Aseanmania

Not only do we have the probably most talkative prime minister on Earth – there’s no major newspaper and network left Abhisit Vejjajiva didn’t give an interview to yet. Abhisit talks and talks to all of them and you must wonder if he has any time left for work.

And you come to think of CNN’s Wolf Blitzer during the recent U.S. presidential election when Blitzer was talking day and night! What were they feeding Blitzer. Abhisit talkativeness again feeds on his strong convictions and respectable manners.

He looks good and his British accent is nice and his views about anything are reasonable, if not pleasant. Abhisit puts on a great show – a show that culminates with Thailand’s hosting of the 14th Asean summit in sleepy Hua Hin custom-tailored for Abhisit: Hua Hin got transformed into a little Disneyland to impress the foreign guests.

Thailand has lost too much face already and the prime minister’s offices in Bangkok were beleaguered again, even though by a much more friendly bunch than than the yellow shirts who would have done about anything to get their way. Red has become a friendly yellow while no stone remains unturned to beautify Hua Hin.

I’d still be taking pictures out there if I’d had to document all the superficial beautifications. For a starter there’s a new, darker road pavement from about the airport to the Dusit and the Sheraton hotels where most of the action takes place. The new pavement with bright white lines shall look cleaner, but is bumpy ride as hell.

If the VVVIPs would just pass the Sheraton or right after the airport, they’d enjoy the nice fine old road. Now they’ll think: jolty roads in this kingdom! At least thousands upon thousands of new flowers and plants were added along Petchkasem main road and even the airport’s tunnel got freshly painted.

Brigades of workers were cleaning up trash alongside Petchkasem all the way up to Petchaburi. Even garbage cans are added along the road, fresh paint can be seen everywhere and big huge billboards assure how happy and honored Thailand is to host the event – a scaled down event though without the leaders of Asean+3 China, Japan and South Korea and Asean’s dialog partners attending.

You’d think though all the presidents and prime ministers of the West would arrive, judging from the security detail and how the authorities hurriedly tried to transform Hua Hin. It’s a transformation though that will go as quickly as it came while the people of Hua Hin are scratching their heads how all the fuzz and big shots in town will benefit them.

First and foremost it’s a big show. Not so much for the benefit of Thailand it seems. But for our dear host known to have a soft spot for being a – discreet – showman.




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February 24, 2009 | Filed Under Politics, Society, Travel & Tourism 

Comments

10 Responses to “Aseanmania”

  1. stefan on February 25th, 2009 6.07 pm

    By “fuzz” do you mean police?

  2. BangkokDan on February 25th, 2009 6.30 pm

    Meaning stefan the summit is basically a non-event with the absence of the big three China, Japan and South Korea.

    Much ado about nothing.

    BangkokDan

  3. stefan on February 26th, 2009 12.49 am

    Bangkok Post comments cancelled. All those bored non-entities cannot even read comment abuse from us single-celled complainers on the BKK Post’s comments. They have all been deleted and shut down for Asean Summit.

  4. Jaded on February 26th, 2009 11.50 am

    That’s so annoying. My pithy musings on the importance of appointing a commerce minister with experience of one of Thailand’s core competences is gone. My suggestion that the 2,000 baht stimulus payment would be just enough to finance a visit to her family business will have to be promoted some other way …

  5. ThaiCrisis on February 27th, 2009 2.41 am

    Potemkin Village.
    ;-)

  6. ThaiCrisis on February 27th, 2009 2.43 am

    I agree with Jaded: me too I feel stimulated. I should give back my stimulation to the commerce minister’s family business.

    I won’t receive the 2,000 THB check from Abhisit. But I’m willing to spend the same amount.

    It would be fair.

    For Thailand! For Abhisit. Amen.

  7. stefan on February 27th, 2009 3.59 am

    Thai Crisis, isn’t that a lay-man’s definition of “entropy” that you are promoting?

  8. BangkokDan on February 27th, 2009 12.43 pm

    Not that I’m a specialist, but a meager 2,000 baht won’t bring much stimulation at the commerce ministress’ family enterprise.

    Or maybe they offer an Aseanitis special.

    BangkokDan

  9. chang dek on February 28th, 2009 2.22 pm

    I suppose this one could come to be remembered as the Asinine Summit. I’m just glad Bangkok was spared the face lift.

  10. Flug Thailand on March 24th, 2009 9.13 pm

    Yeah, a big show, like most of those events in my eyes. But it seems the town benefits from it. Brigades of workers cleaning and repairing is not a bad thing, regardless the reasons. I’m always happy when we have an event in our town. There are always good changes staying after the media is gone. Like we still have the flowers between our streets they planted 10 years ago for a big national gardening show.

    (Just a warner, no spamming please – BD)

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