Faction Fights Wrack Pheu Thai Party

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Faction fights wrack Pheu Thai Party

By Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

Democrat figures recently challenged the opposition Pheu Thai Party to find a new leader to compete against Abhisit Vejjajiva for the premiership in the next election. That looks unlikely to happen in the near future.

Pheu Thai has been reluctant to change its leader, mainly due to hesitation by fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, its de-facto leader.

Finding a new party leader has been long delayed although earlier there were a number of candidates who appeared to be “right” in the eyes of Thaksin. These included retired police general Kowit Wattana, who served as Interior minister in the Samak Sundaravej government.

However, shortly before the recent selection of a new leader, some Pheu Thai politicians met Thaksin overseas and gave him some information about Kowit.

As a result, non-MP leader Yongyuth Wichaidit, who had earlier stepped down, was supported by colleagues to become leader again. It is widely believed he is holding the post on a temporary basis till being replaced by someone capable of running to be premier.

Recently, marketing guru-turned-politician Mingkwan Sangsuwan presented himself as a candidate. He won support from many party factions, including those led by Yongyuth Tiyapairat, Sudarat Keyuraphan, and another former leadership candidate Apiwan Wiriyachai.

Apiwan, a deputy House speaker, clearly backed Mingkwan, saying as other candidates like Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Chalerm Yoobamrung had said they would not contest for the post, there was only Mingkwan left “and I support him”.

However, Thaksin put a brake on Mingkwan’s ambition, saying via video at a recent meeting of Pheu Thai MPs it was “not time”.

“I must thank Mingkwan Sangsuwan for presenting himself as a candidate. Expressing views is a good thing for any political party. But it is not time now to vote for the party’s prime ministerial candidate. It could cause problems, because in the Pheu Thai Party there are as many as six people who are suitable to become prime minister,” Thaksin said.

The six people Thaksin referred to are Mingkwan, Chalerm, Chavalit, veteran politician Somsak Kiartsuranond, as well as noted economist Olarn Chaipravat and former supreme commander General Ruangroj Mahasaranont.

Recently, former national police chief Seripisut Temiyavej has emerged as a new candidate. Mingkwan was reportedly so concerned he skipped a party seminar in Chiang Mai over the weekend and flew instead to Dubai to meet Thaksin.

According to a source, the outcome of the meeting was “positive”. Judged from his qualifications and record, Seripisut could have been a strong challenger.

Former candidates like Chalerm and Sudarat, who have been at odds, recently withdrew from the race to be party chief. Indeed, Sudarat is said to have arranged for registration of a new political party.

A source close to her said Sudarat had become “uncomfortable” with problems in Pheu Thai in regard to the lack of unity and “too many political games”. Factions, which are region-based, have been fighting fiercely to dominate the party by having funds for other regions slashed substantially, according to the source.

Factions from the North and Northeast received the lion’s share of party’s funds, while Sudarat’s Bangkok faction has been largely ignored. She is also dissatisfied with too much intervention by Thaksin’s relatives from the Shinawatra family.

Sudarat talked with Thaksin about her concerns and was instructed to find a substitute party in case Pheu Thai is dissolved. Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai Party and his proxy People Power Party were both disbanded after being found guilty of electoral fraud. Sudarat recently had a close aide to register a new party with the Election Commission, according to the source. It begs the question: why was this done?

So the struggle to become Pheu Thai’s next premier continues. But one thing is certain: it’s up to Thaksin.

-- The Nation 2010-11-03

[Buchholz]

Additional information regarding the in-fighting of the Pheu Thai Party is contained in the continuation of this article from yesterday.

Cambodia Deals a Blow to Thaksin

Thais and Cambodians alike are puzzled following the abrupt shift of Phnom Penh's policy toward Bangkok. This new policy is more amicable, more compromising and less confrontational. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, in particular, is seen to have enthusiastically welcomed a renewed relationship with his former enemies across the border – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, with potentially ominous personal implications for Thaksin Shinawatra, the deposed Thai Prime Minister who continues to lead protest inside the country from afar.

In my interview with a self-exiled UDD leader, he admitted that the entire strategy of the current pro-democracy red-shirt movement, which included the UDD, independent groups inside and outside Thailand, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his team, and possibly some members of the Puea Thai Party, has not been uniformly conceived. This condition could open the door for the radical elements to exploit the movement's ambiguous agenda and strategy. The interviewee also hinted that Hun Sen himself might not be able to confirm that so-called red shirt militants are being trained on his soil. In fact, Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh said over the weekend that he did not know if Arisman Pongruangrong, presently charged of terrorism in connection with political violence during the red-shirt protests, is in hiding in his country. And this could explain why Hun Sen was willing to cooperate with the Thai authorities, to find out the truth himself.

