Noppadon's spin trip is much ado about nothing

Former foreign minister Noppadon Pattamanpatta is in Washington, DC to convince the policy-makers and movers and shakers along the Beltway that his boss, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is not really a terrorist. He also wants to push the impression that the Abhisit government has violated human rights and that Abhisit is the real terrorist.

Given Thaksin's track record while in office - institutionalised policy corruption, 2,500 extrajudicial killings, a satellite deal with Burma after lying to the Exim Bank, the Temasek deal, tax evasion, a corrupt land deal, his unabashed clinging on to China's coat-tails, and a litany of other dubious activities - why should Washington's finest even give him or his cronies the time of day?

But let Noppadon try. He will make a fool of both himself and his boss. The government should not pay any attention. After all, the United States is a free country. Anybody who can get a visa can drop by and speak to whoever is willing to listen. The fact that Noppadon is talking to powerful figures in DC is a good sign, because the Americans will have the opportunity to listen to lies and absurd views almost straight from the horse's mouth.

It is nonsensical for Prime Minister Abhisit's aides to suggest that the government also needs to hire expensive lobbyists in order to counter Noppadon's trip and Thaksin's high-priced public relations teams, which are situated around the world. Decent people do not need this kind of spin-doctor or PR campaign. The government would simply end up spending millions of dollars for nothing. Thaksin can afford to do this, as he has pots of money. The government must resist the notion that lobbyists are god-like figures who can fix and amend Thailand's international image.

There are a number of things that Abhisit can do to improve Thailand's image and augment its credibility without paying through the nose for charlatans and snake-oil salesmen.

First, his government must ensure that a policy of total transparency is in place, and is followed. So far, this government has been honest, but more needs to be done. Many questions have been raised about the people who were arrested during the red-shirt protest at Rajprasong. What has happened to them, especially the ordinary people, not the big names? Several human rights organisations have pushed the government for clarification. The best public relations course for the Abhisit administration is to tell the public everything it knows about this. Of course, sometimes the truth is ugly and hard to swallow. But it will save the government at the end of the day.

Second, the government must move quickly with the prosecution of those who violated the law during the yellow-shirt seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport and other related cases. If it does not, the public here, as well as the international community - especially the embassies of democratic Western nations - would construe that a double standard really does exist. The government must come clean. Certainly, the Thai judicial process has much to do with the sluggishness seen so far, as it is independent - contrary to public perception - and is not going to give in to government pressure for an accelerated process. Abhisit needs to be persistent on this matter.

Finally, the government must quickly address the grievances of the poor in the North and Northeast. Special attention must be given to them. Their most pressing issues must be dealt with immediately.

The government is trying to do the right thing for the disadvantaged, but it is not moving fast enough in addressing the vast income gap between rich and poor, and the overall disparity between urban and rural areas. The poor have been empowered and they know that they are a force to change things for the better. That is good. So, the short-term effort to reform Thailand must make sure their views and dreams are included.

The best public relations campaign for Thailand rests with the government and its transparency and decency. The country has nothing to spare. We have been striped naked, to the bone.