Strange Bedfellows In Thai Politics

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The latest twists in the Thai political scene have created some strange bedfellows, an alliance in particular that would have seemed impossible only a few weeks ago. Imagine, if you can, Dick Cheney and Barack Obama becoming best buddies. That is what has happened here in Thailand as the rapidly changing political landscape here in Thailand has brought together Newin Chidchob (Cheney) and Abhisit Vejjajiva (Obama). Newin was disgraced former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s right-hand man and Abhisit is the leader of the Democrat party, Thaksin's arch political enemies.

A meeting a few days ago between the two confirmed what had been rumored for several days before that: Newin and Abhisit were now political allies. Photos of the two hugging were published in newspapers and Abhisit even presented Newin with a bouquet of red roses so perhaps it is true love after all. Or, more likely in the topsy-turvy world of Thai politics, it’s simply political expediency.

It’s obvious why Abhisit would embrace Newin: with the addition of the 37 members of parliament that Newin controls, along with the 15 members that Sanan Kachornprasart from the now-defunct Chart Thai party added to the Democrat’s fold, Abhisit’s Democrats are now poised to gain power in Thailand for the first time since Thaksin took office in March, 2001.   

The more interesting question is why Newin made his move at this time. There is much speculation about it among the media here but no real consensus. Newin’s reason is that he did it for the good of the country. He never did anything in the past during his political career that was for the good of the country but maybe he got religion. Or maybe Abhisit just made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Keep in mind, however, that Newin was banned from politics for five years after the Constitutional Court’s decision in May, 2007 that the Thai Rak Thai party was guilty of election fraud in the April, 2006 election. One hundred ten of its members, among them Newin, were banned and the party was ordered to be disbanded, only to be reformed as the People Power Party.

So there was nothing personal for Newin to gain by joining the Democrats, at least not as far as a high political office was concerned. In the smoke-filled rooms of Thai politics, unexplainable developments are not uncommon and this is certainly one of those. Most likely, the real motives behind the sudden friendship will be revealed after a new government is formed and we see who the cabinet ministers are. How many of Newin’s friends, the ones that haven’t been banned already, are appointed to important posts may shed some light on the subject.

Still, the surrealist nature of this alliance continues to confound people. Imagine again, if you can, Dick Cheney changing his position on the Iraq war, torture, stem cell research, Guantanamo Bay and other of his signature issues and joining the Democratic Party. That’s about the size of the seismic shift we are witnessing here in Thailand. Strange bedfellows is perhaps a bit of a misnomer. Bizarre bedfellows may be closer to the mark.