Thai politician eyes kingmaker role as election plotting starts

By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

Anutin Charnvirakul, the leader of the Bhumjaithai party gestures during an interview with Reuters in Bangkok, Thailand, November 22, 2017. REUTERS/Panu Wongcha-um

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - An election could be a year away in army-ruled Thailand, but Anutin Charnvirakul is already eyeing a role as a potential kingmaker with ties across the traditional political divide and to the politicised generals.

 

A businessman and amateur pilot whose party came third in the last election, Anutin, 51, has seen his political profile rise as parties start to map out a strategy for an election the junta has promised for the end of next year.

 

Pundits have tipped Anutin as a possible prime minister in a coalition government made more likely by a new voting system expected to weaken the colour-coded parties behind more than a decade of turmoil leading to a 2014 coup.

 

"I think it is better to be a kingmaker in this situation rather than an opportunistic prime minister," Anutin told Reuters in a recent interview.

 

The main support for Anutin's Bhumjaithai party is among farming communities in the lower northeast and he reckoned it could increase its share of seats to 50 out of 500 at the next election, from 34 in the last vote in 2011.

 

"I have never been closer to the doorstep of Government House," he said, referring to the official prime ministerial offices.

Anutin said he had a good personal relationship with both major parties - a rarity in polarised Thailand, where the army took power in a 2014 coup in the name of ending bloody protests.

 

Anutin was once a senior official in the party led by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose "red" populist movement has strong support in the north and among the poor.

 

It has won every election since 2001 and it was a government led by Thaksin's sister, Yingluck, that was ousted in the most recent coup.

 

TIES TO BOTH SIDES

 

But Anutin also has links to Thaksin's rivals, led by the "yellow" Democrat Party which draws support from the south and particularly from Bangkok's elite. Anutin's father - Bhumjaithai's founder - served in the last Democrat government.

 

"There are major ideological differences between political groups and I no longer want to take sides," Anutin said.

 

"The bottom line is, the country should not return to turmoil plagued by street demonstrations between different camps."

 

Anutin was identified in 2009 as a close associate of Thailand's then crown prince, who is now King Maha Vajiralongkorn, according to a U.S. embassy cable published by Wikileaks.

 

The Democrat Party's deputy leader, Ong-art Klampaiboon, said it was too early to comment on what might happen at the election. Former deputy prime minister Phongthep Thepkanjana of the Shinawatra-linked Pheu Thai Party shared a similar view.

 

Suspicions are rife that junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, or another military-backed candidate, will seek to become prime minister after elections. A new constitution guarantees the army a lasting say.

 

Anutin is the former chairman of Sino-Thai Engineering & Construction Pcl,Thailand's third biggest building firm, which was founded by his father.

 

His fortune has helped finance his political ambitions as well as his hobbies of flying light aircraft and collecting antique tea sets and Buddha statues.

 

(Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Matthew Tostevin)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-12-01

Very poor choice of words in Thailand one would think !

Cannot trust somebody who is friends with everybody.  When things get competitive, these guys influence usually starts to laps, because they have to pick a side eventually.   

This come as no surprise for me. This was on the rumour mill for a long time among Thais. 

       "....but Anutin Charnvirakul is already eyeing a role as a potential kingmaker ..."

 

      "Anutin was identified in 2009 as a close associate of Thailand's then crown prince, who is now

      King Maha Vajiralongkorn, according to a U.S. embassy cable published by Wikileaks."

 

     Reuters.

 

 

in other words he will support the one that offers him the most, a tried and trusted method used by thai politicians

Edited December 1, 20178 yr by seajae

5 hours ago, webfact said:

"There are major ideological differences between political groups and I no longer want to take sides,"

This is a statement from an elitist who stands ideologically outside the dynamics of democracy. It was never about taking sides in a political democratic process.

 

Political polarization is the anathema of autocratic rule. Anutin's participation on both sides of such ideological divides (ie., diametrically opposed political parties) shows that his real agenda was to depolarize political parties as a whole and bring them into the autocratic fold.

A more academic discussion in this link:

http://www.mei.edu/content/map/political-polarization-transition-and-civil-society-thailand-and-malaysia

How many times has Prayut called for Reconciliation & Unity in Thailand's political polarization - that the existence of political discourse would only "confuse" the Thai people? Autocracy otherwise loses control and prediction of polity behavior. I do not believe Anutin is simply a political opportunist but rather a committed autocratic soldier. 

50 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

This is a statement from an elitist who stands ideologically outside the dynamics of democracy. It was never about taking sides in a political democratic process.

 

Political polarization is the anathema of autocratic rule. Anutin's participation on both sides of such ideological divides (ie., diametrically opposed political parties) shows that his real agenda was to depolarize political parties as a whole and bring them into the autocratic fold.

A more academic discussion in this link:

http://www.mei.edu/content/map/political-polarization-transition-and-civil-society-thailand-and-malaysia

How many times has Prayut called for Reconciliation & Unity in Thailand's political polarization - that the existence of political discourse would only "confuse" the Thai people? Autocracy otherwise loses control and prediction of polity behavior. I do not believe Anutin is simply a political opportunist but rather a committed autocratic soldier. 

 

You may well be correct. But whilst political polarization has diametrically opposed political parties I don't think its really about ideology. It's much more basic. It's about getting control and then finding ways to keep control so that the serious process of enrichment doesn't get interrupted. The old Chinese view that the side with the most money and control of assets will eventually prevail. Power, getting, holding and using is all important.

The two main parties are vehicles for the Shiniwattra family and their allies versus the so called established elites and their allies. The military may now want more of an influential and possible independent presence too by the look of things. Other parties are vehicles for certain regional based families, rich families and their allies. Normally they align to one of the main ones for a share of the spoils. 

 

 

BhumJaiThai 'sans Chidchob' but still desperately trying to find some relevance after the kicking that PT gave them brought blood to their collective snouts.

5 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

This come as no surprise for me. This was on the rumour mill for a long time among Thais. 

As far as I know Bhumjaithai are renown for setting their sails according to the wind, ie holding out for the highest bidder. Principles ? What are they ???