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Published on November 18, 2007

After several decades of successful and failed coup attempts to weed out corrupt and immoral politicians engaged in power rivalries, we have not gone far in terms of the self-serving conduct of politicians.

The peak of this occurred under Thaksin Shinawatra when everything, except that which was good and truly beneficial for people, was provided through populist schemes from which vast sums of taxpayers' money was siphoned off by politicians and their cronies.

This was supposed to be a perfect plan of corruption in which no hard evidence would be left for later criminal prosecution. Big-time crooks in the Cabinet wasted no time and effort in plundering national assets.

They had yet to legalise their corrupt acts and whitewash all traces of them when mass demonstrations became intense and a successful military coup ousted the graft-ridden team.

Down from power, but not completely out of politics, Thaksin continues his sinister plan to regain power through nominees and cronies with large funds, while retaining publicity through his purchase of Manchester City Football Club.

His nominees and cronies have done well in harassing the military junta and other investigative panels formed to probe the large-scale corruption networks in place to protect the billionaire in exile who serves as their patron and paymaster.

These cronies and hired hands have succeeded in perfecting the system of dirty politics, improving it even beyond the years of their benevolent boss. Of course, he is pleased by their success, while insisting that he has washed his hands of politics.

During their political rallies and demonstrations, these cronies and goons heaped abuse on coup leaders, but they kept vulgar acts and words for Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda.

After perfecting dirty politics, they went on to surpass a level of vulgarity that the general public would deem sane. Thaksin's high-priced attorney and spokesman resorted to coining an abbreviation for the male genital organ in an attempt to mock investigators.

This comes after other tricks and hard-luck tales were invented to make authorities seem villainous and uncivil. The key figures of the former Thai Rak Thai party were at their best, coming up with cock-and-bull stories to seek the public's sympathies.

These were tearjerkers that appealed to the gullible and further infuriated Thaksin's admirers, who completely disregard his heinous crimes of corruption and abuse of power during his administration.

Thaksin's cronies and nominees are a bunch of retired civil servants, military and police figures, as well as sympathisers and members of the former Thai Rak Thai party, who have joined hands in a bid to win the election on December 23.

There is no limit to the pooled financial resources available to achieve victory. To Thaksin and his family members, the stakes are high because the outcome could have great significance on their futures. Their risk of facing criminal charges is high.

Getting themselves attention and in the news requires all kinds of tactics and methods. Never mind the ways and means, their efforts must be realised through accusations, arguments, doctored classified documents, rhetoric and plain vulgarity.

They seem to have a deep fascination with comparing what they dislike with the male organ. This time round, they used a play on words to ridicule the Constitution, the supreme law of the land duly promulgated with the blessing of His Majesty the King.

If this is their prime political marketing strategy, it has obviously worked well in getting the public's attention and outrage. Vulgarity has become their selling point, making their kind of politics much dirtier.

Mud-slinging is out of mode. Thaksin's cronies and goons have become much bolder and vicious with the help of big money in serving their boss who, with ill-concealed subtlety, resorted to spending a few more million baht in coaxing three footballers to join Manchester City. It is a perfect diversion from their low-down dirty shame game.

This time, he assigned club manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to fly to Bangkok and stir up publicity at a time when political campaigns are heating up.

Could the election conceivably deliver the coup de grâce to the man who fell victim to a military coup and had to seek exile in London?

Sopon Onkgara