Being nice, just to get back to U-tapao

I am never disappointed in the rush of the members of the Thaksin sycophancy society to come to his defence, or that of the family tribe, and Robin Grant does not fail to perform to cue. The present prime minister has been shown to be totally incapable of discharging her job, as the only qualification she seems to have for it is the family name.

Her lamentable performance since has quite rightly attracted a barrage of criticism. And, Mr Grant, that is what happens in a free society with a free press. If someone fails to perform to an acceptable level in public office, they get criticised. Public office is not like being parachuted into a family company where no one dares mutter any comment on perceived shortcomings.

The trials of public office were rather succinctly put into perspective by Harry Truman when he said, “If you don’t like the heat, get out of the kitchen” and latterly when he had a sign on his desk saying, “The buck stops here”. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra would do well to heed these two wise sayings.

The other amusing part of Thaksin’s most loyal supporters’ epistles is the use of half-truths and exaggeration, as with Mr Grant’s statement, “Fortunately, a host of international political leaders, who pointedly ignored the previous government have been beating a path to her door.” I’ve not witnessed this supposed stampede and am not sure what constitutes a host. The dictionary definition is “a vast multitude”.

But if Mr Grant is alluding to ones that matter (America), he has conveniently forgotten Secretary of State Clinton’s visit to PM Abhisit Vejjajiva on July 21, 2009. So she is just on the diplomatic milk round. And as for the invite to the White House, that is for Uncle Sam’s benefit as it wants to get back into the U-tapao base to increase its presence in the region.

John Patterson

Bangkok