Mr. Clean runs for Bangkok governor (Asiaweek)
than...@lightspeed.net
Subject: Mr. Clean runs for Bangkok governor (Asiaweek)
Asiaweek, April 19, 1996
http://pathfinder.com/@@FbbzLzOPxwAAQPe4/Asiaweek/96/0419/nat5.html
Chamlong's Comeback :
Is he aiming higher than Bangkok governor?
By Matthew Fletcher and Julian Gearing / Bangkok.
"MR. CLEAN," CHAMLONG Srimuang, is back from the political wilderness. After
a year spent tilling the land and teaching leadership skills in his jungly
home province of Kanchanaburi on the Myanmar border, the onetime national
"hero of democracy" has rejoined the political fray. The comeback has
surprised many Thais who thought the 61-year-old devout Buddhist and ascetic
had retreated for good. Chamlong's goal is a familar one: to retake the
Bangkok governorship he relinquished in 1992 to run in national elections.
<P>It was mainly Chamlong's reputation for probity that won him the
governorship in 1985. This time he is again targeting corruption. "The
condition of the city has deteriorated and it is my duty to return and bring
in improvements," he says. The June 2 city polls could prove decisive for
the resuscitated political fortunes of the ex-leader of the Palang Dharma
Party (Moral Force, or PDP), which is a member of Thailand's ruling
coalition. And pundits are forecasting a close race.<P>
>Chamlong will have to beat incumbent Krisda Arunvongse Na Ayudhaya, 64, and
Pichit Rattakul, 49, both independents, who will face each other for the
second time. Krisda, who was once backed by the PDP but had a falling-out,
is seen as having a good, relatively error-free record in office. Pichit, an
environmentalist, polled well against Krisda last time. He is the son of a
former foreign minister and Democrat party leader. The Democrats, however,
chose not to endorse him. <P>
>Announcing his candidacy April 7, Chamlong shrugged off whispers of
opportunism by indicating he had been planning to contest Bangkok even
before national elections in mid-1995. Like his rivals, he vows to turn the
traffic-choked capital into a liveable city and a regional hub for Southeast
Asia. But Chamlong also says that he is running partly to return a favor to
his successor as leader of the PDP, tycoon and Deputy Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra. <P>
>Therein lie the most intriguing questions about this comeback. More is at
stake for Palang Dharma than cleaning up City Hall. Its leaders consider the
governorship crucial in buttressing the party's power base in Bangkok. While
having tumbled elsewhere, support for the PDP has remained strong in the
capital, partly because of Thaksin's much-vaunted efforts to unsnarl the
traffic. Chamlong recalls that the tycoon first joined the cabinet (as
foreign minister) at his invitation. "He has always cooperated with me. Now
he has asked me to contest the Bangkok polls, so I cannot refuse." <P>
>Both Thaksin and Chamlong have indicated they may pull Palang Dharma out of
Prime Minister Banharn Silapa-archa's coalition in the wake of a potentially
damaging censure debate, which may be held later this month, if it helps
Chamlong's chances of winning Bangkok. Says Chamlong: "The party leader
will have to choose between continuing to work with the government and
upholding the right principles." To some, that sounds dangerously like a
re-run of last year's events when he toppled Chuan Leekpai's government by
having the PDP abstain from a no-confidence vote.<P>
>That move saw Chamlong's popularity plummet. Indeed, public opinion of him
has seesawed ever since he won a landslide victory in Bangkok's first
popular election for governor in 1985, a post he retook in 1990. After
stepping down in early 1992 to contest national elections, Chamlong, himself
a former major-general, led mass protests against the military-backed
government of Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon. Before the administration fell,
troops shot dead at least 50 demonstrators. Some critics say Chamlong has
their blood on his hands. <P>
>This time round, Chamlong clearly hopes to rekindle the support for his
simple lifestyle and austere Buddhist principles -- including celibacy and
just one vegetarian meal a day -- that has been the power base of the party
he helped found as a "moral force" against Thailand's endemic money
politics. But Palang Dharma has moved on. Still suffering from divisions, it
is in the process of becoming a sophisticated, well-funded party under
Thaksin's leadership. This is proving a painful transition for some,
particularly in the party's "religious" faction, who distrust his
media-savvy style.<P>
>The tycoon's media machine is working for Chamlong's campaign. But some
observers question the depth of Thaksin's support; party secretary-general
Sudarat Keyuraphan may have been his first choice. Chamlong, they argue, is
preparing to collect on -- not return -- political favors. Ex-foreign
minister Prasong Soonsiri, who was pressured out of the PDP last year,
believes the veteran wants to take the party leadership from Thaksin -- and
may be aiming for the premiership. Counters Chamlong: "I am not using the
poll to aim for higher office." In that denial may be a key question for
Bangkok voters: Is this Chamlong the straight-talking ascetic or Chamlong
the shrewd politician?