It may also explain why Hun Sen has lately been distancing himself from the red-shirt movement and instead befriending the Abhisit government. Back in October 2009, Hun Sen publicly offered his support to Thaksin and the UDD. He stated, "This is just moral support from me. As one million Thai people of the red-shirt group support Thaksin, why cannot I, as a friend from afar, support Thaksin?" But it becomes clearer now that the red-shirt movement, and to some extent the Puea Thai Party, have been in serious disarray. The fragmentation within the red-shirt camp, partly because most of its core leaders are under detention, has compelled Hun Sen to reconsider whether supporting the red shirts is still in his country's interest. The red-shirt UDD is not the only casualty in this perplexing diplomatic game between Cambodia and Thailand. Thaksin, too, has become Hun Sen's estranged partner. The political situation in Thailand has changed drastically within the past six months, precisely after the violent crackdown on street protesters in Bangkok in May 2010. Some red-shirt members were accused of engaging in terrorist acts. Thaksin, increasingly politically marginalized, has been labelled by his opponents as the chief operator of a terrorist network. Hun Sen may only now realise that Thaksin, once perceived as Cambodia's long-term interest, is slipping away and that it will be very difficult for him to return to power anytime soon.

Continues:

http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2795&Itemid=185

Asia Sentinel - November 2, 2010

As a result, non-MP leader Yongyuth Wichaidit, who had earlier stepped down, was supported by colleagues to become leader again. It is widely believed he is holding the post on a temporary basis till being replaced by someone capable of running to be premier.

Yongyuth, was supposed to be Party Leader on a "temporary" basis, will soon be starting his third year in the position, which graphically displays the long term disarray within this third version of Thaksin's governmental endeavor.

The other Yongyuth (Mr. Refrigerator) mentioned in the article is still awaiting processing of charges for attempted murder of an elderly couple.

Deputy House Speaker and Red Shirt Stage Speaker Apiwan mentioned in the article is awaiting impeachment proceedings.

And on and on the turmoil within Thaksin's Party goes.

[whybother]

Given that Thaksin is clearly controlling PTP (choosing the leader, deciding on the policy platform), and that, according to many pro-shirt posters on this forum, many red shirt supporters don't like Thaksin, does that mean the PTP will get even less votes in the next election than they did in the last election?

[Buchholz]

A few of the many additional threads on their long-standing disarray:

Yongyuth Returns As Pheu Thai Party Leader Amid Turmoil

Pheu Thai Party Going Forward Or Sliding Back?

Pheu Thai - Confusion, Conspiracy Theory, And Back To Square One

Pheu Thai Party Chief Quits In Mystery Move

Puea Thai Party Divided Over Leadership

[Ricardo]

"In the Pheu Thai Party there are as many as six people suitable to be prime minister," Thaksin said.

Some TV-members may recall when, during the run-up to elections in 2005/2006, we were regularly told by pro-TRT posters that Thaksin was the only person in the country, who was capable of performing the job ?

I certainly remember saying, at the time, that there must be hundreds or thousands of other suitable-candidates. Good to see now that even the former-PM recognises the truth of this.

[kuffki]

Here is a crazy idea, rent out governing the country to a 3rd party and problem solved

[yoshiwara]

If there is one thing that Thaksin is clear about it is that there there shall be no parliamentary leader of the PTP. The leadership should be kept divided and in abeasance to him. Unless family of course. On the other side any of the red leadership with ambition and there are several will not dare challenge Thaksin as the de facto leader precisely because Thaksin is the paymaster. The red/Thaksin apologist crowd have nothing to do except keep very quiet on this issue except an occasional murmur of 'Its not about/its gone beyond Thaksin. Poor performing hacks.

[Cuchulainn]

Imagine, just imagine, Chalerm as the next Prime Minister. It really doesn't bear thinking about!

[siampolee]

The tactics are a classic example of, "divide and rule.'' Thaksin his family and their toadying self serving acolytes are just manoeuvring themselves into position in a covert fashion within the party structure .

In the event of the party actually assuming the reins of power the façade will drop and the harsh reality of another vengeful, corrupt, self enriching, murdering Thaksin regime will arise phoenix like from the ashes of democracy.

The Thai people will be trapped in the charnel house of a more extreme no holds barred regime driven by Thaksins megalomania.

[Cuchulainn]

^ A very good post.

[animatic]

Thaksin appears to NOT want a definable leader until just after

an election date is set.

Then he will maintain control, but not letting a 'leader' create his own machine

having gained backing as the defined leader. Thaksin seems to still have post election sticker shock from the purchased Samaks not being controllable.

So rightn now just lead them each on dropping hints they have favor,

and thus keep them all just enough at each others throats the party can be controlled. IN CONTROL as a party is not the aim at present.

Of course the utter ineptitude of the membership coupled to the unbridled,

kow town need, to be one up on even their closes mates, means opening and

closing the taps keeps them in line but befuddled.

We saw how good the PPP was at governance... can you imagine how this

bunch will need the Thaksin phone-ins to simply formulate answers to basic questions?

Pathetic prospect. But of course the umbrella machine sitting poised to control all,

is the extended Shinawatra family of interlocking greed factories. All the rest are just place fillers to garner numbers to rule. Only the likes of Olarn and Mingkwan have the real experience to govern, and that's why they must be kept guessing.

Edited November 6, 2010 by animatic