Thaksin Not Returning As Pm

[sriracha john]

Well, it's good to be back home now after a very interesting, educational, and fun trip throughout the entire North... and it's refreshing to be returning to the civilization that is Central Thailand....

Opened the news just in time to read that Thaksin is NOT going to try and return as PM with the Oct. 15 election... or at least a source says he's not:

Thaksin 'to take a break after election'

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will take a break from politics and not accept the prime ministership after the Oct 15 election, said a highly-placed source in the Thai Rak Thai party yesterday. The source's remarks came as government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said Mr Thaksin would stand as Thai Rak Thai's number-one party-list candidate in the poll. The source insisted that the party leader would take a break from politics after the election.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/22Jul2006_news02.php

[marshbags]

Posted on the intended thread now, sorry

Edited July 22, 2006 by marshbags

[ovenman]

Well, it's good to be back home now after a very interesting, educational, and fun trip throughout the entire North... and it's refreshing to be returning to the civilization that is Central Thailand....

I've heard that the roads are better-kept in Central Thailand anyway.

[Plus]

It doesn't make sense - you can't run as Number 1 party list MP and then take a break from politics. MPs are required to work, not take breaks. The last case where Thaksin took a break still hasn't been properly cleared for the same reason.

[Netfan]

It doesn't make sense - you can't run as Number 1 party list MP and then take a break from politics. MPs are required to work, not take breaks. The last case where Thaksin took a break still hasn't been properly cleared for the same reason.

Didn't mrs. gandhi pull this in india's last election? got her party in and then "retired"? but i cant see mr. t doing it.

[alexth]

I just think it's premature to anticipate anything

[John K]

Now I am a bit confused, have we come full circle, or is this thread .... can it be... this thread follows the huge “Thaksin Returns as Pm” thread? There must be some sort of time distortion anomaly. Did anyone drop a link to a Black hole story or something like that in TV?

[ovenman]

Didn't mrs. gandhi pull this in india's last election? got her party in and then "retired"? but i cant see mr. t doing it.

Sort of, but the circumstances were very dissimilar. When BJP called for early elections in 2004, it did not appear the Gandhi-led Congress Party had a chance of winning that election. When the Congress ultimately was victorious, the always-contentious issue of Sonia Gandhi being a foreigner (Italian) came to the fore. To preserve harmony, she stepped aside from taking on the position of PM.

[sriracha john]

Well, it's good to be back home now after a very interesting, educational, and fun trip throughout the entire North... and it's refreshing to be returning to the civilization that is Central Thailand....

I've heard that the roads are better-kept in Central Thailand anyway.

Indeed they are.

Which reminds me... how does one go about filing a lawsuit against Thaksin to sue him for injuries occuring on "his" new road up there in Chiang Mai?? I've had serious "pain and suffering" that needs to be compensated and it's ALL his fault.

[sriracha john]

The guy does enjoy a good mystery. Another version:

Thaksin declines to commit himself whether to take political break

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Sunday that he has made a decision whether to take a political break after the October 15 election or not.

But he said he will not disclose his decision now.

He said he will perform his duty as caretaker prime minister until the next government is formed.

The Nation

[ovenman]

I've heard that the roads are better-kept in Central Thailand anyway.

Indeed they are.

Which reminds me... how does one go about filing a lawsuit against Thaksin to sue him for injuries occuring on "his" new road up there in Chiang Mai?? I've had serious "pain and suffering" that needs to be compensated and it's ALL his fault.

Were there any witnesses to this alleged incident...?

[sriracha john]

Thaksin coy on 'taking a break'

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Sunday said he may take a break and fade from the political scene after the planned Oct 15 - or he may not.

A coy Mr Thaksin said he had made up his mind what he was going to do after the polls. But he declined to affirm or deny that he would take a break from politics and turn down the prime ministership if, as seems likely, his Thai Rak Thai party wins the contest again.

Speaking to journalists after casting his votes for both Bangkok city and district councillors in his Bang Plad constituency, the caretaker premier declined to confirm earlier press reports that he would take a break from politics after the general election, saying "It's too early to conclude the issue today. I will continue performing my duty for the country until a new government is formed after the election."

