Thai Democrat Party set for structural shake-up

[webfact]

Democrat Party set for structural shake-up
Hataikarn Treesuwan
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE DEMOCRAT PARTY'S ultimate goal is to bring an end to 21 years of election defeats. The party's last defeat was in the 2011 election, when party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was PM.

This embarrassing loss spurred the 67-year-old party to review itself and consider a revamp of its policies, structure and personnel so it has a better chance of leading the government again.

Alongkorn Ponlaboot, deputy Democrat leader and a member of the party reform panel, said the goal was to ensure that the Democrats capture another 60 seats in addition to the 161 it already has, and make it the strongest party in Parliament.

A source explained that the 60-seat figure was set as the party wants 15 more party-list MPs, plus 15 MPs in the Northeast, 15 more in the Central region, 10 more in the North, four more in Bangkok and one more in the South.

In order to achieve this goal, Alongkorn says the party requires drastic changes so it can convince voters it would be better bet at the helm of the country next time around.

For this change, the party's advisory council would need to be dissolved and new central committee set up - made up of specialists from different fields, plus representatives of the people from across the nation.

The party would also set up people's assemblies at the national, regional and provincial levels in order to come up with ideas.

Alongkorn said panels would also be set up to supervise the country's 375 constituencies. He added that the party would also look to expand its branches to cover all the constituencies, from its current 174 offices.

The party is also planning to use a primary candidate selection system for at least 20 constituencies in some provinces in the North, Northeast and Central region where there are no Democrat MPs so it can win 45 more constituency-based seats.

Alongkorn said the reform would take shape by December once a new party executive board has been elected.

He admitted previous efforts to introduce changes led to serious conflicts as several party members insisted on sticking by individual and factional ideas, but said this attitude would have to change.

Speculation has it that outsiders would be brought in to add freshness to the party. Some people have even floated the names of Supachai Panitchpakdi, the former secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), and Surin Pitsuwan, president of the Future Innovative Thailand Institute, as possible new party leaders.

However, Alongkorn said if the party was powerful, anybody could become a leader.

"It is not traditional for the party to be led by an insider ... the party's leader will still have to be elected in a party caucus," Alongkorn said.

While Alongkorn is pushing for reform, Satit Wongnongtaey - a party executive and member of the reform panel - said the election defeats were not the main reason for the reform.

He said the Democrat Party was a political institution that had to be changed to respond to a changing situation.

He said a central committee was being considered, so big names like Supachai, Tarin Nimmanahaeminda and Surin could step in to help run the party.

He also played down talk of internal conflict, saying the reform had not been initiated by Alongkorn but by Abhisit himself, who set up the panel led by Asawin Wipoosiri.

Satit said Alongkorn's comments had led to a misunderstanding that there were conflicts.

Democrat party-list MP Rachadaporn Kaewsanit also said there were no conflicts and that Alongkorn had said at a party meeting that he loved the party and had no harmful intentions toward it.

From now until November 29, when the party's executive board will endorse the reform plan before a party caucus is held in December to elect a new executive board, nobody can tell whether or not there will be any more changes to the reform plan.

But, the Democrats are sticking by one common goal - their repeated electoral defeats must come to an end.

-- The Nation 2013-10-28

[notmyself]

16k a tonne of rice would do it.

[15Peter20]

Contrary to the headline, the Democrat Party is not set for a structural shakeup.

It is set for its reform panel to continue beating its head on a brick wall trying to shake off the vested interests that have made it unelectable for 21 years.

Still, I like the panel's sentiment.

[whybother]

They're electable in the South. They're electable in Bangkok. They're even electable in pockets in the North.

What they need to do to be electable in the North East is to buy out the regional families that everyone votes for regardless of party, just like Thaksin did.

[moe666]

Get behind land reform and actually carry it thru that will win an election in a heart beat

[Robby nz]

Big problem is they are fighting against the huge PT PR machine powered by Thaksins and tax payers money.

You only have to look as you move around the country to see the numerous large signs with Yinglucks and in many cases Thaksins picture all taking credit for everything and responsibility for nothing.

The Dems have not got and will never have the money to match this no matter how much they restructure.

Read a comment from an overseas political scientist not long back who said its not policies or people who win elections but publicity, the one who can afford the best PR will always win.

[kingstonkid]

I think although it would be dificult that the party needs to get away from it's roots. Find out what the people in echer area want and ot like PT dictate to the people of the area who is gong to run for them but let the people choose the best most trusted person in the area.

Have leadership elections in each area that are open to the outside world and have countries that are trusted to oversee the elections from start to finish. This would show that they are a party of the people and that they are not going to allow corruption.

take a look at the party and make a decree that they are not going to allow any corruption and instead of the outside world hanging people then let the party itself do it first.

Quit b!tching about PTP and actually put out a platform that will help everyone. Something that will benefit all instead of sniping and complaining be proactive.

Let's start looking at true education. It is due to lack of education that PTP get's in. The people in the villages do not know any better. Bring in a true educational plan that will help everyone when 2015 comes.

Yes i am available to consult

[mca]

Have leadership elections in each area that are open to the outside world and have countries that are trusted to oversee the elections from start to finish.

Suthep wouldn't like that......

