Pheu Thai Party On Decline?

[webfact]

Pheu Thai Party on Decline?

BANGKOK: -- Even though they were just local elections, the ruling Pheu Thai Party suffered humiliating defeats in the races for Pathum Thani Province's District 5 MP seat and the presidency of the provincial administration organization over the past weekend. The poll results are clear evidence of the government's declining popularity among voters.

Kiatisak Songsaeng, from the Democrat Party, upset Somchai Rangsiwattanasak, the Pheu Thai candidate by soundly winning the contest for Pathum Thani's District 5 MP seat. Only a day later, the Pheu Thai Party went through another crushing defeat when Sumet Rithakhani, a former MP, was beaten by Charn Puangpetch, an independent candidate, in the race for the presidency of the provincial administration organization head.

During the campaign leading up to the parliamentary by-election in Pathum Thani Province, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra led a number of Cabinet members to help the Pheu Thai candidate campaign. The Pheu Thai Party was confident that its candidate would certainly be elected because the province is known to be one of its strongholds in the central region. In the previous general election, the party swept all of the province's MP seats. Moreover, Pathum Thani Province has one of the most active red shirt group chapters in the country.

It is believed that the Pheu Thai's defeats were brought by the government's unresponsiveness to the people. The party thought that it could count on the loyal Pathum Thani constituency. Because of this, the Pheu Thai Party and its government have been largely ignoring the voters in the province, especially during the major flood disaster last year.

Most importantly, the current government, which is deemed to be former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's proxy, has been attempting to absolve the ex-premier of his crimes rather than addressing the country's problems. The government has failed to curb the rising cost of living and lower the fuel price as it had pledged during the campaign. Furthermore, more than 20 populist policies promised to the people played a crucial part in helping Pheu Thai win the previous general election, have yet to materialize. Also last year, the Pheu Thai administration failed to manage the water crisis which resulted in one of the worst flood disasters in the history of Thailand.

The results of both elections in Pathum Thani Province could be viewed as the voters' snub on the ruling Pheu Thai Party. If the Pheu Thai Party does not improve itself soon, this could be its irreversible decline.

Taken from Editorial Section, Naewna Newspaper, Page 3, April 24, 2012

Translated and Rewritten by Kongkrai Maksrivorawan

Please note that the views expressed in our "Analysis" segment are translated from local newspaper articles and do not reflect the views of the Thai-ASEAN News Network.

-- Tan Network 2012-04-25

[animatic]

Incline,

as in bent over groveling to take the payments from Dr. T for their 'good works' in his behalf,

Or bent even farther over to take it up the rear from Thaksin, and smile,

if they don't do what he wants, but hope to get back in his good graces

and riding yet again his gravy train.

Edited April 25, 2012 by animatic

[OzMick]

And there was I thinking PTP was about as low as you could get.

[waza]

20 unfullfilled election promises, did they actually keep any?

Edited April 25, 2012 by waza

[whybother]

20 unfullfilled election promises, did they actually keep any?

Yes. They gave tax cuts to big business.

[Chang_paarp]

Moreover, Pathum Thani Province has one of the most active red shirt group chapters in the country.

Maybe this is part of the problem.

[givenall]

I hope so. I hope the Thai people are waking up to realize that this government is a self-serving government and will move Thailand to a very big financial crises

[ramrod711]

I hope so. I hope the Thai people are waking up to realize that this government is a self-serving government and will move Thailand to a very big financial crises

+1

[LuckyLew]

Good for the people of Phatum Thani

The Government left them high and dry during last years floods,

or should I say drowning and under water. Many people in P Thani

lost everything in the floods and the compensation / help was slow

in arriving and the meager amount they were given did nothing to

help rebuild their lives.

Good to see the were not swayed by 500 - 1000 per vote. The had

the brains and nards to vote with their brains and show the current

Gov't that they are not happy campers

[cooked]

so you think that the alternative will be better? Personally I don't think so.

[bigbamboo]

Wouldn't say they were on the decline in that if there was an election tomorrow they'd probably win again but the Thai people are slowly seeing through the haze of deception that has put them where they are.

You can't promise to make every Thai rich and then stop once the wealthy businessmen have received their money.

[thaihome]

UDD insider sources say this was meant to be direct signal to the PTP of their general dissatisfaction and specifically for allowing the MP to resign and run in the PAO election. They felt the UDD support in getting the voters to support the MP in last year election was casually discarded by allowing him to resign to further his personal agenda.

The source of this would be an ex-member here that is privy to UDD local leadership pillow talk. It has preven to be accurate in the past.

TH

[coma]

Hell yes. They just lost 2 seats in a local election and lost another in Chiang Mai due to the MP being a liar. It may not be a huge one but by definition the party is on the decline. The democrats need to seize the moment, take the bull by the horns and run with it as far as they can. Looking forward to the alledged evidence the Democrat Party has on Thaksin negotiating with radical leaders in the south. If proven, that will hurt the PTP big time. Let's hope.

[GentlemanJim]

You reap what you sow !

