Bhum Jai Thai Is Simply Doing It's Job

[webfact]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Bhum Jai Thai is simply doing it's job - Anutin

By Somroutai Sapsomboon Kornchanok Raksaseri

Published on October 19, 2009

Anutin Charnvirakul, a key member of the Bhum Jai Thai Party and son of party leader Chaovarat, has spoken about his party's future and reported conflicts between Bhum Jai Thai and government coalition leader, the Democrat Party.

Bhum Jai Thai, the members of which defected from the Thai Rak Thai party of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is now a crucial part of the ruling coalition. Its de facto leader is former Thaksin protg Newin Chidchob, currently banned from politics.

Anutin spoke to The Nation's Jintana Panyaarvudh, Somroutai Sapsomboon and Kornchanok Raksaseri.

Q : Many say Bhum Jai Thai is now a very influential party in the government and it challenges or proposes conditions to the ruling party. Is this true?

A : Many times, Bhum Jai Thai is seen as having conflicts with other coalition parties. But that's not the significant point. We are confident we are trying to do good for the public.

We fight only over the work, and not over personal issues. So far, we have done well. There is no project that we have forced other parties to approve.

We work every day nowadays. We are in charge of ministries related to ordinary people's daily lives. It's unavoidable that we are in the media every day. You come out of your house and you relate to Bhum Jai Thai, whether you step up on roads, buy rice, take a bus or register for an identification card.

People should not criticise Bhum Jai Thai today for taking care of many important ministries. At that time we just left [Thaksin's] party because we were fed up with conflicts in society.

When we left Thaksin's party we didn't know we would be here today. We didn't even know if any party would accept us. It was high risk, high return.

We don't think we betrayed anybody. We just did what we believed to be right.

Q : Do you think Bhum Jai Thai - more than other parties - faces project investigation with fear of corruption?

A : That's because people unnecessarily doubt our party, including the Red Shirts, the Yellow Shirts, independent organisations, NGOs and even the government coalition itself.

Q : Are you happier working with the Democrats than you were in former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's party?

A : The statuses are different. When we joined Thaksin's party we were just members of the party. We needed to convince the PM for his approval before proposing a project and the credit went to the party leader - and also the blame.

Now we are free to work with the Democrats, but we have to take the blame ourselves for any mistake we make. Today we are running a party, we want achievements of our own.

We prefer to own a small house rather than being a guest in a large house.

Q : Are you bored with the Democrats after having argued over many issues, like the NGV bus leasing project, charter amendments and the national police chief?

A : No. We're not bored. Each of us has a role to play and a duty to do together. We try to achieve understanding so we can stay together for as long as possible.

The main goal for Bhum Jai Thai is to create reconciliation in our country. That will be possible because Thais still have the monarchy as a unifying figure. We cannot name the people thinking badly towards the monarchy, but we oppose them.

Q : Have any of you contacted Thaksin after having defected from his party?

A : No. No members of Bhum Jai Thai have contacted him. We accept that we have separated.

Q : Is it possible that Newin Chidchob (Bhum Jai Thai's de facto leader) and Thaksin will return to join forces?

A : Anything is possible in politics.

Q : What are the conditions?

A : If we can still work together, we work together. But if we always have conflict, blocking and nitpicking for political purposes, without any proof; if party leaders don't control their members and achieve unity to enhance the stability of the government, that will force us to consider switching.

It doesn't mean that Bhum Jai Thai can choose. Maybe no party will want Bhum Jai Thai to join a coalition.

We are ready to stand all situations. We want to be the government and not the opposition. But we would be a good opposition party, and will accept that if we need to.

Q : Is it true that you are seen as Thaksin's most threatening enemy?

A : No. We don't have any ill feeling towards each other. We just left his party. Lots of people have left for other parties. Why blame only Newin?

Bhum Jai Thai never blamed Thaksin, or caused problems for his family.

Q : But Newin cried on TV and said negative things about Thaksin.

A : He only said to his ex-boss: "Boss, please stop. Don't stir up the country." That was in April and do you see what happened after that?

We were begging, not blaming him at all. We have to warn our friends when we find something wrong, right?

Q : If you were ruling the government, what would be your conditions for Thaksin to return to Thailand?

A : Thaksin is abroad. Thaksin and Newin are living on their own. So please don't go too far. Let it be that time before we think about it. But personally I think there is no permanent friend or foe in Thai politics. I have never seen anybody break this thesis.

Q : Will Bhum Jai Thai remain with the government even if conflict over the police chief reaches a critical point?

Certainly. Personal and party issues must be taken separately. It is the Interior Minister's personal decision whom to support for the police chief's post, not the party's.

This is not a conflict. The Interior Minister has shown his standpoint. And I want to make it clear he will never lobby for support. If his choice loses, he will accept that.

People often raise questions about Newin because he was been with many veteran politicians and has left them.

Newin is the most gentle man and the most reliable person I've ever known. He is word worthy.

Have you ever changed your job? You must look at both sides: how the boss and the employee treat one another. Nobody leaves others without a reason. But there are some things we cannot say in public.

Newin is now 52. He has the potential to be a prime minister, but it depends whether people will give him a chance. Firstly, we must wait until the political ban ends.

-- The Nation 2009/10/19