Chalerm's Resignation, An Attention-Seeking Tactic?

[webfact]

ANALYSIS

An attention-seeking tactic?

By Niphawan Kaewrakmuk

The Nation

Chalerm Yoobamrung's resignation is just the latest tiff in his political romance with Thaksin

At this stage, Chalerm Yoobamrung's abrupt resignation as an MP still seems like a romantic comedy. Coming out of a lacklustre performance at last week's censure debate and beset by news that the new leader of the Pheu Thai Party may be someone he can't stand, Chalerm is sulking for good reasons. The only relevant question is, what will Thaksin Shinawatra do this time?

The Chalerm-Thaksin relationship has revolved around brooding and making up. When Chalerm's official letter declaring he was relinquishing his House seat under the party-list quota reached Parliament yesterday, few believed the two men were really burning their bridges. Time is too short for Chalerm to form a new party, and he has not resigned from the opposition party to begin with. As for Thaksin, his motto is likely this: keep everyone close, but keep Chalerm closer.

The good thing about Chalerm is that he's easy to please. You just need to know how. Sources close to him told The Nation that if the man is made number-two party-list candidate, the two men will certainly mend fences with each other.

Chalerm doesn't mind being "Number Two", as long as "Number One" is not Mingkwan Saengsuwan. The latter has emerged as hot favourite to be the party's candidate for prime minister. It's still a romantic comedy at the moment because Thaksin has not officially named Mingkwan as Abhisit Vejjajiva's challenger. If that happens, the "rating" of this movie may acquire an "R" label.

Chalerm prefers Yingluck Shinawatra to lead Pheu Thai's assault on the premiership. Thaksin, however, has kept everyone guessing on the possibility. The ousted leader is known to love his younger sister very much, so sending her into the lion's cage that is Thai politics will be a last, desperate measure. This is why Mingkwan, despite an unimpressive censure debut last week, remains on top of the Pheu Thai list of prime-ministerial candidates.

Obviously, many things happening at the Pheu Thai Party now are intertwined, and what transpires will answer the question of the hour: if Pheu Thai wins the general election, who will be the prime minister? Chalerm will fight tooth and nail if Mingkwan is on the threshold of being officially endorsed by Thaksin. The Bangkok MP recently invited several Pheu Thai MPs to his house, and sources said his grudges against Mingkwan were apparent at that meeting.

The uncharacteristically weak showing by Chalerm at the censure debate has prompted rife speculation. Some say it was possible that Chalerm was upset because his debate time was cut short to accommodate Mingkwan's closing speech. Others claim Chalerm blamed poor information provided to him by the party, which begged him to speak at the debate but failed to support him fully with effective data. The most damaging theory of all portrayed Chalerm as a double agent, who played soft ball against the government on purpose.

Mingkwan and Chalerm have taken different public positions when it comes to the issue of how much Pheu Thai should be dependent on Thaksin. The former always says the time has come for the party to "move beyond" the former leader, while the latter insists Pheu Thai can never live without the man in exile.

When Thaksin tweeted about the "qualifications" of the party's prime-ministerial candidates, the message seemed vague and nobody could say for certain whether he was talking about Mingkwan or Yingluck. One thing is for sure though: Chalerm was not on the de-facto leader's mind at the time.

Can Thaksin's "flowers" - putting Chalerm high up on the rank of Pheu Thai's party-list candidates - fix things? They should. As of now, Chalerm only looks like someone who wants attention. Thaksin, however, has to make sure that this attention-seeking man won't turn into a woman scorned.

-- The Nation 2011-03-24

[virtualtraveller]

If things were normal in this political party, the party members would favour Mingwan as the most 'sellable' leader to gain them success in the election, since he comes with no baggage, even if he is a bit of a 'wet fish'. He has the largest faction of support and isn't wielding it in a dodgy manner. Have a vote in the party exec tomorrow and he would emerge as the the party's most merit based PM candidate.

BUT, this is a one-man party, where all decisions are made by Thaksin remotely, and he would have nominated his sister and kept the big gun of Chalerm happy, if it weren't for the dissent in his own party that realise that Thaksin is becoming the baggage. Yingluk lacks political experience (which doesn't matter since she will have her brother directing her), and her apparent success at AIS and elsewhere can be attributed to her 'leg up' into executive management since her family owned the company.

