IT'S ABOUT self-redemption, Chamlong watchers say.

Is Chamlong Srimuang a saviour or Satan? After all, he has displayed a Jekyll and Hyde personality since he brought down General Suchinda Kraprayoon’s regime in 1992. But what is he up to this time?

Yesterday, he dropped a bombshell, demanding that his protege Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra step down.

Thaksin has lost his political legitimacy and should resign rather than face the wrath of demonstrators in coming weeks, Chamlong said.

Chamlong’s close aides said the former leader of the Phalang Dharma Party felt he had no choice but to come out blazing against Thaksin because “he was the one who let the genie out of the bottle”.

“Now he must put him back,” they said.

Top party leaders, including Chaiwat Sinsuwong and General Arun Promthep, had been extremely unhappy with Chamlong’s attitude and had been threatening to disassociate themselves from him since as early as last month. At that time, the anti-Thaksin movement had surged, moving from the tranquillity of Lumpini Park to the Royal Plaza.

Chamlong tried to pre-empt critics in his party by issuing a letter to Thaksin urging him to pay taxes of about Bt26 billion from the Bt73-billion tax-free sale of Shin Corp. His move, however, was scoffed at as an attempt to find a way out for Thaksin. Even worse, Chamlong’s protege ignored it.

When the anti-Thaksin groups began to form a coalition on February 4, Chamlong told close aides he was ready to join it in order to put pressure on Thaksin. However, the leaders of the coalition – comprising 28 civic groups – were somewhat wary of him.

Then, Chamlong’s ultimatum yesterday set a benchmark and served as a confidence-building measure for the coalition’s partners. As a Cabinet secretary-general under the Prem government from 1980-87 and with his close ties to the top military brass, Chamlong said he was speaking out on their behalf as they were troubled by the recent attacks on Prem’s integrity by the now-disgraced Samak Sundraravej. Samak, a former Bangkok governor turned television personality, had criticised Prem on a talk show.

Chamlong is expected to hold a press conference this week to announce how he will be associated with the anti-Thaksin movement.

“He will not be the leader as in the 1992 uprising,” said a source close to him. “He must be willing to be part of the broader coalition.”

Chamlong is a staunch ideologue. He is one of the leaders of Santi Asoke, a Buddhist sect with a few hundred thousand followers across the country. His pledges to bring some of them – possibly tens of thousands – to the streets may prove to be the death knell for Thaksin.

Recently, Chamlong led the crusade to prevent the company that brews Beer Chang from listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. It was a high-risk political game that he was willing to play due to his personal convictions and political aims.

Pundits see Chamlong’s latest move as an effort at self-redemption.

He guided Thaksin into the political arena. Public expectations have been mounting over the past few months for him to take a clear stand on the fate of the political force he helped bring to life – a politician who leaves his critics with little room to wiggle.

Your comments are welcome. Contact the Political Desk at poldesk@nationgroup.com.

Kavi Chongkittavorn