We have seen quite a few customers smashing their cars or painting their houses black so companies, governments and the public understand that they're really angry. But when mob psychology fires up an emotionally charged group of angry people a bad situation can rapidly get worse, as reason and rationale flee the scene.

High in the thinking of corporate bosses is the tarnishing of the company's image by acts of emotion outside the front door, especially when people claim to have been unfairly treated, and it often falls upon public relations staff to keep a lid on the situation.

Yesterday, a protest occurred in front of Ayudhya Allianz CP Life's (AACP) office in the centre of Bangkok. Five former policyholders of AACP, together with representatives of the Foundation for Consumers, gathered to demand compensation for having been cheated by an insurance agent. The group represented 15 former policyholders of AACP, who were cheated by Jidapa Kitisin, a former sales representative of the company, who is now serving a jail term for embezzlement.

The protesters wanted AACP to accept responsibility and pay Bt47 million in compensation.

They demanded that AACP executives come down to meet them in front of the building.

Both the company's executives and its PR staff were taken by surprise. The protesters had informed the media in advance, but not a word of warning had been sent to AACP.

The PR officials, afraid that the scene could turn ugly and develop into a minor riot, insisted that they could not yield to the demand to meet on the street.

Finally, public relations representatives appeared in front of the building and assured the protesters gently that the issue could be sorted out. They invited the protesters to go upstairs to talk with the company executives in a closed-door meeting.

The situation was contained, leaving a group of reporters pondering how they should score the performance of AACP's public relations staff. One scribe echoed the thoughts of the others: "I would give them an 'A' for managing to convince the protesters to negotiate in a room upstairs, instead of making a scene down here."

The happy ending surely shows that every issue can be sorted out by negotiation.

Piyarat@nationgroup.com