Pheu Thai says joining election protests would be counter-productive
The Pheu Thai party is shunning a call from groups to join their protests against a delay in the general election, saying the campaign would only be weaker if politicians took part in the rallies.
A former Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Rai, Samart Kaewmeechai, said political parties had to abide by the law and needed to be extra-careful when taking any such action or they risked being dissolved.
“Please don’t say we [politicians] are doing nothing. It’s not fair to us. If we joined the protest held by students and other innocent forces, it would weaken their power to fight,” he said on Sunday.
Somkid Chuakong, a former Pheu Thai Party MP for Ubon Ratchathani, said he and his colleagues did not want the students’ movement to be seen as having politicians helping them behind the scenes or even having their financial support.
Pro-democracy groups on Saturday had announced that a series of peaceful protests would take place throughout February and March as a prelude to a larger demonstration in May to ask for a return to the democratic path and the holding of a general election as promised.
They also called on politicians and members of the public to participate in the protests.