Don't take candy from candidates

The Nation (22 November 2007)

The ICT Expo 2007 successfully wrapped up on Tuesday, with students and parents and kids filling up the exhibition hall during the four-day event.

It must have been a good day for Choochart Phromprasid, chairman of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), for it's known that the old man has a soft spot for kids.
At the NTC booth on Tuesday, Choochart took photos with guests. But when he saw some kids, he wanted a photograph with them. He turned his back to the NTC booth so that the passers-by could join the photo session. But that meant he was being photographed in front of CAT Telecom's booth.

An idea popped up: he asked the group to stand in front of the NTC booth and take more photos. Posing beside him was a little girl who came with her mother. Choochart was delighted and chit-chatted with the girl in a friendly way that only made other telecom operators jealous. At the end, he said: "Here, Uncle will give you some money."

The girl's mother was surprised, asking people who was this old man. She had a reason to do so. As the election is approaching, people giving out money can easily be deemed as MP candidates. Who else would give Bt1,000 to a girl he had just met? Nimit goes all coy on media

"It's not easy to run a PR company" is probably the ultimate answer that Nimit … , 124 Communications, would have liked to give at yesterday's press conference.

Yesterday, his company assisted … in publicising his plan to develop a theme park and a residential development project.

But the developer did not want to divulge many details. The press release contained only brief information on the new projects. The executive, …, was also rather reserved.

Nimit must have thought that reporters would not be satisfied with the answers. Standing next to …, he helped answer nearly every question. One was the exact value of the development projects and when the residential project is expected to be sold out. While … did not give a round figure on the value, Nimit said it's beyond Bt10 billion. Of the sales period, he said within a month while … was reluctant to be specific.

Nimit turned off his microphone only when reporters asked if they could quote him or … in their articles.

He was a figure of sympathy, standing in the middle of his clients and reporters and trying to impress both sides.