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Published on March 10, 2008

Varawut Silpa-archa, 34-year-old son of Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silpa-archa, talks about his political views to The Nation's

Some people say Chart Thai is Banharn's party as he controls everything. Is that true?

Banharn sponsors the party. He deserves the power to control what's going on with the party, right?

Politicians need money, manpower and the will to do the job. People without money cannot be politicians. Poor people cannot be MPs. We have to take care of our canvassers regularly, treat them to meals and trips.

When Chart Thai is derided as "the party of an eel", how will you fix that?

It's the nature of politics. Anyone who is in politics will be able to tell that situations happen so fast. If there's any certainty in Thai politics, it's that there will be uncertainty. One day like this, another like that.

There are no permanent friends and enemies, as everyone says. Otherwise, you will not survive in politics, whether in Thailand, the States, Europe, anywhere.

And as the situation changes every day, one has to see what the best outcome would be for the party.

In business, one day you might say you will not merge, you will not acquire a certain company or you will not take this action. But three days later the board of directors who come with the mandate say "we're gonna do this, we're gonna do that". Does that mean those companies are the companies of an eel, like in politics?

It just happens that in politics people will look at you in a different light if you say one thing today and another tomorrow. "Oh, they're just another eel slithering around."

If it were a businessman, people would say he was a very difficult man to read.

No matter how hard I try to explain, people who understand will understand. It is useless to try to explain to people who refuse to understand, anyway.

Have you talked to Banharn about his plan for his career? How long will he stay in politics?

Banharn will be in Thai politics until he dies. Working is his life. It will be like torturing him if we take him for a trip for fun. He would be like an old man, so different from when he works.

 

Will you be your father's political heir?

In politics, there is no such word as heir. It's just who will better serve or follow his footsteps in politics. You cannot just say "Son, here's my car. You take it. Here's the key."

Banharn's legacy will be the buildings and projects he initiated and the development of Suphan Buri. Not all the province, though. The province is not my family's.

Chart Thai must find an appropriate person to succeed the party leader. A political party doesn't belong to a family. It has a system. I can't accept the party leader's post now, anyway - I'm not that experienced and charismatic.

This is a political party. You have to earn where you are, not just take it. You have to earn respect and trust - not just because you are the son of a party leader.

How do you respond to criticism over developing your own province of Suphan Buri?

We have done a lot. Should we work for other provinces when Suphan people voted for us? If you want your province to be developed, you must find someone good in the province to be your MP to do that for you.

The second issue is the budget. The budget for Suphan is not more than that for other provinces. But why do you see better construction in the province? It was because people such as Banharn donated money to develop the province. They also take care and watch over construction. Banharn checks the neatness of street construction in each step of the process.

Moreover, the budget for extra construction comes from Suphan people. For example, they donate to the Banharn-Jamsai Foundation to develop the province. On Banharn or Jamsai's birthdays, people donate millions of baht. The interest from the foundation's savings funds the construction.

You gather millionaires in your province and ask for their donations. Let's say Bt1 million each from 50 people - that wouldn't be too much. Then we'll get Bt50 million and can spend the interest.

When they see the development in the province, they are not sorry for the donation. They can see it was not a waste.

When did you plan to be a politician?

I did not have to plan. I just knew it. If it's not me, who [in my family] will do this job? I joined an election campaign with my father when I was three years old. Some canvassers showed me photos of when I joined such campaigns as a little boy. They became like my family members.

Phi Na [Varawut's elder sister Kanchana, Chart Thai deputy leader] is a lady. Women will

have some limitations. It's not proper to visit our canvassers at night, as we sometimes need to travel here and there to rural places by boat or motorcycle. Women can't drink alcohol with canvassers like I can.

What are the benefits of being the son of Banharn Silpa-archa?

I might benefit from being Banharn's son in that canvassers are ready to accept me more easily. Being someone Banharn introduces as someone he supports is not comparable to being his son.

At the same time, canvassers will appreciate that Banharn dedicates his son to the job.

Thai politics still depends on canvassers and the patronage system.

What is your goal in political life?

My goal is not to be prime minister or a minister.

I will continue as long as people still elect me basically and continue my father's work in the constituency. As long as people have confidence in me and my team, that would be it.

As long as my wife and kids are happy, I can take care of them and my kids grow to be quality people and good members of society who don't cause a problem, that's my goal in my personal life.

Don't be too ambitious because if you don't get there, you'll be one disappointed man.

You are going to turn 35 in July. If a minister's post is proposed to you, will you accept it?

Let it be. But I'm not running for it. It's up to fate. If it is your destiny to be a Cabinet member, then let it be. If it's not your destiny, well, you can try as hard as you want but if you are not meant to be, then you will not be.

Who is your hero in politics?

Normally, a son will look upon his father as his hero. I see my father as a big, huge gigantic hero. No one is better. There are some flaws in him, he has made mistakes, slipped here and there, but no one is perfect and he is my one and only hero.

He is the 21st prime minister of Thailand. Out of 63 million people in the country, there are only 26 prime ministers so far. My father is one of them. If he's not my hero, then who will be?

Kornchanok Raksaseri and Somroutai Sapsomboon.

The Nation