Clowning or crowning for Somchai's latest adventure?

The only chronic problem is that good men are hard to come by for the top job. At times, we have either ended up with the best among the unacceptable, or the least despicable among hard-core crooks.

The current caretaker Cabinet still bears the ugly duckling image as coined by its ex-chief Samak Sundaravej, whose quite unexpected fall from grace into disgrace still leaves him in deep shock and embarrassment.

If fortunes are not too harsh on us, Somchai Wongsawasdi should be elected by his peers to lead the government, which is now limping along like a lame duck, with virtually no credibility left but only scandals.

His predecessor had been unable to enter Government House for two weeks before he was ousted after a court ruling found him guilty of conflict of interest. Samak remains a House member, of course, but will require long sessions of ego massage to heal his severely wounded pride.

On Thursday, Samak faces another court ruling. If the previous ruling on the case is upheld, he will be sentenced to two years in prison under libel charges, unless he is allowed to seek a Supreme Court appeal judgement.

Somchai might thank his stars after winning a tough fight with two other contenders who are fellow party executives. The battle was just short of an outright, cut-throat, three-way gladiator duel. Probably his only advantage is his status as brother-in-law of Thaksin Shinawatra, now suffering a self-imposed exile in England.

The three-way fight was quite gruelling, threatening to split the People Power Party due to the intense rivalry. The stakes are high because faction leaders know that the next general election could be just around the corner, and there is an urgency to build up war chests in a limited time.

The two others, as we know, are heavyweights of sorts in their own right - Surapong Suebwonglee, the caretaker finance minister, and Sompong Amornwiwat, the caretaker justice minister. They command an impressive following, though in fact they are merely proxies and puppets of powerful masters with considerable ruthlessness.

Whether the new administration will be regarded as another team of political clowns remains to be seen. No longer in doubt is the strong determination of some Cabinet members who are desperate to enrich themselves through taxpayers' money and tantalising government budgets.

If Somchai chooses to retain all, if not most, incumbent Cabinet members, it will not take long before the People's Alliance for Democracy decides how long the new team will stay in office.

The new CEO is known as a man with a soft touch, befitting his lifetime career as a bureaucrat in the Justice Ministry. His close link to Thaksin could ward off bullies to a certain extent. Yet he has a most vulnerable weak point - his headstrong and imperious wife, who likes to engage in business deals with extraordinary gusto. His endurance in the job will be tested when critics and rivals toy with his wife's background. She is still barred from active politics for five years under a court ruling. 

If she behaves like the stern power behind Somchai, it will be detected quickly enough when major contracts are up for grabs among big players. The Democrat Party would love to dig up the old dirt and skeletons in her closet. Her fast and immense wealth remains questionable.

Even if Somchai proves to be a smooth operator, he will need more than luck to deal with the hungry wolves around him. A crash course in wheeling and dealing is vital if he intends to survive long in office.

But how long will that be? That depends on the enthusiasm of the public prosecutors to process the plaint to dissolve the PPP for its past sins. Somchai may end up being prime minister for the shortest term. That would be unfortunate for him, but true luck for the country.

One of his predecessors, General Suchinda Kraprayoon, lasted 47 days before he was ousted by street protesters organised by General Chamlong Srimuang, a key leader of the PAD, which continues to keep Government House under siege. What an irony!

If Somchai eventually lasts longer than that, either by hook or by crook, it would be something just short of a miracle. His longevity depends largely on how many big scandals his Cabinet can generate and the excessive greed of his partners.

By the way, on the same day he is elected by the House to lead the government, the Criminal Court is expected to rule whether Thaksin and his wife Pojaman are guilty of collusion in a land deal. That should serve as an omen, good or bad, for Somchai's latest political venture.