen of other methods, such as, legal arms, local administration's interferences, signal interferences, mobs, etc. all have proven ineffective. Or, perhaps, at least, all haven't gotten the assuring result that Samak and his serf-boss wanted, that is, preventing the PAD's messages from getting to the power bases of TRT/PPP strongholds in the rural north and northeast. Setting up this NBT program is an admission of their failure.

2) If PAD's supports were only hundreds or thousands of the paid "stand-ins" to bolster its impression of being a popular movement, then, Samak as a prime minister of the land with accesses to all media shouldn't have any need to worry about PAD at all. The intended daily "talk back" TV program by Samak will probably served to further institutionalize PAD's movement and its ASTV network. At least, the daily mentioning of PAD by NBT will certainly inform many of the otherwise innocent and uninformed masses that, there were some diverge views. Especially when NBt program is used to counter PAD's accusations, the government itself will be making its own flaws that it would have liked to cover up become known to all, nationwide.

Actually, as a supporter of PAD and a peson disapproving what TRT/PPP or Samak have been doing, I should just shut up, rather than making them aware of this self incriminating act that Samak is getting into.

3) It means Samak and his government, despite the presentation of information and evidences of their wrong doing has no intention to correct they wrong doing or intended wrong doing, rather, is trying with its last ditch efforts to fight it or the counter the accusations with counter attacks rather than prove of innocent or correction from wrong doing.
comment 4
Plaadip date : 20/07/2008 time : 20.45

It's better to change the damaged one, even if the new one is not capable enough.
comment 3
Ian date : 20/07/2008 time : 20.27
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/anterian36

Mamasan, I agree but where are these, "more capable and more qualified people "?
Sometimes governments do feel the need to consult the people for either advice or to seek their wishes, it is called a referendum.
I see Thailand as currently in a stalemate, a no win situation.
Mamasan, I have asked you this several times now, I am still waiting for your answer, I will repeat it.
Who in Thailand has the ability, and enough public support, to form an effective, viable government?
comment 2
MamaSan date : 20/07/2008 time : 17.43
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mamasan

Samak said today that he faces many problems and would like to "consult" the "prachachon" (Thai people) on how to solve them.

Quite frankly, and even a blind person can "see" it with 20/20 vision, if he cannot "solve" the many problems confronting the nation as P.M. and had to consult with the people, IS HE QUALIFIED to be PM? If he has so much problems HE SHOULD RESIGN and let other, more capable and more qualified people take the helm. It is as simple as that.

Someone in this Weblog said "One must be BLIND not to see the truth." Somehow I have a funny feeling that she was referring to Samak!


Mama San
Bangkok
July 20, 2008
comment 1
sven date : 20/07/2008 time : 13.45
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/sven

Makes me wonder if this kind of government TV is supported by the constitution.
Comment

  "If you are not member, please register to comment.
It take only a few steps."

  |  
name :  
email :  
website :  
comment :  
   
   

back top

<< July 2008 >>
s m t w t f s
    1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31