Yingluck Shinawatra: The new face of Thailand

PRE-READING:

Look at the title, headings and pictures and predict the main ideas of the article. Then, write down three wh-questions about the text.

Ex: Why is Yingluck the ‘new face’ of Thailand?

WHILE READING:

Set a time limit to read this article. An average reader can read at the speed of 250 words per minute. Note down your reading speed regularly to check your progress.

SKIMMING:

Within the time limit, read and summarize the main ideas of the paragraphs with your own words. Do not worry about unfamiliar vocabulary.

Profile

YINGLUCK SHINAWATRA: THE NEW FACE OF THAILAND

Yingluck Shinawatra, 44, is set to become Thailand's first female prime minister

A successful businesswoman, and with a famous name, Yingluck Shinawatra is set to become the country's first woman prime minister with victory in the 3 July general election. Yet Ms Yingluck, 44, has no political experience. How did she gain the confidence of the Thai people?

Political Parents

Born on 19 June, 1967, Yingluck is the youngest of nine children in a family that lives and breathes politics. Her father is a former MP and was deputy leader of the Liberal Party, and her mother is the daughter of princess Jantip na Chiang Mai. Her elder brother is former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, and her sister, Yaowapa is the wife of a former prime minister.

She grew up in Chiang Mai, attending local secondary school and then Chiang Mai University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in politics. Following her graduation, she went to the US and obtained a master’s in political science and business administration from Kentucky State University.

Business Background

Following her return to Thailand, Yingluck began a successful career in business. Her first job was as a sales and marketing intern at a telephone directory company. She rose up through the company ranks to become director of procurement, then director of operations. In 1994, she moved into television, becoming the general manager of a subsidiary of International Broadcasting Corporation. She left as Deputy CEO of IBC in 2002, and became the CEO of Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand's largest mobile phone operator. Following a corporate takeover, Ms Yingluck resigned from AIS, but remained Managing Director of SC Asset Co Ltd, the Shinawatra family property development company.

She married Anusorn Amornchat, a leading businessman, and has one son nicknamed Pipe.

Passport to Politics

Her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, was prime minister of Thailand until he was deposed in a 2006 military coup. Since then Thailand has been through a period of instability with 5 prime ministers and bitter divisions leading to street protests that turned violent. When new elections were announced in 2011, the party associated with Thaksin’s supporters, Pheu Thai, nominated Yingluck to lead them in the election. At first she refused, maintaining that she wanted to focus on business. Eventually, her brother and other senior politicians persuaded her. Both Yingluck and Thaksin have referred to her as being his “clone”, meaning that brother and sister share the same way of thinking. "We are alike in the sense that I have learned from him in business and I understand his vision, how he solves problems and the way he built everything from the beginning," she said.

Femininity takes front stage

Yingluck Shinawatra has appeared more natural with ordinary Thais than her opponents

Although some considered her identity as a woman to be a potential disadvantage, Ms Yingluck turned it into her strength. Following the recent period of violence and division, Ms Yingluck has made national reconciliation a key issue and suggested that a woman was better able to achieve this than a man. "I will utilise my femininity to work fully for our country," she stated.

Ms Yingluck's feminine charms also electrified the campaign trail. She seemed to have an easy connection with ordinary people that her opponents lacked. When she smiled and bent at the knees to exchange a wai - the prayer-like traditional Thai gesture of respect - with a wizened grandmother or weathered farmer, people seemed to warm to her. Her young son, Pipe, also appeared with her at election rallies. The other key technique was for Ms Yingluck to say only pleasant things about her opponents - a tactic that threw off her male competitors.

Yingluck Shinawatra performing “wai” - the traditional Thai greeting indicating respect

Despite her inexperience, her political pedigree, youth and femininity have proven to be a winning combination. Now, she has to prove she can deliver.

Word count: 655 words

This article has been adapted from the BBC news. Read the full article at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13723451

SCANNING:

Use your notes to identify where you can find the answers to the questions you have made in the pre-reading stage.

RECALL:

Without looking back at the article or your notes, try to answer the True/False questions below. Then check your answers. How many did you get right?

1. Yingluck Shinawatra is an experienced politician.

2. She grew up in Bangkok.

3. Yingluck Sinawatra’s business experience is in the fields of telecommunications and broadcasting.

4. In Thailand, political change is always peaceful.

5. Yingluck’s amibition was always to be a political leader.

6. Yingluck and her brother have different opinions on politics.

7. The fact that Yingluck is a woman was useful in the election.

8. Yingluck wants to bring people together in Thailand.

9. Yingluck respects Thai traditions.

10. Yingluck was very critical of her opponents in the election.

POST-READING:

Glossary:

• Pay attention to how the word is combined with other words in context. Do not learn the meaning of the word without sentences. Vietnamese should be the last resort after you have tried all the learning strategies.

