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Published on November 26, 2007

All the major political parties have deployed big names to toil behind the scenes and hone manifestos that will win over voters.

Just who are these personalities?

The People Power Party has Mingkwan Sangsuwan, Toyota's former public-relations wizard before he took over as boss at MCOT. He is the party's economic brain.

Mingkwan has pledged

an improved version of Thaksinomics.

Also on People's Power's team is Dr Samran Puva-anantanont, the former chairman of Sam-sung Thailand and managing director of the SME Bank. The team also includes former bureaucrat Dr Plodprasop Suraswadi.

Over the past weeks, Mingkwan has highlighted the strengths of Thaksin-style populism. This will be revisited if his party wins next month's election.

Samak Sundaravej increasingly looks a nominee head of the People Power and plays no part in formulating policy.

Others, such as trusted Thaksin aide and Shin Corp supremo Boonklee Plangsiri, and Pansak Vinyaratn, remain in the shadows. Somkid Jatusripitak defected to the Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana.

"To jump-start the sagging economy, our policy is to increase people's income, that of the country, the government, business and industries among others, while reducing expenditure," Mingkwan said.

"We could say that the original brand of populism will be combined with new ideas to deliver an improved version."

Mingkwan said People Power will adopt an aggressive tourism and regional aviation policy to boost revenue from the current annual Bt350 billion, while promoting the use of alternative fuels with locally produced content.

"Boosting tourism will benefit the country as well as the grass roots. Tourism income trickles down to villagers and rural people," Mingkwan said. "Promoting the use of gasohol boosts motorists' disposable income because they will save Bt3.50 on every litre. At present, we spend Bt800 billion to Bt1 trillion on oil imports each year; so savings will be significant."

The Democrat Party sprang a surprise by taking on board MR Chatu Mongol Sonakul, a former Bank of Thailand governor. It has made education its top priority and will seek this portfolio if involved in a coalition government.

Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva played a key role in drafting the education policy, with help from Kanok Wongtrangan and Jurin Laksanavisit.

International trade expert Kiat Sitthee-amorn is focusing on economic zones, which will be given incentives for investment and manufacturing activities, including services.

Korn Chatikavanij is involved in overall economic policy as well as issues pertaining to industrial sectors such as telecommunications in which Alongkorn Pollabutr aids him. Korn is the man behind the Democrat's financial and capital markets development policy.

Buranaj Smutharaks is responsible for healthcare. Kanok works on agriculture. Korbsak Sabhavasu takes care of overall strategy and how the manifesto will be communicated to the voters.

Boonmark Sirinaovakul and Buranaj are the custodians of information technology policies and Alongkorn and ML Abhimongkol Sonakul are the energy men.

"But overall, Abhisit has taken an active role in overseeing all the economic and social policies of the party. When it comes to the eventual debate on how to formulate the party's position, Abhisit has final say," said Korn, now deputy secretary-general of the party.

The Chart Thai Party has brought in MR Pridiyathorn Devakula, a former deputy prime minister and finance minister in the Surayud government, as one of its economic advisers.

Suchart Jaovisidha, a former finance minister in the Thaksin government, has joined the economic team on the invitation of leader Banharn Silapa-archa.

But, Pridiyathorn is busy with his own business and only occasionally helps out at party headquarters.

Steel magnate Sawat Horungrueng will draft trade, commerce and business policies for the private sector. Dr Veerasak Khowsurat has for a long time been the key economic thinker at Chart Thai.

Thanma Pinsuwan, the former head of Sony Thailand, has joined Chart Thai, too.

As for the Matchima Thipataya, which has been promoting a combination of populist and welfare policies, Prachai Leophairatana heads the economic team.

Prachai, founder of Thai Petrochemical Industry, proposes issuing bonds to finance massive infrastructure spending, while offering free education, books and other supplies to school children.

Prachai's team includes Dr Pramuan, Prachai's younger brother, and an expert in petrochemicals and an anti-globalisation stalwart.

Amarin Khoman, banker Dr Narong Piriya-anek, finance expert Supornpong Chuanboon and media executive Dr Manoo Maneewatana are the other members.

The former dream team of Puea Pandin is in disarray. Surakiart Sathirathai, previously assumed to be the right hand of leader Suwit Khunkitti, has been banned from the electoral process. He quit as chairman of its policy and strategy council.

Those helping Surakiart draft party policy have not met since, according to an informed source.

Among them are Vijit Supinit, former chairman of the Stock Exchange of Thailand and former central bank governor, and Supachai Phisitvanich, the former permanent secretary for finance.

Puea Pandin leader Suwit broke away from Thai Rak Thai members who have taken over People Power. Living in Khon Kaen, he is betting on winning votes from farmers.

He has pledged to maintain village funds, small-medium-large village budgets and irrigation funding.

Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana will try to convince voters that it would spend big on populist projects with fiscal discipline. The platform reflects the ideas of Somkid, former finance minister in the Thai Rak Thai government. Somkid had to resign as chief adviser to comply with the commission order.

The party promises to increase village funding to Bt200 billion. The fund was one of the most popular Thai Rak Thai policies.

The party promises higher prices for rice, welfare for the elderly and children and a free laptop computer for every schoolchild.

Corporate income tax for small- and medium-sized enterprises will be cut, too. The middle class will get more tax breaks. It pledges to drive up private investment growth at 10 per cent a year.

The party plans to rein in public debt at not more than 40 per cent of gross domestic product. Fiscal deficits would be kept between 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent and budgets will be balanced in the next three years. Economic growth will be 5 per cent annually.

Uttama Savanayana, who is close to Somkid, and plays a key role in drafting policy, said the party's economic principles were practical.

Kasemsan Weerakul, deputy leader of the Party, is also one of the key men who drafts the economic policy for the party. He was a former vice president of Thai Beverage Plc.