Why are they all so scared of being opposition leader?

Perhaps, they have yet to recover from the shock of having lost the premiership to the Democrats. Perhaps, politics for them is to be in power - and serving as the eyes and ears of the people. Being the public's checks and balances against the establishment is a totally alien concept.

"The opposition has robbed us of our MPs. We will get them back somehow," Thaksin told a group of red-shirted supporters in the North earlier this week.

To him, MPs are like personal belongings. They don't represent their constituencies. They belong to the man who "owns" them. That's why they can be bought and sold. And, if you are not careful, they can also be stolen.

The following day, Snoh Thientong, leader of the Pracharaj Party, who has been serving as Thaksin's nominee in the fight to win back the "stolen" MPs, used an even stronger term. He told reporters that the Democrat Party had "hijacked" MPs from his side. And all efforts are being exerted to force them back where they belong.

For now, Thaksin's Pheu Thai Party, which has been set up to take over from where the disbanded People Power Party (PPP) left off, is resigned to the fact that it will have to be called the opposition party. Under the Constitution, an opposition leader is to be named by His Majesty the King, countersigned by the House Speaker.

The role of the opposition leader is an integral part of the parliamentary system. He or she is supposed to keep check on the government - and propose alternative policies that could offer the people hope that if they don't like the incumbent government, the opposition will be there to provide leadership.

But since most Thai politicians have somehow convinced themselves that being in politics is to be in the seat of power - to reap the highest benefits for themselves - being in the opposition is tantamount to being condemned to hell. They will do anything, pay any price, kowtow to anybody, to get themselves out of the opposition and into the Cabinet. That's probably why Snoh has, almost instinctively, rejected the role of opposition leader with the excuse that he isn't suited to that post.

The next obvious choice would be the most outspoken man in the Pheu Thai Party. But Chalerm Yoobamrung has also inexplicably asked to be excused. His not-so-credible argument is that there are many other more qualified and senior leaders in the party for the post.

The official leader of Pheu Thai, Yongyuth Vichaidit, from the outset ruled himself out of the crucial position, citing the fact that he was not an MP - and, more curiously, that he doesn't want to play a "political role" in the party.

Now, the fact that nobody wants to be opposition leader doesn't mean that the Pheu Thai Party members aren't geared up for the battle to draw blood from Premier Abhisit and his Cabinet. In fact, Pheu Thai has already targeted the new premier and a few of his men for a series of House debates.

The only explanation for this state of affairs within the Pheu Thai Party is that they still can't reconcile themselves to the thought that they could be called "opposition". Deep down, the former PPP members still consider themselves the government unfairly and temporarily thrown into the opposition, waiting to be put back in power. In other words, the Pheu Thai politicians don't want their image tainted by being out of power even for one day. To them, to be an opposition member is to be a failure.

That, of course, is pitiful and misguided. A strong parliamentary system requires a robust, honest and conscientious opposition to keep the government honest and efficient. When the political party claiming the largest number of elected MPs in the House refuses to take its checks-and-balances duty seriously, its credibility and legitimacy are thrown into serious doubt.

If Thaksin is serious about helping the country, he should perhaps seriously consider setting up an "opposition-in-exile" to at least demonstrate that he is more than just a convict on the run. He should prove that he can do more than just phone-ins to harass his opponents. Thaksin can show the whole world that he still has clout and can still call the shots, even as the de facto opposition leader.

Or is it because they all believe that once you are in the opposition - whether inside the country or abroad - you lose your Midas touch?

Even his most trusted lieutenants have told Thaksin in no uncertain terms: "Don't call me. I will call you."

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