A Country Entranced By Yingluck As Pm

[Flashermac]

Opinion by Prapai Kraisornkovit

 

 

 

In the July 3 general election, an unprecedented 79 women were voted into Thai political office. Voter turnout was nearly 75%. The Pheu Thai Party's resounding victory has placed Yingluck Shinawatra, their top nominee, as a strong candidate for the prime minister's job. And with the Election Commission's endorsement of her party-list MP status last week, it is now confirmed that Thailand's next premier will be a woman.

 

The fact that Ms Yingluck is a woman gives her an edge over her electoral competitors. She is well-educated, smart, modern, a wife and loving mother, with no scandals to mar her ethics and character. She speaks with confidence and carries herself well in public.

 

With her amicable personality and feminine manner, it was easy for the populist campaign to paint her as an iconic, beautiful flower battling the nation's poverty.

 

To Ms Yingluck's advantage, all of Thailand is smitten with the hype of a female prime minister. Many view her triumph as a breakthrough for women's equality in Thailand - the antithesis of our dark reputation for underage prostitution and illegal human trafficking. Though Ms Yingluck has not proclaimed any serious intentions to advance women's causes, her success in the election alone has already rallied and empowered Thai women all over the country. For Pheu Thai, Ms Yingluck was an ace up their sleeve. Her elder brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had left a void in the party's leadership for several years. The prolonged effect of the 2008 global financial crisis had re-energised Thaksin's policies, most of which have always been extremely popular with the poor. Having someone dynamic from the Shinawatra clan who also carries Thaksin's endorsement not only helped solidify the party but also gained momentum for the populist agenda at the polls.

 

For those opposed, a Pheu Thai candidate whom Thaksin described as his "clone" is an unwanted deja vu. To defeat such a candidate, the Democrats felt that all they needed was to remind the people of the numerous allegations of fraud, wealth concealment and corruption that dogged the former premier.

 

But perhaps they underestimated the people's enthusiasm for Ms Yingluck. Even though she admitted to having similarities with her brother, she managed to remain objective in favour of concessions and collaboration. Her youth and charisma made it easy for her to charm her way into the people's hearts, even those belonging to the opposition.

 

The violent clashes between the red-shirted United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship and the Democrat-led government have exhausted many working-class moderates, who felt that the unrest has hurt Thailand, especially Bangkok's image among tourists and investors. Business owners and workers were ready to give their vote to anyone who promised to end the disturbances.

 

To gain their favour, Ms Yingluck branded herself as a conciliator who can bridge the parties and end the current political turmoil. Although she was not the only candidate with an agenda for peace, she set herself apart by supporting plans to cut corporate tax rates to 23% next year and 20% the year after - an incentive that earned her campaign much needed approval from businesses big and small. However, the prime minister-designate also advocated a 300-baht daily minimum wage that was heavily opposed by the manufacturing sector as unrealistic, with potentially negative effects on Thailand's trade competitiveness and investment in the long run.

 

For the general public, corruption in the political system is common knowledge. Politicians buy votes to get elected into office. Once in place, they have clawed, backstabbed and schemed with each other for large infrastructure projects with big budgets. Once the projects are approved, they get kickbacks from builders and investors. The money goes back to the politicians so they can buy more votes in the next election. It's a vicious cycle that seems to keep going forever.

 

Similar to her rivals, Ms Yingluck tried hard to distance herself from corruption and the decadence of the political system. She adopted a contemporary style for her campaign. Her pragmatic slogans and easy-going disposition had tremendous appeal to voters of all ages. Her short resume' seemed to resonate not a lack of experience but the lack of corruption. People find her refreshing and many feel that she will provide a fresh perspective and innovative solution to the current problems.

 

Ms Yingluck's rise to power is nothing out of the ordinary for Thai politics - a rich and well-groomed woman with little political qualifications has been elected. She won because of her brother's policies, her party's strategy and her family's money.

 

Did she get the job because she had the most experience or the best ideas? Or was it because she was something new when compared with the other candidates? Will history shine a positive light on Ms Yingluck? Only time will tell.

 

Lately, she has been dodging debate and serious policy questions - not a terrible move for a novice. But eventually people will demand more answers. There will be more scrutiny and her honeymoon with the people will end. It's not possible to please everyone at the same time. Finding the right balance between taxes, social programmes, policies and different interests is very difficult. Even though she has her family, her brother and Pheu Thai in her corner, she will soon realise that some fights will have to be her own.

 

Becoming a prime minister is a great accomplishment for any man or woman. Even though Ms Yingluck's victory missed scoring marks on women's independence, self-reliance and equal opportunity between the sexes, she is a pioneer in her own right. She sends a strong message to Thai women everywhere that beauty and femininity do not make women weak. Gentleness, empathy and sensitivity are advantages.

 

Education is valuable and all women need to be smart about choosing opportunities. If these characteristics are indicative of Thai femininity, perhaps Ms Yingluck is a strong indication that we are headed in the right direction.

 

 

 

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