A week before the Supreme Court handed down its landmark judgement in the Thaksin assets trial, SC Asset - one of the companies caught up in the historic case - held a press conference.
It was not about the legal case, which directly involved Yingluck Shinawatra, the youngest sister of former prime minister Thaksin. She serves as SC Asset's chairwoman. The press conference dealt entirely with the developer's future plans.
And what would be more interesting to property companies than the end of the property tax holiday. It was estimated that for every Bt1 million transacted, homebuyers will have to pay an additional Bt30,000 once tax rates are raised to the normal level. And many, particularly lower middle-income earners, may delay their home purchases due to the extra cost.
The company's executives considered those tax breaks as a kind of privilege that prospective homebuyers should grasp while it lasts.
One was so quick to come up with a new marketing slogan: "Enjoy the privilege before the privilege ends". In English, this seems plain and not eye-catching. But in Thai, as privilege is equivalent to Abhisit - the name of the current prime minister - the slogan sounds offensive. Certainly, to Abhisit Vejjajiva's supporters, it could mean "come to use Abhisit, before Abhisit expires".
From any angle, this can't be good for the image of the company. As the property arm of the Shinawatra family, the company, if it launched the slogan, would be considered trying to indicate a negative political connotation.
At least Yingluck instantly understood the nuance.
"It might not be good. Any company can use the slogan, but not us," she said, warily.
Given the social division, if SC Asset actually launched the slogan, their projects may fill up with those donning red shirts. The environment might not be conducive for children, who surely need to listen to all views if all their nerve cells are to function properly when they grow up.
Let's imagine a similar division in Paris. Even without this sentiment, Paris is in bad shape due to the economic crisis.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported recently that due to the crisis, the number of visitors to the former home of King Louis XIV fell to 5.5 million in 2009, compared to 6 million in the previous year.Contributions by sponsors and patrons also fell by nearly half, from ¤16 million (Bt723 million) in 2008 to ¤8.6 million last year.
I can't imagine how many more tourists would come here and cherish our national treasures, if this division ends. In fact, though our museums are not as great as the palace, we still have much more to offer.
