I’m no fan of tree ordination, but ground kissing is another thing altogether. When ex-PM Thaksin arrived in Bangkok yesterday he joined some prestigious company (even if he didn’t quite get the lips into action).
This guy is a serial tarmac smoocher:
Becks has an unusual technique:
Lara, as we would expect, is more orthodox:
This is genuinely democratic ground kissing for the masses:
But this, of another ex-PM (who definitely won’t be coming back!), is my all-time favourite:
13 responses so far ↓
1 Chennault // Feb 29, 2008 at 9:45 pm
My experience of such groundlickers and flagwavers is that they are usually cram full of bullshit. It’s a crypotfascist habit! I have genuinely found flagburners and effigy burners to be a far more amiable bunch.
2 Observer // Feb 29, 2008 at 10:09 pm
In general terms, I am inclined to agree. In this case, it is does not seem however that Thaksin is the flagwaver. The army made a much greater effort to whip up patriotic spirit and wasn’t exactly up for burning flags, or criticizing other elements of the Thai trinity.
Thaksin has been exiled for almost a year and a half. I don’t discount the PR value of the wai, but have no reason to believe the emotion was not genuine.
3 Dog Lover // Mar 1, 2008 at 2:26 am
Remember Seksan in that awful movie portraying his life a few years back? He sucked up some dirt as well.
4 robuzo // Mar 1, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Thaksin was kissing the airport. He loves that airport as if it were his own.
5 Chennault // Mar 2, 2008 at 3:29 am
Thaksin is anything you want him to be if you are prepared to pay his price.
6 Chennault // Mar 2, 2008 at 3:41 am
I don’t really believe he has any emotion worth a damn . Everything I’ve seen indicates that he’s just a remorseless and almost robotic power and attention-grabber. He has to be the center of attention or he gets bored. I used to watch him sitting through no-confidence debates when he was a junior whippersnapper and he looked terminally-bored with everything around him. I don’t really think he owes any great loyalty to anything other than himself.
7 The Siamese // Mar 2, 2008 at 4:20 am
Thaksin kissed the ground at Suvarnabhumi airport to thank the run way for not collapsing under the weight of his plane.
News junkies will recall that Suvarnabhumi was a disastrous construction project with connections to Thaksin’s corrupt cronies…but hey most western presses really BELIEVE it when Chakrapop Penkair says “Democracy has returned to Thailand”
don’t you mean “Thaksin’s brand of democracy?”
8 Chennault // Mar 2, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Spot on!!!
9 Matt // Mar 3, 2008 at 1:51 pm
This certainly brightened up my morning.
10 Dickie Simpkins // Mar 3, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Chennault:
I like your thing about Thaksin is anything you want him to be. The way they campaigned for Thaksin in the Northeast may have been akin to these slogans:
“Thaksin fed your water Buffalo”
“Thaksin filled your Pickup truck Diesel”
“Thaksin bought you a yellow t-shirt”
“Thaksin surprised your mom on her b’day”
“Thaksin gave you a hug”
“Thaksin massaged your elderly grandfather”
“Thaksin helped your baby cross the road”
etc etc
11 jiews // Mar 3, 2008 at 10:47 pm
a good preformance!!! oh! but one thing Thaksin forgot is a preformance of his tear. Welcome back home ; tear
12 The Siamese // Mar 4, 2008 at 2:19 am
Thaksin gave his respects to the earth and who expressed their reverence to him?
Would you like to know?
(this is for people who can read Thai so I apologize if the quote doesn’t work—all images can be enlarged)
Basically Thaksin received a below the belt “wai” (*_*)
“พ.ต.ท.ทักษิณ ได้ก้าวลงจากรถ และเมื่อลงจากรถปรากฏว่ามีนายตำรวจ ทราบภายหลังเป็น พล.ต.ต.บุญส่ง พานิชอัตรา รอง ผบช.น. เข้าไปก้มตัวลงไหว้ พ.ต.ท.ทักษิณ ชนิดที่ก้มต่ำกว่าปกติถึงใต้เข็มขัด ซึ่งเป็นจังหวะเดียวกับที่ช่างภาพสามารถจับภาพดังกล่าวไว้ได้”
see the images:
http://www.manager.co.th/Crime/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9510000026454
13 farang // Mar 4, 2008 at 3:12 pm
All you need is love! Love of our Earth!
;-p
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