****************************************************************************
**********
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Thanit Hasadsri
Tim Stilwell
>
> "MR. CLEAN," CHAMLONG Srimuang, is back from the political wilderness. > After a year spent tilling the land and teaching leadership skills
> in his jungly home province of Kanchanaburi on the Myanmar border,
> the onetime national "hero of democracy" has rejoined the political
> fray.
> It was mainly Chamlong's reputation for probity that won him the
> governorship in 1985. This time he is again targeting corruption.
> "The condition of the city has deteriorated and it is my duty to
> return and bring in improvements," he says.
Wait a minute...he's out for only ONE year of vacation and
corruption just got totally out of hand???
Seems more like he bailed when he was getting unpopular and now is
returning as the shining white knight. Pretty shrewd.
--
Tim Stilwell
Auspex Systems Inc.
Technical Support Engineer
Sanpawat Kantabutra
: Wait a minute...he's out for only ONE year of vacation and
: Seems more like he bailed when he was getting unpopular and now is
: returning as the shining white knight. Pretty shrewd.
Dear Khun Tim,
I do not mean to interrupt here but.... Does it matter if he returns
sooner or later ? Shrewd or unshrewd ? The truth is that he is the best
person right now. I can't see anybody else who can possibly muster up
people's faith of the government and politics except Khun Chumlong. He
is the only one. I make a wish he will become the next prime minister of
Thailand.
Regards,
Sanpawat
----------
In life you take what comes and make the best of it.
James Finn
: The truth is that he is the best
: person right now.
I'm curious. What exactly did Chamlong accomplish during
his tenure as Governor of Bangkok?
--James
Varodom Toochinda
:
: I'm curious. What exactly did Chamlong accomplish during
: his tenure as Governor of Bangkok?
:
: --James
I can certainly give one of his accomplishments. He was the first Governer
who could rescue my house from the annual flood. Before that my soi
(Senanikom) was turned in to a swamp every rainy season.
Regards,
Dew.
Improvement is usually harder to be seen than disaster.
George Moore
>Sanpawat Kantabutra (skan...@newstand.syr.edu) wrote:
>: The truth is that he is the best
>: person right now.
>I'm curious. What exactly did Chamlong accomplish during
>his tenure as Governor of Bangkok?
Excellent question! Would be pleased to see any follow up.
George Moore
gmoor...@msn.com
Alan Dawson
than...@lightspeed.net writes:
(from Asiaweek mag):
>environmentalist, polled well against Krisda last time. He is the son of a
>former foreign minister and Democrat party leader. The Democrats, however,
>chose not to endorse him. <P>
Who writes this trash anyhow? And why doesn't anyone EDIT it? This
whole story is riddled with errors and stupidities but the above
takes the cake. Refer one time to Bhichai Rattakul of the Democrat
Party and call him a "former foreign minister?" What do these
Asiaweek people smoke, anyhow?
Is Chelsea Clinton the daughter of an Ivy League lawyer? Is Sean
Lennon the son of a former nightclub singer in Germany? Well, yes
they are, but I doubt that's the way most people feel their
respective old man is significant.
--
Alan Dawson
No land-based mammals were used during testing of this signature.
pub0...@pophost.innet.be
>(from Asiaweek mag):
>>environmentalist, polled well against Krisda last time. He is the son of a
>>former foreign minister and Democrat party leader. The Democrats, however,
>>chose not to endorse him. <P>
>Who writes this trash anyhow? And why doesn't anyone EDIT it? This
>whole story is riddled with errors and stupidities but the above
>takes the cake. Refer one time to Bhichai Rattakul of the Democrat
>Party and call him a "former foreign minister?" What do these
>Asiaweek people smoke, anyhow?
I think this article referred Dr. Bhichit as "the son of a former
foreign minister and Democrat party leader". so.. it is right??
