How the Foreign Ministry handles things delicately

Published on February 11, 2008

The gossip had former pop singer Arisman Pongruangrong, who's now a politician in his own right, being named as the minister's secretary.

"So what?" was the basic reaction among the reporters covering the ministry, but apparently the staid guardians of foreign policy were a little miffed at the possibility they'd be taking orders from a singer.

Arisman had a major hit in the 1980s called "Jai Mai Daan Por", which translates into something like "My heart is not strong enough".

Noppadon arrived on the job with Arisman clinging to one arm, and the pop star pitched right in to help, giving a senior official some advice on controlling the news media's question sessions.

"You should allow one reporter at a time to ask a question," Arisman allegedly said. "Just point at the next person."

The ministry officials wanted to know if this was the new broom in the baan, but being of the diplomatic persuasion they couldn't exactly come right out and ask anyone.

Fortunately journalism schools don't teach diplomacy, so within hours a nosy reporter was pulling on Noppadon's sleeve: "Mr Minister, is it true that Khun Arisman will be your adviser and secretary?"

Noppadon got his sleeve loose and explained that Arisman had just dropped by to help that morning and would not be working there. In fact, he'd been assigned to another ministry.

Foreign Ministry headquarters visibly sagged as the staff let out a collective sigh of relief.

Next question: Which ministry gets Arisman?

Washington can still understand us

American Ambassador Ralph Boyce has completed his assignment in Thailand and left us, taking his much-appreciated fluent command of the language with him. But the embassy won't be falling silent.

Boyce's successor, Eric John, and the embassy's Economic Affairs Counsellor Robert Griffiths both speak Thai quite well. Griffiths, in fact, spent many years in Thailand in his younger days as a religious teacher.

He and Ambassador John are able to khao jai just about everything, so no snide remarks behind their backs.

A movie that takes emotions to new heights

Thanit Jitnukul, who directed the stirring new film "Rak Siam Tao Fah" ("First Flight"), gets a special kick out of one line in the movie: "We might not be as tall as the Westerners, but we can fly as high as they do."

That moment and others in the film, we've heard, invariably have him in tears while he's watching.

It took Thanit many years to get this picture made. He long ago dreamed of making a movie about the man who introduced aviation to Siam, way back when everyone was still riding around on water buffalo.

We're certainly glad he never forgot about it.

The scariest thing in Thailand

After receiving a considerable amount of praise from local viewers, the horror flick "Body" - Paween Purijitpanya's directorial debut for GTH - has also gone boffo and the box office in Singapore and Japan.

Japan and South Korea have always had a stranglehold on the Asian market for scary movies, but "Body" could be signalling a power shift. Maybe it's time that Thailand shows it can frighten folks just as well as anyone.

We'll be chewing our fingernails as "Body" opens in theatres in Taiwan, Malaysia and, yes, South Korea too.

We're generous in correcting others

The Nation never lies and is always right, which is why you can trust us all the time, but the Bangkok Post doesn't have God on its side, so it occasionally makes all-too-human mistakes.

It's been brought to our attention by the organiser of the just-ended Emporium International Fashion Showcase that there was a slip-up in the Post's review, and he asked us to set the record straight, as gently, you know, as possible.

Now, we're not saying the Post's fashion reporter was deep-diving in the champagne or anything, but in the finale, the model on the catwalk in the red gown wasn't Namthip Jongratchatawiboon. So the big round of applause she received wasn't because she's one of the stars of "Songkhram Nang Fah", the high-flying soap opera that's sunk to fresh lows.

That was high-profile model-turned-businesswoman Varaluck "Joy" Vanichkul in the red gown. The cheers were just because she looked so darned good.

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veen@nationgroup.com

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