Mongkol Bangprapa

Appearing content with life and his work at city hall, Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej continued to sidestep the question of whether or not he will seek re-election, insisting suggestively however that running the capital is not a job for just ``anyone'' but a special ``someone''.

``If it is not someone like me, there is no way he or she can do the job. A governor can face all kinds of pressure from officials. Not me. I lead BMA officials,'' he said.

In a special interview with the Bangkok Post, Post Today, Independent Television and GG News, which have formed a media alliance to cover the campaign for Bangkok governor, the veteran politician said he had kept the decision about his political future to himself at the request of Khamron Bamrungrak, a Bangkok city councillor from Thai Rak Thai.

``He asked me not to tell anyone if I would compete for the post again. I found that strange yet acceptable so I gave him my promise,'' Mr Samak said.

``Mr Khamron told me the governor should keep it a secret if he was not to seek a second term or officials may not continue working hard,'' Mr Samak said.

Samak, happy at city hall.

Mr Samak said he would make his decision about whether to contest the Aug 29 poll after his four-year term with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) ends on July 21.

While Mr Samak deflected questions about his own potential re-election run, he defined his idea of a successful governor.

Mr Samak said that of utmost importance is that the governor have a good relationship with the interior minister.

``I can tell you that there really is something to do with the relations with the Interior Ministry,'' he said.

He speculated that a city governor from the Democrat party would not have an easy working relationship with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai party.

An ``independent'' who wins the gubernatorial election could find it difficult to retain ``independence'', Mr Samak said. ``If that person can be good with officials and let them lead him or her by the nose then that person can stay,'' he said.

Mr Samak said even he himself whom Mr Thaksin personally liked and who had no relationship problems with any interior ministers, including Purachai Piumsombun, still had not yet won endorsement for a draft city legislation.

Still, he was happy at city hall. The working atmosphere was good because he could arrange for city executives, officials and members of city and district councils to have cohesion, he said.

Regarding vocal criticism that since his historical election in which he gained more than a million votes he had done little to make Bangkok a better city, Mr Samak argued his accomplishments so far spoke volumes.

His flood prevention measures worked well in cutting the effect of heavy rain to only a few hours or even half an hour. Garbage was now collected every day. Students were competing for seats in schools run by BMA because it offered a quality curriculum.

BMA had more than a million permanent and temporary employees, but good management spared the city from any protests or strikes, he said.

There still were a lot of things he wanted to do but was not allowed to do, Mr Samak said.

His underground car park at Sanam Luang was opposed by a panel charged with preserving the so-called Rattanakosin island. The city administration wanted to run electricity, water and transport services, now belonging to the interior and transport ministries, but had no authority.

Mr Samak, however, declined to say if people ever confronted him personally about their disappointment with his tenure.

``Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some people may like what I do, some may not,'' he said.

Mr Samak believed half of Bangkok residents were satisfied with him.



Scoring more than one million votes last time was no fluke and if he ran again he was not afraid of big-names like Chalerm Yubamrung and Pavena Hongsakula because he believed voters knew which candidates were ``the real thing'', Mr Samak said.

The governor, however, said if he had to pick ``someone'' as a successor, Chart Thai list MP Kobsak Chutikul would be that person.

Mr Kobsak was right when he said the Bangkok governor should not be seen as simply having to collect garbage or clean up sewers as, in fact, he or she should also be duty-bound to promote Bangkok overseas as an international hub for business negotiations and tourism, Mr Samak said.

Chart Thai had already decided not to field Mr Kobsak in the Bangkok governor election.

Mr Samak said he was working on a book Samak 72 _ which would list all the things he had done as the Bangkok governor. The book is set to be released three years from now when he will be 72 years old.

At 72, he would still be completely fit for political work, he said.

He might compete for a seat in the Senate and if he won he would continue to stay in politics for six years.

``If there is any door opened I can assure you I will return to parliament,'' Mr Samak said.