A wily politician who never succumbed to hubris
Re: “Farewell to a man without ideology”, Stoppage Time, April 27.
Generally, a eulogy lauds its subject’s past achievements while remaining silent on their dubious deeds. However, exceptions are made when those deeds reflect, fundamentally, the character of that person.
Tulsathit Taptim achieved something exceptional in his frank recollections of Chart Thai Pattana leader Banharn Silpa-archa.
For some Thais, being “without ideology” is a virtue. As such, words like “eel”, “slippery”, “oily”, and “survivor” are appropriate descriptions of Banharn. Tulsathit was also very sharp in calling him a “miniature version of Thaksin” – though perhaps Thaksin should be regarded as a magnified version of Banharn, having entered politics after the Chart Thai Pattana stalwart.
Tulsathit also hit the mark in describing Banharn as a politician who knew the meaning of “enough is enough” and when to stop before causing an irretrievable mess. By contrast, Thaksin hasn’t stopped even now.
As The Nation’s obituary stated, “Banharn’s greatest legacy was paving the way for 1997 charter deemed by many as one of the most democratic charters the country has had.” Unfortunately, that constitution was misused by greedy politicians who grasped at legal words without being mature enough to understand the spirit of the law.
Born the son of a Chinese merchant in Suphan Buri, Banharn demonstrated business acumen and diligence that have rightly been highlighted and should bring hope to many. May he rest in peace!
Songdej Praditsmanont
