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On that very same morning, the international media reported the successful rescue of American ship captain Richard Phillips whose vessel had been attacked by four armed Somali pirates, but whose crew had reclaimed the ship and taken one pirate captive. A Thai news anchor on Channel 5's morning news talk show praised US President Barack Obama for taking a decisive action to save the American captain, who, in turn, had been taken hostage by the pirates. That Thai anchorman said: "Should this be a lesson for any leader around here?"

Bangkokian doesn't have to elaborate on which leader the anchorman was referring to. Over the weekend, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was seen as too weak to steer Thailand out of this political crisis. Eventually, he was firm in his actions, ordering the Army to put the pressure on the red-shirt protesters to disperse.

Abhisit walked the thin line between a tyrant and a decisive leader who pulled the nation out of anarchy. Imagine if a protester had been killed - albeit by accident - by a soldier? Things would have ended very differently.

So, kudos to the police and military officers who carried out their orders calmly and perfectly, and ended the chaotic situation in Bangkok.

The American captain who was taken hostage by the Somali pirates was himself an example of a man showing leadership during a crisis. Captain Phillips was taken hostage because he told his crewmen to lock themselves in cabins, and allowed himself to be taken at gunpoint into a lifeboat in which the pirates fled. His action earned praise from Obama, who hailed the captain for his "courage and leadership and selfless concern for his crew".

The heroic act by Phillips reminded Bangkokian of another person whose leadership is in question. Bangkokian couldn't help but wonder how fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would have acted if he had faced the same situation as Captain Phillips. Would he surrender himself to help his crew or would he push his crewmen to the pirates and hide in a locked cabin to save his own life instead?

Bangkokian thinks this question does not require a genius to figure out the answer. Thaksin's own supporters were betrayed by his promise to come out of hiding and join the rally, should the authorities try to disperse the crowd.

Through his "remote control", Thaksin instigated the violence throughout Bangkok. Thaksin didn't have to take any responsibility for his actions, leaving his supporters to face the consequences on their own.