[waza]

It needs more than a structural shakeup, it needs a massive change in personnel and a dramatic change in its organisational personality. it needs to get back to basics and loose its tight association with the privy council.

[HUAHIN62]

And what will change ??? 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

[bigbamboo]

The Democrats do need a facelift much along the lines of the Labour Party in Britain in the nineties when it too had become virtually unelectable.

Perhaps they should start by rebranding themselves the New Democrats.

[Frank James]

The editorial board of the Nation must have constantly chapped lips from sucking up to these losers all the time.

[Thai at Heart]

Big problem is they are fighting against the huge PT PR machine powered by Thaksins and tax payers money.

You only have to look as you move around the country to see the numerous large signs with Yinglucks and in many cases Thaksins picture all taking credit for everything and responsibility for nothing.

The Dems have not got and will never have the money to match this no matter how much they restructure.

Read a comment from an overseas political scientist not long back who said its not policies or people who win elections but publicity, the one who can afford the best PR will always win.

They have business backers a plenty. Problem is their backers disagree completely with any redistribution of wealth, so they won't back the dems.

The dems need to move to the middle of politics. They should become a European styled social democrat party as opposed to a right wing Republican party.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[Thai at Heart]

Get behind land reform and actually carry it thru that will win an election in a heart beat

Of that I have no doubt. Might put a bit of a spanner in cp's plans to enslave every farmer in the country and have 80% market share in supplying the thai market with food.

[Robby nz]

They have business backers a plenty. Problem is their backers disagree completely with any redistribution of wealth, so they won't back the dems.

So Thai at heart according to you.

They have backers who wont back them.

If they wont back them how can they be backers?

And tell me which of the PT backers agree with the redistribution of wealth? except into their own pockets.

[Thai at Heart]

They have business backers a plenty. Problem is their backers disagree completely with any redistribution of wealth, so they won't back the dems.

So Thai at heart according to you.

They have backers who wont back them.

If they wont back them how can they be backers?

And tell me which of the PT backers agree with the redistribution of wealth? except into their own pockets.

They won't back them if their policies are excessively redistributive, break down monopoly or include land reform.

Three policies, two of which at least would be massively of benefit for the country.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[Spare]

21 years is a long time since they last government.

[MobileContent]

They're electable in the South. They're electable in Bangkok. They're even electable in pockets in the North.

What they need to do to be electable in the North East is to buy out the regional families that everyone votes for regardless of party, just like Thaksin did.

Its not really about the regional families in the Northeast. Khun Newin Chidlob betrayed the people of Isaan by going with the generals and he got punished for that. His party lost big times in the last election. Isaan people don't trust a political party from the South. It's the same with the South they don't trust a political party from the North or Northeast. The onyl way to change it would be to have Isaan people on the top of the Democrat Party but they would then loose votes in Central and Southern Thailand.

The democrats are in a real dilemma and as far as I know they only won 3 elections in 50 years.

[whybother]

They're electable in the South. They're electable in Bangkok. They're even electable in pockets in the North.

What they need to do to be electable in the North East is to buy out the regional families that everyone votes for regardless of party, just like Thaksin did.

Its not really about the regional families in the Northeast. Khun Newin Chidlob betrayed the people of Isaan by going with the generals and he got punished for that. His party lost big times in the last election. Isaan people don't trust a political party from the South. It's the same with the South they don't trust a political party from the North or Northeast. The onyl way to change it would be to have Isaan people on the top of the Democrat Party but they would then loose votes in Central and Southern Thailand.

The democrats are in a real dilemma and as far as I know they only won 3 elections in 50 years.

Newin Chidchob is from Buriram, and I think his party is still pretty strong there.

The regional families from Isaan areas were there long before Thaksin came along. Before that, they were just their small regional parties. Thaksin bought them all under his TRT, so the people voted for the same people but this time under TRT. Have a look at some of the big names that have jumped to different parties, or joined different coalitions. They don't really care as long as they get a go at the trough.

[whybother]

The democrats are in a real dilemma and as far as I know they only won 3 elections in 50 years.

Who has won more elections?

[Robby nz]

However as I have posted elsewhere they have won 3 by-elections and an important mayoral election in the last 2 years.

The last by-election win was by a swing of over 12%.

Whether this is because of a resurgence of the Dems or an increasing dislike and distrust of PT I wouldn't know.

[MrSlatersParrot]

No need for them to change. They're the army party.

Just been reading (as the US official letters have been released, photocopies on the web) how the US embassy aided Pridi Banomyong in escaping the hitmen sent by the government led by Seni Pramoj, founder of the democrats, and getting him onto a Shell tanker and to permanent exile. Recent centenary celebrations unsurprisingly not too well covered in the thai right wing press. Thailand's true modern hero. Organised the thai resistance and led the forces back in 32 which ended the absolute m. celebrated at the pockmarked ,April10th 2010, Democracy monument. Regent of thailand after the war.

He was accused by Seni (an outright lie, of course) of the murder of someone important. ( which was never officially a murder, more an accident really we're told.)

Showed the calibre of the original leadership reflected today in the current effete elites holding sway.

[Ricardo]

21 years is a long time since they last government.

Didn't the Dems lead the previous administration, voted-out in 2011, slightly fewer than 21 years ago ?

My memory must be at-fault !