Phnom Penh September 9:  Well they say the new governor of Bangkok is a handsome man. So is it good or bad?

 If you believe the spokesman and member Parliament of Liberal Party of Thailand, Ong Ard, that is a good thing that worked to the advantage of the young governor who has recently taken over in the capital. And if Malou Tiquia is to be believed a scientifically designed campaign with very focused messages and prudent use of media can win anything for you anywhere.  

Conducting an election campaign can be as different from country to country as diverse as Asia is.  On Thursday we could clearly see during the proceedings of the 2nd   CALD communication workshop, being held here, that Asia remains as complex, as similar and as different as ever.

The participants from each country presented their media practices in electoral campaigns. In countries like Taiwan, Korea and Thailand a sustained and calculated media campaign sometimes using very high tech media or very capital intensive events is working for the parties. But in countries like Singapore or Cambodia this may not at all be possible because of single party domination and the question of prevailing laws that govern the media.

To most people it may sound strange that a political party could consider the candidature of a certain individual on the basis of his smart outlook but then the fact remains that most of the time while voting the individual decides on the basis of his likes and dislikes. And we have seen so many times in Asia in particular that charismatic leaders have been able to attract maximum attention and rule countries of the region for many years. So the Liberal Party in Thailand has used this to maximum advantage and the party spokesman admits that the good looks of Mr. Apirak were a major factor for his candidature as party’s horse in the  battle for the capital of Bangkok’s governorship. 

On the other hand Korea and Taiwan’s participants proved that how a coordinated, well directed campaign using modern tactics could be successful either it be for the elections to a certain office or for an event communicating core messages like desire for peace and solidarity of a nation. If Uri Party in Korea won the elections and later defeated the no confidence motion against their leader with such tactics the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan went a step ahead and proved that national level non political campaigns could also be managed through proper campaign planning.

The day’s highlight however remained the presentation by Malou Tiquia of the political consultancy group Publicus,  who has successfully transformed a businessman, Mar Roxas, into a Senator for Philippines who broke all national records  for of receiving the most votes. This indeed is a unique experience given Philippines or Asia’s record of campaigning that has depended on orthodox election campaigning since long.  Though the details of that presentation may not make to this page, but it surely gives an indication that in near future the Asian politicians may be marketed as brands during election campaigns.   Consultants like Malou may have much more busy schedule in the future.

CALD Group visits Genocide Museum

Participants of CALD workshop Media in Electoral Campaigns visited the “Genocide Museum” in Phnom Penh yesterday afternoon. The museum, a highschool before the take-over of power by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 have subsequently into a prison.

It is evident that the school building had gradually been changed into torture chambers with hundreds of prisoners being tied by chains in very small cells.

It is said that some had died of starvation and many others had been in those torture chambers for over six months until they were taken away. The Museum source shows various instruments of torture and specially devised equipment that had been used for tortures.

Just before the Vietnamese forces entered Phnom Penh in 1979, 14 officers of the Khmer Rouge Army itself who were in those torture room had been killed by the runway Pol Pot military men and the place was exposed to the world thereafter.  It is said that over 300 such killing fields existed in Cambodia.

Photographs and hundreds of skulls are exhibited in the Museum. The visit organized by CALD and FNS emphasized the need that the liberal political activists should give a great focus on some regional as well as international political events.

Liberals should also spread the ideals of tolerance and the value of dissent which the Khmer Rouge never tolerated. As to prevent this type of human catastrophe.