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Mr. Prime Minister, keep your paranoia in check, please

SuthuchaiYoon
THAI Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej claims he isn't afraid to confront the opposition in parliament. But, in the same breath, he also says he won't accept the challenge of a legitimate debate He is too scared to admit he is scared.
While he seeks sympathy from the public because "this government has been in office for only four months," Samak also claims, "we can answer any question from the opposition."
It's his typical loud-mouth knee-jerk response to all major political issues and it has severely eroded his credibility to a point that seems irreversible.
It didn't have to be that way though. The Samak government
could have re-directed "streetside politics" back into a mainstream parliamentary debate. It could have effectively blocked the opposition Democrat Party from "con-spiring" with the protestors at the Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge. But Samak's stubborn reaction has brought about a double blow that could bring down his four- month-old government in the next few weeks.
It was first proposed that the government defuse the ongoing political tension by resorting to Article 179 of the Constitution, which permits the administration of the day to take the initiative by calling a joint parliamentary session for a general debate. In such acase, no vote can be taken.
If the House debate were to
happen, the opposition's onslaught would be brutal but it could help take some heat off the marathon anti-government rally organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).
But Samak went on television on Sunday to shoot down the Democrat Party's suggestion of a general debate. He also made things worse by brushing aside another censure proposal by a group of senators seeking to move a no-confidence motion against the government.
Once the main opposition party lodges a no-confidence motion against the Samak government under articles 158 and 159, the premier would be constitutionally prohibited from dissolving parliament in order to avoid the cen-
sure.
In other words, Samak, by trying to avoid a parliamentary battle, has triggered a full-blown political war. Quite a few political pundits predict that it will be a miracle if he manages to survive the upcoming multi pronged attacks.
Hidden somewhere in Article 162 of the Constitution is the real threat to Samak's survival. Under this clause, MPs are "independent of their parties' resolutions" in submitting motions, debating and voting in a no-confidence motion.
In other words, MPs from the People Power Party, the biggest coalition member, as well as those in the smaller coalition parties who have found Samak to be a growing political liability to the
government's stability, will welcome this opposition's move to surreptitiously join in the creation of a "perfect storm" to get him out of the way.
He inadvertently revealed his growing sense of insecurity in his latest weekly show by starting his monologue with this introduction:
"My government is four months old this week. I have news for you. That means those astrologers who had predicted that I wouldn't last three months have been proved wrong..."
And on Monday, when organisers of the annual Prime Minister's Industry Awards at the Government House greeted his arrival with the traditional "Maharerk" tune, the premier's
mood, for no apparent reason, immediately turned sour.
"Why did you play this song?" he asked. "You want to make this my last day on the job?"
The paranoia at the top is get-ting worse by the day. Psychologists would say that both the prime minister's emotional state, and his intelligence quotient level, are in need of a thorough check-up.
Obviously, we know it. And he knows it: a full-fledged no-confidence debate that is telecast live around the country will certainly be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Now you know why he is avoiding that at all costs.
© The Nation All rights reserved. Reprinted by arrangement with Asia News Network.