Reference: Certainly not my cup of tea, Bangkok Post, December 21, 2007

Mr Prasong once tried to shame the Prime Minister into coming clean on his real estate dealings by saying that Mr Surayud should have the courage to do "what even a little girl could do" (Bangkok Post, October 11, 2007). That reference was to Marion Jones, a world class athlete, who had returned her Olympic gold medals when she tested positive for drugs. The Bangkok Post ran a story about Dr Kathleeya Stang's special musical performance for HM the King with the headline "Thai-American girl to pay musical tribute to HM the King". Dr Stang is 28, an ophthalmologist, and an accomplished musician. When Mr Samak was asked by a young female journalist whether former TRT executives had influenced PPP's selection of candidates for the elections, Mr Samak retorted with an obscene reference to the journalist's sex life as a way of dismissing the question. Misogyny and sexism come naturally to Thai men and are not unique to Mr Samak as suggested by today's commentary (Certainly not my cup of tea, Bangkok Post, December 21, 2007).

Cha-am Jamal
Thailand