Thaksin has only been playing along with the Mingwan suggestion to placate the large faction of concerned MPs, and probably gave him enough rope in the censure debate to hang himself. It's going to be interesting how he persuades this faction to back his sister.

It's all such a joke (the Dems must be smarting from this) and in spite of all this apparent chaos in their leadership and utter lack of direction or legitimate ideology there is a real chance this party will get to form the next government, demonstrating just how hopeless Thai politics can be.

As long as you have a party with plenty of potential and grass-roots support but hobbled by factional in-fighting and an ultimate aim of whitewashing their exiled, fugitive leader, they are always going to under perform. Eventually the party is going to have to face up to reality and will probably split again for the third time since it's TRT heydey.

[SomTumTiger]

Yingluk lacks political experience (which doesn't matter since she.....

...will not win the top seat anyway. Dems gonna take more then PTP. Its in the cards.

[Insight]

You can replace the word "resignation" in the headline with any other word, and still come to the same conclusion.

[Buchholz]

Yingluk lacks political experience (which doesn't matter since she will have her brother directing her)

He even promises to do as such in one of his Pheu Thai Party Tweets...

btw, the other paper has Thaksin having narrowed down his choices to Yingluck and Mingkwan for Party Leader in his Tweeting.

Not mentioned were current Party Leader Yongyuth and Chalerm.

He also Tweeted that if PTP wins the election, he would help the new PM with suggestions on how to run the government.

[Buchholz]

Thaksin has only been playing along with the Mingwan suggestion to placate the large faction of concerned MPs, and probably gave him enough rope in the censure debate to hang himself. It's going to be interesting how he persuades this faction to back his sister.

The ascribed "Master Plan" was launched in December...agree that the final chapters of the plan will be interesting to see how they played...

Interesting article in the other paper which indicates that Thaksin is only reciprocating on Mingkwan to become Party Leader by acknowledging Mingkwan's own financial contributions to the Pheu Thai Party.

It's also apparently a set up for failure as he has assigned Mingkwan to lead the censure debate and he has zero prior experience with that.

With this expected task failure, Thaksin will then shift his support to a new Party Leader, the one he has apparently wanted all along...

his younger sister, Yingluk Shinawatra;

who the sources said is expected to become Party Leader before the next general election.

[webfact]

Thaksin Regrets Chalerm's Resignation as MP

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said through his legal adviser that he regrets the resignation of Chalerm Yoobumrung as a Pheu Thai Party MP.

Noppadon Pattama, a legal adviser to self-exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said Thaksin regrets that Pheu Thai Party's Chief MP Chalerm Yoobumrung has resigned as a party-list MP, saying that he has made great contributions to the party.

The lawyer added that the former PM told party supporters not to worry about the incident, saying the executive board is working on the matter and is expected to reach a conclusion soon.

Noppadon said Thaksin will continue to offer his advice to the party and to contribute ideas for election campaigns and solutions to economic problems.

He assured Thaksin's supporters that the former premier will always be by their sides and that Chalerm's departure will not affect the party's election campaign.

Noppadon denied that the conflict between the outspoken MP and banned politician Jaturon Chaisaeng over the latter's intervention in Chalerm's speech during the censure debate was the reason for Chalerm's resignation.

He said the party has many candidates to choose from and everyone is still welcome.

The lawyer also noted that Thaksin has set nine requirements for a premiership candidate.

One is that the person must be able to unify the party and bring it to victory.

In addition, he said the party leader and the candidate for premiership will not be the same person, so as to avoid the threat of a party dissolution and other underhanded attacks.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-24

[Bagwan]

Thaksin looking for a new Consigliere ? In my fantasy world Thaksin would set up a St. Valentine's Day event so that the choices for the electorate are narrowed to two. Easier then for everybody to get there heads around.

[webfact]

Pheu Thai not dented by Chalerm's departure

By The Nation

The Pheu Thai Party will survive and move on regardless of who is coming or going, Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai said on Thursday, commenting on the resignation of MP Chalerm Yoobamrung.

