Members in the dark on future of Pheu Thai

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.