He is Mr. Bhichai's son and Mr. Bhichai was a former foreign minister
and former Democrat party leader.
If I am right, the Asiaweek people did not smoke!!
Regards,
Dr. Paporn
Rai Chue
Found at http://infoweb.magi.com/~minh/Misc/chamlong.txt
CITIZEN CLEAN
"Eat less, spend less, work harder"
says CHAMLONG SRIMUANG,
Thailand's most ascetic-and most
popular-politician
by Jay Branegan, Bangkok
Time, March 23, 1992
He wears a simple "morhom", or farmer's shirt, and sandals made from
old tires. He lives alone on an enclosed wooden platform in the front yard of a
modern Bangkok house. He gets up at 4 a.m. and eats a single vegetarian meal
each day. He abstains from sexual relations with his wife. He mediates morning
and evening for as long as an hour a
time. He is a combat-hardened veteran, a former major general, a devout
Buddhist and a proven city administrator. And he is the most popular political
figure in Thailand.
Were the national elections this Sunday to include a direct vote for
Prime Minister, Chamlong Srimuang would undoubtedly be swept into office to
lead the country back to democracy after more than a year of rule by a military
junta. However, his young Palang Dharma (Power of Virtue) Party, with its
platform to "wipe out corruption and
maintain democracy," is still too small to win more than a handful of seats,
especially in light of the widespread vote buying that Chamlong has vowed to
end.
Even if he does lose though, with his entry into national politics
after six successful years as governor of Bangkok, Chamlong, 56, promises to
become one of the most compelling political figures in Asia and a future
contender for national leadership. Money politics plagues the majority of the
area's democracies-from the most advanced to
the most primitive-and regional reformers are closely watching Chamlong's
effort to build a political movement based on principles, not payoffs. His
basic promise of honest, efficient government has struck a chord with Thais,
particularly the middle class, who were dismayed by the corruption in the
previous democraticadministration and are equally
disenchanted with the generals who staged the bloodless February 1991 coup. the
11th putsch in the country's modern history. "He has offered the Thais a new
choice," says Suchit Bunbongkarn, dean of political science at Chulalongkorn
University. "He's very sincere, but he's not a simple man. He's a very, very,
very clever politician."
And apparently a natural one. "I never intended to be a politician, but
politics is at the heart of how we are going to develop our country," Chamlong
explains. His abrupt decision in 1986 to quit the army-just three days after he
was promoted to major general-and run for Bangkok governor was the act of one
man trying to make a difference in a
country where paying for votes is endemic and political parties hire
mudslingers to spread pernicious rumors about opponents. "In our system a
candidate buys votes, then has to steal to get the money back," he says. "The
greatest enemy we have is not communism, it is rotten politics. We have to
solve that one problem before we go to others. And I felt I was one of only a
few people who could do that."
Armed with this singular conviction-and just $240 from his own
pocket-Chamlong launched an unorthodox campaign for governor with no party
backing. His posters were printed on scrap paper and fertilizer bags, and he
relied heavily on volunteers and small contribution. But he shocked the
political establishment by winning with 49% of the vote. Four year later, a
nasty smear campaign against him backfired, and he was re-elected with an
unprecedented 60% of the vote. Now, in his first race for parliament, he has
proved to be a determined candidate with limitless stamina.
People are eager to see this crew-cut "Mr. Clean," whose reputation has
been widely spread through his newspaper and magazine columns, his best-selling
autobiography and even through weekly appearances on a children 's TV show .
Women run up to put garlands of jasmine flowers around his neck. In turn, he
offers well-wishers a
"wai"-the traditional Thai greeting, hands pressed together, head bowed-and
displays a deft charm, chatting easily. At one rally, he nimbly hops atop a
sound truck to address a crowd but knees down on one knee instead of standing
up. "I don't want to be high," he tells the audience. "I want to stay down here
with you." Speaking without notes, he delivers a folksy, 30-minute patter on
his career and aims, laced with light banter and a homey pitch for funds. "Give
me your wedding dress, and I will rent it out. After all, how many times do you
need it ?" he asks, as the crowd laughs.
