Govt must think before handing out posts

This might be because positions under this government are not handed out according to merit, but more as rewards from former PM Thaksin Shinawatra or as a quota apportioned to each coalition partner.
Obviously, no experience is necessary for any government position, including that of government spokesperson and the deputies. However, the biggest problem with handing out jobs like these is there is a clear lack of unity in the teams. Take the government spokesperson’s team for instance. Two deputies, who are both from the ruling Pheu Thai Party, decided not to take orders from their direct boss, but instead chose to only listen to their mentors.
This insubordination was most apparent in Anusorn Iamsa-ard, who preferred to listen to red-shirt leaders like Jatuporn Promphan and Natthawut Saikua, before doing anything as deputy government spokesperson.
This might have been one of the reasons why his boss, Thitima Chaisaeng, stepped down from her post as government spokesperson. Since Anusorn formerly worked as a DJ at a red-shirt radio station, and had a large following, he thought he deserved to take over after Thitima. This expectation rose even further after Thitima was made deputy secretary to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and Anusorn had to fill in as acting government spokesperson.
While the search for Thitima’s successor was on, the premier ended up “failing” to communicate with her people. That’s when the powers that be decided to appoint Suranand Vejjajiva as her personal secretary.
During the four months as acting government spokesperson, Anusorn’s hopes to succeed Thitima were quashed because people could see that he was focusing more on his political aspirations instead of publicising the government’s achievements. The other thing that worked against him was his “colourful” speaking style, which appeared no different from a rabblerouser on a red-shirt stage or a DJ on red-shirt radio.
“The prime minister was not really happy about Anusorn’s work as a caretaker government spokesperson. On numerous occasions, complaints were made about how he did not provide information to the media, and Yingluck also became aware of the problems Anusorn was causing for the other spokespersons. However, she could not remove him because he represented the red shirts and getting rid of him would cause serious problems for the premier,” a source close to Yingluck said.
This is when the prime minister decided to seek advice from her team, especially Suranand.
Professionals were brought in and they opened channels of communication between Yingluck and the public. Former television personality Sansanee Nakphong, who was also one of the 111 politicians whose five-year ban was recently lifted and had previously worked as a deputy government spokesperson, was brought on board and Anusorn was kept where he was – much to his discontent.
Sansanee said of her new job: “It didn't take much time for me to decide to take up the position because the prime minister needs help and I will assist with what the government is doing. I will work as a loudspeaker for the government, fostering positive thoughts and keeping the public informed about the government’s achievements.”
Yet the problem of a certain deputy spokesperson remains.
“In the past, there was a lot of back-stabbing. It was a chronic problem in the government spokesperson team, and as long as this deputy continues, things will remain the same,” a Pheu Thai source said.
Meanwhile, Pakdeeharm Himathongkham, the other deputy spokesperson who is also from the Pheu Thai Party, has decided to give Sansanee full backing, saying that she is capable of fighting all battles – be they outside the government or within their small team.
The third deputy government spokesperson – Chalitrat Chantrubaekkha from Chart Pattana Party – has decided to stay out of this tug of war.