Democrat reform coming, but leadership still fluid: Alongkorn

[webfact]

POLITICS
Democrat reform coming, but leadership still fluid: Alongkorn
Pimnara Pradubwit,
Samudcha Hoonsara
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- REFORM OF the Democrat Party will automatically lead to a revamp of party leadership, Democrat MP Alongkorn Ponlaboot said yesterday.

"I have never striven to replace the party leader, but Democrats should not put any individual above their party," he said. Alongkorn refused to speculate on the leadership of Abhisit Vejjajiva, saying the issue at hand is about strengthening the party.

When the time comes, the party convention would decide on the leadership issue, he said. Commenting on anticipated reform, he said the party would be overhauled in order to ensure victory at the next general election.

The Democrats could not afford to stay unchanged because the party did not garner a boost in public support despite government blunders in administering the country, he said.

He went on to explain that the recent push for reform had almost caused Democrat secretary-general Chalermchai Sri-on to step down due to certain opponents of change.

He said proponents of reform would not try to push their way but strive to manage the differences without triggering division. Proponents, including him, would keep prodding the party to embrace reform and would not quit, even if they had to face setbacks, he said.

"Reform is meant for improvement and not party divisions," he said.

He said he would go along with any decisions made by the majority of Democrats. Repeating the party split, such as the one caused by the January 10 clique, would not be allowed, he added.

Sources from the Democrats said other parties have made overtures to Alongkorn and Chalermchai to join them, especially a "mid-choice" political party. They offered both Democrats high ranks on their party list - including ministry positions, deputy party leader or party secretary-general. But Alongkorn refused, saying he would serve one term in the party, and if the Democrats did not reform he would move to another.


-- The Nation 2013-10-08

[fab4]

Sounds like Alongkorn is the man for the job. Had the sincerity to turn down an offer of a high ranking post with another party but still maintains his line that if the Democat Party doesn't reform in a year he's off.

[Valentine]

It has been obvious for a number of years the Dems need a radical reform but seems the dinosaurs will not allow it. What was stated in another article about the proposed changes seemed like far too little & far too late. Dems need a whole new generation of pro active politicians which is not likely to happen in one year & so Mr Alongkorn will still be able to take up a lucrative post elsewhere. It is tragic the likes of Abhisit, Korn, Alongkorn are being held back by stone age party tradition. One major breakthrough they could easily do is to hire a capable PR machine.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Valentine

[bigbamboo]

It has been obvious for a number of years the Dems need a radical reform but seems the dinosaurs will not allow it. What was stated in another article about the proposed changes seemed like far too little & far too late. Dems need a whole new generation of pro active politicians which is not likely to happen in one year & so Mr Alongkorn will still be able to take up a lucrative post elsewhere. It is tragic the likes of Abhisit, Korn, Alongkorn are being held back by stone age party tradition. One major breakthrough they could easily do is to hire a capable PR machine.

It certainly worked for the Labour Party in Britain who were in a similar, almost unelectable state to the Dems here until they were revamped as being something new and different.

They could call themselves the New Democrats!

[15Peter20]

Well, it's taken them a while to come to this realization. If they try really hard and defeat the dinosaurs in their party, they might start becoming electable in 4-5 years.

[hammered]

It has been obvious for a number of years the Dems need a radical reform but seems the dinosaurs will not allow it. What was stated in another article about the proposed changes seemed like far too little & far too late. Dems need a whole new generation of pro active politicians which is not likely to happen in one year & so Mr Alongkorn will still be able to take up a lucrative post elsewhere. It is tragic the likes of Abhisit, Korn, Alongkorn are being held back by stone age party tradition. One major breakthrough they could easily do is to hire a capable PR machine.

Abhisit is one of those Alongkorn sees as holding the party back, probably Korn too. Alongkorn is closer to the current secretary general of the Dems. When he refers to fluid leadership, it does not take much to realise who Alongkorn is referring too. He actually has said that real reform (as he sees it) will change the leadership. Dem MPs in their inner Bangkok safe seats and those of the south and it is these that utterly dominate the party structure and who do not want meaningful reform, see things differently from MPs in other areas who know that while the southern dinosaurs maintain sway and while Abhisit is leader, they cannot win elections. The Dems need to listen to those from these areas as they cannot increase their seats in the south and will likely see them reduced in Bangkok. However, while seen as a southern party led by a man linked to a massacre they will struggle to do better in the central and lower northern areas and have not got a hope in Isaan or the upper North.

The big problem is it all becomes a self fulfilling serial election disaster for them if they lose people from the areas where they need to improve. To date that is what has happened. This may be the last opportunity for them.

The country deserves an electoral alternative to PTP but right now it does not have one and from what is being said of how limited reforms will be, that is not going to change.

It is ironic that a party that is seen as the mouthpiece of the elite bureaucracy is only really changing its own internal bureaucracy. What the electorate clearly want and demonstrably voe for are policies that local MPs or politicians can convince them that they will deliver, not some guy with a new deputy party leader title poncing around among people who do not trust him and think he is a mouthpiece of some old shadowy figures in Bangkok. That is what the Dems need to learn. They are no longer in touch with the people of their own country and are seen as just representing an old and disliked version of what Thailand was a few decades ago. The Democrats have a difficult task even if they were to really have a go.

Oh and distancing themselves from coups would also help especially in areas where they need votes to even come close to PTP.

The utter failure of the Democrats is one of the biggest disasters for Thailand in recent years. Their failure to denounce the last coup and their willingness to be part of everything that stemmed form it have wrecked them electorally and done nothing good for Thailand.

Edited October 9, 2013 by hammered