He also sidestepped answering a question regarding whether he would stand as his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party's number-one party-list candidate, which would automatically make him prime minister if it wins the October election, saying that he would disclose the name of the person at the time of the election campaign.

Expressing his disappointment that few people came out to exercise their voting rights to elect Bangkok city and district councillors, Mr. Thaksin said if more eligible voters exercised their rights, vote-buying would be impossible and politics would become fairer.

Asked whether the outcome of today's election would have any impact on Thai Rak Thai in the national election due to be held on October 15 if his party loses to its main rival, the Democrat Party, he said the impact would be marginal.

- TNA

[sriracha john]

The bottom line for Thaksin:

Bangkok district council elections

"All in all, the Democrat won 180 seats, the Thai Rak Thai won 67 seats and independent candidates won 8 seats."

The Nation

--------------------------

now then, if only he and his gang would just get out of National Politics

[sriracha john]

Ever the trickster, it'd be nice if, for just once, he'd be straight with the people of this great Nation and say what is what... why is he so pathological that he just can't come out with a statement and say what he is honestly thinking?? Why does everything have to get ripped out of him like a wisdom tooth extraction???

'My decision is made'

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday he would announce during the upcoming election campaign whether or not he will run again for prime minister.

"It's not the campaigning period now. I will tell (people) during the election campaign, but I already have an answer in my mind," Thaksin told reporters in Bangkok. He said he wanted to keep the decision to himself for the moment, while admitting it would affect his Thai Rak Thai Party's election campaign.

Campaigning for the general election will begin on August 24.

- TN

[sriracha john]

well now, it seems a promise is no longer a promise... a resignation is not a resignation... and whatever he says can't be relied on to have any lasting significance or truth to it:

PM's vow to step aside 'no longer applicable'

TRT spokesman says Thaksin will run as No 1 list candidate

Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee yesterday said caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's promise that he would not seek another term as prime minister, made two days after the April 2 election, had been fulfilled and had no bearing on the premier's political future.

Surapong was responding to a survey by Dusit Poll in which most respondents wanted Thaksin to take a "political break" and not accept the post of prime minister as he promised on April 4, two days after the election.

"We accept the poll result but the survey was conducted among people who live in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces. We are confident that if the poll had been conducted across the country, the result would have been different,'' he said.

So why not conduct one? Does TRT not have the financial resources to conduct a poll of their own?

Surapong's comment came amid speculation that Thaksin may not become prime minister again.

On Sunday, Thaksin said he had already made up his mind about his political future.

Surapong insisted that Thaksin would run in the upcoming election as the number one Thai Rak Thai party-list candidate.

"If you remember, on April 4, the prime minister said he would not accept the premier's post if the House called a meeting to select the prime minister following the April 2 election. Since the House meeting could not be called, his comments no longer apply,'' Surapong said.

Word games bullshite. Mumbly jumbly, mambie-pambie garbage.

Thaksin made the surprise announcement after tension spread across the country following the outcome of the April 2 election, which saw an unprecedented number of voters spoil their ballots or tick "no vote". Thaksin said he made the decision so the country could celebrate the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne without distractions.

On April 5 Thaksin appointed Chidchai Vanasatidya as caretaker prime minister and took a controversial six-week leave with pay.

Surapong said Thaksin could not say whether he would seek another term after the October 15 election. If Thai Rak Thai does not win the most seats, it would be impossible for Thaksin to become prime minister. If Thai Rak Thai wins a majority of votes, its MPs will naturally propose the party leader as premier. "When that time comes, the leader will decide again,'' he said.

Thai Rak Thai executive board member Suranand Vejjajiva said he had no knowledge of reports that Thaksin had lobbied other parties not to contest the October election in certain constituencies, using as a bargaining chip his pledge not to seek another term as premier until the Constitution has been amended.

Asked if it would make it easier for the party to campaign if Thaksin announced that he would seek another term as premier, Suranand said Thaksin has the right to make this decision. "We should not say. We must give him respect.''

