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New 3-finger salute
In the face of concerns over the three-finger salute – a symbol of resistance in Thailand inspired by the Hunger Games movies – Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya has created a new three-finger salute in response to a new three-pronged economic initiative.
At a press conference, he reaffirmed that the government would only amend the Foreign Business Act based on three principles: investment promotion, the simplification of procedures for business operations, and the facilitating of trade and investment.
The general then posed before the cameras with two fingers together on one hand a finger raised on the other.
Smiling, he said this three-finger salute would not create trouble.
Ex-MP’s making friends
Since the coup in May, it is safe to say that few policy makers from the Yingluck era are living happily. Who could be when even the former prime minister herself is facing impeachment hearings even though she’s no longer in office.
But one MP from the previous government certainly appears to be happy. Ex-transport minister Chadchart Sittipunt’s Facebook page is still active with lots of fans. A post showing him riding a bicycle received over 25,000 likes and was shared by over 600 people.
People always comment on his posts, which are devoted to running and bicycling. He promoted Samitivej Hospital's charity run last weekend.
Meeting a group of reporters recently, he said he could now meet his son for lunch nearly everyday. He also has time to please his son.
That includes going to the movies together, although he explained that one outing didn’t go according to plan. Instead of his son and 10 of his son’s friends showing up, there were 30 friends. And guess who had to pick up the bill?
The ex-minister was known to be among the darker-skinned members of the Yingluck government but now appears to have a whiter face.
Reporters assumed that is the case because he no longer has to make field trips to check on roads or other projects under the sun.
“I’m using SK I supplied by my wife,” he joked in reference to the skin-whitening cream. “There are bottles of them. It’s so good that everybody obviously sees the positive result.”
Perhaps, he is dreaming of becoming the first male presenter of the cosmetic brand in Thailand.
Contributed by Petchanet Pratruangkrai and Achara Deboonme.
