V - The 13 September Election: Choosing the Right Prime Minister

Summary

The issue of who was to be the prime minister was very crucial in the September election. Even though the public expected the premiership to be filled by one of the leaders from the pro-democracy camp, the major contenders for the post — particularly Chavalit, Chamlong, and Chuan — had different personality traits and policy agenda. In spite of their common stand against having a non-elected prime minister, competition among them was intense.

Defying all polls — a newly introduced phenomenon in Thai elections — the Democrat Party grabbed the most number of seats in Parliament, 79 in the September election. The Democrats themselves never expected their party to score such a victory, which made the party the core with which to form the new government. Earlier on in the campaign, polls showed that the Chart Pattana Party of Chatichai Choonhavan was leading, but later the Palang Dharma of Chamlong Srimuang was seen to be moving ahead. During the ten days of the campaign there were unexpected turn of events and factors which put the Democrats in front.

First of all, as the campaign was drawing to an end, there were doubts about the credibility of the leaders of some parties, whether they were fit to head a government. When Chatichai was leading in the polls people doubted his suitability for the top job because of his pending case of corruption, which the military-appointed committee lodged against him after the 1991 coup. A Chatichai political come-back would also bring about a political dilemma which could lead to political instability. As it turned out, the more Chatichai projected himself as the next prime minister the more it became his political liability. His statement that he was ready to become prime minister would immediately be taken up by political rivals contending that he lacked the credibility to lead the country. Chatichai was eventually forced to declare that he would not accept the premiership even if his party had won the most number of seats.