This common touch is, like so many things about him, uncommon among
Thai politicians, who usually emphasize-or invent-upper class pedigrees to
match their high offices. By contrast, Chamlong, who is ethnic Chinese, often
recounts his poverty-stricken childhood in Thon Buri, Bangkok's twin city,
where h his widowed mother struggled as a
lowly street vendor. Young Chamlong helped out by rising before dawn to pilfer
banana leaves and from distant fields and weave them into food baskets to sell.
That tough start spawned the drive that has marked his life ever since. "We
were in a fight for our lives," he recalls. "In school, I was a tiger. I always
tried to do better than anyone else. During my six years in secondary school, I
was No. 1 in every examination. It's not a good habit to try to beat everyone,
but that's the way I was from the time I was a little boy through the military
academy."
Like the career choices that followed, the appeal of the academy was
money: it was tuition free, and cadets received a small stipend. After Chamlong
graduated-first in his class-dangerous assignments with Thai forces fighting in
Vietnam and Laos meant better pay and quicker promotions. Then came a series of
prestige posts, a master's degree from
the U.S. Navy management-training school in Monterey, California, and a quest,
with his wife Sirilak, whom he married after college, for all the middle-class
comfort he had never had.
Once Chamlong and Sirilak finally got their own home, a car and nice
clothes, they realized they had lost sight of the spiritual values Buddhism
teaches. "The more we are attached to expensive things, the more we are
vulnerable to suffering, "Chamlong explains. "A mere scratch on the car felt
like a deep cut in our hearts. We realized we'd
been thinking only of ourselves, not about others." In 1979 he became, with
characteristic vigor, one of the leading disciples of the strict Santi Asoke
Buddhist sect, adopting its ascetic regimen of vegetarianism and total sexual
abstinence. As Sirilak once put it, "We dared to rebel against love, so we can
attain a higher goal in life, that of freedom and spiritual liberation."
The old Chamlong wanted to get as much money as possible. The new
Chamlong tries to sacrifice as much as possible," he says. "Eat less, spend
less, work harder-that's the way to happiness." Unlike many devout Buddhists,
Chamlong did not turn his back on the world, "Being a monk is fine, but it's
not the only way," he explains. "Lord Buddha taught us to stay in society to
help others." The military commander within speaks when he says it takes more
than good intentions: "Honesty isn't enough. You have to solve problems too.
Otherwise, you could just go to the temples and ask the monks to run for
office. No. You need both: honesty and capability."
As governor. Chalmlong delivered on each count: he cleaned Bangkok's
streets of garbage and its sidewalks of obstructive street vendors. He eased
chronic flooding and made headway against the city's horrific traffic. Petty
clerks are now more courteous and efficient, as well as less bribe happy.
Government business is done in government offices, where it belongs. Referring
to the governor, parliamentary running mate Suthep Athakorn, who has received
his share of 6 a.m. phone calls from the chief, says. "His dedication inspires
others to work hard for him." True, the city's notorious sex industry and its
sprawling slums persists, and some critics say Chamlong has favored
infrastructure over health and social problems. He counters that many ills
reflect deep-seated rural poverty, which drives people to the cities and forces
country girls into brothels. A populist with some distrust of big corporations,
he would decentralize new industries and raise rural
incomes to keep people in their villages and on their farms. "When Korea,
Taiwan and Japan upgraded their economies after World War II, prostitution
decreased automatically-that's part of the answer, not the whole thing.' he
says.
Can Chamlong build a large electoral base ? Although he doesn't set
monastic standards for party members-many businessmen are on the ticket and his
hand-picked replacement for governor is a flashy millionaire architect-he runs
the party with a military style that may deter potential allies. Snorts a
leader of the rival Democrat Party: "He's a dictator." Professor Suchit warns
that poor rural voters who need favors from officeholders may not flock to
Chamlong's anti corruption banner. The candidate admits, "I make decisions
quickly. After listening to my colleagues, it is up to me to make the final
ruling. A political party needs strong leadership." Likewise, he has shown the
kind of dedication to principle that can initially cost votes. In the 1980's,
while still in the military, he resigned from his powerful posting as staff
chief to the Prime Minister to protest a
liberal abortion program that had considerable popular support. "I didn't agree
with the bill. It would destroy our society," he says. He mobilized opposition
to the bill and defeated it.
