Jilted Mingkwan May Quit Pheu Thai Party After Thaksin Rebuke

[scorecard]

Seems like some Pheua Thai members are still not comprehending that their party is Thaksin's personal instrument just as much as Thai Rak Thai was. If His Excellency Thaksin does not want a certain person as a PM candidate, then so be it. Instead they act like little children and threaten to lave the party. Who cares? Thaksin? As long as the man pulls all the strings from self-imposed exile and the majority of other MPs are his willing lapdogs nobody lifts an eyebrow if one or another party member defects to another party. By the way: that is what Thai politicians are doing anyway all the time.

There's a side issue which seems to be forgotten; the reality that the constitution / electoral laws and regulations should include serious controls which prohibit one man from gaining such a level of control and I mean more factors than the current law which says that a PM can only sit in the big chair for a total of 8 years.

[rubl]

Thaksin buries differences with Mingkwan, Snoh

By Piayanart Srivalo,

Somchit Roongchamrasrasami,

Samrit Jiamcharoenpornkul

The Nation on Sunday

Published on May 1, 2011

Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra has succeeded in convincing Mingkwan Sangsuwan, Supol Fongngam and Snoh Thienthong to stay with Pheu Thai Party in the upcoming election, a party source said.

After reports of conflicts, and plans by a group of key members, including General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, to join hands and form a new party, a source who asked not to be named said that a well-respected key member of Pheu Thai had succeeded in mediating between Mingkwan and Thaksin.

In March, Mingkwan led the opposition's censure debate against the government and announced he was ready to be a prime minister candidate. However, there has been no clear answer from Thaksin, the de-facto leader of the party, as to whom to propose for the post. Amid reports of conflicts in the party, Mingkwan in the meantime has kept a low profile and did not join the party meeting.

Through Uraiwan Thienthong, wife of Pracharaj Party leader Snoh, Thaksin agreed to accept all of Snoh's children into the Pheu Thai Party. The Pracharaj Party, in the meantime, would be kept as an alternative party in case Pheu Thai is dissolved, the source said.

Snoh early last month announced that he was joining hands with Pheu Thai but later said he had changed his mind.

In the first interview after the reports of the new party-forming plan, Supol - former Pheu Thai secretary-general and Mingkwan's close aide - denied the reports, saying internal conflicts are normal for members of a big party.

He denied reports that the Pheu Thai Party would not field him as a constituency MP candidate but it was up to his own decision.

The party's special meeting on Tuesday - when the new party executive will be selected - should give more clarity about the party's candidate lists, he said.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said Thaksin would this evening speak through video link at the party's two rallies in Phitsanulok and Ayutthaya.

Party MPs such as Jatuporn Promphan, Apiwan Wiriyachai and Chinnicha Wongsawat yesterday joined a mass rally in Chiang Mai attended by thousands of people attended.

In a separate development, Industry Minister and Tak MP Chaiwuti Bannawat of the Democrat Party said he would again run in the constituency MP election as it was gave him a chance to be closer to people than being on the party list.

In Ayutthaya, Matubhum Party leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin yesterday visited Muslim people to promote the party. He said he did not hope to get constituency MPs but expected to get party-list MPs, especially with support from Muslims.[thenation][/thenation]

[bristolgeoff]

booting him out may back fire on takism in time

[Buchholz]

Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra has succeeded in convincing Mingkwan Sangsuwan, Supol Fongngam and Snoh Thienthong to stay with Pheu Thai Party in the upcoming election, a party source said.

In the first interview after the reports of the new party-forming plan, Supol - former Pheu Thai secretary-general and Mingkwan's close aide - denied the reports, saying internal conflicts are normal for members of a big party.

He denied reports that the Pheu Thai Party would not field him as a constituency MP candidate but it was up to his own decision.

So Supol has either been un-banned

Thaksin Shinawatra, de-facto leader of the opposition Pheu Thai Party, has banned at least two incumbent MPs suspected of planning to defect from the party in the upcoming general election, a party source said yesterday.

Pheu Thai former secretary-general Supol Fong-ngam and MP Chavalit Vichayasut have been punished as a warning

2011-04-26

or un-resigned

Two other party executives - secretary-general Supol Fong-ngam and Prayuth Mahagitsiri - also have left their posts, leaving only 11 on the executive

board

2011-04-21

.

Edited May 1, 2011 by Buchholz

[animatic]

Guess Thaksin realized that a counter offer of significantly increased value, was the difference between really losing any chance of controlling the government in a coalition, or just losing any chance to negotiate anything with anyone to get a foot in the door..

[Buchholz]

Mingkwan resurfaces, Jarupong named Pheu Thai Secreatary-General

The Pheu Thai Party on Tuesday convened an extraordinary meeting to fill vacant seats in the party executive board, replacing those who resigned to seek reelection bids.

Pheu Thai MP Mingkwan Saengsuwan showed up at the meeting, quelling rumour about his planned party-hopping. He said he took time off to regain his strength after feeling unwell, explaining his absence last month.

For the past few weeks, speculation spread that Mingkwan might form a new party if Pheu Thai rejected his bid for premiership.

-- The Nation 2011-05-03

[Buchholz]

Since The Nation didn't properly identify the new Pheu Thai Party Secretary-General (other than his given name in the headline), it is Jarupong Ruengsuwan, who was formerly the Pheu Thai Party Deputy Leader.

Other Executive Board members assigned at today's meeting to replace those that resigned are Police General Sumeth Phomanee, Army General Warawit Chinanawin, and Police Lieutenant-General Virote Pao-in were all elected Pheu Thai Party Deputy Leaders.

Additionally, Wimol Janjirawutthikul has been elected as Pheu Thai Party Deputy Secretary-General.

Selected for the Pheu Thai Party Executive Committee are Police Lieutenant-General Chalong Sonjai, Preecha Thanannant, Phakin Sommitr, Wim Rungwattanachinda, and Chakrapong Saengmanee.

A definite change is noticeable in that the new members are mostly Party-list MP's or not MP's at all, while those that they replaced after resigning from their executive positions earlier were constituency MPs with the Party.

[Buchholz]

The other paper has PTP issuing an ultimatum to Mingkwan.... swear his allegiance to the Party or be disowned.

Swear fealty to the liege lord Thaksin or go to the swamps for good.

Let's call a spade a spade.

With his presence today at the Party's annual assembly, we now know how Mingkwan responded to the ultimatum.