If you are an admirer of Thaksin Shinawatra and still wonder why the number of people who detest him keeps rising, read "The Four Insiders Who See Through Thaksin".

Four prominent politicians, once close to the outgoing Prime Minister, have written why they lost faith and trust in him.

Former house speaker Uthai Pimchaichon, former Thai Rak Thai party chief advisor Snoh Thienthong, former attorney general Kanit na Nakhon, and former Chat Pattana party leader Korn Dabaransri, all contributed articles in a book that recounts how they become involved with Thaksin - and why they decided to defect from the party.

In one article "Thaksin is not a Democratic Leader", Uthai wrote that he supported Thaksin because he thought the man was the best choice among the party leaders - Chuan Leekpai, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Banharn Silapa-archa - in terms of competence to lead the country in the international arena.

The first disappointment was when Thaksin recruited old groups of politicians, instead of new faces with a political ideology, as members of Thai Rak Thai Party. "I raised this question and his close aides told me that if Thaksin had chosen new faces, he would have never become PM," he wrote.

Uthai said that as time went by he saw three major flaws in Thaksin that showed that he was not sincere in laying democratic foundations for the country.

First, he did not want to build the party as a political institute as he failed to establish provincial branches. Second, he hardly attended House meetings, not giving importance or respect to the House. "Thaksin would rather go to see 200-300 villagers than attend the House because these people flatter him. I am deeply hurt when he said that democracy is just his tool," he wrote.

 Uthai also opposed the CEO provincial governor system because the idea was in conflict with the democracy. "We already have a provincial administration with too many people giving orders. It will result in failure," he wrote.

Uthai said he sincerely warned Thaksin in front of his wife (Pojaman) but he did not listen to him. "Thaksin took the wrong medicine and any other medical treatment is too late because the drug has reached and taken effect in his brain. The result of this is that he believes the whole country loves him and only a few hate him," he wrote.

The House dissolution was Thaksin's gravest mistake. "He also expedited a snap election in 30 days. If it wasn't to take advantage of other parties, then he just wanted to harass them," he wrote.

Snoh wrote in his article "Want Thaksin or Thailand?" that Thaksin is competent but lacks leadership skills. He ran the country like he runs a business, using marketing as a tool. Snoh said he had advised Thaksin that the project to register the poor was not practical because people with debt (but not truly poor) would register.

But Thaksin told him, "Pee Noh, are the blind afraid of a tiger? If we do not do this, will we have their support?"

Snoh said he also told Thaksin that announcing the SML project during an election campaign was illegal because it was another way of buying votes, but Thaksin said, "The power is with us. The Election Commission is ours."

Snoh said that any politician who warned Thaksin or did not follow Thaksin's orders could not live under Thaksin. Snoh himself warned Thaksin about corruption by ministers, thinking that Thaksin did not know. "Actually, he was the one who ordered ministers to do it," Snoh wrote.

Snoh said he also warned Pojaman saying, "Sister, what is the point of getting another Bt100 billion?"

"Playing politics needs money. It is like a business," she replied.

When Snoh warned her again, she said: "If Thaksin steps down, the Thai Rak Thai must be in power for two terms - then he will be safe," Snoh quoted Pojaman as saying.

Snoh wrote that Thaksin runs the government like his own company by using people who worked in his company to control interests in ministries or on house committees.

Korn wrote about how Thaksin controls his Cabinet and reveals how Thaksin's orders become Cabinet resolutions and why Thaksin chose his Cabinet members not according to their qualifications but according to their "readiness to serve Thaksin."

Thaksin also did not pay attention to individuals or other prominent Cabinet members such as Purachai Piumsombun, who at one stage scored a higher job approval rating than Thaksin.

He wrote that Thaksin'a downfall came because he succumbed to his own power. "Every thing and every decision is up to the PM. When problems accumulates, he makes the wrong political decisions.

"If Thailand had businessmen like Thaksin I believe the country would become a powerful country, but do not step into politics because political society has rules, ethics and culture," he said.

Kanit, who was one of the Thai Rak Thai's Party founders, was among the first who faded out of the limelight because of the many "exceptions" that Thaksin approved in recruiting party members.

"I wanted to recruit politicians devoid of nepotism, but it did not work out how I thought it would," he said.

Samatcha Hunsara

The Nation