What's next for the 'bad boy' of Thai politics?

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What's next for the 'bad boy' of Thai politics?
Tulsathit Taptim

BANGKOK: -- If Chuwit Kamolvisit lives up to his reputation for brutal honesty, he will have landed at Suvarnabhumi by the time you are reading this, or at least be in the air, Bangkok-bound. And "with one foot behind bars", as the Thai saying goes, that's courageous. How many politicians or rich celebrities in similar circumstances would choose to leave the safety and comfort of life abroad?

We know why girls often fall for bad boys, but Chuwit has been taking rebellious tactics to new heights, applying them in politics to good effect. He has been brazenly bad and unafraid of the consequences. Well, on certain issues at least. While he has openly admitted to paying bribes to police, he has remained quiet over allegations he's a wife-beater.

On the one hand, Chuwit is a typical Thai politician. He's rich and flashy (after early-life struggles, of course). His business background is morally murky, and he likely entered politics in a bid to give that murk a lighter shade, if not make it disappear entirely. Once in politics, he's found that old habits die hard. And he's learning that political enemies can make facing up to the law a scarier experience.

Chuwit has flaunted that typicality with wild abandon, which makes him unorthodox. Voters didn't see just a bad politician, but a bad politician who's relatively honest about what he has done. The "I'm bad but at least I don't lie about it" strategy has worked wonders for his popularity. A lot of voters loved his "honesty", momentarily forgetting that integrity should also count where electing a representative is concerned.

Chuwit's tactics didn't trigger a trend, and perhaps we should be grateful for that. Imagine what might happen if other politicians resorted to the same approach of self-advertisement. Election campaigns would be full of "confessions":

"I hit my parents when they tried to block me from going to a rock concert."

"I stole from my business partners."

"I cheated while running for school president."

"I did drugs".

Not everything he's done is so easily mimicked, though. Chuwit may be the only politician in the world who has given a TV interview wearing nothing but shorts. And this wasn't poolside or in a gym (the interviewer was a woman, too). The thrust of the interview - What have you been doing do since the coup made you jobless? - may have prompted the muscle-flexing at the end, however, although he had said nothing about bodybuilding earlier.

The female interviewer showed remarkable composure and respect for Chuwit. The only problem was that she kept calling him "Jom Chae" (Whistle-blower). You can't blow the whistle on a crime when you are a willing accomplice, can you? But, criticise Chuwit all you like: when it comes to making the most of politics, he's second only to maybe one or two Thai politicians.

Who else could own one of the country's biggest massage parlours, pay a small army to demolish bars of people who claim to be legitimate leaseholders, announce he had bribed police, and still manage to "work for the country" as an MP?

You could of course argue that our Parliament is crawling with even worse guys. But the point is that they are all "closet sinners", not proud confessors like Chuwit.

Flaws characterise humanity, so maybe having Chuwits, closet Chuwits and worse men than Chuwit roam the Thai assembly hall may not be too bad, politically and democratically speaking. We don't have too many good choices, either, and we're getting the politics we deserve. Politics elsewhere may turn decent people bad, but over here people enter politics to find redemption.

But even in the redemptive and normally forgiving Thai politics, old karma can easily come back to bite you. The razing of the bars now threatens to land Chuwit in jail for five years, depending on how the Supreme Court treats his appeal. With the verdict not due until late January, rumours have swirled that Chuwit wouldn't return from his trip to America. The gossip prompted him to post a Facebook clip, in which he swears he will definitely come back. He even gives the date: November 17.

He had earlier withdrawn his plea of not guilty and sought mercy from the Supreme Court after a lower court handed him five years in jail without probation. "I've never run away from anything," he declared in the video clip.

The "bad boy" has vowed to face the consequences of his past acts. Whether that makes his past acts "less bad" is up to you to judge.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Whats-next-for-the-bad-boy-of-Thai-politics-30273164.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-18

[noitom]

Thailand's "bad boy of politics." This Thai reporter crowns this Thai as a "bad boy." This Thai reporter also condescends to women by stating "we all know why girls fall for bad boys."

[LannaGuy]

Jail?

[NongKhaiKid]

With the track record he claims I'm surprised he hasn't made PM, or have I spoken too soon ?

