Members in the dark on future of Pheu Thai

[webfact]

Members in the dark on future of Pheu Thai
KRIS BHROMSUTHI
THE SUNDAY NATION

Party has come to a crossroads with the role of the Shinawatra family under a cloud

BANGKOK: -- PHEU THAI politicians are in the dark about the party's future following the impeachment of former premier Yingluck Shinawatra.

They appeared uncertain and said there had been no communication among party members since the impeachment of Yingluck on Friday.

Pheu Thai's success in the July 2011 general election could be largely attributed to its links with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted from power by a coup in 2006 but saw his influence rise when his youngest sister won power with the slogan "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai delivers".

The impeachment of Yingluck on Friday bans her from politics for five years. It also puts the Shinawatras in a difficult position - whether they are prepared to nominate another family member, such as Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat or Yingluck's sister Yaowapha, and whether voters are prepared to back them after the rice scheme fiasco.

Having no candidate from the family could prove to be a major setback for the Pheu Thai in the next general election, expected in early 2016.

Former Pheu Thai MP Chavalit Wichayasut said he was not sure about the party's future because members are not allowed to gather for meetings under martial law, which was imposed by the National Council for Peace and Order after the coup and remains in place.

"We [party members] still have not spoken about it [party's future] because of martial law. Until then, nothing can be decided because party members must express their views before a party consensus can be formed."

When asked about the future involvement of the Shinawatras in Pheu Thai Party, a former MP, Udomdetch Ratanasatien, said there was still a long way to go until the next general election, so nothing was certain at the moment.

"Pheu Thai as a party will carry on, however, the question on who will be involved, and to what extent, cannot be decided because there is still a long way to go until the next election," he said. Udomdetch said that since the impeachment vote had taken place only on Friday, there had been no discussion among party members yet. In addition, there were also restrictions because of martial law.

Former Democrat MP Nipit Intarasombat said Pheu Thai had come to a crossroads where important decisions would have to be made before it could re-emerge.

"They will have to choose whether to use the same approach where members of the Shinawatra family play a prominent role in the party, or whether there should be a significant change in the party's leadership and power structure, without the involvement of the Shinawatra clan," Nipit said.

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Members-in-the-dark-on-future-of-Pheu-Thai-30252623.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-25

[Chang_paarp]

More importantly, where is the money for an election campaign coming from?

Heaven forbid the members would have to dig into their pockets to pay for their own campaign.

[The stuttering parrot]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

[Robby nz]

The truth is that they must wait for orders from Thaksin before they can do anything.

Next time round lies and promises of riches will no longer be enough.

[NongKhaiKid]

PTP don't know what to do unless Mr. T speaks and they can act.

Thai education , not taught to think for themselves or is it he has the cheque book ?

[smedly]

The very fact that a political party is run by a single family just says it all for me, one is a convicted criminal on the run living abroad who still has more serious charges to answer, another who pretended to be PM when we all know she wasn't and various other relatives positioned as high ranking officials in key jobs throughout the police and ministry - no wonder people are crying out for democracy in this country - if it happens it will be the first time ever

[Siripon]

Is it too much to hope for the disappearance of the Shinawat family from Thai politics? Years of meglomania, money, money and money, and finally utter stupidity, could they come to an end? It sounds too good to be true.

I believe there is space for a new party, the decent members from Pheua Thai, and there are some, could form their own party, attracting Democrats disaffected with the Apisit clique. A party that truly believes in members and MPs having opinions and rights.

[tbthailand]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

[ExPratt]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

More importantly, where is the money for an election campaign coming from?

Heaven forbid the members would have to dig into their pockets to pay for their own campaign. alt=post-4641-1156693976.gif> alt=shock1.gif>

I dot think they'd need much of a campaign , Go to the polls tomorrow and they'd win a Landslide , even bigger than all the other landslides they won

[halloween]

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

So you think PTP should continue ignoring rules of law and the voice of the minority?* Because that is the right strategy? And you can't understand why we have coups?

* Note that minority is a misnomer, as the last PTP government received 49% of the votes.

[halloween]

Skype may be down. Are the monthly cheques still coming?

