No hiding behind a fig leaf

Now, the government is busy smearing the head of its own committee set up to assess the accounts of the government’s highly criticised rice price-pledging programme – for Deputy Permanent Secretary for Finance Supa said the scheme was at risk of corruption every step of the way.

PM Yingluck knows Supa is highly competent, which is why she appointed him to head this key committee. Yingluck also knows he is in excellent company, including that of her own recent appointee for Bank of Thailand chairman, the highly respected macro-economist Virabongsa Ramangkura, who noted, “The country will be doomed if the government proceeds with the rice scheme. This government demonstrates stability. But if there’s anything to rock the stability, it’s this scheme.” Dr Virabongsa also noted that the scheme opens the door wide to corruption – which is precisely what Supa reported to the Senate. 

Instead of trying to smear the kid, PM Yingluck should cover up the emperor’s nakedness, for poll after poll has shown that everybody sees that His Imperial Majesty has not a fig leaf to his name.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok