Democrat Party economist faces challenge as new Thailand PM

ABHISIT VEJJAJIVA, the leader of Thailand’s Democrat Party, became prime minister yesterday and there were hopes that the 44-year-old economist can bring some kind of order to a country riven by political conflict for three years.

Mr Abhisit defeated Pracha Promnog, an ex-police chief and loyalist of exiled but still powerful ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in a parliamentary vote following days of horsetrading to secure the necessary majority.

The parliamentary face-off came following weeks of mass protests by anti-Thaksin forces that included a week-long siege of Bangkok’s airports.

Mr Abhisit now needs to combat the challenge of Mr Thaksin’s supporters, who have vowed to take to the streets themselves. At least 100 angry Thaksin supporters clad in red shirts scuffled with police and threw traffic barriers outside the gates of parliament to try to prevent lawmakers from leaving after the session.

The English-born, Eton- and Oxford-educated leader will also have to deal with an economy on the brink of a possibly serious downturn, while juggling the unlikely arrangement of parties that make up his coalition, including former Thaksin supporters.

He previously said his priority would be to restore the economy after months of protests against the previous government.

“I thanked all members of parliament who voted for me,” said Mr Abhisit, who becomes Thailand’s 27th prime minister and the first from the Democrat Party in eight years. “But I will not be speaking about my political stance before the royal command is issued,” he said.

The decree from the king officially installing Mr Abhisit as premier was likely to be given today.

For some commentators, Mr Abhisit is too patrician and lacking in the common touch necessary to win over the hearts and minds of rural voters, who repeatedly vote into power Mr Thaksin and his allies despite a spate of corruption charges.

Mr Abhisit entered politics at the age of 27 but the Democrats failed to win over the rural masses in general elections in 2007 when Mr Thaksin’s allies again were returned to power.

From a wealthy family of Thai-Chinese origin, Mr Abhisit studied philosophy, politics and economics. His first name means “privilege” in Thai and his friends call him Mark.

Known for his leading-man good looks, his reputation is clean and untarnished by scandal, which makes him a rarity in the upper echelons of Thai politics, but commentators believe he lacks a broad vision for Thailand’s future.

The Democrats have their strongholds in Bangkok and in southern Thailand, but have failed to affect Mr Thaksin’s natural constituencies in the poor north, where elections are often won by vote-buying.

Although both men come from similar backgrounds, the contrasts between Mr Thaksin and Mr Abhisit could not be stronger.

Mr Thaksin is an unashamed populist, who understands the language spoken by Thailand’s poor farmers.

Mr Abhisit’s favourite book is The Myth of Sisyphus by French existentialist novelist Albert Camus and he is a big fan of music by British Indie rock bands.

The Democrats have been supportive of the main anti-government movement, the People’s Alliance for Democracy, which advocates a limited form of democracy that basically would stop rural voters backing Mr Thaksin, but held back from joining the sometimes violent street demonstrations and in some cases distanced themselves from the movement.