Meechai mustered 167 votes from the 242-member body, compared to only 47 for Prasong Soonsiri and 21 for Purachai Piumsombun.

Analysts had speculated that Meechai's nomination would face no real opposition, as he would garner at least 140 votes.

The tally confirmed that the military rulers and the elite had handpicked Meechai for this very important job from the outset. However, pro-democracy movements did not welcome the former Senate speaker as his legal work in the past has mostly gone to serve those in power.

As assembly speaker, Meechai will oversee the drafting of all pieces of legislation. Even more so, as per the interim constitution, he will serve as head of the National People's Assembly. Meechai will then play a crucial role in writing the rules for the selection of the constitution drafters.

The National People's Assembly will draw 2,000 representatives of various fields and professions from all over the country. They will select 200 from among themselves and the National Security Council, led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, will pick 100 from the 200 to form the Constitution Drafting Assembly, which will be tasked with writing a permanent charter to replace the 1997 Constitution.

As the government under Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont will stay in office for only about a year or so, a power struggle is already beginning to shape up. The rules and conditions in the permanent constitution will determine to a large extent which parties will arise as the real power in the post-coup period.

The permanent constitution might also water down people's participation to make way for conservative articles that protect institutions at the expense of democracy.

Cracks have already begun to appear among the allies who got together reluctantly from the start to overthrow the Thaksin government.

Sondhi Limthongkul of the Manager Media Group, who is one of the key members of the People's Alliance for Democracy, is not happy with political developments, which appear to leave him out.

Prasong, who advised the military rulers on political strategy during the coup, is holding his guard tight.

The NGOs and other pro-democracy groups - not to mention the remnants of the Thai Rak Thai Party - are biding their time for a chance to strike again if they sense that they are not part of the game.

Some analysts have suspected that Meechai might have links to some key members in the National Security Council. Once the permanent constitution is in place, some members among the military rulers might transform themselves into political animals to support a new political party.

In this new political landscape, the Democrat Party might be left out in the cold. Thai Rak Thai will be dispersed, leaving their members, the likes of Somsak Thepsuthin and others, scrambling for a new party with the best chance to form the next government. Chat Thai Party is waiting in the wings to work with any collaborators.

Meechai's task is to lay the groundwork for the emergence of a new political force that will reshape Thai politics.

Political Desk

The Nation