Whenever reporters meet ministers, they tend to ask them for an exact timeline to make sure they get reasonable answers.

Any promise which could involve more than one year invites a sceptical response. Such is their style of covering stories, reporters give the ministers little leeway and bombard them with difficult questions.

Remember when Krirk-krai Jirapaet came to the Commerce Ministry for the first time as minister? He was late for a dental appointment because he had to answer questions about his policy on the Insurance Department.

Now reporters are focused on a new issue. Krirk-krai has been pressed with questions over the ministry's plans for the retail industry, which is unfinished business since the previous government under Thaksin Shinawatra. The ministry has decided to solve the problems by assigning officials to study the issue, with a deadline of 60 days before coming up with a solution which the ministry promises will sort things out once and for all.

But the reporters seem to be impatient. Yesterday, they again asked Krirk-krai the same question. He repeated that the decision was pending the outcome of the study, which should be released soon. But that didn't satisfy them.

Krirk-krai, known to be an ear-basher since his days as the country's top trade negotiator, hit back. "You just have to be patient," he said. Then came the punch-line: "During the previous government you could wait for five years. I have only asked you to wait for 60 days."

Petchanet@yahoo.com