My Thai highlights

LISNAREE VICHITSORASATRA,

VEENA THOOPKRAJAE

THE NATION

   Britain's man in Bangkok has a lot to say on everything from British imports like Tesco and the Premier League to the red- and yellow-shirted political protests. First, though, we asked him to name a few of his favourite Thai things.

 Tell us five things you like about Thailand.

 Thai people, Thai people, Thai people, Thai people and Thai people.

 Apart from that, I think Thailand is a beautiful country with mountains, fabulous beaches, rivers and all sorts of great places to visit. I really enjoy myself here.

 Any particularly memorable days since you landed in Thailand? What's been your busiest?

 We were busy during Songkran because we didn't have many people working at the embassy and there were lots of things happening.

I wasn't here when the airports were closed [December] but it meant I couldn't get back.

 Did your job get complicated when we had the rallies by the yellow shirts and red shirts, the airport closedowns and the violence during Songkran?

 Not at all, because we are neutral. We're here to support Thai-British relations. It is sad for anyone who loves Thailand, though.

I hope that things calm down from now on. The country needs positive news coverage, not headlines about violence.

 You've been to the Deep South. What did you learn from your visit?

I've just got back from Pattani and Narathiwat after a previous trip to Songkhla and Hat Yai.

My impressions are that this is a difficult conflict that is going to take years to resolve. I think the authorities are attacking it in the right way in attempting to build an understanding between various groups rather than using military force.

There is quite a history of resentment among people and that's going to take time to fade.

 How about the people, did you find them different from Thais further north?

Well obviously it's different from the rest of Thailand because it's predominantly Muslim, and Buddhists are in the minority. Things look different, people dress differently, but they were just as friendly towards me.

They have a cultural history of their own too, but I don't see any fundamental reason why, with the right approach, the tensions can't be eased over time.

On a lighter note, England's Premier League seems to be the best-known export from your country. Why is that?

The Premiere League is a very important product for Britain. It's probably the best league in the world with superstars like [Wayne] Rooney, [Christiano] Ronaldo, [Frank] Lampard and [Steven] Gerrard. But it's also quite useful for reflecting an accurate image of Britain. Few Britons wear bowler hats, read the Times and take tea.

Football shows our multicultural side and helps correct that stereotype.

What's your opinion on the pirated football jerseys on the market here?

It's regrettable that it happens in Thailand. It's an abuse and it's not fair. People are robbing the club by selling pirated products.

What do you think about Tesco Lotus?

I am delighted that Tesco Lotus is the biggest British investor in Thailand, pumping in more than Bt170 billion and creating 36,000 jobs in 550 stores here. But not many people know that Tesco also exports a lot of Thai fruit and vegetables to the UK.

The important message is that companies like Tesco Lotus, Standard Charter and others are investing here and bringing much-needed confidence to a country that other businesses are still nervous about.

These British companies believe in the future of Thailand - that is a very strong message.

What about the protesters who say that Tesco Lotus is driving local retailers out of business?

Any company that is successful is going to get complaints, but its success comes from being good - offering good produce at low prices. However, there needs to be a balance and some sort of control over the number of supermarkets that can open.

But the idea that you don't allow supermarkets to open because you need to protect these small shops, that's protectionism. It's a bit like saying, "we don't want a car factory because there's these little workshops making cars". It's crazy, it's not efficient.

Thailand is going to progress if it's open to investment, open to more efficient ways of doing things, and the retail sector can't be excluded.