Playing Big Brother Might Pay Off For Thailand's Banharn

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Playing 'big brother' might pay off for Banharn

By Piyanart Srivalo

Many politicians queued up at "Baan Charansanitwong" to wish Banharn Silpa-archa a happy 78th birthday last week, which only proved that the veteran politician still has a lot of power in his hands.

When Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva showed up with a bouquet of flowers, Banharn was seen playing the "big brother" and advising him to complete his term and certainly not dissolve Parliament. In fact, Banharn even offered to work as a coordinator and promised that coalition partners Bhum Jai Thai, Chart Thai Pattana, Ruam Chart Pattana and Puea Pandin would support Abhisit's government as well as its 2011 Budget Bill.

It was reported that Banharn and his Chart Thai Pattana had made a deal with the 18 Puea Pandin MPs who just two months ago were kicked out of the coalition for voting against some Bhum Jai Thai ministers in a no-confidence motion. This Puea Pandin faction, led by Pinij Jarusombat, Pairote Suwanchawee and Preecha Laohapongchana, is referred to as the "triple P".

Perhaps Banharn's declaration can be seen as a guarantee that this government will survive and that its Budget Bill will get enough votes, because the coalition is not ready for a new election yet.

Or maybe Banharn's move was to kill two birds with one stone so he could gain more of an upper hand in the government.

After all, he tried to prove that he had power as the "big brother" and could bring the coalition partners together. In addition, he tried to prove that he has the power to gather more MPs than Newin Chidchob's Bhum Jai Thai Party, which has 32 MPs.

With 18 MPs from Puea Pandin, 25 from his own Chart Thai Pattana and some Pheu Thai MPs who are expected to defect later, Banharn could end up having about 50 MPs under his control. It is anticipated that Banharn might ask Abhisit to reshuffle the Cabinet so his party is given more ministerial posts because he will have more MPs than Bhum Jai Thai.

Perhaps Banharn was giving Abhisit and his deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, a sign that his party should not be overlooked or cast aside just to please kingmaker Newin.

The veteran politician is clearly planning to "go big" after the next election and get into more power bargaining with the next government. In fact, there are even reports of him secretly meeting with a "senior influential" figure to discuss and analyse politics.

Another thing that might help Banharn is the constitutional amendment that makes electoral constituencies smaller. Though Abhisit was strongly against this amendment because it did not favour his Democrat Party, he relented after the mayhem in May and set up a constitutional reform committee led by National Institute of Development Administration rector Sombat Thamrongthanyawong.

The committee ruled that the electoral system be limited to one MP per constituency and that party-list MPs come from all over the country, not just the eight zones as stated in the 2007 Constitution - an amendment that favours all coalition parties except the Democrats. However, the Democrats have no other choice than to follow the amendment.

Clearly Banharn has the upper hand, because all he needs to do is wait for the constitutional amendment before he is ready for a new election under the new system.

-- The Nation 2010-08-25

Edited August 25, 2010 by webfact

[Payboy]

Banharn

Isn't this dinosaur banned from politics?

[TheBarbarian]

If one person is proof that the judicial system in thailand is crooked and double standards are the rule it is Banharn. His entire (huge) wealth is build around nepotism and corruption. Whereas Thaksin worked for his wealth at least partially Banharn does nothing than taking government paid projects against inflated prices. Shame on the NCC shame on the Thai judiciary.

[rubl]

If one person is proof that the judicial system in thailand is crooked and double standards are the rule it is Banharn. His entire (huge) wealth is build around nepotism and corruption. Whereas Thaksin worked for his wealth at least partially Banharn does nothing than taking government paid projects against inflated prices. Shame on the NCC shame on the Thai judiciary.

K. Banharn has worked for his wealth, but that's started probably before you were born. All of the old 'dinosaurs' have worked and/or family fortune. Lots of them on both sides of the political fence practices the Thai game of 'father of the party' and have dirty fingers. Read the article again. It suggests K. Banhard 'owns' CTP, Like K. Newin 'owns' his faction. None ever said that about the Dem's. by the way.