Pheu Thai Party: Search On For Next Leader

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PHEU THAI PARTY

Search on for next leader

Political Desk

The Nation

Yongyuth Wichaidit

Yongyuth says resignation decision based on ethics, for good of party

BANGKOK: -- Six days after quitting his two Cabinet seats, Yongyuth Wichaidit yesterday announced his resignation as the leader and an MP of the ruling Pheu Thai Party. Once again, he insisted he was acting without being pressured by anyone, although he admitted to having "consulted" two persons whom he respects.

With Yongyuth's departure, the ball is now in the court of Pheu Thai's decision-makers, who are likely to face a difficult job of finding a new party leader.

As the outgoing party leader has proved, the holder of this position does not need to be a political genius or someone destined to become the party's choice as prime minister. However, one qualification candidates for the leader's post must possess is having the trust of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is believed to be calling the shots for the ruling party.

Qualification number two is being dispensable politically. That means Pheu Thai can lose him or her, without the party suffering any severe impact to the party.

With Pheu Thai's two predecessors having been dissolved over legal problems and their executive members sentenced by courts to five-year bans from politics, the party has avoided filling its executive board with political heavyweights or indispensable politicians.

The third quality required in a new Pheu Thai leader is the ability to command some degree of acceptance and respect from party colleagues.

It is difficult to find all those qualities in a person. Names like Poomtham Wejchayachai and Pracha Promnok have come up as possible candidates, but they and some others may seek greater roles than those played by Yongyuth.

Yesterday afternoon, Yongyuth told a press conference at the Pheu Thai headquarters that he would resign as the party leader and as a party-list MP in order to show his "clear stance on ethical values" and to "protect the party from damaging criticisms".

"I don't want people to criticise my beloved political party as lacking ethical value or failing to follow the laws and the rule of law," he said. However, he also noted that the Council of State and the Civil Service Commission had decided that he had all the qualifications to remain in his political positions.

"If I stay on, I will be called brazen-faced. But my decision to leave may also be described as an escape from scrutiny. I would like to ask the media to tell the truth to the public."

Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit praised Yongyuth for "setting a new standard in Thai politics" and insisted that the outgoing leader made his decision on his own and that it did not result from any pressure.

"He does not stick to his positions. Instead, he adheres to the benefits of the country, the people, and the party," said the spokesman.

Prompong said Yongyuth's resignation would allow "people from the younger generation" to work in his place.

Yongyuth, who will remain a Pheu Thai member, was joined at the press conference by deputy party leader Kunawat Wasinsangworn, Prompong, and a number of party executives and MPs.

A number of party officials gave red roses to Yongyuth at the event. They shouted "Mr Leader, Mr Leader".

Consulted two persons

Yongyuth told the reporters present that he had consulted two persons that he respected - one of them was Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who he said respected his decision.

When asked if Thaksin knew about his latest decision, Yongyuth responded: "As I already told you, I have two persons who I respect. I greet them when I come and I tell them when I leave."

As a party-list MP, Yongyuth will be automatically replaced by Malinee Inchat, who is next on Pheu Thai's party list, according to Prompong.

As his colleagues and some political observers praised Yongyuth once again for stepping down from his party seats, critics and opposition politicians doubted if his decision had anything to do with political spirit or ethical value.

Democrat MP Nipit Intarasombat said he believed Yongyuth's decision was aimed at avoiding legal problems for the ruling party.

Another Democrat, Satit Pitutecha, said it was a "lie" that Yongyuth resigned for ethical reasons. "If that was the case, he should have quit when the Interior Ministry's civil service committee resolved to expel him retroactively," Satit said. He added that the real reason could be a Pheu Thai regulation that its leader must not be dismissed from civil service.

Last Friday, under mounting pressure from critics, the opposition, and inside the party, Yongyuth announced his resignation as deputy prime minister and interior minister. The National Anti-Corruption Commission had earlier found him guilty of wrongdoing in the decade-old Alpine scandal while serving as deputy permanent secretary for the interior.

At the time of announcing his earlier resignation, Yongyuth said he would continue serving as the Pheu Thai leader and a party-list MP.

-- The Nation 2012-10-05

[asiawatcher]

The only qualifications are to be 'bent', have no ethics and do the bidding of the puppet master.

[Robby nz]

So now we have had a human sacrifice the whole temple land thing can be forgotton and the golf course can remain in the hands of the great leader in Dubai.

Or can it?.

Incidentaly who was PM when the deal was hatched?

[AleG]

"If I stay on, I will be called brazen-faced. But my decision to leave may also be described as an escape from scrutiny. I would like to ask the media to tell the truth to the public."

How about HE tells the truth to the public for a change?

[MunterHunter]

The only qualification is to be chosen my Thaksin.... we all know that to be the case here - although i am sure a bunch of people will vehomently disagree with me

[easybullet3]

Did I miss something? I thought That Yingluck was the leader of the Pheu Thai Party!

Would someone please fill me in.

[gl555]

I read the first line about 'ethics' and didn't know if I should spit or laugh.

[SICHONSTEVE]

The only qualifications are to be 'bent', have no ethics and do the bidding of the puppet master.

The only qualifications are to be 'bent', have no ethics and do the bidding of the puppet master.

'With Yongyuth's departure, the ball is now in the court of Pheu Thai's decision-makers, who are likely to face a difficult job of finding a new party leader'.

How about Forrest Gump or Mickey Mouse?????

[whybother]

Did I miss something? I thought That Yingluck was the leader of the Pheu Thai Party!

Would someone please fill me in.

The leader of the party was Yongyuth. They don't want Yingluck on the executive, because if the party is disbanded it may lead to the executives being given 5 year bans.

[Buchholz]

Did I miss something? I thought That Yingluck was the leader of the Pheu Thai Party!

Would someone please fill me in.

The leader of the party was Yongyuth. They don't want Yingluck on the executive, because if the party is disbanded it may lead to the executives being given 5 year bans.

Protecting his sister is something he learned from his own banishment for electoral fraud and repeated again when his brother-in-law was also banished for electoral fraud.

,

[virtualtraveller]

Did I miss something? I thought That Yingluck was the leader of the Pheu Thai Party!

Would someone please fill me in.

No, she was Party List member number 1, meaning; their candidate for PM in a parliamentary vote, and it is then she who appoints the cabinet. Yongyuth was just a seat warmer, the fall guy for when Peua Thai gets themselves banned again. Note how none of the bigwig cabinet members are on the PT executive, because they fully expect to get themselves dissolved again.

Yongyuth falling on his sword is a rare and uncharacteristic thing in Thai politics, and it seems like a noble and ethical thing to do, but with this party it somehow rings hollow!

[ratcatcher]

"Yongyuth says resignation decision based on ethics, for good of party"

A mystifying statement AFAIAC.

Ethics in politics, <deleted> are they?

[drdoom6996]

The only qualification is to be chosen my Thaksin.... we all know that to be the case here - although i am sure a bunch of people will vehomently disagree with me

I won't.

[Noistar]

"If I stay on, I will be called brazen-faced. But my decision to leave may also be described as an escape from scrutiny. I would like to ask the media to tell the truth to the public."

How about HE tells the truth to the public for a change?

Anybody, especially the media, got a clue what the truth is?

If the past (which many posters like to live in), it would appear that the truth hides behind an opaque face. Has this all changed now?

Probably not IMHO

[hellodolly]

Well he had a good idea but I don't think it will work.

"Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit praised Yongyuth for "setting a new standard in Thai politics" and insisted that the outgoing leader made his decision on his own and that it did not result from any pressure."

A new standard and then back to the little white lies.

Edited October 5, 2012 by hellodolly