[Skywalker69]

Hell yes. They just lost 2 seats in a local election and lost another in Chiang Mai due to the MP being a liar. It may not be a huge one but by definition the party is on the decline. The democrats need to seize the moment, take the bull by the horns and run with it as far as they can. Looking forward to the alledged evidence the Democrat Party has on Thaksin negotiating with radical leaders in the south. If proven, that will hurt the PTP big time. Let's hope.

As you said, it may not be huge, but it could be a trend.

[ratcatcher]

Hell yes. They just lost 2 seats in a local election and lost another in Chiang Mai due to the MP being a liar. It may not be a huge one but by definition the party is on the decline. The democrats need to seize the moment, take the bull by the horns and run with it as far as they can. Looking forward to the alledged evidence the Democrat Party has on Thaksin negotiating with radical leaders in the south. If proven, that will hurt the PTP big time. Let's hope.

I think maybe your metaphors are mixed.Perhaps it might be "Take the ball and run with it as far as they can" ................and keep going. .

As for the bull, take him by the horns back to where he came from---Parliament, there's plenty more there to join him.

[heiwa]

Always found it odd how Thais in administrative positions behaving in a very unethical manner in the work-place could show their face in public when I would have been hiding my face in shame. I am came to the conclusion that they did not have a face to lose after all. I really do think the show is over and the curtains should be drawn so we don't have to ever see their faces again.

[heiwa]

so you think that the alternative will be better? Personally I don't think so.

There's got to be something better than idiots? Surely?

[lungmi]

Buddhist word for the day:

"You want to have a big face? You never will have it."

--"Why?"

"You want it"

--"But I put all my money, my family, my 'friends' in the business to have a BIG FACE."

"Yes, and this is why you never will have a "face".

Adjahn Akasit, adapted by his student.

[heiwa]

Buddhist word for the day:

"You want to have a big face? You never will have it."

--"Why?"

"You want it"

--"But I put all my money, my family, my 'friends' in the business to have a BIG FACE."

"Yes, and this is why you never will have a "face".

Adjahn Akasit, adapted by his student.

So tell us please what kind of Thai has the big face in Thailand? Please enlighten. Most excellent post.

[animatic]

so you think that the alternative will be better? Personally I don't think so.

Regardless of the PTP hype machine it would be hard to do worse than them.

[gymboy33]

they lost a load of by-elections b4 the last big election and a load of dem cheerleaders were getting excited about it then.

and we know what happened next.

so i wouldnt get too excited lads like last time.

or u may look like fools again!

[animatic]

Buddhist word for the day:

"You want to have a big face? You never will have it."

--"Why?"

"You want it"

--"But I put all my money, my family, my 'friends' in the business to have a BIG FACE."

"Yes, and this is why you never will have a "face".

Adjahn Akasit, adapted by his student.

So tell us please what kind of Thai has the big face in Thailand? Please enlighten. Most excellent post.

The more you want to have the most face the less it is possible to have it because of the huge desire

[heiwa]

Buddhist word for the day:

"You want to have a big face? You never will have it."

--"Why?"

"You want it"

--"But I put all my money, my family, my 'friends' in the business to have a BIG FACE."

"Yes, and this is why you never will have a "face".

Adjahn Akasit, adapted by his student.

So tell us please what kind of Thai has the big face in Thailand? Please enlighten. Most excellent post.

The more you want to have the most face the less it is possible to have it because of the huge desire

So I guess bar girls are not ones with the BIG FACE. Perhaps Mr and Mrs Tua Pai. I must confess this is the Thailand I love - those whose aura you can soon sense that in the process of being a humble ordinary they are inversely everything but. There are still people like this in Thailand but getting rarer. It may be hard to find them in places tourists hang out. Remember stopping outside a restaurant near Suratthani on my bike asking for directions to Koh Samui - they insisted I take a 1.5 litre bottle of water from the shop fridge before I left (wondered how I would find room in my bag but I really didn't want to disappoint those kindly faces) - even though I had not even entered their restaurant - or the man who I never talked to who insisted with the cashier (not even disturbing me) that he pay for my coffee after he saw me reading a book in Thai script or the blue collar factory workers pouring beer in my glass while Caribou is playing raised arms. This is the Thailand I love - not tourist resorts. There is an infinitely beautiful side to Thailand if you take the effort to find it. Unlike politicians ordinary Thais can understand the value in a good deed without any expectation of a "kick back". Sharing one of the best meals I ever had 20km out of Nakhon Panom - the family warning me that often bad people drink heavy spirits but not to worry as they could drink heavy spirits and still be good 555. Edited April 25, 2012 by heiwa

[GentlemanJim]

What I think that will be a very interesting dynamic to watch is to the reaction at the next general election. The problem for PTP is an almost uniquely Thai problem and that is that Thais find it almost impossible to forgive. They make wonderful friends but dreadful enemies. They hold a grudge for years, decades even. Once you piss a Thai off your bridges are almost burnt out. I cannot see how the promise of 500 baht at the next election to vote PTP will have any effect on the voters in this latest election. They will take the money and then vote Dem.

[h90]

so you think that the alternative will be better? Personally I don't think so.

I think almost any alternative would be better.......