Sat, Apr 08, 2006 page9

• Thaksin puts a positive spin on election defeat

  • DPA
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  It's been a classic Thaksin Shinawatra week, complete with drama, plot twists, tears and the Thai prime minister's ongoing love affair with his people, all broadcast live on television.

  In the aftermath of Thailand's snap election on Sunday -- a bit of a farcical affair since essentially only one party contested it -- the careworn caretaker prime minister appeared on national TV on Monday night to explain to the public why he felt entitled to remain in his job.

  Admittedly, only about 28 million out of 45 million eligible voters had exercised their right to vote, the worst turnout since the 1997 Constitution was adopted, penalizing citizens for not voting.

  And admittedly about 10 million people had ticked their ballots "no vote," essentially a protest vote against the premier and his Thai Rak Thai Party, in addition to about 3 million more invalidated votes, setting another electoral record. Many of the latter group were invalidated by outraged citizens who scribbled "Thaksin Get Out" on their ballots.

  Nonetheless Thaksin stressed that his party had received 16 million votes, and he owed it to these voters to stay on as prime minister.

  Then, on Tuesday, the belligerent caretaker prime minister was granted an audience with Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at his palace in the seaside province of Hua Hin.

  After that audience, Thaksin rushed back to Bangkok for another public message on public television on Tuesday night, to announce his decision not to accept a third term as prime minister, but to stay on as a caretaker while a new parliament and government is set up.

  And, oh yes, he will stay on as head of the Thai Rak Thai Party, which -- when and if it ever manages to form a new parliament -- would likely hold at least 499 of the 500 seats, a percentage any communist state would be proud of.

  Then on Wednesday, Thaksin made a dramatic show of leaving his office at Government House, removing the pictures of his beloved family and other personal items, shaking hands with his loyal aides and hugging and being hugged by his adoring supporters as he rode off home.

  "He is a world-class spin doctor," said Sunai Pasuk, Thailand representative for Human Rights Watch, commenting on this week's performance. "It's just a tactical retreat from public pressure."

  While Thaksin's "departure" from his executive powers, or at least his promise not to resume them in the future, has been generally welcomed by the people opposed to his rule, the substance of his grand exit has left more questions than answers.

  Obviously, the three former opposition parties that boycotted Sunday's snap election to draw attention to the dictatorial powers Thaksin had amassed over his past five years as premier, were not impressed.

  "We should not be alarmed or happy with his decision to step aside, because we have to see whether his regime is still around or not," said Chuan Leekpai, a former Thai premier himself and senior member of the main opposition Democrat Party.

  The Democrats have always maintained that what is needed is a new round of political reforms, not another election. They are calling for constitutional amendments, designed to strengthen checks and balances on a populist regime like Thaksin's.

  Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon who romped to power on a host of populist policies designed to win votes from the rural and urban poor, was Thailand's first billionaire premier.

  While Thaksin has promised to set up an independent committee to mull such constitutional changes, it is doubtful that anything that might rein in his party's near-absolute rule will be approved by a parliament dominated by the party, with Thaksin at its head.

  "He may be able to move Government House to the House of Representatives, where he will be sitting," joked Suchit Bunbongkarn, a well-respected political scientist at Chulalongkorn University who helped to draft the 1997 constitution.

  Suchit said that amendments to the Constitution are needed to strengthen Thailand's independent bodies, such as the Constitutional Court and National Counter Corruption Committee, by removing politicians from the committees that nominate members to such bodies.

  But such amendments are not likely to be approved by a parliament dominated by the Thai Rak Thai party.

  The People's Alliance for Democracy, which led the mass demonstrations over the past two months demanding Thaksin's resignation, has also vowed to continue its struggle despite Thaksin's "departure."

  Alliance leader Suriyasai Katasila told reporters that the group was to resume its anti-Thaksin protests yesterday.

  "The anti-Thaksin movement has set two strategies: one is pressuring Mr Thaksin to step down, and the other is removing the Thaksin Rule. Mr Thaksin's stepping aside from office won't defuse a time-bomb, but merely delay the explosion," Suriyasai said.
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