BANGKOK – A startling study of Thai census records has revealed that 17% of Thai men have been named a cabinet member at some point in their lives.
According to the ABAC study, 3% of adult males have served as deputy prime minister, 8% as a deputy minister and 6% as a minister. A further 47% have a relative or personally know someone who was in a cabinet.
Interviews with a random sample of people along Sukhumvit over the weekend confirmed the study results with many people admitting they had once served in Government House.
“Yes, I was in Chuan Leepai’s fourth cabinet in his second term,” said fruit vendor Somchai Veeratakul. “I was deputy minister of something or other. Sure it was exciting for awhile but my life is more relaxed now. Apple?”
“Just as I was settling in, boom! It was over,” laughed 63-year-old Kraisorn Tantipongsem, who was Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives during the first Seni Pramoj government, which lasted only two months. “But without that chance, I don’t think I would have gotten to where I am today.” Kraisorn now runs the food court at Siam Paragon.
Retired Captain Bung Suphachalasai, who was interviewed sitting on a park bench in Queen Sirikit Park, says he thinks he was Minister of the Interior in the first cabinet of Major Kuang Abhayavongsa in 1944. “Or maybe it was Phibun. Jeez, I just can’t remember.”
The survey results suggest that being chosen a cabinet member today no longer holds much prestige in Thai society.
Taxi driver Jit Manoonpravit said he turned down an offer to join Samak’s government. “The timing wasn’t right,” he said. “I had to weigh the pros of meeting the King against the cons of being out of work within a year. So I told Samak my brother might be free.”
