Predecessors blast 'white lies'
Ex-finance ministers say Kittiratt must tell truth
Former finance ministers have blasted Deputy
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, saying his
"white lies" have adversely affected the government's credibility and
rocked public confidence in the administration.
However, MR Pridiyathorn, who was a finance minister under the Surayud Chulanont government, said "I was not surprised, as he always tells lies".
MR Pridiyathorn said the issue was not only with the "white lies" about export targets which Mr Kittiratt admitted to, but also the government's huge losses from its rice pledging scheme.
It is widely known that the government has suffered huge losses in the scheme, "but this finance minister [Mr Kittiratt] still lies that the government did not suffer any loss," he said.
It is not necessary for the finance minister to lie about export targets, he said.
"Normally, a white lie would be told to prevent the listener from being shocked by the truth. But if the export target was low, it would not cause the public to panic. Exporters realised long ago that growth would be low this year," MR Pridiyathorn said.
When the finance minister tells lies to the public, it adversely affected the government's credibility, he said.
"Now, the responsibility lies with the prime minister to restore the public's confidence in the government," he added.
Dr Surakiart, a finance minister during the Banharn Silpa-archa government, said a finance minister is in no position whatsoever to tell lies.
The minister's remarks should not be referred to as "white lies", even if they are intended to boost confidence, he said.
A finance minister must speak based on reason and facts and explain what measures he will take to establish confidence, Dr Surakiart said.
The finance minister is duty-bound to express his views with confidence to say in which direction he will lead the country's economy, and what state it is in, he said.
"The finance minister's forecasts can be wrong, but they cannot be lies, which will make people lose trust in him," Dr Surakiart added.
Dr Thanong, a finance minister under the Thaksin Shinawatra administration, said "the finance minister has neither the right nor the need to lie to the public".
While the finance minister should avoid talking about taxes and foreign exchange rates, which could benefit some and disadvantage others, there is no need to lie, he said.
Confidence can be created without the need to lie, Dr Thanong said. For example, the government set an export target of 15% growth, and the finance minister must explain to the public what measures will be taken to achieve that target.
But when only a 9% growth figure has been achieved, then the finance minister must admit that the measures to achieve the target were not workable, even if the government had tried as hard as it possibly could, he said.
Economists have the right to forecast the state of the economy, but while the finance minister is able to spend budgets to implement policies, he still cannot lie, Dr Thanong said.
But Mr Kittiratt merely shrugged when asked about his "white lies" admission and whether it would affect public confidence.
"Those who are criticising me don't have faith in me anyway. They already don't believe whatever I say," he said yesterday. "There's nothing further that needs to be done about it."
Business leaders also played down the incident.
"The 'white lies' remark might draw some criticism, and those already biased [against Mr Kittiratt] probably can't accept what he said," Voravan Tarapoom, chief executive officer of BBL Asset Management, said.
"But those who know him well understand this is his working style."
Narongchai Akrasanee, chairman of MFC Asset Management and a former commerce minister, said it was widely understood that the government's 15% export target was unrealistic from the start, and that a revision to the target was inevitable.
"I don't think that the revision will affect investment or investor confidence" he said.
"In practice, everyone uses figures from a number of sources.
"At MFC, we use estimates from the Bank of Thailand, the Finance Ministry and the National Economic and Social Development Board.".
Payungsak Chartsutthipol, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the government should provide factual information so businesses can plan their strategies correctly.
Offering incorrect data could have a significant affect on businesses, he said.
Jean-Guy Carrier, secretary-general of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce, said such incidents occur in other countries as well.
"As an outsider, I can say that Mr Kittiratt has good intentions in trying to achieve the target," Mr Carrier said shortly after a meeting with Mr Kittiratt yesterday. "He just might be too honest [in saying so]."
Pheu Thai Party executives meanwhile closed ranks behind Mr Kittiratt yesterday.
Noppadon Pattama, a legal adviser to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, said the government most certainly did not authorise any minister or executive to lie to the public, and speculated Mr Kittiratt's remark was taken out of context when he said that the 15% export target was a "white lie".
"Mr Kittiratt is someone dedicated to his work; a person with a sense of propriety," Mr Noppadon said.
"Perhaps he could be more cautious with his words, as [the incident] does have an impact on the credibility of the government."
Kanawat Wasinsungworn, a deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party, said he believed Mr Kittiratt's statement was simply aimed at building confidence within the country about the economy.
"He didn't want people to be too concerned about exports, and as the head of the government's economic team, that's his job," he said.
Pheu Thai sources said it was unlikely Mr Kittiratt's remark would put his job in jeopardy.
One senior party executive said Mr Kittiratt continues to enjoy support from both Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her brother Thaksin.
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