Return on banned 111 won't have big impact
The ending in May of the five-year political ban against 111 Thai Rak Thai Party executives will not redraw the political landscape as only 20 or so could stage a comeback, a sidelined executive said yesterday.
“Five years is a long time in politics and many barred executives will have to find their way back,” Anutin Charnvirakul said.
The anxiety over possible political volatility was unwarranted, as most of the 111 executives might not re-enter politics, he added.
Although he now works for the Bhum Jai Thai Party, he still respects former prime minister and Thai Rak Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra.
He would not rule out serving Thaksin again in the future.
“Everything is possible in politics,” he said.
Bhum Jai Thai parted ways with Pheu Thai for political expediency and not personal animosity, he said.
All sides should not to allow their grudges to cloud their judgement in regard to amending the charter.
Rival camps should bury the hatchet so that the country can move on, he said.
His alliance with another barred executive, Newin Chidchob, will remain intact and continue to be strong following the expiry of the ban, he said, adding that he was looking forward to working with Newin to build the Bhum Jai Thai Party.
Somsak Thepsuthin, a Bhum Jai Thai faction leader, vowed to resume his political career under his party’s banner after the ban.
There was no point in asking him whether his faction would join the Pheu Thai-led coalition before the departure of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, he said.
“I think it’s easier to predict a fallen sky than to speculate about Chart Thai Pattana leaving the government,” he said.
The Pheu Thai-Chart Thai Pattana alliance left no room to accommodate his faction, he said.
