Political powerbroker Sanoh Thienthong
repositions himself for the December elections
By Jon Fernquest[Introduction|Vocabulary|Article]
[Reading Questions|Answers]
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Today's article and introduction feature vocabulary that describes power and politics: powerbroker, dealmaker, smoke-filled rooms, king-maker, behind the scenes, veteran, backing, stalwarts, and lineup.
With the December 23rd elections only a few months away, veteran politicians have begun to muster their forces together once again for a traditional pre-Thaksin era vote-canvassing election.
Sanoh Thienthong was the most important behind-the-scenes powerbroker or dealmaker in the pre-Thaksin era. During the Thaksin era, Sanoh led one of the two main TRT factions for a time, the other faction being led by Thaksin's sister Yaowapha (McCargo, Thaksinization of Thailand, 82).
Now Sanoh has re-emerged from the smoke-filled rooms of political dealmaking to lead his own party in the post-Thaksin era. Thaksin's prediction back in 2000 never came true:
"We have 75 percent new people, 25 percent old-face politicians. During the transition, there is no way you can take only all brand new. This is not really a totally new era, it's the transition to a new era. So when it's a transition you need the experience of the old and the ideas of the new people. We can blend them to work together" (McCargo, 81)Actually, many of the "new faces" were actually sons or family members of "old faces," just like the "new" PPP faces that are replacing the "old" TRT faces from the same family nowadays.
Elections once again will depend on old established local vote canvassing networks and on how many votes a local politician can deliver. Giving the local politician's value in terms of votes, he or she has to choose a good party with enough financing to ensure success and survival:
"The kamnan [local politician] and "his people" want good access to the central government. If he gets elected to parliament, he will be in a much better position if he is part of the ruling party or ruling coalition. In the old days, this was a tricky business full of uncertainty. A good candidate had to choose between several different parties offering different blandishments. He had to take a bet on which party would do well enough in the election and in the negotiations over a coalition. That meant evaluating the appeal of the party leader and the size of his war-chest. [financing, money] Thai Rak Thai changed things by eliminating some of the uncertainty and risk. If you were a good candidate and got the Thai Rak Thai label, you were going to win. But now the old system has returned." (Source: Chang Noi on how All Politics is Local)
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A notable Sanoh quote from the Thaksin era, highlighted one quality of Thaksin that would later be his undoing:
"...the prime minister's thoughts run faster than the Constitution, so it might be necessary to change the law to keep up with him. He's a commander who moves faster than his army" (McCargo, 109)
This was certainly consistent with the prophetic "Genghis Khan" image that Thaksin tried to project back in his 1995 "I'm a Genghis Khan type of manager" interview with Asian Business:
"When you start a company. you need someone to propel it, to set a vision and force everyone to work like barbarians. But after a certain point, you need a builder, who must be professional, so they don't need someone like me anymore, who might push too hard." (McCargo, 109)
Sanoh's new party is being financed by Prachai Leophairatana (See photo below right), founder and ex-CEO of Thai Petrochemical Industry (TPI), notorious for leading years and years of legal fights against the TPI reorganisation that followed the company's post-1977 insolvency.
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muster - gather together
behind-the-scenes - actions of powerful people hidden from public view
powerbroker - person who makes deals that give people power
smoke-filled rooms - the hidden rooms where big political deals are made
prophetic - predicting the future
notorious - famous in a negative way
lineup - the list of players on a sports team
stalwarts - loyal supporters
contend with - deal with something unpleasant
Reading Questions
Here are some questions to guide your reading (See answers at end):1. Where is Sanoh from? What part of Thailand?
2. How has Sanoh been important in Thai politics? What role has he played?
3. Who were the first two politicians that he helped become Prime Minister? When?
4. What were relations like between Thaksin and Sanoh?
5. How does Sanoh's role in politics this time around differ from his role in the past?
6. What kind of projects does Sanoh's new party have on its policy platform?
7. Do these projects seem useful and feasible? (Express your opinion)
8. What political parties has Sanoh been associated with over the years?
9. Do you think Sanoh's support will continue to be an important step to becoming Prime Minister as it has in the past? (Express your opinion)
Bangkok Post Article October 02, 2007
COMMENTARY
Political king-maker out to try his own luck
Saritdet Marukatat
What will Thai politics be like when Sanoh Thienthong isn't a key factor in the poll?
For the first time in the recent memory of political watchers, the election on Dec 23 will take place with a lesser role for the veteran politician.
Don't misunderstand and think that Mr Sanoh is out. He's still in, under the Pracharaj party. At the age of 73, he still looks fresh and ready to step onto the stage when his party seriously hits the campaign trail.
a king-maker - a person who helps people obtain powerful political positions (this does not mean help people become king)
try his own luck - try himself to do what others have done and see if he succeeds
veteran - been doing something for a long time
the campaign trail - travelling before an election to promote your party and get people to vote for you
Sanoh, Maker of Prime Ministers
Still, he isn't the same person. Don't forget what the man from Wang Nam Yen in Sa Kaeo has contributed to politics over the past 11 years. He has been behind the rise to power of three out of five prime ministers of Thailand.
It began with Banharn Silpa-archa, a trader-turned-politician who stayed at Government House for 17 months from July 13, 1995. That was when Mr Sanoh was the Chart Thai party's secretary-general.
