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Published on February 10, 2008

Each has his mission and agenda. Never mind the public interest. That can wait.

Of course, their political arrogance was also stratospheric. Thaksin's cronies listed their priorities even before they were ceremoniously installed as Cabinet members. Even on their first day in office, they were no different from other politicians they once blamed.

Helping their boss out of his political predicament due to the pending criminal cases against him is also a self-serving achievement for cronies who have been rewarded for their bold actions against the Council for National Security and Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda.

They obviously have not learned the painful lesson that political arrogance, greed-driven corruption and other forms of mischief were the prime causes for the widespread demonstrations against their boss that eventually to the coup.

They exude supreme confidence once again, now that they have a firm grip on power and the military would not have the nerve to topple them. This could prove to be excessive hubris, which could lead to another tragic ending.

Priorities announced to the public include the need to reorganise measures to properly position state-owned media - a position of obedience. They expressed the urgent need to mess with the recently established Thai Public Television Service, by preparing a new team to take over the operation several months from now.

Glancing through the Cabinet line-up, some people cynically likened it to a rogues' gallery, a showcase of cronies, or, worse, a den of thieves. As unflattering as this may be, the new Cabinet members were not disturbed. They were all pleased that their drive to grab power was a total success.

After not even a week in office, there is already speculation as to how long the new Cabinet can last, judging from its negative image, poor credibility and a number of characters in it with tainted track records, including pending criminal charges.

All eyes are on Samak as he apparently tries to shake loose from the general perception that he is chiefly a nominee of Thaksin. In media interviews, including one with CNN, Samak declared that he is his own boss. As leader of the People Power Party, he calls the shots, not Thaksin.

Whether this is sheer bravado or an attempt to gradually distance from himself from Thaksin's command and control, Samak will need weeks - if not months - to prove himself. As someone who frequently claims that he is a man of his word and that he speaks his own mind, what Samak stands to face could be Thaksin's wrath and some acts of warning.

The team of misfits will take several days to adjust themselves to the rise in their political fortunes before they settle down and set out a plan for a productive harvest after investing so much, including the betrayal of the public trust.

Key members of the parties in the coalition have shown that they still have some sense of shame by not appearing too excited and reserving some comments. They are the masters of political survival and are standing ready to jump ship at the first sign of trouble.

When the euphoric mood subsides there will be the real business of handling serious issues and pressing problems. Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, a confidant of Thaksin, will have to prove himself after a crash course in public finance by taming inflation and dealing with the baht's strength, as well as having the nerve to cope with the impact of the sub-prime crisis.

Looking at his advisers does not inspire much confidence. A few of them have distinctive records of failure and financial shenanigans, if not criminal offences. The advisers might not have been of the minister's own choosing, but forced upon him by the boss to ensure that a hidden agenda is implemented.

Now will be the time to see what happens when nominees manage the country with the real hands pulling the strings behind them. And those hands will have to comply with the instructions from the top boss, who is now bearing his plight abroad.

The cronies have something to hang on to - they won't be held accountable if they do something wrong.

The existing system of checks and balances is not yet effective enough to put political criminals in jail due to the twists and turns in the legal proceedings at various stages.

With this powerful team of cronies in control of the government machinery, the public has little reason to hope that so-called independent agencies will be able to deal with the pending charges of wrongdoing, as made clear by the starkly disappointing performance of the Election Commission.

Those holding judicial power also face crucial challenges and tests of their integrity. Pressure and temptation are formidable. They are the last hope for the power of justice to prevail. The trend is not very encouraging. This must be reversed to fulfil the public's expectations.

Failure will be followed by chaos and unpredictable consequences.

Sopon Onkgara

The Nation