Very demure
Re: "PM inspects flood-hit Mae Sai", (BP, Sept 14).
What! No Burberry wellies, Prime Minister?
Laundry list for PM
Khun Kavi is a true patriot, I must admit, and I would like to thank him for his concern and sincere advice for Madam Pae on how to avoid embarrassment in the world arena since she is a "rookie" prime minister who can't be accompanied by her father at all times.
Khun Kavi is rightly concerned about her depth of knowledge on geopolitics, global protectionism, trade barriers, and climate issues, in addition to burning issues on the Rohingya and regional security.
There are millions of micro issues that will be brought up in Vientiane next month, not to mention the difficult questions that will be thrown by international journalists to Madam Pae to test the water.
My suggestion to Madam Pae is to be confident while facing the leaders and journalists and NGOs.
I agree with Khun Kavi on the need to get help from interpreters. However, I would also suggest enlisting a seasoned senior career diplomat as an interpreter.
At the same time, she can follow all other world leaders whose mother tongues are not English, such as Xi Jinping of China, Emmanuel Macron of France or Giorgia Meloni of Italy.
They all give speeches and even converse with their counterparts in their mother tongues. Thai language is very sweet and poetic -- this is the opportunity for her to spread Thainess. The world will love it.
She should hire experienced technocrats who worked in foreign service to give her private lessons on world issues. They must prepare a list of top issues and give her lessons on everyday basis before she leaves for Laos.
She should be invited by mainstream media to face questions on geopolitics and economic issues. She still has time to improve her public debate skills.
Crucially, she should be well prepared to face questions on China's role in the South China Sea.
She should be ready to answer questions on the possible danger on Thai soil related to international terrorism, especially after the release of pro al-Qaeda activists by Bangladesh's caretaker PM Muhammad Yunus. She must be prepared to answer questions such as what steps she would take to stop terrorists and hardcore criminals from coming to Thai soil.
Rohingya migrants keep on entering Thailand illegally with the help of human traffickers with local logistical support in the border areas from two fronts, one from Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh and from inside Myanmar.
She must be able to explain what the government has done and will do to help Thais held hostage by Hamas since Oct 7 last year.
She should be taught the difference between Hamas terrorists and mainstream Palestinians.
Due to the embarrassing decline in the quality of the education system, PM Paetongtarn must have a plan to bring Thailand from the bottom ranks within Asean to the top 3.
She will face a number of questions asking her about her father. One question she will face is the drama orchestrated by her father, which saw him brought essentially from the airport straight to the hospital to avoid prison.
The list is too long to learn in such a short time. Khun Kavi and Thais are reasonably worried about the possible embarrassment in Laos.
What about hiring her own father as an interpreter in Vientiane to avoid embarrassing situation for Thailand? Food for thought to be taken seriously?