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Published on March 19, 2008

But veteran Chalerm was not about to be outsmarted by a clean-cut Apirak, whose lesser experience in gutter politics is no match for such an outspoken political operative like the current interior minister.

Chalerm has basically reminded Apirak that there is no short-cut to political glory. If he wants to be a hero, he will have to make the ultimate sacrifice by resigning from his post as Governor of Bangkok.

"He can cry for three days and three nights, but he still can't abandon his duty," Chalerm said in response to Apirak's request to take temporary leave to prepare for a legal case that also involves Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

Thai Rath newspaper sees the entire fiasco as a ploy to put extra pressure on Samak, the man who is accused of signing off on the Bt6.7 billion purchase of overpriced and allegedly substandard fire trucks - a procurement project that was made during his term as the city's governor.

The publication sees Apirak making a calculated risk but added that the scandal is still far from over.

Apirak came in as governor after Samak's tenure and signed off on the letter of credit, thus completing the entire procurement project that Samak had initiated.

Mathichon, meanwhile, sees Chalerm using a "technicality", (Article 85[2]), to deny Apirak the alleged sought-after political glory that could be generated from the move to request a leave of absence.

There has yet to be any legal charge filed against the governor. If he wants to leave, he is going to have to quit. Period.

As it stands, Chalerm is giving Apirak only 15 days' leave. An entire month away from work is just too long and is unnacceptable, he said.

The respectable daily sees the situation as a game of chess in which the Democrat Party is trying to achieve checkmate by sacrificing a knight for a king. But the strategy has yet to bear fruit and the future is still very cloudy. No one knows what Samak's next move will be.

The rowdy crowd at the Parnthip.com website, meanwhile, challenged Apirak to go all the way by resigning, as this would show the true spirit of political sacrifice and possibly set a precedent for others to follow.

Others see Chalerm as making something out of nothing by sticking his nose into Apirak's request for leave. The veteran politician could very well be digging his own grave.

 Tharn Setakig's columnist called the entire business a tussle between pretentiousness and a display of political spirit.

The Nation