Why? The M-F doesn't give any to anyone else.

Asked who the party would propose as premier, should it win the election, Suranand said the party's executive board had yet to decide.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva refused to be drawn on whether Thaksin should seek another term.

"Thaksin is entitled to make the decision. It's not my business to say anything,'' he said.

- TN

[sriracha john]

There might be no reason to wonder if he will return as PM or not; he's already facing so many other problems:

Premier cornered again as court hands down verdict

Thaksin Shinawatra can really get a taste of his own medicine now. He thought he had regained the upper hand following Friday's royal endorsement of the October 15 election date. But his triumph was short-lived - a mere four days.

Yesterday he looked demoralised upon learning that the Criminal Court had handed down a verdict that effectively booted Vasana Puemlarp, Prinya Nakchudtree and Virachai Naewboonnien off the Election Commission (EC). With the recalcitrant three remaining members not allowed to post bail for their crime "against democracy", they are automatically ineligible to hold the prestigious public office any longer.

At yesterday's Cabinet meeting, Pornthip Jala, secretary-general of the Council of State, advised ministers that the election commissioners were de-facto disqualified from performing their duties any further. With this interpretation from the country's top legal expert, Thaksin could only bite the bullet. He signalled that a process to nominate new election commissioners should begin.

Thaksin has lost his allies at the EC. His key fortress has been destroyed. Going into the October 15 poll, the Thai Rak Thai Party will not have "home-field advantage" as in previous elections. The new Election Commission could make trouble for Thai Rak Thai by giving some of its candidates red cards - something that would never happen if the Vasana-led EC were still allowed to function.

There was no time, nor was there any contingency plan on the part of the Thai Rak Thai camp to disrupt the scene following the court's landmark ruling. Disturbances would definitely have broken out, which would have put off the election indefinitely, had the royal decree not come down last Friday.

The royal decree was issued with perfect timing.

Thaksin was led into a trap of his own making. He had been fighting desperately for the election, going so far as to assure US President George W Bush that the October 15 poll would take place.

When the election was confirmed on Friday, most Thais were stunned. For they all believed the royal decree would only be approved after the three remaining members of the Election Commission were kicked out.

Thaksin was overjoyed, as the royal decree gave him plenty of room to dance out of the corner he had found himself in. The Thai Rak Thai camp celebrated. Thaksin reverted to his mode of talking business. He would lead Thai Rak Thai to another election victory. The Supreme Court, he suggested, should nominate two candidates to fill the vacancies at the Election Commission so the commissioners could carry out the royal endorsed ballot election.

But the advantage Thaksin appeared to briefly enjoyed quickly went into reverse. The court's landmark ruling yesterday has undermined the PM's political support. The royal decree has also set a specific timeframe for the election that he cannot disobey. Any attempts at a military coup have been neutralised.

Thaksin has been holding the country hostage since he dissolved Parliament in February. Now he is "hostage" to a judiciary yet to fall under his influence.

The next scenario is for the Senate to ask the Supreme Court to nominate candidates to fill up the bench at the EC. The Supreme Court already has 10 candidates on its list, which will be passed to the Senate to appoint five commissioners. The new election commissioners should assume their jobs within a month, which would give them time to organise the new poll.

Other political landmines lie along the way.

A case against Thaksin over a business conflict with his former partner at IBC, a cable television company, could be decided in September. The Constitution Court could find enough grounds to dissolve the Thai Rak Thai, Democrat and three small parties for violating the electoral laws after the October 15 poll. If the Constitution Court disbands the big parties, their executives would be barred from politics.

Thai Rak Thai may win a narrow margin in the October 15 election, forcing it to form a coalition government. Thaksin, if he is still around and survives the judicial ordeals, would be subject to more checks and balances.

The political end game is not too far away.

The Nation

[Arsenal]

The bottom line for Thaksin:

Bangkok district council elections

"All in all, the Democrat won 180 seats, the Thai Rak Thai won 67 seats and independent candidates won 8 seats."

