When Thai politics takes a kinky turn

While the story line of this unnamed film may differ hugely from the 1989 Hollywood hit, the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has wasted no time in airing the not-so-steamy preview of the film starring, well, we don't know who for sure yet.

Some of possible titles that Bangkokian has heard about though were "Serial Shagger", "Spermanator" or "The Premier Who Shagged Me".

In fact, two leading dailies even brought up the issue on the front page in their Thursday editions. Respected daily Matichon said the man in the video looked like somebody we all know, while the anti-government mouthpiece, Manager, said the man in the clip seen taking different women to short-time love shacks looked very much like Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

However, nobody said a single thing about the guy from the popular TV show "Parliament of Jokers" or "Sapha Joke", which satirises parliamentary debate.

Of course, the identity of the man in question is debatable. For all we know, it could have been somebody who looks like our soft-spoken premier.

For the time being, though, there is nothing to suggest that any more evidence will be put forward.

Even if Somchai or any other senior politician gets caught on camera with his pants down, Bangkokian probably won't see the kind of investigation that was launched by Kenneth Starr during the Clinton-Lewinski scandal, much less any confessions and/or public apologies.

Besides, one might ask, what's the point in spending millions to confirm something we already know? Just for the record, perhaps?

IS IT A TRICK OR TREAT FOR PUEA PANDIN?

Puea Pandin Party, which basically translates as "For the Motherland", has come under the spotlight because two of its senior leaders have entered a spitting contest against each other.

Political disgrace would be an understatement to describe what is taking place between the two politicians - who are squabbling over a single Cabinet seat.

Sadly but true, the bickering between the two men epitomises the pathetic state of Thai politicians.

The bickering came out in the open at a press conference on Wednesday, when party spokesman Chaiyot Jiramethakorn went head to head against his comrade, Deputy Interior Minister Prasong Kositanon.

At the conference, Chaiyot presented a hand-written letter of resignation from Prasong dated "October 2008".

Prasong did not dispute the authenticity of the letter, but insisted that he was staying on as a deputy interior chief.

Now, should Bangkokian sympathise with Chaiyot because his colleague had allegedly gone back on his word?

Or should Bangkokian believe that Prasong was actually going to occupy the seat for just three weeks as claimed by Chaiyot?

Nevertheless, desperate situations require desperate acts. Time is running out for Chaiyot's turn at the seat as October becomes November.

Besides, the letter was only marked |for "October 2008", without an exact date.

Well, today is Halloween - the only day of the year when adults can openly behave childishly.

But then again, that should be no excuse for these two men whose behaviour was anything but "For the Motherland".

Perhaps the party should be renamed and called the "For Me" party?