PM’s ‘pork’ jibe leaves bad taste in Trang

Published on December 16, 2004

Cutting up a roasted pig, chop, chop, and winning voters’ hearts, chop, chop, aren’t the same pork – as the PM may be about to learn.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s off-hand remarks while chopping roasted pork with a cleaver on Tuesday during a campaign stop in Trang that he didn’t think he needed to chop “pork” – Thai slang for “fair game” – in the province hasn’t gone down well with locals.

“His remark was the talk of the town at my school today,” a primary teacher who wished to remain anonymous said yesterday during random telephone interviews The Nation conducted with people in Trang.

“Many of my colleagues were outraged by Thaksin’s abusive words.

“By calling us ‘pork,’ Thaksin looked down his nose at us,” she said.

Nor did Thaksin’s follow-up swipe at former Democrat prime minister Chuan Leekpai, who is idolised in Trang – a Democratic stronghold and his birthplace – improve matters.

In a clear riposte to Chuan’s well-publicised allegations that several Democrat MPs have been paid to defect by the Thai Rak Thai Party, Thaksin added: “Don’t try to tell me I need the power of money to chop pork.”

The premier wants to gain an electoral foothold in Trang for his party because it’s believed that if TRT can snatch even one of the four MP seats there it would humiliate the rival Democrats, who control 48 of the 54 southern constituencies.

“Generations of us have been taught to remain loyal to the Democrats, whether they be in government or in opposition,” the primary school teacher said. “Thanks to all his good works for us in the province, local people embrace Chuan as a member of their family.”

A local company employee, who also asked to remain anonymous, agreed that Thaksin had offended people with his remarks.

“It was rude to compare us to pork,” she said, adding that as a politician Thaksin should have been more polite in his remarks.

“All my family members and colleagues are unhappy with the way Thaksin has treated us,” she said. “We welcome government politicians to come and speak with us, but that doesn’t mean we’re sitting ducks for their jokes.”

Democrat party-list MP Sathit Wongnongtoei, who lives in the area and will be contesting in Trang’s Constituency 2, said he has received numerous calls from local voters expressing indignation at the prime minister’s remarks.

Sathit said he believes local voters will pay Thaksin back for his impertinence at the ballot box on election day – February 6.

Weerayut Chokchaimadon

The Nation

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