The Nation

--------------------------

now then, if only he and his gang would just get out of National Politics

Actually its a pretty good result for TRT given longstanding Democrat dominance in Bangkok, not to mention the hysterical press campaign against Thaksin (much of it warranted I agree).But the awkward reality remains that the bulk of the country is unpersuaded Thaksin is the devil incarnate.If Thaksin stands in October the chances of his winning a majority must remain high.

The Nation incidentally, previously the premier English language paper is now regarded as a disgrace in terms of independent journalism.

[Thaiquila]

The Nation incidentally, previously the premier English language paper is now regarded as a disgrace in terms of independent journalism.

Regarded that way by who? Because the paper has editorially been openly anti-Thaksin during this crisis?

Compared to what? The Bangkok Post, that bastion of bland establishment (non) thinking?

[Arsenal]

The Nation incidentally, previously the premier English language paper is now regarded as a disgrace in terms of independent journalism.

Regarded that way by who? Because the paper has editorially been openly anti-Thaksin during this crisis?

Compared to what? The Bangkok Post, that bastion of bland establishment (non) thinking?

Regarded as a disgrace by most foreign journalists I have talked to, not because of the anti-Thaksin editorial line which is legitimate.The disgraceful aspect is the wholly one sided approach and the refusal to even discuss the dangers of the anti-democratic forces noted for example by the internationally respected "Economist".I supose also there is a sense of disappointment since formerly The Nation was such a good newspaper.

When it comes down to brass tacks the driving force in Thai politics now is the Bangkok based Sino-Thai business elite that felt disenfranchised under Thaksin's wealth/influence grab.Thaksin was fairly awful but only dim bulb farangs who think the current struggle is about "democracy".

[Siripon]

The current struggle is about accountability and that is not going to go away easily.

[sriracha john]

The bottom line for Thaksin:

Bangkok district council elections

"All in all, the Democrat won 180 seats, the Thai Rak Thai won 67 seats and independent candidates won 8 seats."

The Nation

--------------------------

now then, if only he and his gang would just get out of National Politics

Actually its a pretty good result for TRT given longstanding Democrat dominance in Bangkok, not to mention the hysterical press campaign against Thaksin (much of it warranted I agree).But the awkward reality remains that the bulk of the country is unpersuaded Thaksin is the devil incarnate.If Thaksin stands in October the chances of his winning a majority must remain high.

The Nation incidentally, previously the premier English language paper is now regarded as a disgrace in terms of independent journalism.

Losing by roughly a 3 to 1 ratio isn't exactly what I would call "pretty good," particularly if citing their previous showing, which was better.

As to what the national inclinations are regarding Thaksin at the present moment, I'd say that's extremely difficult to assess. The country is too diverse and too fickle at this point to assume that Thaksin would receive anywhere near his previous tallies.

While The Nation is certainly not world-class, I would contend that it retains a crucial element in the overall media coverage of Thailand. It does have some excellent writers and is probably unsurpassed when it comes to publishing the very latest with it's recent updates, despite the frequently-encountered mangled English or formatting until the editors have completed their tasks. I would say that the best overall news source in Thailand is the new upstart Bangkok Herald-Examiner. Their hard-hitting and factual coverage is the envy of all the others.

Edited July 26, 2006 by sriracha john

[ovenman]

I would say that the best overall news source in Thailand is the new upstart Bangkok Herald-Examiner. Their hard-hitting coverage is the envy of all of the others.

It's worth it just for the award winning photography. One wonders when the latest edition of the ever-elusive Herald-Examiner is due to hit the pavement. Ouch! Sorry...

[Old Man River]

But the awkward reality remains that the bulk of the country is unpersuaded Thaksin is the devil incarnate.If Thaksin stands in October the chances of his winning a majority must remain high.

I couldn't agree with your above statement more. Everything I have heard and everyone I have talked to tell me that the TRT's popularity with the voting majority still remains high. We will most likely see a TRT controlled parliament post Oct. 15th. As to the PM's role, it is anybody's guess. My view is that the last thing he wants post Oct. 15th is continued demonstrations in the streets of Bangkok concerning the SHIN sale. I think he is negotiating an exit as PM, but will still remain at the helm as it relates to the new airport economic zone.

