Mahachon walked straight out of the cradle and into the past. The party’s first photo opportunity gave us Sanan with the Samut Prakan clique which has been found serially guilty of electoral fraud, and is widely suspected of various economic crimes and misdemeanours. As a taxi driver cackled at Chang Noi a few weeks before the election: “Mahachon (big mass)? More like Maha-jon (big thieves)”. (From “Mahachon and the tiger” by Chang Noi.)

In response to recent discussion on New Mandala about Anek Laothamatas and his Mahachon Party, Chang Noi (of The Nation) has sent me an interesting account of the reasons for Mahachon’s dismal showing in the 2005 election. Due to a technical glitch this piece didn’t end up appearing in press. So, belatedly, here it is. It makes interesting reading.

mahachon-and-the-tiger.pdf