Academics rap Abhisit Cabinet

The Abhisit Cabinet has come under heavy criticism from academics for repeating the mistakes made by the Thaksin government in yielding to party financiers and crooked politicians in a bid to grab power.

Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy said Abhisit had earlier announced strong opposition to Thaksin's political style but his Cabinet list showed he had used the same political methods as Thaksin, with Cabinet seats allocated to coalition parties in proportion to the number of MPs they muster. The Democrats have also allowed party financiers to have a say or control over government policies, it said.

"The way the new government is being formed is not one but many steps back for Thai politics. Cabinet seats are being given to people who are not qualified and knowledgeable but to capitalists and people who side with the People's Alliance for Democracy that toppled the Somchai government. Many ministers were MPs that the Democrats voted to expel. Only politicians who stick by their integrity and political ideology can stand on the political stage with grace,'' he said.

Dr Lertchai Sirichai, a lecturer at Walailak University, praised Democrat Party Phattalung MP Nipit Intarasombat for his public disclosure of the financial support given to the party by business tycoon Virachai Virameteekul, who is tipped to join the Abhisit Cabinet.

"What he did shows that no party can stop playing dirty politics. Capitalism is married to politics, and as a result mutual interest or reciprocity is inevitable,'' he said.

He predicted that the Democrat Party would face a heavy backlash from the revelation. "The party made a bid for power without taking into account public feeling. It is not going to be able to brave the political storm easily, and the opposition will definitely rock the government over the issue,'' he said.

Assistant Prof Dr Wichai Kanchanasuwan, a lecturer at Prince of Songkhla University, said that although many people accepted capitalism in politics, it was not right because it enabled businessmen to pursue vested interests.

"South Korea cut the vicious circle of business politics by banning the private sector from donating funds to political parties,'' he noted.

A source from the Democrat Party said following reports of party infighting, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had tried to reach an understanding with MPs who were disappointed at not getting Cabinet posts to get them to stop their protest. They include Democrat Party Phitsanulok MP Juti Krairerk, Bangkok MP Ong-art Klampaiboon and Phattalung MP Nipit Intarasombat.

Nipit was so upset that he wanted to quit on Friday. Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai persuaded Nipit over the phone not to quit as he had worked for the party for over 30 years.

The broken-hearted MPs decided to stay on after they were approached by Chuan and Abhisit, who gave them hope that they could make the Cabinet after a reshuffle if any ministers were found wanting.

Rumours circulated in the Democrat Party that non-politicians in the Cabinet list had paid up to Bt100 million for ministerial posts.

Abhisit reacted to the criticism that his Cabinet was marred by saying he had few choices and the party was forced to form a Cabinet that would bring political stability. "Once the government has that stability, it can deal with the political crises. We do not want to waste time on bargaining because the government has a lot of work ahead,'' he said.

He urged the public to give his government two or three months to prove that it could restore business confidence in the country. He said he understood disappointed MPs who had not got Cabinet posts, especially Nipit, because Phattalung people were proud of him and in high hopes that he would be a Cabinet member.

"It is normal for there to be people who are disappointed and people who are happy. I am confident that we can get over this problem,'' he said.

He denied allegations that the Democrats were dominated by party financiers. He said the party mobilised funds openly and reported donations to the Election Commission. "If that was true, I would not have come this far on the political path,'' he said.