[Siripon]

Thaksin can't stand any questioning. Do you remember when he held up his silly Japanese game show signs in response to reporters' questions last year?

No reply, not a creative question, end of press conference.

Do you know how many questions in Parliament he has responded to personally in the last 5 years?

Very, very few.

He can't retire because too much will be exposed but if he stays the questions aren't going to go away.

[Old Man River]

He can't retire because too much will be exposed but if he stays the questions aren't going to go away.

I made a similar point in another thread, but thinking it through, if the TRT controls the parliament post Oct. 15th, the only possibility for Dr. Thaksin to bow out without too many questions on the SHIN sale would be to negotiate an exit with someone who could protect him once he is no longer PM. It would have to be someone powerful, someone who wants back in control, someone like Banharn.

[sriracha john]

Taking his BS to a whole new level:

Thaksin 'amazed' at jail terms

TRT leader warns of a new era in politics that requires candidates to keep 'clean'

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is shocked at the lengthy jail sentences handed to the three election commissioners, according to a Thai Rak Thai insider.

The source said Thaksin told members yesterday the verdict was way beyond what he expected.

Thaksin was speaking to party faithful gathered to celebrate his 57th birthday. The source noted the atmosphere at the party was subdued.

Thai Rak Thai members were instructed not to criticise the court verdict.

"We have to respect the court's verdict. The court is trying to tackle the country's crisis and following the advice of His Majesty the King,'' he said.

Thaksin tried to boost morale by explaining opinion polls showed strong support for himself and Thai Rak Thai.

The party would win big in the October election, he promised.

"Every one must believe in the good deeds that we have done. The party has contributed enormously to the country. There has never been any government that has helped the people this much.

"Less fortunate students get to study, businesses that collapsed get rehabilitated, drug-addicted children return to the embrace of their parents. Do not lose heart,'' he said.

He called on members to uphold democracy, the monarchy, and the Constitution. "If you stick with these three you will return to work for the country again,'' he said.

Thaksin said there must be no offences against electoral laws in the upcoming election campaign, adding the political landscape had changed.

"Never break the law. You are MP candidates. Do not act like you have won the election. Talk to voters about economic and social problems but do not talk about politics. Surveys show the public is bored with political wars of words,'' he said.

Five new Election Commissioners would soon be picked and they would be neutral, he said.

"Actually it is good that there will be a new EC because the party can end all allegations that we won the [April] election because of the EC.

"If we win this election, the public will believe that we are innocent and the opposition cannot claim that we won because the EC helped us,'' he said.

He lashed out at the People's Alliance for Democracy saying it was campaigning hard against him and the party.

But, Thai Rak Thai election workers must explain the party's side of events to voters.

"The law of karma is real. Those who do good deeds will receive good deeds in return. Those who do bad deeds will receive bad deeds in return. The PAD is not democratic and always lies," he said.

Thaksin said he had become the most attacked prime minister in the history of Thailand's democracy. Afterwards, he did admit that it was probably due to being the most corrupt prime minister in the history of Thailand.

Thaksin gave each member Bt200,000 for election-campaign expenses.

The Nation

[sua yai]

Unbelievable, isn't it?

I don't normally get on a political high horse. BUT, there are so many comments and quotes from political figures here, it could fill up my WH Smiths pocket diary for a century.

Ramble on!!

[Arsenal]

The Nation incidentally, previously the premier English language paper is now regarded as a disgrace in terms of independent journalism.

Regarded that way by who? Because the paper has editorially been openly anti-Thaksin during this crisis?

Compared to what? The Bangkok Post, that bastion of bland establishment (non) thinking?

Regarded as a disgrace by most foreign journalists I have talked to, not because of the anti-Thaksin editorial line which is legitimate.The disgraceful aspect is the wholly one sided approach and the refusal to even discuss the dangers of the anti-democratic forces noted for example by the internationally respected "Economist".I supose also there is a sense of disappointment since formerly The Nation was such a good newspaper.

