111 banned execs wait to plan their future
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The 111 former executives of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party, who have got together to form a group known as House No 111, are scheduled to meet next Wednesday to discuss their future activities once their political ban is lifted on May 30.
Many are also interested in finding out who will join the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
“We have contacted all the factions, including Bhum Jai Thai’s key member Newin Chidchob. It’s up to them to decide if they want to join the meeting. We have invited them all to come and discuss what we should do to celebrate. According to Thai tradition, we should make merit when we are freed,” Pinit Jarusombat said.
At a press conference after the 111 Thai Rak Thai Foundation’s weekly meeting, Wichit Plangsrisakul refused to confirm if the party’s founder and former PM Thaksin Shinawatra would be joining the meeting via video link, saying that he had not been invited. Wichit is secretary-general of the foundation.
The 111 party executives lost their voting rights for five years after Thai Rak Thai Party was dissolved on May 30, 2007 owing to electoral fraud allegation.
Wichit said 65 of the 111 have decided to join Pheu Thai Party, adding that they would not be interfering in Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s decisions related to the Cabinet reshuffle.
“Many of the House No 111 members were former MPs and ministers for several terms. People might consider them reliable and expect them to solve problems. Hence, many people might be worried about losing their posts,” Wichit said.
He added that the 111 executives would help with Pheu Thai’s campaign in the upcoming Chiang Mai by-election and would also introduce reforms so the party makes space for public participation instead of just focusing on the red shirts. Also, he said, they would advise Yingluck on issues such as rising commodity prices. He went on to explain that the new structure of the party would be different from that of Thai Rak Thai and the scope of responsibilities for each person would be made clearer.
Ekkaparp Pholsue, a former Thai Rak Thai executive from the Wang Payanak faction, said faction leaders Pinit and Preecha Laohapongchana would most likely join Pheu Thai because they believed in its motto. However, since they are also key people behind Chart Pattana Party, they would first have to discuss their move with the party’s de facto leader Suwat Liptapanlop.
Meanwhile, few people attended the foundation’s meeting yesterday, while those who did show up, like Bhokin Balakula, refused to speak to the press. Some sources, who asked not to be named, said the absentees were probably in Beijing meeting Thaksin.
However, Wichit said eight members of House No 111 would go to play golf in Kunming next week and were not expected to meet the former PM there.
Separately, red-shirt leader Suporn Atthawong said only members of House No 111 should be attending the meeting next Wednesday, though he personally did not think Newin should be welcomed.
“Newin once said [to Thaksin] it’s over, boss. Today I want to say, ‘it’s over for you’. I know Newin desperately wants to join Pheu Thai, but party members will just not accept him,” Suporn said.
He said it was possible that the House No 11 might decide to celebrate the lifting of the ban after June 2 – once the Chiang Mai by-election is over.
After the People Power Party, a reincarnation of Thai Rak Thai, was dissolved in 2008, Newin – formerly a close aide to Thaksin – defected to establish Bhum Jai Thai Party, which joined the Democrat-led coalition the same year.
