 |
Thaksin Dictionary
Also: The Thai Media
Project
Thaksin Shinawatra has been very successful in using
creative and attention-grabbing vocabulary to focus
public opinion. Thai humor most often consists of
word play or double meaning of words and Thaksin
has uses words to simplify issues and get his point
across in a humorous way.
Left: Cover of a dayweekly's
Thaksin Dictionary (a mini-book included with the
magazine) |
Asiper has summarized the following from "Thaksin Dictionary:
Thaksin Shinawatra version" (a
dayweekly, No. 23, October 22-28, 2004): All these
words come from the Thaksin government, so if people understand
the words, they will see through the society. However, note
that these words are humorous or focus on emotion--they
do not focus on academic or serious meaning. One example
of this is jone krajok.
Here are some more examples from each year:
1. Year 2001 - double standard, 30 baht can cure all diseases
2. Year 2002 - Kwai Center (Buffalo Center), OTOP,
Aua Arthon
3. Year 2003 - UN mai chai por (UN is not my father),
Thaksinomics, entertainment complex
4. Year 2004 - Kha prajum, Khajorn (regular, non
regular), NGO = stupid, kin khai per chat (Bird flu
event), jone krajok, kwai (buffalo)
Vocabulary in the Thaksin government
era year 2001
30 baht can cure all diseases
Populist policy of the government that wants people who
have low income to access a public health service equal
to high-income people.
Source: This is a TRT policy in the election campaign
before 2001. This become the popular phrase.
New Thinking, New Doing
TRT presents itself to be a new alternative by offering
to play a creative role in politics. After that this phrase
is distorted in ridicule to be "Old Thinking, Old
Doing, Easy Thinking, Easy Doing." This was because
TRT used the formula to mix the add to the party by drawing
old MPs from old parties and making good image and show
in the new way.
Source: This is a slogan of TRT that was coined when the
part was founded.
The academic at the back of library
This means the academic who is busy with textbook so he
sometimes does not know the fact that happen in real life
are different from his expertise.
Source: This phrase is a retort from PM Thaksin after
Thirayuth Boonmi, Professor of Thammasat University, demanded
Thaksin to stop using psychological pressure on the constitutional
court. Thirayuth said "Increase knowledge power to
buffalos more than a knight." This makes Thaksin
irritated and he came up with the "academic at the
back of library" phrase.
More Thaksin vocabulary coming soon.
Vocabulary
in the Thaksin government era year 2002
Eua Arthon
"Eua Arthon" means concern, worry, kindness,
and good intentions that a ruler gives to whom they govern
(rule). This is the suffix word used in the special issue
such as Ban (House) Eua Arthon, Taxi Eua Arthon , Air
Eua Arthon, etc.
Source: It started with the Ban (House) Eua Arthon project
which was the PM's idea at the end of year 2002 that wants
low income people to have their own houses.
Village Fund
This is one of the populists policy that gives 1 million
baht loan to villages to combat social and economic problems
in each village. The village fund policy is a strategy
to develop the grassroots level by focusing on investment
so the government strongly presses each village to accept
these loans without interest.
Source: This is Mr. Somkid Jatusripitak's proposal to
the Thaksin government in 2002 which has approved and
implemented.
Angel
This is one who has absolute power has a passion for power,
fits of anger, and display virtue and power by setting
the standards of economics and politics while thinking
he is the only one who is right and all those who disagree
with him will be countered.
After this word has been used continuously, reporters
used it in another way to mean privileged people that
have lots of money, power, or fame who do not care the
way they obtain positions such as high level government
officials, movie stars, singers, etc.
Source: The name that the parliament journalists gave
to the PM [a rich many who used his wealth to obtain power].
Spaghetti subdue person
This mean Pol. Capt. Purachai Piemsomboon who conduct
his duty to check the young ID card who likes to wear
spaghetti strap tops and travels at night.
Source: A name that journalists gave to Pol. Capt. Purachai
when he was the Interior Minister in 2002.