When it comes down to brass tacks the driving force in Thai politics now is the Bangkok based Sino-Thai business elite that felt disenfranchised under Thaksin's wealth/influence grab.Thaksin was fairly awful but only dim bulb farangs who think the current struggle is about "democracy".

Have to eat my own words to some extent having just read The Nation's brilliant editorial this morning on the uselessness of Surakiart Sathirathai's bid to be the next UN Secretary-General.

[sriracha john]

I completely agree it was very well done:

Surakiart should shelve UN bid

Deputy PM's hopeless campaign to oversee the world body is keeping better candidates out of the race

For some reason that perhaps only he can understand, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai continues to think he can somehow achieve the impossible and go on to win the bid to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations. This is even after he received a major snub in an initial but crucial test to sound out the UN Security Council on candidates seeking the top post at the international body.

The Thai candidate is reeling from the blow inflicted by some members of the Security Council who denied him a passing grade. Out of 15 Security Council members, only seven reportedly encouraged him to stay in the race. But Surakiart has so far refused to throw in the towel.

It has never really been made clear why he wanted this position so badly. The man has no domestic or international achievements that would have placed him in the same league as world-class statesmen to begin with. Is he sticking his neck out just to please his mentor, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, or is he acting out of a personal conviction that he actually has a shot at the position?

One quality that would make Surakiart attractive in the eyes of international leaders is his obedience. In fact, Thaksin has reportedly told US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair that the reason why these two permanent members of the UN should support Surakiart is because he is so obedient. Well, that is certainly true.

Throughout his political career, Surakiart has never failed when it came time to demonstrate his loyalty to his political master at any given time.

Incidentally, that type of courage to follow the leader won him a title of "rogue minister" from Time magazine. A furious Surakiart threatened to sue; a deal was struck when the magazine gave him permission to present his side of the story by publishing a short letter he had written.

At first, many thought Surakiart was trying to live up to some quirky ambition that his prime minister had. But eventually it became clear the law professor-turned-politician believed in his own fantasy - that he actually had what it takes to run the world body.

He ran an aggressive campaign with the full backing of the Thaksin government, which granted him a special budget and a team of loyalists that kept showering him with praise. Along the way, statements from various international quarters were spun to his advantage. For example, China's "applause" became an official endorsement for the Thai candidate, while Asean's official endorsement became something much bigger than that.

For domestic consumption, Thaksin has unabashedly gone on and on in his weekly national radio addresses to boast about how many countries the world over support Thailand's bid.

His spin has spun so out of control that it has become the butt of jokes at diplomatic cocktail parties throughout the region. As with his approach to domestic politics, Thaksin didn't realise he had bitten off more than he could chew until it was too late.

Surakiart's campaign for the top UN job over the past year and a half has already cost Bt300 million in taxpayers' money, an amount that could be used to open two new medium-sized embassies abroad.

If nothing else could have persuaded him to spare himself this embarrassment, history should have taught Surakiart a sobering lesson. Many previous secretary-generals were people who emerged late in the game, often at the last minute - never candidates who campaigned vigorously for the post.

With or without Asean endorsement, Surakiart fully understands that the final decision is really made by the five permanent members of the Security Council: the US, Britain, France, Russia and China. This race shouldn't be exploited for domestic consumption. Ultimately, it is a result of intense diplomatic haggling between the five permanent members.

Surakiart needs to show he is a good sport and get out of the race, so other Asean or Asian candidates with better qualifications and higher popularity ratings can step into the arena.

The Nation

EDITORIAL

=============================================================

I also liked the other accompanying editorial. Very insightful:

You can take his word for it, at your own risk, of course

Every time that Thaksin Shinawatra tones down his rhetoric and beseeches his opponents to come to the negotiating table, you can be pretty sure he's in a tight corner.

If he meant what he said, he wouldn't be facing such a huge credibility crisis - that's been proven time and again. And if you are naive enough to take his words at face value, you have only yourself to blame.

