Fabulous week for election thievery, last week was. It was so slick you have to think it was either an accident or proof that the general prime minister should seriously stick around and break the service record for the post (Plaek Pibulsonggram, 9 years, 161 days).
We freedom of speech absolutists have to give credit where it's due. The stealth takeover of 80% of TV broadcasters took our breath away.
Not only does the government come away looking like the altruistic, fair-minded friend of both big business and the 70 million TV watchers but it got public applause for taking billions in taxpayer funds and handing it to digital TV owners claiming poverty. In return, digital TV newsrooms will broadcast what the regime wants, when the regime wants.
Remember when the broadcasters rebelled a few months ago at the "suggestions" by the Minister of Truth on how they should cover an up-country cabinet barnstorming. That won't happen again.
There are those who don't, won't or can't see the forces at work here, so let's reduce the project scale.
Let's say you own a small restaurant, 30 seats. It's getting by, but it's struggling. Last month, the Cuisinart food processor broke, and on the same day, the gas-tank supplier said if you don't pay the bills owed, he'll stop delivering. By tomorrow you'll have to choose. Either way, you'll stay in business, but it will be very tough and either the product or the service will suffer.
The extremely generous, totally altruistic gang from Page 2 of Bangkok Post Sunday learns of this. We hand you a certain sum that buys a new food processor, pays the gas man and puts a tidy amount in your business bank account. We don't want anything in return. Our motive is to ensure your restaurant thrives and that your family is well. No, you don't have to thank us, we're thrilled to help.
[Six months later]
Oh, great to see your restaurant is doing well. By the way, next month we're planning a small, intimate gathering to celebrate our son's new job. We're inviting about 30 people and figure a six-course dinner would be great.
You don't mind closing just for one night and providing food, cooks and waitstaff to help us out with this celebration, do you? We didn't think you'd mind. Not that we ever expected to ask you for a big favour when we helped you out with the money, perish the thought. We promise we won't do this often.
The same holds true -- more or less, you understand -- with giving the politician and sedition suspect Sakoltee (aka Sakol) Phattiyakul a job at the Bangkok City Hall. A truly hard-core supporter of Suthep Thaugsuban, the People's Democratic Reform Committee and the coup regime, son of a leading 2006 coup general, Mr Sakoltee showed up two weeks ago to confirm his membership in the Democrat Party. That surprised a lot of people.
A lot more, though, were surprised at his metamorphosis from somewhat aimless anti-red politician to deputy governor of Bangkok. The Section 44-appointed governor, Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang, tossed four assistants under the bus to make way for Mr Sakoltee.
But insiders said the real force behind the lightning transfer was Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, accused of being Kingmaker Apparent of the 2019 election. He has been lining up politicians, political parties and now controls the single most powerful urban office in the country behind the outsider prime minister-to-be.
From inside City Hall, Mr Sakoltee has a unique look at political organising in Bangkok. Democrat Party deputy leader Nipit Intharasombat calls this direct, government interference in running the BMA. And he should know. The Democrats had run Bangkok for decades until the general prime minister used Section 44 about 17 months ago to oust the last Democrat and elected governor, MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra.
That's an opinion but this is not. Up till now, Mr Sakoltee has been first and foremost, a political operative, and a raucous one at that.
Given the pay, perks and duties of an assistant governor, it seems strange to hire a total novice, just so he can learn on the job. Governor Aswin's comment that he is "well qualified" to be a deputy governor is, well, cause for at least a minor guffaw. Or a major coughing fit.
All of this and one heck of a lot more will eventually be compiled into opposition papers and editorials and Facebook thumbsuckers on how the regime stealth-stole the election from democrats. They won't be wrong about this, the whiners, but they will be late to the party.