PM's tantrums make him unfit to serve

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej enjoys cursing the media following him, especially in market places. After all, it is in these places that he has excelled in finding political support and staging political shows. Samak loves to identify himself as "prime minister" or "nayok" to remind the public that he is indeed the leader of this country. His obsession with his status and the future uncertainty associated with it causes emotional outbursts against the press corps trailing him. One should note that whenever his People Power Party suffers internal conflict, he quarrels with the media to divert attention away from the party's squabbling.

Samak has created a new standard with his intimidating tactics against the Thai media. He has no clue at all that he is a public figure and that his activities are under public scrutiny. On Sunday, he lost his cool and then condemned journalists for waiting for him in front of a public toilet, where he stayed for nearly an hour.

Of course, the reporters that day were perplexed why a prime minister would spend such a long time in a public toilet. He could have easily avoided questions by saying that he had no comments on anything.

But instead he made a scene out of it, knowing full well that he would get news coverage. Remember back in 2003 when deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was pictured with his Prada towel wrapped around him during his campaign in the provinces to promote Thai products and populist policies; so much for leadership hypocrisy.

Viewing the video of Samak's outburst at the Chatuchak weekend market, one could easily conclude that the prime minister is a deranged man, unfit to serve in the highest political office of the land. He is an exhibitionist, a narcissist and a self-centred figure.

While he scolded journalists, his eyes scanned the market to draw attention. He repeated the same message that the media is disgusting. He used the word "tu-resh" - "disgusting" in English - more than a dozen times.

His loud voice was intended to let everyone know that the prime minister was there. Since becoming the country's leader by default, he has quarrelled with the media at every opportunity. He enjoys the adversarial approach to the media because he believes that is the way to generate publicity.

It is interesting to note that Samak knows the media corps following him is mostly comprised of young and inexperienced cadets. So, he can say anything he wants against them.

The Government House beat used to be covered by old-hand journalists who would stand up to him. But these younger journalists, mostly women, are easy victims of Samak's vitriol.

In May, to commemorate World Press Freedom Day, the Thai Journalists' Association (TJA) released a report by a team of researchers who examined in detail Samak's reactions in interviews with the media and comments he made during the first three months of his premiership. It concluded that Samak used various tactics, especially intimidation and ridicule, as part of his weaponry to marginalise and cow journalists. He often avoided answering questions fielded by reporters. Instead, he asked questions back, sometimes on unrelated subjects. He also likes to target individual journalists in a condescending way.

The TJA must not allow a prime minister to continue this kind of abuse of power. The prime minister camouflages his failures with aggressive emotional displays to attract public attention and sympathy. If he genuinely dislikes media reports and scrutiny, he should not occupy this position. Samak's chronic abuse of the media must be treated seriously.

When a prime minister shows his dislike of the media so overtly, the whole government apparatus is also put in jeopardy and becomes more hostile to journalists. Thailand is a free, democratic country. A leader who does not respect press freedom has no place in this society, let alone running it.