Chuwit’s heated interview

Written by changthai11 on Friday, October 3rd, 2008

The following excerpt is from yesterday’s heated exchange between TV host Visarn Dilokwanich and city governor candidate Chuwit Kamolvisit on Channel 3’s Thiangwan Tan Hetkarn (Updates at Noon). Mr Chuwit assaulted Mr Visarn after the show.

Visarn: Some viewed your petition asking the National Counter Corruption Commission this morning [Oct 2] to step up an inquiry into the fire truck purchase case as an attempt to discredit Mr Apirak [Kosayodhin, former Bangkok governor seeking re-election].

Chuwit: One has to look at the reason why I did so. Just tell me what was so amiss about filing the petition.

Visarn: Mr Chuwit, you never talk about your policy at all.

Chuwit: Of course, I can speak about it. But the thing that comes before the policy is that you have to look at your budget, to see how much money you have before taking action.

Visarn: For the middle class, the cost of living is high and oil prices soaring. What is your solution?

Chuwit: I am running for governor, not prime minister. You are trying to make me answer in the same way as other candidates. I cannot give you the answer. I am not a panacea for all problems. You are not picking the right question. Since when have these problems been seen as the governor’s burden? You can’t expect the governor to cope with insoluble problems.

Visarn: Other candidates did not say they could do everything, but at least they offered some solutions.

Chuwit: I also have mine.

Visarn: You said you would ensure transparency at City Hall.

Chuwit: Sure, city councillors and district councillors will not have to fight if there is political compromise.

Visarn: But how could you reach a compromise with them when your style is like this?

Chuwit: Why not?

Visarn: How about solutions to economic problems?.

Chuwit: I have my own ways. But I can’t explain them in only a few minutes. You can’t get my solutions in only one minute. I am no angel.

Visarn: So how should the audience understand you, when you say you cannot come up with solutions because of time constraints? Then what are your strong points?

Chuwit: I don’t need to do publicity stunts. Whether you will vote for me or not is no big deal. You have to use your judgement.

Visarn: What are your weaknesses?

Chuwit: Everybody has weaknesses. Why should I speak about them to you? Don’t you have any?

Visarn: You don’t need to tell them to me. Just speak to the public.

Chuwit: Why didn’t you ask this question to previous candidates when you talked with them?

Visarn: I will ask them if I meet them again.

Chuwit: Why didn’t you ask them before when you met them?

Visarn: Or actually it’s because you dare not speak about your weakness.

Chuwit: I don’t see why I didn’t dare. You have to point them out to me.

Visarn: Finally, there are questions about your campaign posters. Initially, you make grimaces in those posters. But now you look more composed in fresh posters. What is the change of image for?

Chuwit: I am not aware of any change. Can you tell me what the changes are? I don’t even know that I look more composed.

You are criticising me. You pose such questions for me to answer. As a media member, you need to be impartial. So what are the changes?

Visarn: I am just asking you. Don’t bother to question me.

Chuwit: You’d better ask me how I run my public relations campaign. This is not the kind of question you should put to me. In my posters I want to show what problems in Bangkok I’ve seen, so I will solve them.

Visarn: Before going on air, you said that you had your posters altered to compete against Mr Apirak.

Chuwit: Hey! Why did you mention what I said behind the scenes?

Visarn: So this means you are a different person when you are in front of the camera and when you are behind it?

Chuwit: I am always consistent. But you talk to me under different conditions - in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Just tell me the differences.