All promises lead to problems of credibility.
Economically, the fluctuating value of the Thai baht, which has fallen more than 30 percent in the past two months against the US dollar, reflects the lack of investor confidence in the Chavalit administration's ability to manage the country's economic situation. Politically, Chavalit may be ousted from power if he loses the no-confidence showdown with the opposition party later this week. Since June, Chavalit's actions and words have contradicted one another. He made one empty promise after another ranging from his assertion not to devalue the currency to his insistence that several high-ranking civil servants will not be transferred. As a result, the public has been conditioned to distrust the Prime Minister and expect the exact opposite of what he says to occur.