From allies to election enemies: Pheu Thai and Move Forward go to war

[webfact]

 

Pheu Thai and Move Forward, who once seemed perfect allies as Thailand’s two largest opposition parties, are now in a fierce fight to lure votes from the same voter base.

 

As campaigns for the upcoming general election kicked off, Pheu Thai Party immediately began calling for its supporters to give it a landslide victory on May 14. Its ambitious plan is to form a single-party government.

 

This aim reflects the fact that Pheu Thai does not consider Move Forward Party a potential ally. Instead, it sees its former opposition partner as a “must-kill” competitor.

 

“Pheu Thai thinks Move Forward is luring away its previously loyal supporters. After all, these two parties share the same stance – standing in opposition to General Prayut Chan-o-cha,” said Olarn Thinbangtieo from Burapha University’s Faculty of Political Science and Law.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/from-allies-to-election-enemies-pheu-thai-and-move-forward-go-to-war/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-04-10

 

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[Thailand]

There was little chance of ousting this government at the best of times. This scenario guarantees Prayuth and his mob another 4-8 years.

[dinsdale]

AKA taking away the youth vote. 

[zzaa09]

Imagine what they could do if they were unified and walked the walk regarding the betterment of the commons.

Has little or nothing to do with the people, but instead themselves. 

 

Nothing will change.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

As long as Move Forward supported Thaksin they were no alternative.

Are they now anti Thaksin? 

Thailand needs a decent alternative to Thaksin and Prayut. 

[ikke1959]

Move Forward should win the elections.. The Shinawatra family was in power long enough and have enriched themselves more than enough.. And it always ended in a coup. Now the country need a real change. Vote for a new party Move Forward, with no links to Prayuth, Prawith, Anutin, Thaksin or the army. Than real changes can be made

[OneMoreFarang]

29 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Move Forward should win the elections.. The Shinawatra family was in power long enough and have enriched themselves more than enough.. And it always ended in a coup. Now the country need a real change. Vote for a new party Move Forward, with no links to Prayuth, Prawith, Anutin, Thaksin or the army. Than real changes can be made

That's the idea.

The question is obviously what compromises they are willing to make. Will they not work with Thaksin and will they not work with the military?

Let's see.

[bannork]

Thaksin will join with Pravit post election leaving Prayut out in the cold.

The justification? Unity all round!

Settha will become PM.

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, bannork said:

Thaksin will join with Pravit post election leaving Prayut out in the cold.

The justification? Unity all round!

Settha will become PM.

I do see that a likelihood too. Having PPRP as a coalition partner has much to gain for PTP. Prawit incumbency will facilitate the PM passage, military non interference and elites objection for Thaksin & Yingluck return. I am not fooled by pre-election talk of party alliance. I also agree that K Settha has been preordained by PTP to be the PM choice. I personally will prefer him due to his wide business acumen and also very little political baggage. 

[connda]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Its ambitious plan is to form a single-party government.

That would be bad news.  One party.  All party members conforming to party dictates.  We've had that form of government in China and Russia - Communism.  Or if the single party joins forces with corporations - Fascism.

Not a good idea at all as it eliminates the checks and balances of a true democracy.  But what the heck, 'eh comrade?

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Thailand said:

There was little chance of ousting this government at the best of times. This scenario guarantees Prayuth and his mob another 4-8 years.

Normally I would agree with you, two parties splitting votes for the sitting government to win a majority.

However this time I sense a change in the result.

The two opposition parties winning the higher shares and the military regime marching back to barracks.

[zzaa09]

7 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

As long as Move Forward supported Thaksin they were no alternative.

Are they now anti Thaksin? 

Thailand needs a decent alternative to Thaksin and Prayut. 

Don't think that the two [MV and PT] were ever that friendly or engaged in similarities. 

The so called "alternative" relationship was more than likely made up by the media circles. 

[zzaa09]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Normally I would agree with you, two parties splitting votes for the sitting government to win a majority.

However this time I sense a change in the result.

The two opposition parties winning the higher shares and the military regime marching back to barracks.

Remember.....the bottom line - they'll require approval and blessings. 

All of which might not be guaranteed. 

[zzaa09]

5 hours ago, connda said:

That would be bad news.  One party.  All party members conforming to party dictates.  We've had that form of government in China and Russia - Communism.  Or if the single party joins forces with corporations - Fascism.

Not a good idea at all as it eliminates the checks and balances of a true democracy.  But what the heck, 'eh comrade?

Describing the reality of the U.S. to a tee......which you conveniently omitted in your oligarchical scenarios. 

[rabiedabruce]

And this sums up perfectly the 'mind'set of the Thai. Where joining forces could be a viable win 'Nooooooooo, I wan' my own partEE' Bwah. Pathetic.

[rabiedabruce]

8 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

As long as Move Forward supported Thaksin they were no alternative.

Are they now anti Thaksin? 

Thailand needs a decent alternative to Thaksin and Prayut. 

A decent alternative to Taksin. Remember where you are. They're ALL Thai.

[OneMoreFarang]

10 minutes ago, rabiedabruce said:

A decent alternative to Taksin. Remember where you are. They're ALL Thai.

In general I have no problem with Thai people.

[rabiedabruce]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

In general I have no problem with Thai people.

I'm not talking about the Thai, which I generally prefer to the resident farang, but it cannot be denied they 'don't think like us', as a Khmer photographer mentioned when I first came here and to think otherwise is delusional. Our cultures are diametrically opposed.

