No Government Ties, Thank You!

[george]

Bangkok voters speak : ‘No government ties, thank you’

Many city residents say there needs to be a counterbalance to Thai Rak Thai

BANGKOK:-- Many voters questioned by The Nation said the new Bangkok governor should not have links with the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party, and believe there needs to be a counterbalance to the central government’s far-reaching dominance.

“Now, all the big posts belong to [Prime Minister] Thaksin [shinawatra]’s people,” secretary Kanokkarn Wejsoontorn, 25, said, adding that political power should be decentralised.

Sunisa Sae Chua, 24, said Bangkok should not be in the hands of the government, especially one led by Thai Rak Thai.

“Bangkok is the centre of the country. The controversial Thai Rak Thai Party could easily abuse the Bangkok governor post to benefit itself,” Sunisa said.

Political pundits believe Sunday’s ballot carries more political significance than merely selecting a new governor, given Thai Rak Thai’s current dominance.

But only one candidate, the Democrat’s Apirak Kosayodhin, has received the official backing of a political party.

Thai Rak Thai, however, is widely believed to be privately supporting three key candidates in a bid to spoil a Democrat win, including leading candidate Pavena Hongsakul.

Pinwad (not her real name) said the election would serve as an indicator of the government’s popularity and test public reaction to its vow to take more than 400 seats at the next general election.

“The failure of the government’s pet candidates, and the victory of the opposition – or any other ‘real’ independent – candidate, will show the government how Bangkokians feel about it,” she said.

Housewife Pranom Apiraknandhachai, 58, is unimpressed with all the government’s governor “choices’’.

She added that the country needed a counterbalance to Thai Rak Thai.

Namwan (not her real name) also wanted a non-Thai Rak Thai local government, although she was worried the ruling party might try to interfere with the work of a governor it could not control.

“It’s difficult to work alone without friends but if there is an alliance [between the governor and government] they could easily do bad things,” she said.

But Kamonon Khinimarn, 23, a storyboard artist, said the new governor should be a government choice or an independent candidate who could work as a Thai Rak Thai ally.

An opposition party candidate would face problems getting things done, she said.

“Local politics has nothing to do with the counterbalance of power, it’s more about developing the city. I don’t believe the governor is able to provide any counterbalance the power of the government,” Kamonon said.

She said that despite Apirak’s assertion that he would have no problem working with the government, she believed politics would still lead to conflicts of power, especially under the Thai Rak Thai-led government.

Rattanawalee Mahaponsirikul said the new governor should not belong to any party.

“The governor will work more freely if he or she is independent,” he said.

She said the governor post carried sufficient power so as not to require government support.

“In contrast, if the governor is a government choice, he or she will not act independantly,” Rattanawalee said.

--The Nation 2004-08-26