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The two-horse election race is turning into a 'new versus old' battle.

    But there is an uncanny paradox.

    General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is billing his New Aspiration Party as the untried alternative.

  'All others have been in power. We should be given a chance,' he says.

  But to bolster numbers needed to gain the most number of seats, the old-style military leader has recruited members of disgruntled factions from Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa's Chart Thai party.

  Many, including General Chavalit himself, are considered to be the old-style of Thai politician willing to negotiate and buy their way into a position of power - hence their stronghold on poorer rural seats where vote-buying is known to be the easiest way to win the people's faith at the polling booth. General Chavalit is advertising a new party with old faces.

  But the Democrats, although boasting a leader who resigned in the face of a land corruption scandal last year, have a group of new faces in a 50-year-old party.

  The party is promoting a new style of fresh-faced politician which is winning the hearts of Thailand's younger generation.

  Dr Suwin Pitsuwan, a 45-year-old political science masters graduate from Harvard, adopted an almost Western approach to his attack on Mr Banharn during last month's censure debate, left hand in his trouser pocket, right waving evidence in the air with a mixture of Thai and English speech.

  Another Democrat dynamo, Dr Abhisit Vejajjiva, 32, was government spokesman at 28 and is tipped by analysts to be the youngest ever prime minister.

  He says responses vary to the new body-language approach.

  'I'm a bit worried we're getting too dramatic, a bit like showbiz. The more conservative people are not used to it. But we're getting a more favourable response from the younger people,' he said.

  Dr Abhisit said television coverage was giving politics more exposure to the media, which was making politicians more accountable. During the censure debate, ratings were sky-high.

  But despite political reform and a new constitution to be written next year in Thailand, Dr Abhisit is philosophical about changes to a traditionally corrupt system.

  'They'll find a way. However you write the rules, people who want to cheat will cheat,' he said.

  'Next year will be crucial. I want to provide a link between the old-style politician and the people who are demanding change.

  'But in any democracy there is going to be frustration. I may be new, but I am not naive.'   He says that after the bloody riots of May 1992, it is clear that the military must stay out of Thai politics. He says this will give people a greater and more open say in making dramatic political reforms.



Fresh approach winning over hearts of younger generation