The banned will play on

Interview by Pradit Ruangdit

Always in the political forefront, the high-profile Thai Rak Thai and Buriram province politician Newin Chidchob says he accepts the verdict, but he intends to keep playing a role in politics.

After losing his electoral rights for five years in the May 30 verdict of the Constitution Tribunal, Mr Newin Chidchob, a former key figure of the Thai Rak Thai party and a close aide of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, talks about his future.

Pradit Ruangdit, Bangkok Post: Was the verdict fair in your opinion?

Newin Chidchob: Nobody accepts what they have lost. But we have rules and we have to play by them. I cannot say if it is fair or not because I am the one affected by the ruling.

I'm 49 years old now. Some politicians older than me who have been barred [from politics] are still fine. I don't mind how many years I lose the rights for. The point is how you will engage in politics. If you do it for ministerial seats or political positions, a five-year ban may seem a long and great loss. But if you do it for people close to you without interest in a political position, you don't stand to lose anything.

Q: Do you regret the dissolution of the party with which you are bonded?

A: The bond exists. I would be a liar if I said I wasn't sad. In fact, I am sad and it is very regrettable. But we have rules and they must be applied.

Q: Are you among those who will stay with Thai Rak Thai?

A: In principle, I think that Thai Rak Thai policies have benefited people. How to keep the policies going to help people is what we have to look at now. This is possible without being a member of parliament. It can be achieved by the work of second-tier politicians.

Q: Will you join in the activities of the former Thai Rak Thai party?

A: I have to wait and see what the next rules are. By that I mean the constitution. It is currently being drafted by the Constitution Drafting Assembly and has not taken shape yet. If the charter benefits the nation and public, there should not be any move [against it].

Q: Today many wonder where Mr Newin is and what he is doing?

A: Without the rules [constitution] being set, I will do nothing and it is not the time to engage in politics. When there is an election, we will do it. If you are asking me if I will quit politics, my answer is no.

Q: Have you had a chance to talk to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra?

A: No I haven't. Doing that will not benefit either of us. I know what the consequences would be if I met Mr Thaksin.

Q: How can you defend yourself when you are suspected of masterminding mobs?

A: I am lucky that I was not blamed for the latest earthquake. I am not sure if I would be blamed for floods during the rains. Today I must tell the truth that key figures [of former Thai Rak Thai members] including me are being followed. So the Council for National Security knows well what I am doing.

Q: What will politics be like from the viewpoint of a veteran politician like you?

A: I am worried about the country, about what people are thinking and about mistrust in society. If everybody is thinking about self-interest, it will be a great concern and there will be no way out for society.

As long as economic hardships affecting people are not solved, peace cannot be restored. We are also members of the world community and have to deal with other countries. Unless the world community engages with us, economic problems will worsen.

Q: Will an advanced election restore peace as some have suggested?

A: I think an election can solve only half of the problems. It is a way to convince the world community to recognise Thailand. But an election under undemocratic rule can be a double-edged sword. It can also affect credibility through the eyes of other countries.

Will the election show that power belongs to the people or to others who use people as a tool? This is the key. This is the opinion of the one who has no political rights and is not a stakeholder.