Anger as MP defections set to harm Pheu Thai

THE PHEU THAI Party yesterday reacted angrily to alleged moves by a pro-junta political party to steal some of its former MPs, an effort that could weaken the former ruling party ahead of the next general election. Veteran politicians linked to the new party, called Palang Pracharat, are touring the Northeast reportedly to persuade former Pheu Thai MPs to defect and join the pro-junta party. The new party, named after the post-coup government’s populist development project, is linked to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and is believed to be backing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s return as government head after the next election, which is tentatively set for next February. The veteran politicians include Somsak Thepsuthin and Suriya Juengrungruangkit, who were both key figures in the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party. It was founded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is now Pheu Thai’s patriarch and is often referred to as “Big Boss” by its politicians. Somsak and Suriya have set up a group called “Sam Mit” (Three Friends), with the third “friend” reportedly being Somkid. They have managed to persuade all of Pheu Thai’s three former MPs in the northeastern Loei province to join the new party and they are eyeing more defections. Prayut yesterday denied any involvement with moves by Somsak and Suriya. He said many political parties are making moves and it was their business that he had nothing to do with. However, Pheu Thai says the people in power are linked to the ongoing moves. Pheu Thai secretary general Phumtham Wechayachai yesterday denounced former party MPs who have defected. He described them as “politicians who lack ideology” and can be bought easily. Phumtham said the moves to poach Pheu Thai’s former MPs were pushing the country back to “the same old rotten politics”. He said the attempts were part of the junta’s bid to “prolong their stay in power”, although he did not mention anyone by name. “People will make decisions and give lessons to the politicians who lack ideology,” Phumtham said. He implied that it was the party’s popularity, and not an individual politician’s popularity, that is the deciding factor in winning an election. In order to win the next election, the junta needs to weaken Pheu Thai, which under different titles – Thai Rak Thai and People Power – has won all general elections since 2001. Pheu Thai’s stronghold is in the North and Northeast, where the party won most of its MP seats. Mass defections could weaken Pheu Thai, although the party believes that new candidates could win back seats from defectors. Defections by incumbent and former MPs are nothing new in Thai politics. Pheu Thai itself has used the same tactic to help boost its chance of winning elections. Yutthaporn Issarachai, a political scientist at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said that MP defections were a common phenomenon. Most of the time, they shifted when they saw an opportunity to win seats and be part of a post-election coalition, he said. This time, former MPs migrating to a new or smaller party were a result of the current rules and regulations, he said. The Constitution, the organic laws, and the NCPO Order No 53/2560 have given parties an upper hand in forming a new government after the election, he added. However, this tactic did not necessarily guarantee success, he said. Voter behaviour changed significantly after the 1997 Constitution, he said. Rather than choosing local leaders they were familiar with, voters learned to give importance to the affiliation parties as well. “So, they may still lose, especially when they are in a party that is not recognised by the voters,” Yutthaporn said. “Pheu Thai, on the other hand, may not be that badly affected because some of these emigrating former MPs didn’t win all the elections in the past anyway.”