• Prime minister (n): the leader of the government in some countries with a parliament (Thủ tướng)

• Former (MP, prime minister etc.) (adj): true in the past, but not now (Cựu)

• Master’s (degree) (n): qualification that you study at university after you have got your first degree (Bằng Thạc sĩ)

• Intern (n): a student who does a job for a short time to get experience (Thực tập sinh)

• Director of procurement (n): the director who is in charge of obtaining supplies of something for an organization (Giám đốc thu mua)

• Director of operations (n): the director who is in charge of the work or activity of a company (Giám đốc điều hành)

• Broadcasting (n): the business of making and sending out a radio or television programme (Ngành phát thanh, truyền hình)

• Corporate takeover (n): an act of taking control of a company by buying most of its shares (Tiếp quản công ty)

• To resign (v): to officially tell your employer that you are going to leave your job (Từ chức)

• Property development (n): the process of using an area of land to make a profit by building on it (Kinh doanh bất động sản)

• To depose (v): to remove someone, especially a leader, from power (Phế truất, hạ bệ)

• Military coup (n): a sudden change of government that is illegal and often violent (Đảo chính)

• Instability (n): the quality of a situation in which things are likely to change or fail suddenly (Tình hình bất ổn)

• Street protest (n): when you do something to show publicly that you think something is wrong (Diễu hành phản đối trên đường phố)

• Identity (n): who or what someone or something is (Nhân dạng)

• To utilize (v): to use something, especially for a practical purpose (Sử dụng)

• Femininity (n): qualities that are thought to be typical of women (Nữ tính)

• To electrify (v): to make someone feel very excited or enthusiastic about something (Gây hứng thú, truyền lửa)

• Wizened (adj): old and with dry and wrinkled skin (Già nua)

• Weathered (adj): colour of skin or shape being changed because of the effect of the sun, rain, or wind (Giãi dầu sương gió)

• Pedigree (n): a person’s family history or the background of something, especially when this is very impressive (Dòng dõi)

Idioms and expressions:

• To live and breathe something (idiom): to be very enthusiastic about something (Rất quan tâm, hứng thú, say mê điều gì đó)

• To rise through the ranks (expression): to become more successful, powerful (Ngày càng thành đạt, thăng tiến)

• Bitter division (collocation): deep disagreements between two parties or groups that arouse strong feelings (Sự chia rẽ sâu sắc)

• Clone (idiom): a person or a thing that seems to be an exact copy of another (Bản sao)

• To build (idiomatic verb): to create or develop something (Tạo dựng)

• National reconciliation (collocation): an end to a disagreement between parties in a country and the start of a good relationship again (Hòa giải quốc gia)

• Key issue (collocation): an important topic that people are arguing and discussing about (Vấn đề chính)

• Campaign trail (collocation): travelling around to attract support (Cuộc vận động tranh cử)

• To throw someone off (phrasal verb): to manage to get rid of someone who is your opponent (Đánh bại)

Grammar: Commas

When we speak, we pause between ideas to help our listeners follow our ideas. When we write, we use a comma to represent this pause. The comma helps us separate the main ideas in a sentence from the additional information.

Main idea: Ms Yingluck has no political experience.

Additional information: Ms Yingluck is 44 years old.

Combined sentence with commas: Ms Yingluck, 44, has no political experience.

Below is a paragraph from the reading with the commas removed. Put the commas back in. Then look back at the article to check.

Following her return to Thailand Yingluck began a successful career in business. Her first job was as a sales and marketing intern at a telephone directory company. She rose up through the company ranks to become director of procurement then director of operations. In 1994 she moved into television becoming the general manager of a subsidiary of International Broadcasting Corporation. She left as Deputy CEO of IBC in 2002 and became the CEO of Advanced Info Service (AIS) Thailand's largest mobile phone operator. Following a corporate takeover Ms Yingluck resigned from AIS, but remained Managing Director of SC Asset Co Ltd the Shinawatra family property development company.

She married Anusorn Amornchat a leading businessman and has one son nicknamed Pipe.

For more information on how to use commas please look at this week’s Dr Grammar. Commas – Main Uses.

Discussion:

Find a study friend to summarize your story. Try to use the vocabulary learned in the article in speaking and writing your summary.

Answers to RECALL:

1. Yingluck Shinawatra is an experienced politician. F: she has no political experience.

2. She grew up in Bangkok. F: she grew up in Chiang Mai.

3. Yingluck Sinawatra’s business experience is in the fields of telecommunications and broadcasting. T: she worked for a mobile phone company and a TV company.

4. In Thailand, political change is always peaceful. F: a period of instability with violence and protests.

5. Yingluck’s amibition was always to be a political leader. F: she refused at first and had to be persuaded.

6. Yingluck and her brother have different opinions on politics. F: they have the same way of thinking; she is his ‘clone.’

7. The fact that Yingluck is a woman was useful in the election. T: she turned it into her strength.

8. Yingluck wants to bring people together in Thailand. T: she campaigned for national reconciliation.

9. Yingluck respects Thai traditions. T: she greets people with a wai: the traditional greeting.

10. Yingluck was very critical of her opponents in the election. F: she said only pleasant things about her opponents.

This material is provided by the Australian Centre for Education and Training (ACET).