[rametindallas]

I'm not in the dark the least bit about the future of the PT party. It will most certainly be dissolved by the EC after the shenanigans involved in their changing the wording of an Amnesty bill between the first reading and the second/third readings, telling the Democrats to go home saying there would be no vote that night, and then voting (nearly unanimously) in the wee hours of the morning on the changed version of the bill to then send to the Senate. There are many other actions by this 'Thaksin nominee/puppet' party that are also actionable if that weren't enough. The NACC will ban many of them soon, anyway. Fair or not, Thaksin is toast and the Junta will not hold elections until they are very sure he is finished as a political force.

Edited January 24, 2015 by rametindallas

[rametindallas]

The very fact that a political party is run by a single family just says it all for me, one is a convicted criminal on the run living abroad who still has more serious charges to answer, another who pretended to be PM when we all know she wasn't and various other relatives positioned as high ranking officials in key jobs throughout the police and ministry - no wonder people are crying out for democracy in this country - if it happens it will be the first time ever

Don't forget the faction controlled by Thaksin's sister with the LARGE profile.

[rametindallas]

This is the future of PTP: NACC to go after 38 ex-senators and 268 former MPs http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/794334-nacc-to-go-after-38-ex-senators-and-268-former-mps/

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

So your saying it's the right strategy to ignore laws .....?

[Caveat Emptor]

Didn't Thaksin tell his people not to oppose the junta just a few weeks ago ?

So if they react it's not his fault is it ? They never work out how much they get used

[trogers]

Running around the yard like a headless chicken?

Have someone lost a bomb in the oil and commodities market?

[Bakseeda]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

Go back to Skool S/P... should be "they are" but this begs the question, Did you ever go to school..?

[binjalin]

I don't think they will be allowed to run (as they would win) and so I am expecting the Junta to reorganize things and only when they are certain PTP cannot win will they have an election

It 'could be' (I don't know) that all political parties are banned and only individuals can stand after going through some sort of 'process'. This would ensure the yellows could stack any future parliament with their 'faithful fascists'.

One things for sure they are working hard to have their own democracy 'Thai style' (translated = no democracy) and they will claim it's 'within the law and constitution' which they will invent of course.

another prediction : it will be Hobson's Choice (again) when voting on the constitution - don't vote it in the Army stays, no counter arguments or campaigning and certainly no freedom of speech - job done.

[bridge2bridge]

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

So you think PTP should continue ignoring rules of law and the voice of the minority?* Because that is the right strategy? And you can't understand why we have coups?

* Note that minority is a misnomer, as the last PTP government received 49% of the votes.

And they BOUGHT 40% of them.

[Jip99]

I don't think they will be allowed to run (as they would win) and so I am expecting the Junta to reorganize things and only when they are certain PTP cannot win will they have an election

It 'could be' (I don't know) that all political parties are banned and only individuals can stand after going through some sort of 'process'. This would ensure the yellows could stack any future parliament with their 'faithful fascists'.

One things for sure they are working hard to have their own democracy 'Thai style' (translated = no democracy) and they will claim it's 'within the law and constitution' which they will invent of course.

another prediction : it will be Hobson's Choice (again) when voting on the constitution - don't vote it in the Army stays, no counter arguments or campaigning and certainly no freedom of speech - job done.

Yep.... seems to be working OK at the moment.

Democracy that is bought for 500 Baht is no democracy at all.

The junta is having a decent stab at tackling corruption (a thankless/futile task in a country where it is endemic/cultural) and until those, in politics etc, who have financially raped this country have been removed from positions of power/control Thailand may fare just as well under the junta.

[lewy67]

Former Democrat MP Nipit Intarasombat said Pheu Thai had come to a crossroads where important decisions would have to be made before it could re-emerge.

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

So this snake from the Democrats questions PTPs democratic legitimacy. That's amazing given the result of the last election that the notorious Democrats didn't boycott, that is, PTP 265 seat won with 48.41% of the vote, Dems 159 seats with 35.15% of the vote.

​No the PTP can not press on ignoring the rule of law or the voice of the people, either minority or majority, but The Democrats can. The Democrat, Military elite, Bangkok elite, PDRC, yellow shirt cabal ignore the rule or law and seize power by shoving guns in peoples faces - Where is the rule of law here? Where is respecting the voice of the people (minority or majority) as expressed through the 2011 election here?

So what he is really saying is that when it suits us the rule of law must be followed, except by us, because we have the guns, we have the power and although we'll never have the numbers, we are the chosen few.

Edited January 25, 2015 by lewy67

[ratcatcher]

PHEU THAI politicians are in the dark .

