Out of left field

The Wichaidit family has long been associated with the Democrat Party in the South, where it dominates politics. But fate and circumstances have seen Yongyuth Wichaidit, of the third generation, following a different drummer.

He now leads the Pheu Thai party - the Democrats' chief rivals.

Yongyuth has been involved in politics for 56 years, beginning when he was only 11, assisting in his Democrat grandfather Chote's successful bid to represent Surat Thani in the Legislature.

Three other members of the family subsequently also became Democrat MPs, and Yongyuth was always aware of his strong ties to the party. Yet he was never invited to join.

Instead, at age 33, Yongyuth signed on with the Social Action Party, whose policies he admired. He opted to resign after the death of the party's leader, MR Kukrit Pramoj.

Yongyuth earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Chulalongkorn University and a master's in public administration from the National Institute of Development Administration. But he remained independent of any political party until 2004, when he was lured back by the lustre of Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai.

During Thaksin's first term, Yongyuth was shadowed by suspicions over his and his family's links to the Democrats.

He'd been governor of Trang province, a Democrat stronghold, and, while the Democrats held national power, served as director-general of the Land Department, and then as Interior deputy permanent secretary.

But Thaksin came to trust Yongyuth, especially when he came to the premier's defence in the Alpine land-transfer scandal.

The owner of what became the Alpine Golf Club in Pathum Thani had willed the land to a temple decades earlier, instructing the abbot to transfer ownership to a foundation.

The foundation subsequently sold some of the property, and on this parcel a golf course was established that Thaksin later bought.

Whether the land was the temple's property to sell or not remains unclear.

Recognising an ally, Thaksin brought Yongyuth out of retirement to work with him, and appointed him, among other posts, as chairman of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority Board.

Yongyuth joined the Thai Rak Thai Party during its second term in government and became an adviser to Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan.

When the party was dissolved by the courts, Yongyuth switched to the People Power Party, and then, when it too was voided, to Pheu Thai.

He was elected deputy leader under Suchart Thadathamrongvech, and then, last October 7, after Suchart resigned, he assumed the top spot.

Yongyuth objected to his nomination at first, saying he was unqualified, lacked sufficient influence and was not an MP - and thus unable to participate in House debates.

Nevertheless he accepted the leadership because, he said, he wanted to reward Thaksin's kindness in giving him work after he'd retired.

"I didn't know the party would elect me as its leader at that meeting," says Yongyuth, now 67. "We were in an abnormal situation, having just been broken up for a second time. The remaining MPs didn't know where to start and how to carry on.

"But it was decided that, in the meantime, I should assume the post. There were two major elections coming up - the Bangkok governorship and a by-election for MPs. The party needed a leader to approve the candidates."

Yongyuth insists that these were his only reasons for agreeing to lead the party, and scoffs at suggestions that he could benefit financially from Thaksin.

"I assure you that I did not receive Thaksin's money. In fact I sometimes pay the party's expenses myself!"