[worgeordie]

I like him,hes honest about what he has done,and what

he would like to do,but he should not have sent thugs in

to clear his land in Bangkok,but then he made it into a park?,

don't know if it is still a park.maybe hes the man who knows

too much,especially goings on with the Police.and is not afraid

to express his views.

regards Worgeordie

[harada]

Jail?

. Going to jail could be fatal going by recent events.

[LannaGuy]

I like him,hes honest about what he has done,and what

he would like to do,but he should not have sent thugs in

to clear his land in Bangkok,but then he made it into a park?,

don't know if it is still a park.maybe hes the man who knows

too much,especially goings on with the Police.and is not afraid

to express his views.

regards Worgeordie

Pray tell how you work that out...? He pleaded NOT GUILTY for years and years then when due to be sentenced the very next day he changes his plea to GUILTY. How do you deduct that he is "honest about what he has done"?

[noitom]

He's a manipulative profiteer and a rat when it suits him. He probably knows a lot, but they know a lot about him as well so it's a Thai checkmate.

[bino]

we're getting the politics we deserve.

Got that right.

[Just1Voice]

I think that MANY high ranking police, politicians, military personnel, judges, etc., would LOVE to see him dead, except for the fact that the man probably has a "little black book" with seriously incriminating evidence against all of them (with copies being held by trusted friends) that could come to light. And that is the absolute LAST thing they want to happen. They hate him, but they are scared of what he knows, and what he could reveal. A Catch 22 situation if there ever was one.

[NongKhaiKid]

I think that MANY high ranking police, politicians, military personnel, judges, etc., would LOVE to see him dead, except for the fact that the man probably has a "little black book" with seriously incriminating evidence against all of them (with copies being held by trusted friends) that could come to light. And that is the absolute LAST thing they want to happen. They hate him, but they are scared of what he knows, and what he could reveal. A Catch 22 situation if there ever was one.

Yes, like his idiot pal Chalerm he knows much too much.

I wonder if either have an ' open in the event of my death ' box ?

[zaphod reborn]

Jail?

. Going to jail could be fatal going by recent events.

And that would be a good thing. This guy deserved a death sentence.

[dageurreotype]

we're getting the politics we deserve.

Got that right.

'We'? Anyway, I believe Thailand needs cats like Chuwit among the pontificating pigeons.

[Eric Loh]

Why is Thailand always pandering to second best politicians.

[dageurreotype]

Why is Thailand always pandering to second best politicians.

Because they don't have any first best ones?

[NickJ]

The Blacklist thai version. Sure he has a Black book but it ain't little. It would be more like an entire library.

[Just1Voice]

I think that MANY high ranking police, politicians, military personnel, judges, etc., would LOVE to see him dead, except for the fact that the man probably has a "little black book" with seriously incriminating evidence against all of them (with copies being held by trusted friends) that could come to light. And that is the absolute LAST thing they want to happen. They hate him, but they are scared of what he knows, and what he could reveal. A Catch 22 situation if there ever was one.

Yes, like his idiot pal Chalerm he knows much too much.

I wonder if either have an ' open in the event of my death ' box ?

If this guy is as smart (cunning) as I think he is, you can be damn sure he has a few of those 'open in the event of my death' boxes left in the care of trusted compatriots.

[DLang]

"I hit my parents when they tried to block me from going to a rock concert."

"I stole from my business partners."

"I cheated while running for school president."

"I did drugs".

Strange that he never had:

"I buggered off to America and had a farang wife"

or

"I dumped my 2 Leukrung" children."

as one of his slogans.

[elgordo38]

Why is Thailand always pandering to second best politicians.

That's easily answered there is no first tier politicians. 2nd tier has a few good ones and well it goes down hill from there.

[EnglishJohn]

I laugh at people who try to assassinate Chuwit's character presumably because he exposes things their own dirty cronies or tomato police get up to.

No saint could ever get this far. The rest of snakes would have had him for breakfast at the first sign of trouble. It needs someone who can match them for cunning and rule-breaking. OK, he's a dodgy character but he also has enough courage to expose the real slime. It's more than anyone else ever does.

The reason people don't like him is because he might upset their dirty little world and their dirty little ethics.