Opponents of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship accuse the movement of using the death of Ampon ''Ah Kong'' Tangnoppakul as a political tool to further their political agenda. They might be correct.
But if the UDD were to accuse their opponents of using the life of Ah Kong as a political tool, making an example of him to champion the lese majeste law and further the traditional elitist agenda, they might be correct also.
The use of political tools works both ways, and in a democracy, the political-social relationship is one of give and take between the political tools and the tool masters.
Through propaganda, populist incentives and, at times, cold hard cash, the leaders (tool masters) exploit the citizenry (political tools) for their interests. As rewards for their complicity, willingly or unwittingly, their children get tablet computers, their debts get forgiven and food prices get frozen.
Raise issue with any of that and you'll have Thaksin Shinawatra's political tools foaming at the mouth because that would be a swipe at the Pheu Thai Party. Yes, the Democrats were guilty of the same, but they are old news, not in the current government, while Pheu Thai is in charge now.
However, instead of wiping their mouths they continue to froth, even more ready to bite, and hence exhibit the very essence of a political tool, the theme of this week's column.
A political tool is a person, a strategy or an object, but here we'll talk mostly about in terms of a person. He is inspired by lofty ideals, noble or false. He is motivated by hatred, real or imagined. The combination of ideals and hatred is a virus inflicting blindness and deafness, even dumbness _ the inability to see, hear or comprehend the other side of the issue; the lack of awareness of one's own flaws.
He doesn't think for himself, he only follows ''group think'', party lines, slogans and guidebooks, written out for him and drummed into his head.
With lofty ideals in the head, passionate hatred in the heart and impairment of the senses, one becomes a political tool, fanatical even. This, of course, is an extreme caricature.
A political tool can be quite intelligent and earnest, not fanatical, not hateful, and mean well in his heart. But he is still a political tool if his words and deeds stubbornly support one faction only, and hence further the agenda of that faction.
A political tool may also be completely unwitting and entirely ignorant of the fact that he's being used as a tool.
What they all have in common, is that none will ever admit, and few are even aware, that they are political tools.
Ah Kong's death is exploited by those marching around Bangkok, flying the red banners, calling him a red shirt comrade. The red community radio 104.10 cursed those they perceived as responsible for Ah Kong's death ''to rot in hell for seven generations''.
His death is also exploited by fervent supporters of the lese majeste law. In social media, they posted messages rejoicing at Ah Kong's death. Comments included ''wishing you'll burn in hell'' and ''karma took vengeance on you'', etc.
Ah Kong was an unwitting political tool, caught up in a sinister game. His life and death were exploited by other political tools on behalf of two sets of opposing tool masters. Such passionate hatred displayed is a fine example of political tools in the extreme, fanatical even.
Here we shall focus on the UDD because they are the current news, the ones in the streets, with Pheu Thai in government and Thaksin in charge _ handkerchief, please.
Poised to become another unwitting political tool is Rosmalin Tangnoppakul, Ah Kong's wife. She had no alleged political affiliation but is being bombarded with daily messages of ''THEY killed your husband.'' This happened with Payao Akkahad, mother of the volunteer nurse who was killed at Wat Pathum Wanaram. She is now a brand ambassador of the UDD because ''THEY killed your daughter.'' Then there's Khattiya Sawatdiphol, daughter of the late major general of famously known as Seh Daeng. ''THEY killed your father.'' She's now also a brand ambassador, as well as a Pheu Thai MP.
Exploiting the tragedies of wives, sons and daughters is elementary, but highly effective. However, give credit where credit is due; the red shirts support these grieving families in their time of need, while the red shirts' opponents stomp on the graves of their loved ones. It takes two opposing forces to nurture hatred.
In recent years, the deaths of people's loved ones, comrades and complete strangers has been the political tool masters' most effective method of using their political tools because of the intense hatred these deaths bring forth. But let's not forget the deaths on the other side of civilians and soldiers, or the burning of Bangkok and provincial city halls.
The irony then is that even the red shirts complain that their own tool masters, the UDD/Pheu Thai leadership, are reluctant to seek justice for their fallen and jailed comrades. Meanwhile, UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan is fixing to take up the blue-chip portfolio of deputy interior minister.
But Jatuporn is not a mere political tool; he's a political player, a tool master. The difference is as wide as the gulf between amart and prai.
The irony is that the red shirts are crying out against Section 112, yet they don't demonstrate to demand that the Pheu Thai-led government lead the effort to reform or abolish the lese majeste law.
The government they elected is the government that devoutly defends the law that sent Ah Kong to prison.
Hence, the tragedy is that unwitting, ordinary political tools, wielded arbitrarily and rarely making much sense, are more often than not made into fools.
But political tools are not only your ordinary people in the streets. They are also academics, activists and journalists. In theory, these people should be seekers of truth, champions of freedom and defenders of human rights. Just in theory, of course, and a very broad theory at that.
Academics, activists and journalists are right to condemn and decry the 2006 military coup and actions by the traditional elites before or since that perpetuate the Kingdom's feudalistic social structure and mindset. But many do so by donning the red, hence becoming political tools, rather than impartial observers.
Even if one claims to be no fan of Thaksin, donning the red makes one an unwitting political tool because even tools cannot deny that Thaksin is the supreme patriarch of the reds.
Even if they do not don the red, but turn a blind eye to, or make excuses for, crimes the UDD has committed _ raids, occupations, burnings, resisting arrests, etc _ they all become unwitting political tools of Thaksin.
If they pick a side, then their words and deeds to support that side invariably become tools to help pave the way for Thaksin's return to power, which is the ultimate goal of the UDD/Pheu Thai side.
Even tools can't deny the above, but fools might.
What these activists, academics and journalists, local and international, all have in common is that they believe they are standing up for democracy. But in actuality they become unwitting political tools for the two-time democratically elected prime minister, who is elitist in vision, corrupt in practice and authoritarian in governance.
These unfortunate ones unwittingly (some perhaps willingly) become Thaksin's tools _ again, even tools cannot deny this, but fools might. Feel sorry that Ah Kong has been made a political tool. Feel sorrier that you are also a political tool.
Even this column space underneath that too-serious face can be exploited as a political tool. Every criticism, satire and sarcasm against the former Democrat-led government and the People's Alliance for Democracy can be exploited by the Thaksin-istas. And vice-versa. Traditionalists can exploit the same against the Pheu Thai government and the UDD.
We can always be exploited to some degree in this game of feudal authoritarianism versus capitalist authoritarianism, both played under the guise of democracy.
We cannot control what others do, but we can have a choice in what we do. One can champion democracy, without becoming an unwitting political tool of megalomaniacs in red, yellow, green or any other colour. Keep it honest, keep it balanced and keep it real, and know that a tool is but a smarter man's fool.
Contact Voranai Vanijaka via email at voranaiv@bangkokpost.co.th.