Thailand: Fussing over rose-apple

[Harold Schiffman]

*@THAILAND*

*FUSSING OVER ROSE-APPLE*

*Controversy leads to calls for more sign language interpreters*

*Story by ANCHALEE KONGRUT, Sign language demonstrations by Kanitha
Rattanasint*

   Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej: Touching the nose is the most
easy-to-remember part of the premier's face.   Democrat leader Abhisit
Vejjajiva: Moving a hand around the face means ''good looking'' and a raised
thumb represents Orr Ang, the first letter of Mr Abhisit's name.   Former
prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh: Shaping the fingers to make them look
like eyeglasses and touching the chin to signify the general's thick
chin. Former
prime minister Surayud Chulanont: The eyebrow-level salute gesture means ''a
military officer'' and the nose touch represents Gen Surayud's mole on his
nose.   Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra: The raised arm and the
pointing up of the finger is considered a ''signature posture'' of the
deposed premier. Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra: The clasping of hands means
''wife'', followed by the ''Thaksin Shinawatra'' sign. When combined, it is
read as ''Thaksin's wife''.    House speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat: A
four-step action is needed when it comes to referring to a house speaker. —
Photos by Kosol Nakachol

In her career as a sign
language<http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/02Feb2008_news92.php#>interpreter
for nearly a decade, Kanitha Rattanasint has never before seen
the media so frenzied by her interpretations like what she experienced early
in the week.

''Media members kept calling us the whole day. TV crews even jumped with
excitement in our interpreters' room and asked us to give every politician a
name in sign language,'' Ms Kanitha said, referring to Monday's
parliamentary session.

That came after media reports that executives of the People Power party
(PPP) were angered after watching the interpreters touching their noses when
referring to PPP leader Samak Sundaravej.

The party has requested that a more appropriate gesture be used in sign
language to describe the new prime minister who has a unique
rose-apple-shaped nose.

Ms Kanitha insisted that interpreters had used the same sign to identify Mr
Samak for years without facing any complaints or fuss. Other prominent
politicians are also being identified through their special facial features
or height.

''Deaf people don't make fun of other people. They only look for an
outstanding feature in that person to make him easily identifiable,''
she said.

A good thing that has emerged from this sign language controversy is that it
has drawn public attention and interest to the language and louder calls for
the country to produce more sign language interpreters. At the moment,
Channel 11 is the only station providing sign language translation for the
deaf during news programmes, covering a total of just one hour and 30
minutes. ''That is not enough. Like most people, they too need access to
information,'' she said.  Ms Kanitha said the broadcasting authorities
should consider proposals made by the National Association of the Deaf in
Thailand (NADT), requesting a change in policy and budget support.

NADT has also asked the state to provide facilities and separate airtime
hours for the newly-founded Thai Public Broadcasting Station (TPBS) for the
deaf to produce their own television programmes. Calls have also been made
for mandatory TV programmes containing interpretations in sign language for
the deaf. They have even suggested that TV manufacturers install a special
device in remote controls enabling viewers to choose between the normal and
the deaf-version language features.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/02Feb2008_news92.php

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