"Chalerm's departure is not caused by Pheu Thai infighting and has not impacted on the party's performance," he said.

Apiwan said in his individual opinion, he still respected Chalerm and wanted him to carry on working for the main opposition party.

Regardless of whatever Chalerm decided for his future, the Pheu Thai would emerge a stronger party, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-03-24

[Ricardo]

Regardless of whatever Chalerm decided for his future, the Pheu Thai would emerge a stronger party, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-03-24

So if this long-term Thaksin-loyalist goes, PTP will be the stronger for it,surely rather a strange compliment to pay him ?

But anything that reduces the number of political-dinosaurs involved, has to be a good thing IMO, provided he actually does go, which history would suggest is by-no-means certain.

[SomTumTiger]

Chalerm's Resignation, An Attention-Seeking Tactic?

Duh...

[Buchholz]

Noppadon said Thaksin will continue to offer his advice to the party and to contribute ideas for election campaigns and solutions to economic problems.

When did Chalerm all of a sudden become an expert at economic affairs???

Noppadon denied that the conflict between the outspoken MP and banned politician Jaturon Chaisaeng over the latter's intervention in Chalerm's speech during the censure debate was the reason for Chalerm's resignation.

If it wasn't that, then what did Noppadon say was the reason for Chalerm to resign just before a big election?

[Buchholz]

Pheu Thai not dented by Chalerm's departure

The Pheu Thai Party will survive and move on regardless of who is coming or going, Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai said on Thursday, commenting on the resignation of MP Chalerm Yoobamrung.

"Chalerm's departure is not caused by Pheu Thai infighting and has not impacted on the party's performance," he said.

So now that the indicted Red Shirt Leader and Deputy House Speaker Apiwan has spoken his mind, it's comical how all these reported and documented upheavels within the Party over the past two-plus years supposedly doesn't have any effect on the Party.

Pheu Thai "dented"? It's got more dents than a '63 Impala at a demolition derby.

It's "not impacted on the party's performance" because the Party has no performance.

btw, how's the impeachment proceedings against Apiwan, Jatuporn, and Karun progressing?

.

Edited March 24, 2011 by Buchholz

[rubl]

If things were normal in this political party, the party members would favour Mingwan as the most 'sellable' leader to gain them success in the election, since he comes with no baggage, even if he is a bit of a 'wet fish'. He has the largest faction of support and isn't wielding it in a dodgy manner. Have a vote in the party exec tomorrow and he would emerge as the the party's most merit based PM candidate.

... rest removed

'Party members'? I may have missed something, but since when have party members any say in PTP? It's a few at the organization's top who decide, after consultation with number one of course

[Buchholz]

Noppadon denied that the conflict between the outspoken MP and banned politician Jaturon Chaisaeng over the latter's intervention in Chalerm's speech during the censure debate was the reason for Chalerm's resignation.

If it wasn't that, then what did Noppadon say was the reason for Chalerm to resign just before a big election?

yet another of the gang chimes in, but, again, with no explanation... other than to infer Chalerm has bodyfat percentage issues...

Chalerm remains Pheu Thai heavyweight

BANGKOK, 24 March 2011 (NNT) – Police Captain Chalerm Yubumrung will still be a member of the opposition Pheu Thai Party and remains a party heavyweight although he has already resigned as an MP.

Citing Mr. Chalerm’s close aide, Pheu Thai Party Spokesperson Prompong Nopparit stated that Police Captain Chalerm would still back the Pheu Thai Party and had not defected to other political parties as rumored.

However, the spokesperson refused to provide reasons for Police Captain Chalerm’s resignation, saying it would be more appropriate if Police Captain Chalerm gave a press conference about the issue by himself.

Mr Prompong added that Pheu Thai executives will discuss the appointment of a new qualified person to assume the post of Pheu Thai MPs’ Chairperson, left vacant by Police Captain Chalerm.

The spokesperson affirmed that the resignation of Police Captain Chalerm did not reflect internal conflicts within the Pheu Thai Party. On the other hand, he boasted that more MPs from other parties had indicated their intention to join the opposition party.

