Purachai to be commander of Raks Santi Party

By THE NATION

Former interior minister Purachai Piumsomboon will not be a part of the Raks Santi Party's executive board or become the party leader, but instead he will be the "commander" of its political wing, the politician's aide and co-founder of the party said yesterday.

Noppadon Inna also said the party's eight executives would not contest in the general elections.

"The executive board and political wing will be kept separate, and Purachai will be commander of the political wing. This way, if our candidates win or lose in the elections, the party won't be affected," Noppadon said.

He added that this arrangement was also aimed at protecting the candidates from getting banned from politics in case there are legal problems in the future. "We want to prevent the problem of there being a vacuum in case the party is dissolved," he said.

In recent years, a number of political parties were dissolved by the courts and their executives stripped of electoral rights for five years, mostly due to electoral fraud involving their executives.

Yesterday, Noppadon also introduced Pirapong Sakarik, former adviser to the Senate's committee on financial and monetary affairs, as a new member of the party. Pirapong, son of noted agricultural expert Rapi Sakarik, was a former MP and co-founder of the now-defunct Palang Dharma Party. Rapi was known as "Father of Thai Orchids" for his research and development work that resulted in the flowers becoming popular in the world market.

Pirapong said he had not decided if he would contest in the upcoming elections.

-- The Nation 2011-04-15

"Mr. Clean" seems to be doing his best to stay in the public eye without actually committing himself.

As far as I can see, this is just more pre-election maneuvering to make himself more attractive in the upcoming bidding war that the PTT & Dems will have over the support of the smaller parties. The more I hear about this guy, the less I like him.

One logical conclusion of this is that the Rak Santi Party intend involving themselves in electoral fraud and recognise that they may well be caught out. Why else separate the chiefs from the Indians?

'Rapi Sakarik, was a former MP and co-founder of the now-defunct Palang Dharma Party. Rapi was known as "Father of Thai Orchids" for his research and development work that resulted in the flowers becoming popular in the world market.'

This gives the impression that he popularised the orchid through out the World. The American Orchid Society has been going strong for 85 years at least and the Manchester Orchid Society held a show in 1913 in which over 1000 varieties were on show. That said, I have visited a couple of Orchid nurseries in the Chang Mai area and the flowers on show were totally exquisite. I assume that unimaginative use of the English language can be blamed for creating a false impression and that what was meant that he helped to establish an export market for local orchid varieties.

Pigs waiting to stick their snouts in Thaksin's trough. A big 'oink! from Purachai.