End of an era of over two decades of political power wielded by the Shinawatra family as Pheu Thai Party manoeuvres have angered the party’s devoted base. It is a loss of faith it is unlikely to recover despite the pleas of one Udon Thani-based MP this weekend for the party to change tack and reverse course as it slides into a huge political miscalculation and blunder.

Thailand’s political crisis has already obliterated the unity and support behind the Pheu Thai Party’s ‘family’ following the decisions taken by the party’s executive in Bangkok in recent weeks, first in withdrawing from a coalition with the Move Forward Party and now for cementing a deal with the Bhumjaithai Party while preparing to accept the participation of two parties associated with the military junta in a ‘cross polar’ government. The moves have outraged Pheu Thai and Redshirt supporters nationwide who up to recent days could scarcely believe the conflicting media reports. Now, they are burning their shirts in spontaneous and numerous displays of anger just as the country’s second-largest party and the Shinawatra family appear to be on the verge of burning its bridges with its support base and power on the ground as a political movement.

 

A group of approximately 50 people gathered in Samut Sakhon province on Monday, west of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand, to burn an effigy of former Thai Premier Thaksin Shinawatra along with paraphernalia associated with the Red Shirt movement in protest against last week’s confirmation by the Pheu Thai Party, that it was forming a government across the poles which now looks like it may include parties associated with the former military junta, namely the Palang Pracharat Party of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and the United Thai Nation (Ruam Thai Sang Chart) Party of Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

TOP: Redshirt and Pheu Thai supporters in Samut Sakhon on Monday set fire to political paraphernalia associated with two decades of campaigning for Thaksin Shinawatra (inset left) and his political parties after the decision taken by Pheu Thai in Bangkok over the past few weeks to break its alliance with the Move Forward Party

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/08/14/thaksin-pheu-thai-burn-bridges-with-public-political-crisis/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-08-15

 

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Pheu Thai party have taken a step too far this time.. shafting MFP and inviting Anutin was a shock, inviting Prawit is unthinkable.

Since when are politics considered to be a reliable game of loyalty ?

 

No matter where in the world. You join politics you know what to expect.

 

Too bad and too sad for those betrayed but that's what the whole game is about unfortunately.

20 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Pheu Thai party have taken a step too far this time.. shafting MFP and inviting Anutin was a shock, inviting Prawit is unthinkable.

A major blunder on their part in sinking the mouthy camel herder- no visiting and playing with the grand kids for a while. 

Self destruction---- love it. 

Edited August 14, 20233 yr by Artisi

2 minutes ago, Artisi said:

A major blunder on their part in sinking the mouthy camel herder- no visiting and playing with the grand kids for a while. 

Thaksin will be re-evaluating his home coming, he might not get the fanfare he though he was going to get.

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Thaksin will be re-evaluating his home coming, he might not get the fanfare he though he was going to get.

And a need to practice the old Elvis song "jail house rock". 

2 hours ago, Sigmund said:

Since when are politics considered to be a reliable game of loyalty ?

 

No matter where in the world. You join politics you know what to expect.

 

Too bad and too sad for those betrayed but that's what the whole game is about unfortunately.

That is where MFP stands out from the herd.

 

They said they would do things and it would have been too easy for them to cave so that Pita could be PM by smply tabling art 112.

 

They stuck to their guns 

 

The mood of a large prt of the country is and has been for a long time that they do not want military rule.  

 

That is partly why PT has usually won any elections.

 

MFP called PT's bluff by openly statng they would not work with either of the uncles.

PT in order to win votes said teh same thing plus offered 10K to everyone over 16, huge minimum wage increse and even talked about a minimum 25k a month for anyone that had a BA no matter what the job.

 

Thaksin missed the boat and did not get the message that the old parties are in trouble.  NOTE how well Dems are doing.  He thought they could garner the support and could make all the silly promises because they were going to get in with a majority and would control everything so would not be burdened with the unlces and teh wannabe.

 

OOPS

 

 

Count: Anutin plus uncles plus some smaller ones plus 250 Senators: 376.

 

After that?

Coalition with PT in exchange for amnesty?

 

Anutin: Best strategist so far.

I think for many long-term supporters who have suffered through two recent military coups and their fallout, their party entertaining a coalition with a military party really was a red line.

 

Young people, on the other hand, are just disgusted by the way they ditched Move Forward.

 

They probably hope they can make people forget once they're in government, but if the formation of their government fails and there's another election, they are toast. Quite a gamble.

Why Thaskin should worry about, the only thing that interests him is to return to Thailand without going to prison and return to power through his daughter.

 

His way is almost cleared now.

I doubt many bridges have been burned, Joe. You are thinking much too like a falang, and not like a Thai. A decade in Thailand might not be long enough to appreciate that Thailand has different 'rules' than the west. Plus the next election may be a long way off.

1 hour ago, retarius said:

I doubt many bridges have been burned, Joe. You are thinking much too like a falang, and not like a Thai. A decade in Thailand might not be long enough to appreciate that Thailand has different 'rules' than the west. Plus the next election may be a long way off.

Well said

With Thaksin away for so many years PT is actually losing votes 

and so many splinter groups/parties been formed 

with Thaksin back and in control 

it will be back to old Thai Rak Thai days 

32 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

Well said

With Thaksin away for so many years PT is actually losing votes 

and so many splinter groups/parties been formed 

with Thaksin back and in control 

it will be back to old Thai Rak Thai days 

Do you really believe that or just hopeful..... 

And "the Oldies" just sit, wait and watch how the "dummies" clean their path. 

4 hours ago, Tom H said:

Count: Anutin plus uncles plus some smaller ones plus 250 Senators: 376.

 

After that?

Coalition with PT in exchange for amnesty?

 

Anutin: Best strategist so far.

I think the most likely outcome.

One proviso, the Senate holds the whip hand, without them the arithmetic does not add up.

They will insist Prawit gets the PM seat. Anutin and Bhumjaithai will get some of the most important (lucrative) ministeries, Pheu Thai a share of ministeries; Thaksin will return to some sort of sham detention (house arrest/bail arrangement) and the promise of a pardon dangled like a carrot in front of a donkey to keep Pheu Thai on side.

As a previous attempt in 2011 by Yingluck Shinawatra to include her brother in an amnesty ended in tears, I am not sure whether they seriously believe people will welcome moves to bring him back now.

5 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

Well said

With Thaksin away for so many years PT is actually losing votes 

and so many splinter groups/parties been formed 

with Thaksin back and in control 

it will be back to old Thai Rak Thai days 

I doubt it will be wise for Thaksin to be back in politics and party. If he made it back home with Yingluck, they will find other ways to express themselves but not in politics. He has done his best to uplift the poor in the neglected North and North-East and to challenge the military dominance. His movement has done much for the awakening of voters empowerment but alas not enough to uproot the military stranglehold on politics. Voters are younger and their aspirations are different from Thaksin's years. His party will still be a key player in elections but days of landslide victory are over. 

11 hours ago, Tom H said:

Count: Anutin plus uncles plus some smaller ones plus 250 Senators: 376.

 

After that?

Coalition with PT in exchange for amnesty?

 

Anutin: Best strategist so far.

How about if the 13 senators who voted for Pita refuse to support the imposters?

 

Make that 363.

They should know by now, never to trust one of their own.