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Published on January 12, 2008

US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton this week celebrated her victory in the New Hampshire primary. Her bid to become the first female president of the US has suddenly brightened. In Thailand, Pojaman Shinawatra made a bold decision to return home from self-imposed exile. It is anticipated that her comeback will signal another big political development in Thailand.

The timing of Pojaman's return is calculated, as it comes after the People Power Party took first place in the December 23 election.

The two ladies have chosen to walk different paths. Hillary decided to emerge from her husband's shadow to become a politician in her own right. Pojaman still prefers to play the role of loyal spouse to ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and to protect the family business empire for her husband and children.

They both started off their political "careers" as political wives and both have proved their worth and fulfilled their roles well. They have shown every quality that the job of a political wife requires. They are supportive of their husbands. They have helped their men to the top. They serve as their confidantes on both domestic and political issues.

The US First Lady is as equally scrutinised on how she conducts herself in public as her husband is on his policies and performance. She must project the right image at all times. Not least of all, she has to pick the right dress and the right hairstyle for important events.

Hillary would lean towards President Bill Clinton's shoulder when he was under pressure because of the Lewinski affair. She didn't cry out or cause a scene when she found out about her husband's antics with another woman. She proved willing to stay with him through thick and thin. She smiled to assure the public that her husband should be allowed to continue his presidency.

In Thailand, the prime minister's spouse does not have official status as such. But Pojaman fulfilled her role perfectly. Those who know her say that she's a perfect match for Thaksin, who tends to shoot from the hip.

Pojaman is a smooth-talker who operated as a liaison officer in political affairs for husband. For instance, when Snoh Thienthong split with Thaksin, Pojaman went in person to talk to Snoh to clear the air. When Thaksin left the country after the coup, Pojaman sought a meeting with General Prem Tinsulanonda to discuss politics on behalf of her husband. Now she has come back to Thailand again to pave the way for her husband's return.

Thaksin could not be more grateful for his wife's support. He once said, "I would not be what I am today without Pojaman."

Hillary's political ambition is obvious. She was actively and publicly involved in the decisions of the Clinton administration from its early years. She has managed to turn her unprecedented eight-year experience in the White House to her political advantage. Political pundits foresaw her running for the US presidency on the day she decided to run for a New York senatorial seat.

During the Democrat's primary campaign, Hillary has proved that she can be as successful a politician as her husband was. She has acted tough and has refused to let the public see her tears until recently. She has shown that she can endure the long campaign trail on her own. Above all, she is trying to prove to the voters that her experience has transcended the gender issue.

Pojaman might look like any rich madam with her big hairstyle, neatly cut dress and designer handbag. She also loves to shop at the upscale department stores. But what makes her stand out from the hi-so crowd is the strong political network she has built since the premiership of her husband.

According to people who know her, Pojaman does not have a political ambition or want to be in the spotlight. She never gives interviews to the press to express her views on any issue. Nonetheless, she has the ear of Thaksin. She was said to be present when every key decision was made, such as Cabinet reshuffles. She turned her living room into a political war room for Thaksin. More importantly, she controlled the purse of the Shin Corp empire.

This week, Hillary made a big comeback in her campaign by winning in New Hampshire. She has become the most promising female presidential candidate in US history.

Pojaman - even though her people said, unconvincingly, that her return was non-political - has landed in Thailand with a mission. Wearing black sunglasses to hide what she thinks, she came back ostensibly to defend herself in court on corruption charges. But she will almost certainly liase on political developments on her husband's behalf and work behind the scenes to pave the way for Thaksin's return.

Hillary has transcended the role of a political wife to find her own voice, to become a politician to serve her country. Pojaman's motives have been clear from the beginning: she wants to reclaim lost power for her family.

Jeerawat Na Thalang

The Nation