Honesty is no substitute for policy, and idealists come with no
guarantee of administrative skill, as the Philippines' Corazon Aquino has
shown. But to Thai who saw corruption undo their last elected government, the
unique Bangkok politician, incorruptible and tested in leadership, offers
honesty as the best guarantee of democracy. Says he: "If every vote is a pure
vote, not a bought vote, then a coup will never succeed." Chamlong holds out
the hope that the people can get a leader as good as they want their country to
be.
Sanpawat Kantabutra
: I'm curious. What exactly did Chamlong accomplish during
: his tenure as Governor of Bangkok?
Dear Khun James,
1. BKK was one of the cleanest place ever in the Thai history.
2. Corruption decreased, if not extincted, while he was in office.
3. He alone gathered faith in (local) government of BKK people.
4. Inundation problems substantially disappeared while he was in office.
5. Traffic jam was partially solved by a special force (Teh Sa Kit).
6. etc.
What I am impressed in Khun Chumlong most was that he has a high courage
to do the right thing without being afraid of outside power. He is not
a corruption type. Once the head does not sway, the tail will not be
able to do anything. He has shown a lot of courage and conviction to
improve the country. Not to mention that he risked his life in the
confrontation with the military once. I hope he will become the next
prime minister of Thailand. Best regards, Sanpawat
----------
"If you believe in something long enough, stand by it, and
some other people will turn into believing in it too."
Alan Dawson
vtoo...@titan.oit.umass.edu (Varodom Toochinda) writes:
>: I'm curious. What exactly did Chamlong accomplish during
>: his tenure as Governor of Bangkok?
>I can certainly give one of his accomplishments. He was the first Governer
>who could rescue my house from the annual flood. Before that my soi
>(Senanikom) was turned in to a swamp every rainy season.
Well, yes, but in order to get god to stop flooding your house, the
Maha also had to make a side deal to not have any water in the
reservoirs.
When the drinking water got down to a two-week (literally) supply
last April, Krisda made a new deal (the old deal, really) with the
gods -- your house got flooded but we also had water to drink.
I'm not sure I liked the Maha making deals and side deals with the
gods this way. It's not that I want your house flooded so much as I
don't want people to die for lack of water. Just like I don't mind
the Maha talking to god -- I only get a little nervous that he feels
the gods talk to, or through, him.
--
Alan Dawson
Politics. From the Latin: poly (many) + tics (blood-sucking parasites)
Varodom Toochinda
: daw...@mozart.inet.co.th (Alan Dawson) wrote:
: >Party and call him a "former foreign minister?" What do these
: >Asiaweek people smoke, anyhow?
:
: I think this article referred Dr. Bhichit as "the son of a former
: foreign minister and Democrat party leader". so.. it is right??
: He is Mr. Bhichai's son and Mr. Bhichai was a former foreign minister
: and former Democrat party leader.
: If I am right, the Asiaweek people did not smoke!!
I didn't scrutinize the whole journal. But it seemed like the way they
represented information could somehow confused an audience like Khun Alan.
So perhaps they smoked a little bit. (based on the assumption that Alan
himself didn't smoke :) )
Cheers,
Dewey.
: Regards,
: Dr. Paporn
:
George Moore
Rai Chue <te...@test.com> wrote:
>Found at http://infoweb.magi.com/~minh/Misc/chamlong.txt
>CITIZEN CLEAN
>"Eat less, spend less, work harder"
>says CHAMLONG SRIMUANG,
>Thailand's most ascetic and most popular-politician
>by Jay Branegan, Bangkok
>Time, March 23, 1992
> He wears a simple "morhom", or farmer's shirt, and sandals made from
>old tires. He lives alone on an enclosed wooden platform in the front yard of a
>modern Bangkok house. He gets up at 4 a.m. and eats a single vegetarian meal
>each day. He abstains from sexual relations with his wife. He mediates morning
>and evening for as long as an hour a time. He is a combat-hardened veteran, a
> former major general, a devout Buddhist and a proven city administrator. And
> he is the most popular political figure in Thailand.
<snip of good info>
Question is, how did Chamlong improve the situation in Bangkok?
> As governor. Chalmlong delivered on each count: he cleaned Bangkok's
>streets of garbage and its sidewalks of obstructive street vendors. He eased
>chronic flooding and made headway against the city's horrific traffic. Petty
>clerks are now more courteous and efficient, as well as less bribe happy.
>Government business is done in government offices, where it belongs.
The impossible traffic situation aside, do sct readers agree with the
above assesement?
George Moore
gmoor...@msn.com