Thai PM to Noy: You speak so fast

MANILA, Philippines - Others have noticed it, but none has dared draw President Aquino’s attention to it.

Until yesterday, when visiting Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in a state luncheon at Malacañang, told his host, to laughter from the crowd, “You speak so fast.” 

Journalists who heard the comment agreed and said finally, after five years, someone had the guts to tell the President that indeed he was delivering his public speeches and statements too fast.

Earlier, the Thai leader said “sorry for taking time” in delivering his speech, referring to his statement after the bilateral and expanded bilateral meetings with the President and his officials, respectively.

The prime minister was here for a two-day official visit. He arrived Thursday night and left yesterday afternoon. He was accompanied by his wife, Naraporn Chan-o-cha, and his delegation.

For his part, the President said he hoped he did not mispronounce anything when he acknowledged the Thai officials who were with Chan-o-cha.

“I’m trying to practice a little,” he said.

Aquino recognized the Thai prime minister for coming to the country in December of 2012 as chief of the Royal Thai Army, leading a delegation of officials who expressed willingness to lend assistance to recovery operations in the aftermath of Typhoon Pablo.

This came just a few days after Chan-o-cha personally turned over $30,000 to Philippine embassy representatives in Thailand as assistance to the typhoon victims.

“We would feel your country’s generosity and solidarity again, in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and of the other calamities we have had to overcome. In the same vein, when many areas of Thailand were ravaged by severe flooding in 2011, the Philippines also extended financial assistance to the victims,” Aquino said.

Same same

“These expressions of support are but contemporary manifestations of the long history between our peoples. I am told, for instance, that lively trade between our countries predates the 1600s,” Aquino said.

“Today, Thais and Filipinos are often mistaken for each other. In the streets of Bangkok, our people are often told, ‘Philippine-Thai same-same.’ We see this even in our cultures. Our people are known for their friendly and cheerful natures, and their hospitality,” he said.

The President said Filipinos and Thais even have similar preferences in terms of cuisine.