New Party Wants To Discard Old Politics, But Can It Win Elections?

[webfact]

New Party Wants To Discard Old Politics, But Can It Win Elections?

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

  

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, back row fifth from left, and the founding members of the Future Forward Party on March 15 at Warehouse Charoenkrung .

 

BANGKOK — With a craft brewer, disability activist, freelance translator and filmmaker as founders, the leaders of the Future Forward Party may look more like a great line up for a TED talk.

 

Headed by a maverick billionaire who styles himself a champion of free speech, the party is positioned as an alternative for disaffected young voters and those fed up with the brand of traditional politics represented by the two major parties of Pheu Thai and Democrat.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2018/04/03/new-party-wants-to-discard-old-politics-but-can-it-win-elections/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-04-04

[Basil B]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

But Can It Win Elections?

Depends on how deep their pockets are...

[stephen tracy]

1) "None has run for office or held any position in a political party"... I would view that as a pro rather than a con.

2) "one longtime member of the the country’s oldest registered party put it, the country’s future can’t be put in the hands of amateurs."... given that both the careerist politicians of the PT and the Dems have always made a mess of things and as a result both lack credibility, I think the commenter should keep his/her opinions to himself.

3) “An unblemished history comes with a lack of competence in resolving crises.”... Tur, but what's te alternative? Do nothing and end up with man-child and Co. in charge indefinitely?

4) "I understand that people are concerned, because the founders … are newcomers who never ran for politics."... Once again, not necessarily a bad thing. More experienced and politically savvy people can be brought on board to help navigate.

 

 

[stephen tracy]

8 hours ago, Basil B said:

Depends on how deep their pockets are...

I think with a multi-billion baht company the pockets are pretty deep but this will not be the decider. If the junta doesn't want them to win, the won't win.

[Samui Bodoh]

"...“It’s not about old or new generation, it’s about whether they can really work. The future relies on actual work, and the country is not a place for an internship,” Mallika Boonmeetrakool of the Democrat Party told reporters late last month. “An unblemished history comes with a lack of competence in resolving crises.,,”

 

The first comment that comes to mind is in the last bit of the quoted piece above, "...lack of competence in resolving crises...". Judging by the success rate of the Democrat party in solving crises, then I don't think this is a valid argument; they couldn't really do worse, could they?

 

This party is interesting, but there are several institutional hurdles that it'll have to overcome, the first being the old adage from Poly Sci people, "the Country Side Proposes and the Capital Disposes". The party has all the characteristics of a great party/movement designed to overthrow a dug-in, unpopular regime (like the Junta); think back to the Egyptian protesters in Tahrir square, Cairo of a few years past. Then remember how well those same people did in the subsequent election...

 

However, the current faces of the party don't seem to me to be attractive to a more conservative, rural vote, and it is rural votes that decide elections. Can it get the rural vote? Yes, but it will be very difficult and will also require that the traditional parties falter a bit; the easiest way to get a vote is when another party loses it. It is speculation on my part, but it is very possible that in this up-coming election the traditional parties will falter a bit.

 

It is too early to tell if this party is anything more than a flash in the pan, but it certainly bears watching; the slogan, in whichever particular form it takes, of "It is time for a change!" is always powerful.

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[Anak Nakal]

look like good party, but city people.

Rice farmers like?

[yellowboat]

A Toon Bodyslam endorsement and they would be a shoe in and a new era fairness, prosperity and success would come forth for 2-3 years before the next coup.   The army and the inbred elite want to run the country. 

[billd766]

4 hours ago, Anak Nakal said:

look like good party, but city people.

Rice farmers like?

 

How many of the previous politicians were ever rice farmers or worked for a living?

 

With all their "political experience" in running the country is the reason why Thailand is in the position that it is now.

Edited April 4, 2018 by billd766
added extra text