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Published on March 3, 2008

Her name and past record stood out from the list of 35 relatively obscure candidates competing for the single seat.

Many voting for Rosana said they wanted her in the Senate to ensure it operated as a system of checks and balances for the government, and society.

Starting out as a health and consumer-rights activist in the 1980s, Rosana emerged as one of the country's leading graft fighters when she led some 30 civic groups in the campaign against corruption at the Public Health Ministry between 1998 and 2003.

For the first time in Thailand, a politician at the ministerial level was found guilty and jailed for corruption.

She and her consumer groups' victory in halting the privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand two years ago, and a recent triumph in the Supreme Administrative Court against PTT propelled her further into the public limelight.

Rosana become synonymous with accountability, transparency and checks and balances.

By unofficial count last night, Rosana had polled more than 740,000 votes, representing nearly 50 per cent of the turnout.

She won by a large margin over musician and showbiz tycoon Nitipong Hornak, the runner-up who polled some 220,000 votes.

Bangkok voters said Rosana had the guts to compete in the election, instead of seeking a short cut to power by getting appointed to the Senate, as other activists had done.

Under the Constitution, only 76 of the 150-member upper house are elected, while a committee handpicked the rest. 

However, Rosana's candidacy was not without criticism. Some progressive anti-coup academics and activists opted to tick "No Vote", instead of for Rosana. They see her as a key ally of the People's Alliance for Democracy that campaigned to oust Thaksin Shinawatra and invited the military to intervene.

Others call Rosana a hypocrite for accepting a position on the board of MCOT, the company privatised from the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand.

Despite her landslide, Rosana is realistic and knows she will be in a minority in the Senate. She asked voters not to abandon her once she begins the task of scrutinising the government.

Indeed, amid the current gloomy atmosphere, people cannot afford to stop being involved once they leave the polling station.

Rosana and a few good men in Parliament still need our support.

Nantiya Tangwisutijit

The Nation