Pheu Thai Party May Need To Rethink Strategy

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Opposition party may need to rethink strategy

By Avudh Panananda

The Nation

Sunday's by-election vote has raised the alarm for the main opposition party - Pheu Thai may face a major setback at the next general election unless it can improve its poor campaigning strategy.

The unofficial outcome clearly showed the coalition parties had claimed victory in four of five constituencies simply because the opposition candidates fought lackadaisically, something akin to throwing a fight.

In Bangkok's constituency 2, Democrat candidate Apirak Kosayodhin won by a big margin, defeating Pheu Thai's Pongpisut Jintasophon by about 71,000 to 30,500 votes.

This is in stark contrast to a close finish between the two rival parties in the July by-election for the capital's constituency 6.

In Ayutthaya, Chart Thai Pattana candidate Kuerkul Danchaivichit narrowly defeated Pheu Thai's Ong-art Wachirapong by 84,500 to 78,500 votes.

Kuerkul's victory is remarkable because the cunning strategy of his party chief adviser Banharn Silapa-Archa managed to outpace the collective efforts of four incumbent MPs from Pheu Thai who wanted to claim the central province as their exclusive backyard.

Ayutthaya is known as a stronghold of the red shirts. But Banharn sucessfully highlighted his flood-relief plans, swaying the sentiment in Kuerkul's favour.

In Khon Kaen, Pheu Thai candidate Preechaphol Pongpanit defeated Democrat Athipprat Tadpichayangkul by a landslide of 143,700 to 36,338 votes.

This is not, however, a cause for self-congratulation among the opposition lawmakers. The Democrats had never made inroads into the northeastern province and votes cast for Athipprat showed a significant improvement in local sentiment towards the Democrat platform.

In Nakhon Ratchasima, Bhum Jai Thai candidate Boonjong Wongtrairat claimed victory over Pheu Thai's Apicha Lertpatcharakamol by a comfortable margin of 82,978 to 63.478 votes.

Apicha's loss was no surprise, but he trailed Boonjong by a bigger margin than his defeat in the 2007 general election.

Apicha joined the by-election race with much fanfare. Fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra personally recruited him to run under the Pheu Thai banner. He was left in the lurch after the promised campaign support failed to materialise.

In Surin, Bhum Jai Thai candidate Apirak Kuanha defeated Pheu Thai's Patida Tantiratananont by 104,128 to 75,127 votes.

Although the House seat from this northeastern province was vacated by the Puea Pandin MP, power broker Kasem Rungthanakiat decided Patida should run under the Pheu Thai banner in lieu of Peua Pandin's. By word of mouth, Kasem was planning the defection of his clique from Puea Pandin to Pheu Thai but ended up being shunned by both parties.

For the general election, Pheu Thai pins its hopes on party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and MP Chalerm Yoobamrung. It has also designated senior party figures, who are not MPs, to take charge of campaign management.

Chalerm might be a magnet to attract the crowds and Chavalit is undoubtedly a politician and power broker popular among the MPs from the Northeast. But the two have poor track records running electoral campaigns.

Chavalit relied on his ally Snoh Thienthong to engineer victory for the New Aspiration Party. Chalerm led his Muan Chon Party into a crash landing before opting to pursue his political ambition under Thaksin's shadow.

Neither Chavalit nor Chalerm have ever had a successful campaign to their credit.

The designation of non-MPs in charge of electoral campaigning is intended to be a safety catch devised by Pheu Thai following two bitter experiences of seeing Thai Rak Thai and People Power disbanded due to electoral fraud. But the move has proved impractical.

Party officials do not have a first-hand experience on how to sway votes and get elected. They appear out of sync with electoral candidates and MPs.

Pheu Thai needs a major re-think in its campaigning strategy if it wants to remain a major force in politics.

-- The Nation 2010-12-14

[asiawatcher]

The people have spoken. They do not want thugs and violence to rule their country.

PTP have very little political strategy or plans other than to try to denigrate the ruling party. But if (and I hope not) they ever got into power it would become a fee-for-all party with theft and misappropriation of cash and assets such that Thailand has only seen a little of via Thaksin - their mentor.

I am glad some of the poorer people can see though the smoke screen and hype propagated by Jutaporn and his cronies.

[whybother]

Dropping the "Bring back Thaksin" campaign might be a good start.

[hammered]

Firstly, PTP need to make sure not too many of their sitting MPs who will win whatever party they run with dont defect to BJT who will guarantee posts in government after the next election. Difficult times for PTP and its inept joint leaders