"Let's put our heads together. For the sake of our country, I would like to ask all parties concerned to forget about our conflicts and aim for reconciliation," he declared on radio again last week. A few moments after, he said, almost casually: "Some of those who led protests against me in the provinces had been underground lottery operators. They were badly hit by my policy to crack down on illegal lotteries…"

Thaksin was obviously trying to imply that at least some, if not all, of those who are against him had hidden motives or vested self-interests, to protect. In other words, he was portraying himself as a devoted, noble statesman who had fallen victim to criminal gangsters or their advocates - not the wealthy businessman turned politician trying to protect his turf through a web of conflicts of interest, that his detractors have made him out to be.

This, clearly, isn't the language of someone seeking to make peace with a growing segment of the population demanding a role in participatory democracy, as distinct from his brand of "electioneering politics".

Unless one engages in "talk-talk-fight-fight" guerrilla tactics, one doesn't immediately follow an appeal for broad-based reconciliation with a statement calling protesters demanding one's resignation "wayward elements with hidden agenda". Common sense dictates that someone who considers himself a "good guy" doesn't call the other person with whom he is trying to reach a compromise a "bad guy".

That's exactly the ruinous path Thaksin has taken. And it has produced a predictable, deafening refrain. It has become Thaksin's own "art-of-war" strategy: When you think conditions are in your favour, issue threats and declare war; when you begin to lose control, declare a truce and seek reconciliation. And when in doubt, preach to your enemy about the principles of democracy.

Two weeks ago, Thaksin embarked on the warpath when he challenged the "person(s) with charisma outside of the constitution". The tactic backfired. He had probably thought he could put his opponents on the defensive. He thought he could get away with this "sneak attack" ploy. But instead, he got himself cornered. He was likened to someone "screaming for war with wobbly knees". Before long, the badly shaken "warrior" was suing for peace. There was no hiding the fact that he was simply making virtue out of necessity.

But does he expect anyone to fall into his trap? The real problem, however, isn't that Thaksin did it as part of his large, deliberate plan to mislead and deceive his enemies. It all began as a haphazard ruse to get himself out of a particularly tricky spot. But soon, it became a habitual thing. More and more, he said things he didn't intend to carry out. And instead of admitting his mistakes and apologising for his blunders, Thaksin played the part of a narcissist. Somehow, he convinced himself that since he had said it with such confidence, it must have been true.

Consider this latest self-destructive episode: Thaksin, having to defend the three remaining national election commissioners at all costs (for reasons which are no longer a mystery to informed observers), said something quite unthinkable: "Since the National Election Commission has to work on the basis of a consensus, it doesn't matter that there are only three members left. In fact, as I see it, even if only one member is left, he could still do a legitimate job anyway." And he was making this highly illogical and provocative statement in the wake of growing demands for all three of the commissioners to quit, to pave the way for the Supreme Court to name a new line-up, to ensure a free and fair election on October 15.

Besides, he made this controversial remark as the leader of a major party contesting in the upcoming polls. And the National Election Commission is supposed to be an "independent agency" without any leaning towards any particular party. A few minutes later, Thaksin was asked by reporters on the court's position over the NEC's unsatisfactory performance in the past. With a sudden change in attitude, Thaksin brushed off the question with a very impressive response: "I am just a player of the game. I can't comment on the referee's role."

In the span of a few minutes, with a straight face, he went from total entanglement in the matter (the player defending the legitimacy of the referees even if there is only one left) to absolute detachment (I am a good player. I can't say anything about the referee).

Now, when he makes another attempt to say that he is serious about national reconciliation, does he think anybody will take him seriously?

Suthichai Yoon

Edited July 27, 2006 by sriracha john

[ovenman]

It has never really been made clear why he wanted this position so badly. The man has no domestic or international achievements that would have placed him in the same league as world-class statesmen to begin with. Is he sticking his neck out just to please his mentor, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, or is he acting out of a personal conviction that he actually has a shot at the position?

Right from the get-go, I've never really understood what qualifications Surakiart has for the UN Secretary-General position apart from him being the current Foreign Minister.

I always thought it was a shame that Thailand make no use of the time that a Thai was the head of the WTO, simply because that person was not a TRT stooge.