Bangkok Guru

If you’ve recently been following Thai politics, you probably know that on Tuesday Prime Minister Samak was found guilty of flouting the constitution and as a result disqualified from the post. His appearances on a TV cookery show and acceptance of payments for them were a clear breach of constitutional rules that prohibit MPs from working for a private company for fear of conflict of interests.

After the court’s verdict, many people were relieved that Samak’s exit would help ease the ongoing political tensions, lead to the dispersion of the thousands of protesters at Government House so hopefully everyone could get on with things eventually. Well, not quite that.

Today the leading coalition party PPP’s spokesman has come out and said that his party have unanimously agreed to re-nominate Samak to become Prime Minister again, although the other smaller coalition parties are against such an idea. He also revealed to The Nation newspaper that the decision was made partly based on the advice given by former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, now living in exile in London.

My colleague says Thaksin insists on the PPP re-nominating Samak because he wants to get back to those who have hitherto caused him so much trouble - an interesting, yet possible theory indeed. She says Thaksin has given the advice (more like an order) despite knowing full well that it would provoke the PAD-led protesters even more and could possibly lead to a new wave of violence on the streets of Bangkok. She says Thaksin doesn’t want things to end happily and has shown his true colours, even to his own supporters, that he doesn’t give two shits about anyone else.

So, the drama looks set to continue for at least weeks, if not months, to come. And this is all down to one man and one man only. As a responsible journalist, I want to remain as politically impartial as possible but admittedly I sometimes do get a bit carried away and this is one of those several occasions if you know what I mean!

Anyway I’ve got a personal message to Thaksin if he’s reading my blog: “Please come back home mate because - one way or the other - everyone terribly needs you!”