]

Yes indeed and surrounded by.................

[Robroona]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

SP, you got in early with this one, post #3. You are usually about post #5 on any thread which affects your beloved Shinawatras. Think it is time for you to smell the coffee.

[AleG]

The very fact that a political party is run by a single family just says it all for me, one is a convicted criminal on the run living abroad who still has more serious charges to answer, another who pretended to be PM when we all know she wasn't and various other relatives positioned as high ranking officials in key jobs throughout the police and ministry - no wonder people are crying out for democracy in this country - if it happens it will be the first time ever

The reason PTP (and previous incarnations) exists is that Thaksin bought different political factions to build up a party; he was limited on the amount and means of graft as a private citizen, so the next logical step was to cut the middle man and take control of government directly.

It was never about Democracy or helping the Thai people, but all about control. Some time ago I read an editorial that put it in very clear terms, something along the lines of: before Thaksin everyone was taking an apple or two from the tree, when he came he fenced off the tree and put up a sign saying "Property of Shin Corp."

[rubl]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

Even the BanfkokPost seems biassed these days. They wrote that Pheu Thai party is known to be run by it's de-facto leader Thaksin. Surely even in a non-democracy Thailand is at the moment criminal fugitives cannot be involved in such high-standing parties which like to claim democratic legitimacy ?

[Eric Loh]

Phue Thai may be disarrayed but never count them out even without Thaksin. As long as there are hatred and mistrust of the people especially the North and Northeast for the military and the elites, it will galvanized their voting decision. This impeachment only strengthened their resolve that the elites have again robbed them of their democractic rights. Whether TRT, PPP, PT to perhaps another party,the same voting pattern emerged as past witnessed. Thaksin may not have the will to be involved directly but just his endorsement of the party and leaders will be enough to draw massive supporters. He is not the only billionaire in the party and financing the party is not a major problem. The junta can re-write the charter to favor small parties; they can't re-write the personal feelings and anger of the majority of voters. The real problem in Thailand are the meddling elites and their army.

[Baerboxer]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

Even the BanfkokPost seems biassed these days. They wrote that Pheu Thai party is known to be run by it's de-facto leader Thaksin. Surely even in a non-democracy Thailand is at the moment criminal fugitives cannot be involved in such high-standing parties which like to claim democratic legitimacy ?

Uncle Rubl, you don't understand. The conviction of Thaksin was political, nothing to do with the crime he committed. All the 15 serious outstanding charges are all trumped up and all politically motivated. All is dealings, that benefited him and his family and usually at vast expense to the Thai people, were just good shrewd business dealings.

He'd come back and robustly defend and appeal, but everyone knows the whole justice system is stacked and biased against Thaksin and his honest family, which is why they have so many convictions.

How they managed to become multi billionaires against this background of bias speaks volumes for their wonderful business acumen and skill.

Easy to understand why so many tolerate a convicted fugitive criminal, on the run from his sentence and the 15 outstanding charges, running a political party, and even a cabinet when his party were in power.

[lucky11]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

Can I ask you a simple question Mr. Parrot.

Do you think that Thaksin's involvement in politics has been good for Thailand? If so, which I'm guessing to be the case as you seem to be his number one supporter for some unfathomable reason!!

Then explain what good he has done in the last 15 - 20 years of his involvement/disruption in the nation's history.

You can make your resume brief (as I'm sure it will be) and I'll give you a bit of time to unearth some tit-bits on Wikipedia.

Stutter away and I'm interested to see just what you come up with!!

[djjamie]

Yes, only a fool would think they are still popular or relevant after the contempt they held for the voters. Their voters. The intimidation, the promises of payments that never came (before the PDRC started protesting), ignoring the majorities wishes though policies, not representing the voice of the majority in parliament. They all have consequences and the results of their blatant disregard for the majority is finally coming home to roost.

Heck they disrespect the majority so much they have already boxed the next election loss up to the Junta further showing hope much disdain they have for any majority that does not support the PTP. Quite sad really and is more reflective of radical fundamentalists. Of course if the majority DO vote for the PTP then they will cheer, gloat, celebrate and welcome the election as a wonderful democratic process. BUT as I stated if they don't win. Then complete refusal to accept the result. Some on here cannot make it any clearer that they support democracy when it suits them and make excuses for it when it doesn't.

They are the ones I pity the most.