[NoshowJones]

8 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

As long as Move Forward supported Thaksin they were no alternative.

Are they now anti Thaksin? 

Thailand needs a decent alternative to Thaksin and Prayut. 

Yes, perhaps, just anyone but soldiers.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 minute ago, NoshowJones said:

Yes, perhaps, just anyone but soldiers.

I prefer soldiers who try to unite the country to Thaksin who divided the country like no other and now he wants revenge. 

[OneMoreFarang]

4 minutes ago, rabiedabruce said:

I'm not talking about the Thai, which I generally prefer to the resident farang, but it cannot be denied they 'don't think like us', as a Khmer photographer mentioned when I first came here and to think otherwise is delusional. Our cultures are diametrically opposed.

Yes, Thais are different. This is why many of us like to live in Thailand. 

And I agree that there are some of the different parts which I don't like. 

[NoshowJones]

5 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I prefer soldiers who try to unite the country to Thaksin who divided the country like no other and now he wants revenge. 

I have not been here long enough during Thaksin's time as PM to know a lot about him, but I have seen the lies and corruption, Uturns and flip flops from the present unelected caretaker PM to know I do not want any soldiers anywhere near a government.

I think of the country I first came to live in about 16 years ago, and compare it with now.

Just no more soldiers please.

 

[zzaa09]

23 minutes ago, rabiedabruce said:

I'm not talking about the Thai, which I generally prefer to the resident farang, but it cannot be denied they 'don't think like us', as a Khmer photographer mentioned when I first came here and to think otherwise is delusional. Our cultures are diametrically opposed.

Well....a decent civilising mission would fix that. Different Orientals.....how dare they.

????

Edited April 10, 2023 by zzaa09

[zzaa09]

4 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I have not been here long enough during Thaksin's time as PM to know a lot about him, but I have seen the lies and corruption, Uturns and flip flops from the present unelected caretaker PM to know I do not want any soldiers anywhere near a government.

I think of the country I first came to live in about 16 years ago, and compare it with now.

Just no more soldiers please.

 

I dream of the culture that was presence some 40-45 years ago when I first bound upon these shores.

[chalawaan]

This is why Thailand can't break out of the loop, the Army old boys keep their differences out of it.

Divide and conquer.  

[OneMoreFarang]

11 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I have not been here long enough during Thaksin's time as PM to know a lot about him, but I have seen the lies and corruption, Uturns and flip flops from the present unelected caretaker PM to know I do not want any soldiers anywhere near a government.

I think of the country I first came to live in about 16 years ago, and compare it with now.

Just no more soldiers please.

I lived here from the first day Thaksin was in charge until today. 

Thaksin deliberately alienated Thai people against other Thai people. In some way similar to that orange American president. Hate the others! And the others are the bad guys. And you are with me or against me.

There was a time when everyday there was another dividing story about him in the news. And then came the coup, his little sister, the red-shirts, and and and. Headache, a lot of it.

If his party comes to power again, we can expect more of the same. More division, more fighting, and maybe another coup. No, please not again! 

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I lived here from the first day Thaksin was in charge until today. 

Thaksin deliberately alienated Thai people against other Thai people. In some way similar to that orange American president. Hate the others! And the others are the bad guys. And you are with me or against me.

There was a time when everyday there was another dividing story about him in the news. And then came the coup, his little sister, the red-shirts, and and and. Headache, a lot of it.

If his party comes to power again, we can expect more of the same. More division, more fighting, and maybe another coup. No, please not again! 

What you are saying makes sense, though I think they may be a coup no matter who is in charge. The guy with the guns and tanks will always decide, that's just the way Thailand is and it will never change. I just want to see a government with no soldiers to see what happens, and take it from there.

[tgw]

hmm... why do posters get all excited about an election for less than half of parliament seats ?

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, NoshowJones said:

What you are saying makes sense, though I think they may be a coup no matter who is in charge. The guy with the guns and tanks will always decide, that's just the way Thailand is and it will never change. I just want to see a government with no soldiers to see what happens, and take it from there.

I know there are different theories why the coups happened.

Living in Bangkok, I can tell you I was not surprised about the last two coups.

Thaksin, and later his little sister and the violent red-shirts, made more and more problems. And the police, as usual, did nothing. People, at least in Bangkok, were really fed-up with the situation.

I think it's important to notice that when Yingluck was elected, people accepted that. Give her a chance and let her show her priorities. At the beginning that was ok, and then her brother got a diplomatic passport. And then, sometimes later, MP votes at 3am or about that time to whitewash Thaksin. That was the beginning of the end. Everybody knew it.

So in case another Shinawatra comes to power again, let's look what Thaksin's nominee will do. How long will it take before they try to bring him back without going to jail. And if that happens, or better, when that happens, then IMHO the consequences are almost certain.

[greeneking]

7 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

I have not been here long enough during Thaksin's time as PM to know a lot about him, but I have seen the lies and corruption, Uturns and flip flops from the present unelected caretaker PM to know I do not want any soldiers anywhere near a government.

I think of the country I first came to live in about 16 years ago, and compare it with now.

Just no more soldiers please.

 

The songtheaws are driving around every day now asking for votes.  I look at the picture on the side and if it is an older bloke wearing a uniform with lots of medals I know this is not the one.