- By Ranger, Thai Intel’s political journalist
What is public relations and how much is it worth in Thailand?
The following is from the wiki on public relations:
Public relations (PR) is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc.
An earlier definition of public relations, by The first World Assembly of Public Relations Associations, held in Mexico City, in August 1978, was “the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organizational leaders, and implementing planned programs of action, which will serve both the organization and the public interest.”[1]
Others define it as the practice of managing communication between an organization and its publics.[2] Public relations provides an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that provide a third-party endorsement[3] and do not direct payment.[4] Common activities include speaking at conferences, working with the media, crisis communications, social media engagement,[5] and employee communication.
One of the biggest problem about the Thai flood, is all the pollution.
And here in Thailand, a mud ball filled with pollution eating enzymes, had been used to combat pollution successfully, for many years now. So Yingluck went full tilt on the mud ball, distributing, millions of them to flood hit area. Great, a successful story about how Yingluck is fighting the flood.
But the problem is, Thailand is about the establishment, and the establishment controls most of the Thai press. So the local press, went against the mud ball usage. And a successful story, turned into a controversy-providing food for the anti-Yingluck crowd in Thailand, to call Yingluck, an ignorant idiot.
- Today, Thai Rath, a local newspaper here in Thailand, reported that Yingluck have told all the MPs in the Pheu Thai Party, to beef up their “Public Relations” because many of them, are doing good work, but mostly, all their work have not been reported and are little known to the Thai people.”
On Twitter, last week, there was a great big thread, on exactly this. The argument was mainly about, “The mostly anti-Yingluck Thai media and how those who are pro-Yingluck, is having a great deal of difficulty getting the news in Thailand.”
- One Twitter, said, quote: “I get news about Yingluck doing something right, by reading the Nation Group journalist trashing Yingluck. The opposite is usually true.”
- But what I found interesting, is a Twitter, who said, quote: “I rather see Yingluck this way, than turning into another Abhisit.”
The problem with Abhisit, is that he believes in public relations so much, he figure, public relations, is the solution to every problem.
- Thailand under Abhisit, saw him in control of the media and he got positive news, about 90% of the time. Abhisit’s government advertising spending and by other state agencies of the public sector, is the highest on record of any Thai government of the past, and reached US$ billions, over the years and in combination. Lucrative, media contracts, were given to friendly media, like the Nation group, left and right.
And when an important issue or controversial issue arises, Matichon Weekly Magazine, reported that Abhisit’s media man, would call editorials department up, to make demands of the news coverage angle of those issues.
- The problem is, even with US$ billions in advertisement, control of state media, lucrative contract to media, and twisting the arm of media-Abhisit, still failed to win the election in a landslide victory to Yingluck-who during the election, was met head on with a mostly hostile press.
Abhisit took his kissing the ass of the press, to the extent, that during this flood crisis, as millions suffered, Abhisit went to make house calls on every Thai media hurt by the flooding, and said he will try to help them.
- The above, tend to confirm, that the Thai press, might have lost much of its power over the years.
And in fact, take the Nation Group experience as an example. Reports, have long said, that most of the Nations Group newspaper, sent to Northern and E-sarn region of Thailand for sale, about 80% end up being sent back to Bangkok unsold.
- Lastly, Yingluck should realize by now, that a great deal of the energy, of the Thais on her side, actually comes from reading the newspapers or watching TV being against her, and getting angry about the situation.
Related articles
- Economics Analysis: Does mysterious bags of money confirm poll that Abhisit’s time is more corrupt than Taksin’s time? (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Political Analysis: 4) Abhisit visits flood hit Thai media to beef-up relations & talks of a troubled Thai people (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Yellow Shirts Anslysis: Yellow Shirts & English “From Thailand never colonized to bitching at Yingluck’s English” (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Thainess: 3) Thailand’s anti-corruption body to invstigate Yingluck for “Management Failure” on Thai flood (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Journalism: (9) Abhisit wants “Equal” media time to off-set Yingluck’s increased media exposure (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
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