Charupong's comments upset PM

COMMENTARY

Published: 4 Feb 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

'Silence is golden". So goes the timeless old adage. Unfortunately though, Charupong Ruangsuwan, the interior minister and de jure Pheu Thai Party leader, appeared to have forgotten this bit of wisdom when he recently talked to The New York Times correspondent in Bangkok, Thomas Fuller, for an article about Thai politics and the role of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the government of his sister, Ms Yingluck.

Whether it was just a slip of the tongue or just pure innocence, Mr Charupong said something he should not have said in the first place, especially to a foreign journalist.

The following is one of Mr Charupong's quotes as it appeared in The New York Times article dated Jan 29 under the headline "In Thailand, Power Comes With Help From Skype":

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deville
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Discussion 47 : 11 Feb 2013 at 08.2247
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Image and face uber alles. Happy Spring Festival! Let the children play...
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soltair
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Discussion 46 : 07 Feb 2013 at 19.4346
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DONHUAN #45, What you pretend to practice is called the pot and kettle syndrome. mrsdonesh may also say what she wants to say whatever it is.
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DONHUAN
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Discussion 45 : 06 Feb 2013 at 12.1545
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Mrs. Donesh, disc 44, remained cool / calm. All diverse views are welcome, even those that don’t share our point of views; we only share the substance of our opinions but no personal attacks, please. I won’t want to be in this post if “Only the smart people thinks alike and only those fools sudden differs.” Take all comments based on their face value and personal honor to express their point of views.
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mrsdonesh
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Discussion 44 : 06 Feb 2013 at 08.2944
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People, Boontang is a spin doctor, possibly even paid to do such to push the PT view. Ignore any comments and your life will be so much easy.
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DONHUAN
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Discussion 43 : 06 Feb 2013 at 01.2143
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First, it was the foreign article on prostitution in Thailand and now this ‘Skype instructed’ government; so what’s next: Thailand’s underground casinos or the growing third gender? The basic truth is that most Thais themselves don’t really mind because these ‘inconvenient’ truths are part of their daily lives which they have to endure; strange that this government should take a puritanical stand to such foreign reports. If the majority of the Thais people find corruption as an acceptable means to climb up the ‘food chain’, there is nothing any individuals / entities can do/say that will surprise them anymore; that’s reali
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brilliant
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Discussion 42 : 05 Feb 2013 at 03.5342
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genii - "Why does this article seem to be so biased?"

Why do reds think that the truth is biased?
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soltair
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Discussion 41 : 04 Feb 2013 at 23.4541
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I can't understand that there is no legal basis to impeach this whole PT government for giving the power invested in them to a criminal fugitive who is proven to run this government from afar. Asking the transcript from the NY Times from the interview with Charupong Ruangsuwan, the interior minister should be sufficient proof. Can someone with the correct legal background not enlighten the opposition how to go about? Just make a start and it will unfold by itself. Make the first step is all it needs. Talking about democracy, this farce is the biggest crime against democracy if there is one.
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genii
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Discussion 40 : 04 Feb 2013 at 20.1040
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Why does this article seem to be so biased?
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jacksprat
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Discussion 39 : 04 Feb 2013 at 18.5139
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"It is time for the Southerners to switch camp." Thaksin when PM did so much for the South to make it more peaceful and prosperous.
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englishbob
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Discussion 38 : 04 Feb 2013 at 17.2638
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Well, I think that's evidence enough to take action against Peua Thai.

Thaksin was banned for five years. He continued to blatantly work in politics during those five years. And since being elected, Peua Thai have demonstrated a conflict of interest in all areas... Whenever there was a choice between helping Thailand or helping Thaksin, they chose to help Thaksin.

Unless Peua Thai can cut the apron strings and start governing CLEANLY for the good of the ENTIRE country, they will continue to earn their reputations as puppets, yes-men and clones.
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Charupong's comments upset PM | Bangkok Post: opinion