• 
• 

Published on February 29, 2008

Turning himself in to the authorities upon his return from a 17-month exile, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra promised to stay out of politics, fight corruption charges to clear his name, and devote himself to charitable works. He even went as far as to apologise to the Thai people for his part in causing confrontational politics that resulted in divisiveness. The question on everybody's mind is, can we trust him? If not, can Thai society, with its newly-restored and fragile democracy, withstand the sort of destructively divisive politics that Thaksin and his loyal friends in powerful positions may resort to.

Calling it quits as a politician doesn't mean Thaksin will stop exerting his still-formidable influence to gain himself and members of his family undue advantage in the legal battle against corruption charges. His pulling strings from behind the scenes will be extremely difficult to prevent, much less prove.

As a high-profile criminal suspect in multiple corruption cases that are either pending judicial proceedings or are being investigated, Thaksin was nevertheless given a hero's welcome by his supporters, including senior members of the Samak administration and former executives of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai party.

PM Samak Sundaravej has chosen to distance himself from the former prime minister, at least in public. It is clear that Samak intends to preserve his public image as a prime minister who exercises strong leadership - not merely a proxy of Thaksin. Understandably, Samak hates the idea that people see him merely as a puppet. 

Military leaders, including those who took part in the September 2006 coup that overthrew Thaksin, have gone back to barracks and submitted to the authority of the democratically-elected government.

A charismatic leader with a tenacious personality to match, Thaksin has come back with a seemingly much gentler and reconciliatory approach. He even reassured the coup-makers, the Council for National Security, that he will not seek revenge.  

Anti-Thaksin groups, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), have adopted a wait-and-see attitude. The PAD organised months of massive street protests that led to a crisis of confidence in Thaksin's leadership that culminated in his ouster.

The PAD says it will not stir things up unless Thaksin or his associates in the ruling People Power Party - which Thaksin helped create - begin meddling in the justice system, undermining democratic institutions, or threatening civil liberties.

Meanwhile, the Assets Examination Committee, appointed by the coup-makers to investigate several corruption allegations against Thaksin and his associates, has vowed to perform its duty without fear or favour up to the June deadline when its mandate ends.

Thaksin, who was taken into custody by police upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport, reported to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. He is due to stand trial on a charge of conflict of interest in connection with the controversial 2003 purchase, by his wife, Pojaman, of a prime piece of land in Bangkok from the Financial Institutions Development Fund. The agency is under the administrative purview of the Finance Ministry.

Thaksin was then taken to the Office of the Attorney General to acknowledge the charge against him filed by the Department of Special Investigations for alleged concealment of shares that he and his family members held in SC Asset Corporation, a publicly-listed property development company.

As expected, Thaksin was granted temporary release on bail by the presiding judges at both the Supreme Court's Special Division for Holders of Political Positions and at the Office of the Attorney General.

Thai people have learned a painful lesson from the first time Thaksin became prime minister, back in 2001. He was the most popular democratically-elected leader in Thailand's modern political history. But he took for granted the public mandate, went on to manipulate people's expectations with quick fixes and handouts, and, in his arrogance, proceeded to enrich himself and his cronies at the expense of the public interest, undermine the political system of checks and balances, and roll back civil liberties. The rest is history.

The question to ask, is: has Thaksin learned his own lesson?

The Nation