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Published on August 27, 2007

Although Samak Sundaravej insisted in recent days that he was not a Thaksin nominee, his "self-defence" sounded weak to his critics, as he also said that Thaksin had asked for his help. And he now says that he returned to politics because he cannot stand the "injustice" with which the junta has treated Thaksin and his family.

Samak has never been in the same party as Thaksin, but they have worked together in a few national administrations with no record of hostile relations.

During the year before the September 19 coup, when Thaksin faced many allegations, Samak staunchly defended him through his television and radio talk shows.

Samak, in particular, blasted Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda. He said Prem had exploited his role to ruin the Thaksin government by provoking the three branches of the Armed Forces, a few months before the coup, to set themselves free from the government's control.

The row gives a clear picture that Samak is a Thaksin ally, in other words, an enemy of Prem, whom Thaksin's supporters claim is the boss of the coup-makers.

Moreover, a number of Thaksin's aides were selected for the new PPP executive board, including Surapong Suebwonglee, Somchai Wongsawat, Yongyuth Tiyapairat and Noppadon Pattama.

Therefore, when Samak became the PPP leader after the party's election yesterday, the general feeling was that Samak is nothing but a man that Thaksin puts in front of him.

It is becoming clear that the next election will be a fresh round in the ongoing conflict between Thaksin and his enemies.

The rise of Samak is also an official "declaration of war" against Thaksin's opponents - a move for the former PM to strike back after the coup 11 months ago.

The coup leaders claim a victory of legitimacy in Sunday's referendum on the new constitution. They regard it as a transition of power to the people, although a number of their allies have prepared to run in the post-junta election.

However, the more than 10 million voters who rejected the junta-sponsored charter shows that Thaksin's popularity is overwhelming, particularly in the northern and northeastern provinces.

Even Thaksin's critic Chai-anan Samudavanija expects that the PPP under Thaksin's shadow could win 200 of 400 constituency House seats up for grabs. Under this assumption, the PPP will become a government party.

Whether Thais like it or not, the same old issue will return to prick their conscience - "Thaksin or coup". Policies will not be in the spotlight. The election will be all about the "Thaksin issue".

Samak's entry also benefits Thaksin and his PPP in that allegations about Thaksin's attempt to challenge the monarchy will be ruled out.

Samak has been known as a royalist who strongly protects the monarchy since the heyday of communism in the 1960s-80s, particularly the bloody event of October 6, 1976.

Although the Assets Examination Committee has charged Samak in two graft cases, Thaksin's supporters regard them as part of a plot to abort all attempts to bring the ex-premier back to power.

Junta chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin has declared he would destroy Thaksin's legacy. But now Thaksin and his "troops" are alive and well.

Samak and his PPP are starting to run at full speed to gain clout, while the junta will have to disband within a few months.

Political scientist Trakul Meechai believes the coup leaders will definitely find the "proper" means to block Thaksin's return.

But if they staged a fresh "military intervention", the people would rise up against them because it would badly ruin a desperate attempt to restore democracy, he said.

Weerayut Chokchaimadon

The Nation