World Notes Thailand

When a pro-Western military junta wants to win favor with the U.S., the preferred course includes holding relatively fair elections, then standing on the sidelines as a pliant civilian government is installed. If all goes well, the result may be more money from U.S. aid agencies. That is, unless the proposed new Prime Minister is an alleged drug trafficker.

Then, as Thailand discovered last week, the result can be embarrassment and uncertainty. The designee is Narong Wongwan, 66, a lumber and tobacco millionaire whose pro-military Justice and Unity Party won the most seats in Thailand's first parliamentary elections since a bloodless coup 13 months ago. Soon after Narong was named to head a five-party coalition government, Washington officials disclosed that he had been denied a visa to enter the U.S. last July because of alleged links to Thailand's opium and heroin trade.

Thai police said they had no evidence to support the U.S. allegations, which Narong denied. But his military patrons showed signs of backing away from Narong, leaving his appointment in doubt.