After divorcing Mr Banharn, Pa Noh partnered with Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, a military general-turned-politician. Both guided the New Aspiration party, with Gen Chavalit sitting in the driver's seat to win the contest. Mr Sanoh did it again. He was part of the success in pushing Gen Chavalit to become prime minister. The retired army general occupied Government House on Nov 11, 1996.
Unfortunately, Gen Chavalit could stay only for one year and did not walk out of the cabinet office gracefully, as economic pressure forced him to leave the position earlier than expected. He failed to restore public confidence after the financial crisis hit Thailand.
sitting in the driver's seat - controlling the situation
Falling Out with Thaksin
As the force behind the two government leaders (Mr Banharn and Gen Chavalit), Mr Sanoh was a proven asset in politics. Everybody at the time knew that any politician who had his backing would have a big chance of going all the way. So when the New Aspiration party of which he was a part had no aspiration left, Mr Sanoh was courted to join Thai Rak Thai.
Mr Sanoh didn't disappoint Thai Rak Thai founder and owner Thaksin Shinawatra. The telecom tycoon-turned-politician rose to power, becoming prime minister two terms in a row. Starting from Nov 9, 2001, the country remained under Mr Thaksin's leadership until the night of Sept 19 last year.
Unlike the previous two premiers, Mr Thaksin was the one Mr Sanoh was glad to see leave. As the Thai Rak Thai leader stayed longer in power, Mr Sanoh felt himself becoming more and more dispensable.
Fed up with Mr Thaksin's performance, he was among the many who openly attacked Mr Thaksin during the pre-coup period.
falling out - friendship ended
backing - support, help
going all the way - get appointed to the highest position (be as successful as you could possibly be)
courted - try to improve relations with someone to: 1. get something you want, 2. get them to join your group
a tycoon - a rich and powerful businessman
a term - the fixed time a politician is elected to public office
in a row - in series, one after another
dispensable - not necessary, can do without
fed up with - could not bear, put up with, or deal with something bad anymore
Founding a New Party
With some 30 years' experience in politics and proven success in his skill of crafting new prime ministers, Mr Sanoh has now decided to lead a party himself instead of playing the deal-maker behind the scenes.
His Pracharaj party appears ready for Thailand's new political contest. A recent advertisement photo in the papers shows Mr Sanoh on the left; Anongwan Thepsuthin, wife of Mr Somsak, in the middle; and Prachai Leophairatana, founder and ex-CEO of Thai Petrochemical Industry Pcl, on the right.
The party has come up with 38 issues which need urgent action.Voters who want to see the perennial Kra Canal project built should vote for his party.
The rural poor who want better lives will get several projects to boost their income - one of which is a plan to plant fast-growing trees covering 30 million rai across the country. Farmers would be able to sell the wood thus harvested, to factories.
Over a period of four years, the party will dig eight million wells - one for each household. To get the project going, the party will give each local administration organisation at least one backhoe for the job.
Bangkok residents and those in provinces around the capital might be interested in the party's promise to collect only 15 baht on the mass transit lines for 10 years.
These projects may look attractive on paper but there is a problem: Does Mr Sanoh still have the charm and ability to convince voters, like he did when he was under the Chart Thai, New Aspiration and Thai Rak Thai banners?
behind-the-scenes - actions of powerful people hidden from public view
Kra Canal - canal across the narrow Isthmus of Kra near Surathani chare by Thailand and Burma
local administration organisation - local government (at the level of townships or districts)
a backhoe - a tractor with a digging bucket on the front (See Wikipedia)
look attractive on paper - the plan looks nice (but not sure plan can be executed successfully)
charm - friendly pleasant behaviour (that makes people like you)
Saritdet Marukatat is News Editor, Bangkok Post.
Answer Key:
1. Where is Sanoh from? What part of Thailand?
He is from Wang Nam Yen in Sa Kaeo province which is on the border with Cambodia and only a few hours from Bangkok. Includes the important border town of Aranyaprathet.
2. How has Sanoh been important in Thai politics? What role has he played?
He has helped politicians rise to the position of Prime Minister (three out of the last five).
(Everybody at the time knew that any politician who had his backing would have a big chance of going all the way, proven success in his skill of crafting new prime ministers, playing the deal-maker behind the scenes)
3. Who were the first two politicians that he helped become Prime Minister? When?
Banharn Silpa-archa in 1995.
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh in 1996.
4. What were relations like between Thaksin and Sanoh?
At first Sanoh joined Thai Rak Thai but later broke with the party and openly attacked Thaksin during the pre-coup period.
5. How does Sanoh's role in politics this time around differ from his role in the past?
This time he is founding his own party, the Pracharaj party.
In the past, Sanoh functioned as a behind scenes political deal maker.
6. What kind of projects does Sanoh's new party have on its policy platform?
There are 39 issues for urgent action, including:
a. Build the Kra Canal
b. Plant fast-growing trees on 30 million rai across the country for farmers to harvest and sell the wood.
c. Dig eight million wells around the country for rural households.
d. Give local governments backhoes to dig the wells.
e. Charge only 15 baht on mass transit lines for 10 years.
7. Do these projects seem useful and feasible? (Express your opinion)
8. What political parties has Sanoh been associated with over the years?
a. Chart Thai
b. New Aspiration
c. Thai Rak Thai
9. Do you think Sanoh's support will continue to be an important step to becoming Prime Minister as it has in the past? (Express your opinion)
