"See you in court," activist Sombat Boonngamanong told the Election Commission last week, right after it rejected his bid to register his political party, known in Thai as <i>Krian</i>, meaning firebrand.
According to Mr Sombat's Facebook post, the EC told him his party's name -- which the party chooses to spell in English as "Grin" -- is a problem, with negative connotations. The EC claimed the name Krian is against moral principles, the activist said.
In his counter-claim, Mr Sombat criticised the EC for its narrow interpretation of his party's name. In other words it's just an imaginary thing. Krian, the activist insisted, can also mean "short, tidy, fitted and clean." He vowed to take the case to the Administrative Court.
Ploenpote Atthakor is editorial pages editor, Bangkok Post.
Mr Sombat is right. Krian, in a straightforward way, really means short and tidy when applied to men's hairstyles, especially students among military and police cadets. Now all policemen have to go krian, in accordance with a new disciplinary code. So, what's wrong with it? How it could be bad or immoral?
In fact, by naming his party Krian, Mr Sombat, who is known for his red-leaning stance, just wants his party to be an alternative, something that is thought-provoking.
How alternative?
For sure, we will not see in his party, if it can eventually be founded, the Khunplomes, the Sasomsaps, the Chidchobs, the Adireksarns -- all those political clans who remind us of the old politics. For many, "old" is associated with unclean.
Let me be clear. I am not a supporter of his Krian party.
But I throw my support behind his challenge to the EC. In my humble opinion, his rights and freedom must be respected. As he said in defending his choice: "It's totally a matter of rights and freedom in naming a political party."
I wonder how many votes Mr Sombat's party will be able to grab in the general election when fighting against the old heavyweights and newcomers like young tycoon Thanathorn's Future Forward Party. Not many, I'm afraid.
Some voters may find his krian term too casual, and even non-political, compared to something like Future Forward or Pracha Rath. But as I said, Mr Sombat has every right to pick a name that is not obscene or insulting anyone. As long as he goes by the book in making his registration, the EC has no right to reject him.
This is not the first time the EC refused to register a party due to its name. In March, the agency turned down an effort by Pathom Tanthiti who wanted to register his "Communist Party of Thailand". The EC cited the constitution in doing so.
The fear of communism makes us realise how anachronistic this agency is. The EC should know that communism has ceased to be a threat for this country for several decades. Some of Thailand's close and great friends such as China and Russia are under communist rule. Closer to home, there are nations such as Vietnam and Laos which are immediate neighbours.
Besides, it's interesting that while the EC cited moral principles as a reason for rejecting the Krian party, it appears to look the other way while powers-that-be are luring politicians into their own party -- the practice that is known in Thai as dood or vacuuming which has effectively entered the political jargon.
Is that politically correct?
For one thing, the krian saga has led us to a what's-in-the-name debate. I am sure many know how the Democrats -- the country's oldest political party with such a great name -- has sometimes been criticised as a military-leaning party. The now-defunct Samakki Tham which means "justice unity" was part of the political shenanigans that put the country in the political crisis of 1992. Can the New Aspiration Party of Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh be, many would argue, a new hope for the country?
In short, I am not Krian party fan. But I wish Mr Sombat good luck.