Reports said one of the possible reasons behind Police Captain Chalerm’s resignation was his dissatisfaction with ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who opted to support Pheu Thai Party-list MP Mingkwan Saengsuwan rather than him, in the recent censure debate.

-- NNT 2011-03-24

*it's funny how the article refers to him as "Police Captain" seven times in the short article.

.

Edited March 24, 2011 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

The article does raise the specter of who will take over Chalerm's positon as the Pheu Thai Party MP Chairman....

Jatuporn?

[rubl]

*it's funny how the article refers to him as "Police Captain" seven times in the short article.

It probably to stress the 'integer, trustworthy' part which goes implicitly with the police-captain rank

Edited March 24, 2011 by rubl

[Buchholz]

*it's funny how the article refers to him as "Police Captain" seven times in the short article.

It probably to stress the 'integer, trustworthy' part which goes implicitly with the police-captain rank

To be factual, they could even take it higher with his proper title :

Police Captain Doctor Chalerm

[David Mault]

Chalerm is just another one of the rotten eggs in the basket. I remember years ago when the army wanted to kill him and he escaped to Singapore on a fishing boat. He stayed in Singapore for quite a long time and only came back when he knew he was safe. Also what about that fiasco with his son who murdered that soldier. I hear that witnesses disapeared. True or Not?

[Buchholz]

Chalerm is just another one of the rotten eggs in the basket. I remember years ago when the army wanted to kill him and he escaped to Singapore on a fishing boat. He stayed in Singapore for quite a long time and only came back when he knew he was safe. Also what about that fiasco with his son who murdered that soldier. I hear that witnesses disappeared. True or Not?

policeman, not soldier. Some more info on their exploits over the years.

Many years ago the Y. brothers were accused of avoiding their conscription duties and obtaining falsified Sor Dor 43 documents. Consequently they were not reinstated in the police. (http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-46792213.html) which they had quit 'volontarily (http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-20716529.html).

I do not think either of them served in the Army, after the affair their application would be rejected.

For further clarity, Chalerm's son was reinstated in the Army on April 23, 2008 as a Second Lieutenant with his father who was the Interior Minister in Samak's Cabinet at the time. That was his rank at the time when "someone" shot Police Sergeant-Major Suvichai Rodwimud in the head at point blank range on October 21, 2001. He had to be reinstated because he had been dishonorably discharged for desertion in 2002, as he had fled an arrest warrant for Rodwimud's murder.

quote:

Interior Minister: Son's Reinstatement in Army Justified

The Interior Minister adorned his son with a Second Lieutenant epaulet this morning at his residence, insisting that his son's reinstatement is legally justified.

Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung revealed that he adorned his son, Duang Yoobamrung, with a Second Lieutenant epaulet this morning at the auspicious time of 8:19am at his residence.

TAN Network - April 23, 2008

unquote

Just over 2 months later, and as a Major now, Duang was appointed by his father, the Interior Minister Chalerm, to be a member on his special Interior Ministry group, the Interior Ministry's Drug Suppression Committee, which sought to revive Thaksin's War on Drugs.

Interior Minister appoints his son as Anti-Drug Committee Member

The Interior Minister appointed one of his sons as a member of the special committee to tackle drug problems.

Major Duang Yoobamrung, the son of Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, was appointed to work with the Interior Ministry's Drug Suppression Committee, which is a special unit that supports operations to reduce drug problems.

The official letter of his appointment was signed by his farther, the Interior Minister himself, on July 4th, 2008.

TAN Network - July 5, 2008

I will correct my foggy memory on the length of time he was on the run from the law. He fled the arrest warrant, but surrendered 6 months later on May 2, 2002 at the Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Duang was found not guilty of murdering the decorated police officer by the criminal court on March 27, 2004 due to insufficient evidence.

Mr. Happy Toilet Wan and his brother Duang in his Army uniform:

and their dad, currently Pheu Thai Party MP's Chairman, Chalerm during a session in Parliament:

[MaiChai]

Someone should write a wiki page on him, to set the record straight and separate the facts from the fiction. Somehow I think it would make an extremely good read! If there is already one, please give us the link! Even if its in Thai; we can use Google Chrome/Translate to read it. I also hear he has some interesting business interests like massage palours?

