PM under heavy fire for offering special treatment

[Chlp]

Seems that the latest PM's statement is drawing more fire than usual.

 

From today's Bangkok Post :

 

PM under heavy fire for offering special treatment

 

PRADIT RUANGDIT

 

Criticism has poured in after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said provinces which did not vote for his Thai Rak Thai party will be the last to receive help from the government. His comments came just hours after his party was crushed in by-elections on Sunday by the Mahachon party in Phichit and by the Chart Thai party in Uthai Thani. Thai Rak Thai won by a narrow margin in Sing Buri.

 

Mr Thaksin told a meeting of grassroots leaders that not all provinces could receive state assistance at the same time and provinces which supported Thai Rak Thai would receive special treatment.

 

''I'm not going to beat around the bush. The provinces which place their trust in us will be given special care,'' he said.

 

''Of course, we will look after the entire country. But time is not on our side and so the provinces which trust us less will come in later. They will get help, but it will be later in the queue.''

 

The remarks, made before Mr Thaksin chaired a mobile cabinet meeting in Nakhon Sawan, sparked outrage from critics and the public. Scathing messages were posted on many website forums in response to the comments. ''This country doesn't belong to the prime minister. Everyone pays taxes,'' one message read.

 

Other messages said Mr Thaksin's attitude aggravated the separatist unrest in the South.

 

''This is the root of the southern problem which has everything to do with people there not choosing Thai Rak Thai. Must there be peace first before [southern residents] are granted their share of government funds?''

 

Mr Thaksin also drew flak from the opposition and academics.

 

Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva slammed the remarks as unacceptable, saying people have the right to support any political party without undermining their entitlement to equal services, welfare and state support.

 

''The money to care for people comes from taxpayers, not Mr Thaksin's pockets. He must deal with national problems as they really are,'' Mr Abhisit said.

 

If Mr Thaksin's words reflect his true beliefs, it would be tantamount to using ''policy-oriented bribery and extortion'' to run the country, he said.

 

''This is something democratically-minded people will find hard to swallow,'' the Democrat leader said. He warned that such inconsiderate remarks would send the public the wrong message and ruin the sanctity of the prime minister's status.

 

Theerapat Serirangsan, of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said the prime minister's job was to ensure equal well-being for everyone and not to use state resources for his party's benefit. The political scientist said wearing too many hats may have confused Mr Thaksin. The prime minister leads Thai Rak Thai as well as the country, he said, and when he confuses the roles he is no longer fit to lead the government.