This reminds me of one of my favourite books, Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea". It is about an epic struggle between Santiago, the seasoned Cuban fisherman, and the biggest catch of his life. For 84 days, Santiago sailed the sea fishing, but each day he returned home empty handed. But he would never give up, hoping that his streak of bad luck would soon come to an end.

On the 85th day, he sailed his skiff far beyond the coastal shallows and ventured out into the Gulf Stream. At noon he prepared his line and dropped it into the sea. He waited and soon a big fish took the bait. Santiago knew at once that he'd got hold of a marlin. But the marlin was so strong and big that instead of being pulled up to face the slaughter, it started to pull the boat away with the line hooked to its mouth.

Santiago did not have time to tie the line to the boat, so he endured the pain in his back, his shoulders and his hands while he tried to hold on to the fish with the line stretched to its full limit. The marlin fought fiercely for its freedom, dashing and leaping away. Each time it did so, Santiago was hurt. But he admired the marlin's strength and resolve. He would not accept defeat, neither would the marlin.

The marlin took Santiago to the northwest before changing course to the east with the current. On the third day, the fish was totally exhausted. Santiago pulled it in and killed it with his harpoon. It was the biggest catch of his life.

Then Santiago sailed home, dreaming how he would fetch a good price for the fish at the market. He wondered whether those who were to taste the fish were worthy of it.

But the marlin's blood created a trail. Sharks began to attack the dead marlin, lashed to the boat. Santiago tried to fend off the sharks desperately. He used all kinds of tools at hand to fight them. He managed to kill some of the sharks. But the sharks showed up in greater number. They devoured the marlin until only a skeleton was left.

Santiago got home safely before daybreak with only the skeleton of the fish from head to tail. He stumbled into his lodging and fell into a deep sleep. The next day people were amazed to see the huge skeleton still lashed to his boat. They all thought that it was the skeleton of a shark.

Manolin, a boy, tended Santiago, bringing him food and water. Santiago went back to sleep and had his favourite dream of lions at play on an African beach.

Now you can draw a parallel. The Old Ginger Cabinet of Gen Surayud Chulanont, after wasting 43 days, might still have the resolve to catch the big fish. Members of the Old Ginger Cabinet have been taken from the closet to go fishing because of their experience and expertise. But they look like worn out ginger.

To catch the big fish, the Old Ginger Cabinet must have the courage to travel beyond the territories they are acquainted with. Like Santiago, who set sail into the Gulf Stream beyond the coastal shallows to look for the big fish, the Old Ginger Cabinet has to venture out to the uncharted realm of the Rule of Law, where nobody before has dared to go. There is a big risk of doing so because the new territories are treacherous, with the undercurrent from the remnants of the previous administration a threat.

Both Santiago and the marlin displayed exceptional pride, honour and bravery. But they are subject to the same eternal law: they must kill or be killed.

As the Old Ginger Cabinet has assumed the honorary task of running this country, it too has to display its pride, honour and bravery. It has to be decisive. If it fails to kill the big fish, it will later on be killed.

The way the Assets Examination Committee is probing the assets of politicians associated with the Thaksin regime gives the impression it has found a lot of smoke but no fire.

If the Old Ginger Cabinet has guts, it might be able to catch one or two big fish. But there might be so strong an undercurrent that all the fresh meat has been taken away, leaving only the skeleton.

Santiago might only have got the skeleton of the marlin after three days of gruelling battle, but he had risen to the challenge of his destiny.

But the Old Ginger Cabinet has not yet set its sights on its mission and its destiny.

If it keeps on having self-doubt, the Old Ginger Cabinet will lose the fight and be eaten up by the big fish. Then it is almost certain the Old Ginger Cabinet will be put in a jar like pickles.

Thanong Khanthong

The Nation