Thx.

[hyperdimension]

Someone should write a wiki page on him

There is this page: Chalerm Ubumrung

[thaihome]

I think Chalerm is trying to pressure Thaksin into giving him the PM candidate’s job. Chalerm knows that Yingluck is not qualified and probably does not even want the job. Mingkwan is about his only serious competition and by giving the ultimatum, of Mingkwan or me (with Yingluck as proxy right now), he trying to force Thaksin’s hand.

People have said the sons are too toxic for Chalerm to be a serious candidate, but they have been good boys lately and people's memory is short. Remember, Thaksin picked Samak once.

TH

[rubl]

Someone should write a wiki page on him

There is this page: Chalerm Ubumrung

It really is time for a standard trans-literation of Thai to Latin based alphabet. Now I have "Yubumrung", "Yoobamrung" and "Ubumrung"

(edit: add:

trans-literation and transcription:

"ISO 11940 is an ISO standard for the romanization of the Thai alphabet, published in 1998 and updated in September 2003." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_11940

"The Royal Thai General System of Transcription (RTGS) is the official system for rendering Thai language words in the Latin alphabet, published by The Royal Institute of Thailand."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Thai_General_System_of_Transcription

Edited March 25, 2011 by rubl

[dunkin2012]

Someone should write a wiki page on him

There is this page: Chalerm Ubumrung

It really is time for a standard trans-literation of Thai to Latin based alphabet. Now I have "Yubumrung", "Yoobamrung" and "Ubumrung"

nope... there ain't ..

They mostly translate each script they have into Latin type(matchin' instead of translatin' from the sounds). That's terribly wrong.... cos

Thasin = Taksin = Tuksin = Thuksin

Puket = Phuket=Pooket=Phooket

How do people say TH and PH in English? Different from T and P ... They ain't have the linguistic sense, do they?

This's really confusin'

I FORGET Chalerm is a POLITICIAN WHORE?

Edited March 25, 2011 by dunkin2012

[Buchholz]

Can't go wrong with Police Captain Doctor Chalerm...

.

[dunkin2012]

I think Chalerm is trying to pressure Thaksin into giving him the PM candidate's job. Chalerm knows that Yingluck is not qualified and probably does not even want the job. Mingkwan is about his only serious competition and by giving the ultimatum, of Mingkwan or me (with Yingluck as proxy right now), he trying to force Thaksin's hand.

People have said the sons are too toxic for Chalerm to be a serious candidate, but they have been good boys lately and people's memory is short. Remember, Thaksin picked Samak once.

TH

can Sudarat or Mingkuan be a candidate?

[rubl]

can Sudarat or Mingkuan be a candidate?

K. Mingkwan can be both MP and PM candidate. K. Sudarat is still banned from politics till next year (I think). So she can't stand as candidate for MP. Not sure if she could be voted in as new PM by the MP's?

[animatic]

Pheu Thai not dented by Chalerm's departure

The Pheu Thai Party will survive and move on regardless of who is coming or going, Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai said on Thursday, commenting on the resignation of MP Chalerm Yoobamrung.

"Chalerm's departure is not caused by Pheu Thai infighting and has not impacted on the party's performance," he said.

So now that the indicted Red Shirt Leader and Deputy House Speaker Apiwan has spoken his mind, it's comical how all these reported and documented upheavels within the Party over the past two-plus years supposedly doesn't have any effect on the Party.

Pheu Thai "dented"? It's got more dents than a '63 Impala at a demolition derby.

It's "not impacted on the party's performance" because the Party has no performance.

btw, how's the impeachment proceedings against Apiwan, Jatuporn, and Karun progressing?

.

Took the words right out of my mouth a day before I could get to the keyboard.

[dunkin2012]

can Sudarat or Mingkuan be a candidate?

K. Mingkwan can be both MP and PM candidate. K. Sudarat is still banned from politics till next year (I think). So she can't stand as candidate for MP. Not sure if she could be voted in as new PM by the MP's?

Yep...

I have heard Thai Rak Thai Party(closure) with many of members on a ban for many years..... She is one of these MPs.

You know a lot...... thanks