One of the myriad things PM Abhisit Vejjajiva said as his government marked its first year in office - one shimmery pearl of wisdom in the vast sea of political spin - was his musing about what is better, an apparently "perfect" government that couldn't govern or an "imperfect" one, as unstable as a fully loaded boat, that somehow manages to plod on?
Mr Prime Minister was apparently referring to his two immediate predecessors - the government led by Somchai Wongsawat and the late Samak Sundaravej. Although the party they led won a majority of votes at the last 2007 election, both PMs managed to stay in office only for a brief time, less than a year, which did not allow them to achieve much.
I am not saying PM Abhisit has accomplished more than his predecessors as he observes his first anniversary as premier. That he has outlasted them does not mean he has outshone them. It's only fair to say that both sides had and have their own approaches to public policy and administration. Both have needed to haggle with deeply divisive politics in the wider world, as well as the deeply entrenched politics within the system. Both can claim accomplishments and failures. So, this won't be a beauty contest between the government and the opposition. It won't be a comparison between the "yellow" and "red" way, either. What this will be is an attempt to chew on the question that Mr Abhisit posed, which I think summarises the dilemma of our time, and see if it can offer a key to unlock the country's unforeseeable future.
To put it another way, does our country's future appear sealed because many of us have been too absorbed in a one-dimensional pursuit of perfection? Of an ideal democracy? Of a strong, capable and decorous leader? Of unfailing justice? Have we Thais spent too much time looking backward and trying in vain to make everything "perfect"? To write a perfect constitution with no loopholes? To make elections free of all fraud? To see no-one but former PM Thaksin Shinawatra as the one and only victim of the 2006 coup or the elitist culture of this country? To want a perfectly calm and quarrel-free political atmosphere?
If that is the case, then the last few years have been an exercise in futility. We must stop going further on this dead-end path.
There is no "perfect" constitution. We must accept the fact and think of other means to prevent people from making use of loopholes and getting away with them. And we must open up the process of constitutional amendment and take in the various public opinions.
A completely fraud-free election probably won't exist in this country for a long time. We will have to seriously think if banning those who cheat and dissolving parties whose executives are caught cheating can help make the situation better. Obviously those who were banned are still operating behind the scenes.
Thaksin is by no means the only person whose rights were abused by the coup of 2006, nor is he the only one hurt by the elitist culture. He should stop monopolising the role of victim for his own benefit and people should stop listening when he does so. The coup was a transgression upon all Thais. The elitist culture has also caused pain to many others. We have no choice but to try to correct both the coup and elitist culture, not for the sake of Thaksin but for each and every one of us. Bringing Thaksin back won't change the Thai elitist system. It will only replace it with a new kind.
The thing is, the world today has become very complex and we must learn to live with that complexity. Having more diverse interests means we need a greater degree of compromise. Thaksin may think he can win if he topples the Democrat-led government and garners a majority of seats in the next election. But how can he be sure he won't end up in the same place - in exile - unless of course he manages to consolidate power and make up all that he has lost?
What followers of both the "yellow" and "red" movements should realise is they have no future in their "absolute" pursuits. Not only must the "yellow" interest be accommodated in the future plan of Thailand, but also that of the "reds" and many others. As long as they close off their "perfect" vision and prevent it from being diluted by other people's opinions, then there is no way to get out of the conflict.
It's true we may not have calm, quarrel-free politics any time soon and the next government is likely to be far from perfect. But we must realise now that we need to live with those imperfections instead of trying to remove them. Plod on ... it is the only way to move forward.
- Atiya Achakulwisut is Editorial Pages editor, Bangkok Post.
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