Traditional patronage system has its advantages

Achara Deboonme

achara_d@nationgroup.com

It is most impressive, centred by that landmark tall tower.

Given that Suphan Buri is a small province that each year welcomes only a small number of visitors, they are amazed at how the province could have tapped a huge budget for such a stupendous road.

The reason is simple: Banharn Silapa-archa, leader of the Chart Thai Party, was born in the province, which has been his main election constituency for decades. When Banharn became prime minister and a Cabinet minister in various governments, he flexed his muscles for the big local budget.

Now people from other provinces wish their own politicians could be part of the government to guarantee a bigger chunk of the national budget.

So people from Khon Kaen should be elated by the news that Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Suwit Khunkitti is planning to erect a software park in the province. He said that the province is large and with the nearby Khon Kaen University, the software park should get sufficient workforce.

Hmm, I hope this won't agitate people in Chiang Mai, which is the same size as Khon Kaen and also has Chiang Mai University, which offers as many courses as Khon Kaen University.

Tomorrow, Tourism Minister Weerasak Kowsurat, a politician from Khon Kaen, will also meet reporters in the province, where a brainstorming session will take place on developing tourism in the Northeast.

Throughout the day, reporters will be taken to various tourist destinations in Khon Kaen, as well as restaurants. 

Weerasak will be commended as tourism minister if he organises similar tours in other provinces. But if not, he could be criticised

for promoting only his own province.

But I don't know whether other people will mind much. Thais, familiar with the patronage system, are pleased when someone they know is in a position of power. So while people in Khon Kaen are pleased with Weerasak's initiative, others are waiting for their turn to have their own politicians represented in the government. That explains why people in Chiang Mai were so elated when Thaksin Shinawatra's party won the national election.

Ah, that old cycle!