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[Hedda]

I have the heightened sense these days that all sorts of powerful people,or folks who crave power, are using the press to float rumors and ideas in order to influence events.

I am basing that statement on the two English language papers I read daily, the Bangkok Post and the Nation, both of which seems to be featuring a lot of uncorroborated "news" since the coup that seem more like plants or "trial balloons" to test reactions.

I have no way to test that theory on the Thai language press since I cannot read Thai. I assume that the same thing would be happening to an even larger degree in the Thai language newpapers.

For example, take this article which appeared today in the Nation:

Thaksin aide tests the water

"Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has dispatched his personal secretary to Thailand to discover how many former Thai Rak Thai MPs are still loyal to him. Padung Limcharoen is in Bangkok to find out how many former MPs are still willing to stick it out with the party.

There has also been some speculation that the Constitution Tribunal will likely not order the dissolution of the party, but will punish individuals involved in bribing small, little-known parties in April to help Thai Rak Thai circumvent electoral regulations.

A source said Thaksin appeared to be happy that Chaturon Chaisang had decided not to abandon the party and had assumed the leadership. Chaturon is believed to be close to Privy Council President Prem Tinnasulanonda. It is also believed that Prem wants Thai Rak Thai to continue to exist, but without the abusive handouts the party made to win rural electoral support.

Meanwhile, security sources revealed that after a survey of Thai Rak Thai popularity in rural areas, they discovered the party still enjoyed support despite the coup. One of its conclusions was that dissolving the party may lead to social upheaval, as many former MPs still with the party have extensive links with the rural populace.

However, a swift way of dealing with Thaksin was to remove him from future political involvement, it said."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/10/22...cs_30016815.php

That article, which is unsigned and without a single idenitifiable source attribution, could well be a signal from some powerful people now in charge, that they are prepared to allow TRT to continue as an active political party, if it abandons some of its populist programs and if certain of its former leaders, including Thaksin and close associates, are prepered to give up politics, either through voluntary retirement or disqualification from office for past violations of election laws.

It's obvious, however, that the people in power now do not want to preserve TRT as a political party if there is any chance that Thaksin might then use it as a vehicle for a political comeback. They probably don't trust Thaksin to keep any promises that he is retired from politics. That leaves only the option to disqualify him from holding pubic office.

What seems to be clear is that the coup organizers are still looking for the right formula to remove Thaksin and his cronies from politics, before they lift the reins of martial law, and risk political turmoil. Maybe the way to do that is to manage control of TRT through reliable surrogates who can be trusted to behave.

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