Will Abhisit ever become Thailand's very own Barack Obama?

Abhisit

The United States' first African American president-elect called for unity. He told people that there were no red states (Republican) nor blue states (Democrat), only American ones. He urged everyone to join together and help the country overcome the current crisis.

Similarly, on Saturday - in an event titled "Believe in Thailand, Trust in Democrats" - Abhisit praised the Kingdom for remembering lessons learned from the 1997 economic crash and being able to keep the current crisis at bay. He said Thailand had a lot of potential in food, agricultural, alternative energy and tourism industries.

Like Obama, Abhisit also called on Thais to unite and watch out for each other. And, he was not shy in admitting that indeed Obama's speech had inspired him.

"If the US can prove to the world that the American dream is still alive, I believe that Thais have a chance to prove that Siam is still the Land of Smiles," he said.

Abhisit said that even though he understood both sides, he believes it would be best if the government and the People's Alliance for Democracy came to a compromise. He also vowed that Democrat MPs would vote in favour of the mid-year budget, which hopefully would stimulate the economy.

He called on the government to stop amending laws, and instead dissolve the House and hold a new round of elections, which can be monitored by the PAD.

Apart from the fact that their parties have the same name, Abhisit and Obama are also similar in other ways. For instance, both have had to compete with senior politicians and become leaders of the new generation. In fact, both of them used the Internet to reach the young people.

In Thailand, the Democrat Party introduced its "People's Assembly" in 2005, while Obama travelled around the United States wooing votes even in the Republican strongholds.

While Obama said big and small donors helped finance his campaign, the Thai Democrats typically raise funds by holding dinners and selling souvenirs. They are both unlike powerful groups like the ruling People Power Party or its previous incarnation, Thai Rak Thai, which have always had tycoons behind them.

However, despite the similarities, Abihisit will sadly not be able to rouse anything like the "Obama Fever" that has taken over the world.

Politics in Thailand works in a very different way - opposing sides never yield to one another.

Still, this fund-raiser may have been a smart move because anything can happen on the political front. Yet Abhisit still needs to prove himself. He has been party leader for three years now and yet hasn't achieved a top government post. Plus, the Democrats are the only opposition party in Parliament.

Besides, the country remains politically divided, as many people doubt if the Democrats - often called the experts of "old politics" - can bring about unity.

As people across the US, and maybe even the world, hope that Obama keeps his promises of "hope and change", people in Thailand want to believe that Abhisit can transform things.