Vocabulary
in the Thaksin government era year 2003
"The UN is not my father"
The statement of the year for 2003 was made by PM Thaksin
Shinawatra who shocked people all around the country
by using this statement to answer reporters who asked
about the Human Rights Office of the UN. The office
was going to send officers to observe the implementation
of the Thai Anti-drug scheme. This happened because
Dr. Pradit Jaroenthaitawee, National Human Rights Committee,
took the human rights violation problem caused by the
war on drug to discuss at a UN conference.
Source: Thaksin said this when he was upset with reporters
who thronged to interview him about the killing the
'mass of drug dealers.' (in Thai
the special phrase for this is ka
tad ton meaning to kill
someone before they reveal your secrets or to silence
them. Mostly, it happens to gunmen or drug agents to
prevent them from telling policemen from whom they get
their orders from). This was a hot issue
in March 2003.
Thaksinomics
The theory of Thailand administration lead by PM Thaksin
Shinawatra focuses on developing and growing capitalism.
At the same time it emphasize the grassroots to access
capital. It claims to develop capital without socialism,
saying real capital cannot exist if income cannot be
distributed to all. So the government tried to make
capital available for people to access--not only for
a few people as it was in the past. Government administrative
by distributing money directly to the masses.
Source: Academics used this term to define the way Thaksin
administers the country.
Entertainment complex
Thaksin explained is that 'entertainment' is at the
center of recreational activities consisting of large
hotels, theaters, shops that sell OTOP... and legal
casinos.
The polite word for “casino” means a place
for gambling and Thaksin is confident that casinos would
boost tax collection and income for Thailand. In addition,
people would not go abroad to gamble. This is one idea
of Thaksin that has not been brought to reality because
people and academics resist it.
Source: Thaksin sounded out people on opening free casinos
in the name of “Entertainment Complex” on
November 28, 2003 on his radio program “PM Thaksin
talks to the people” by citing the core objectives
of opening free casinos as recreation.
Vocabulary
in the Thaksin government era year 2004
Khaprajum
These are 'regular critics' such as MPs, academics,
and NGOs who often and continuously object to the
government.
Source: This word was first used around New Year of
2004 when the PM was seriously criticized by many
parties.
Khajorn
These are 'occasional critics' such as MPs, academics,
and NGOs who only occasionally criticize the government
(opposite of khaprajum).
Source: This word is risen almost the same time of
kraprajum.
Jone krajok
Jone is the thief or robber. Krajok
means not important, little, humble so jone krajok
means a thief (bad guy) who steals or robs small things.
Jone krajok was used by Thaksin to describe
the people behind the unrest in the South. It was
to say they were merely thieves involved with drug
or smuggling and who were not connected with religions
motives.
Source: It is general use to explain the groups or
person who do the unrest in three southern provinces
such as Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.
Eat chicken for the nation
This was the designated name of the festival “The
Fair for Eating Thai Chicken which is 100% safe”
at Sanam Luang in February 2004. The fair was held
after the government declared that it was able to
stop the bird flu epidemic. To convince to people,
the PM showed how to cook Kai Pad Prik Krapro
by himself and gave to people to eat.
Source: This word appeared in the mass media since
the mobile cabinet meeting at Kanjanaburi where all
menus had chicken included and ministers started saying
“Eat chicken for the nation.”
Nok
kamin bird tour
This is the traveling program to
visit, survey, and check public favor by having the
PM stay overnight at various places such as temples,
people’s houses or with the military, etc. Money
is distributed also.
Source: This word is occurred when the PM traveled
to visit people in the area from April 18-28 by car.
Nok kamin in Thai
is the name of a bird that sleeps in various places
instead of having a nest. For example if it flies
to Yala and arrives there at night so it will sleep
there and if tomorrow it flies to Pattani, it will
sleep in Pattani. This is the same as Thaksin going
to visit villages--if he is there in the evening,
he will sleep there and not come back to sleep in
the hotel.
See through
This word describes seeing thorough the hidden ideas
of the country's leaders including the cabinet, politicians
and government officials.
Source: This word has been around a long time, but
midway thought of 2004 when kraprajum and khajorn
people came out to expose Thaksin’s ideas, a
book was published called “Seeing through Thaksin.”
This idea was carried over to the “Seeing through
Thaksin group" made up of Thai Rak Thai critics.
|
