Another dream come true for chalerm

Many of the dreams of Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung seem to have come true of late, and one more will soon be realised: having his third and youngest son Duang, or Duangchalerm, reinstated into the armed forces.

Chalerm earlier this year got the post of interior minister, a dream he almost dared not imagine. And his second son Wan, formerly named Wanchalerm, has become a minister's assistant secretary.

Only a few people know what merit Chalerm made in the past, or perhaps what conditions he proposed to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that ensured all his wishes were fulfilled.

Chalerm's sons were notorious for their hot tempers and bullying behaviour and were often seen at night entertainment venues. They were dubbed "Luke Lerm (Lerm's Son)" and repeatedly asked people, "Do you know who I am?"

Apart from other brushes with the law, the one case that really upset society was when Duang, while serving the Army, was accused of shooting dead Pol Sgt-Major Suvichai Rodwimut, a Crime Suppression Division detective, in a pub brawl in 2001.

Chalerm tried very hard to save Duang, who fled and was later kicked out of the military. The Criminal Court later dismissed the case, citing insufficient evidence and conflicting statements from witnesses.

Last year, Chalerm and his sons went to see Thaksin, who was living in exile in London. The pictures of Chalerm and Thaksin, and Wan and Duang were widely shown.

When political parties were selecting their MP candidates for the election, Chalerm offered himself and his two sons to the People Power Party (PPP) under Samak Sundaravej's leadership. He proposed his sons be candidates in Bangkok's Thon Buri, where they are influential.

The PPP was reluctant to accept the offer, and Chalerm finally decided to register for the candidacy alone. Reports said that Chalerm proposed that Wan get a position as an assistant or secretary to a minister and that Duang be reinstated in the Army.

The relationship between Chalerm and Thaksin was sweet well before Thaksin became a millionaire. Thaksin's firm got approval for cable-TV programmes in 1989, when Chalerm was a PM's Office minister in charge of the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand in the Chatichai Choonhavan government. It was a significant stepping stone in Thaksin's hunger for wealth. He bid for and won the Transport Ministry's satellite project the next year.

It was then that Chalerm was nicknamed "Lerm Daotiam" (Lerm Satellite). Both Thaksin and Chalerm claim Thaksin never gave a satang for the contract.

Chalerm, a former police officer, said when he was appointed as interior minister in February that it was the position he had always dreamed of. Chalerm had promised in his election campaign message that Samak would be PM, he would head the Interior Ministry - and would bring Thaksin home. Chalerm was only a few steps away from Thaksin when he kissed the ground on arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport in February.

Chalerm apologised to the public for his own past actions and that of his sons "that worry or irritate the public". Soon afterwards, Wan was considered by PPP executives and was appointed as assistant secretary to the deputy public health minister.

Responding to the public's strong reaction, Wan said he would donate all his salary from the post to charity, asking the public to give him a chance to contribute to the country.

People in the government protected Wan, saying he was a changed man. The public health minister even proposed a position for Wan as a presenter for anti-smoking and alcohol-drinking campaigns. Meanwhile, Chalerm guaranteed his son's ability, saying he had a master's in law.

Wan then accepted the role of "Mr Happy Toilet", campaigning for hygienic toilets around the country. Admitting he was embarrassed, Wan said he was however proud to contribute to society. He had changed into  a "clean" man, he said.

Now that Samak has approved Duang's return to the armed forces, his position and rank are being considered. For Chalerm, it will hardly matter. All his dreams have come true.

KORNCHANOK RAKSASERI

THE NATION