Learn from Obama's victory

Flush from his historic victory, Obama vowed to be president for the entire country, including those who did not vote for him, saying he heard their voices and needed their help.

"Americans have sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of red states and blue states. We are and always will be the United States of America," he said.

In Thailand, red and yellow are definitely divided. Scenes of yellow at our besieged Government House for months now and of red in Rajamangala Stadium last Saturday could correspond to blue and red in the US.

The help Obama mentioned means Americans joining hands to bring the nation through any difficulties to be faced, now and in the future.

Although Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has not commented on it, his brother-in-law, who himself won a historic victory in Thai elections, had a completely different message from Obama's.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, during a live telephone address to his red-shirted supporters last Saturday, asked for more help and claimed the justice system had been distorted against him.

The help that Thaksin mentioned was people joining hands to allow him to return to the country.

"Injustice is the reason we must gather to fight, so that justice may return to society," he said.

At the same event, Thaksin supporters said they would not let the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy dictate the course of politics in Thai society.

"The only thing we can do now is fight them," they said.

Of course, the yellow-shirted protesters counter-attacked that Thaksin and their opponents gave only one-sided information.

John McCain, Obama's Republican opponent, promptly congratulated the winner, vowed to help him and told his supporters to accept the outcome. Obama thanked and praised McCain for his spirit. Political opponents in Thailand, on the other hand, attack each other any way they can. Conditions must be laid down just to start a political dialogue.

Obama credited his success to donors who supported him no matter how much or little money they could give. His singling out for praise of a 106-year-old woman who made a great effort to vote could also make Thailand's genuine advocates of democracy envious of the Americans' participation.

Let's face it: for some Thais, a small sum of money is their only motivation to vote.

However, as per his slogan of "Change We Need", Obama mentioned the fighting and pain that Americans had endured before reaching this historic day.

Americans have fought for 232 years, while Thai democracy is only 76 years old.

Maybe Thais should look on the positive side and hope for such political development.

kornchanok@nationgroup.com