Don’t betray your voters, ‘Madame Dear’ tells Democrat Party
High-profile party member urges party leaders to maintain their ideology and not consider joining Pheu Thai-led coalition as it would only erode public trust
The Democrat Party should take care not to betray its supporters by joining the Pheu Thai-led coalition government, Watanya “Madame Dear” Bunnag warned in a Facebook post.
Watanya, a Democrat member, posted the warning on Tuesday amid speculation that the party’s executive board under the leadership of Chalermchai Sri-on would seek to join the coalition.
This speculation came after Democrat MPs abstained in line with the board’s decision when the House voted to elect Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister on Friday.
In her post, Watanya noted that during the campaign for the 2023 general election, she and other Democrats had coined the slogan “Democrats are Equal to the People”. Hence, she said, it’s wrong to betray people’s wishes.
“Although we didn’t win enough seats to form a government like in the past, we are still proud and still adhere to the stance that we will comply with the voices of the people and not seek power for the sake of personal interest,” Watanya posted.
Watanya was blocked by Chalermchai’s faction to contest for the party’s leadership in December last year on grounds that she did not qualify in terms of her years as member. After Chalermchai won the leadership, former Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva quit the party as he foresaw the new leader trying to join the Pheu Thai coalition. Abhisit saw this as unacceptable.
In her Facebook post, Watanya noted that the Democrat Party has held its place as a political institution for over 70 years not out of luck or coincidence.
“The party has been adhering to its ideology, not to play politics to seek power and vested interest,” she said.
She added that the party has been building its reputation for decades now. “If the Democrat deteriorates, it won’t be because of its age but because the party’s ideology has changed,” Watanya’s post read.
She reminded the party’s executives to think about the supporters who had voted for the party when it was hit by political storms.
She said if the executives thought about these loyal voters, “they will see their hearts and eyes. They chose us because they want to walk along with the party. They believe in the party and want us to become a great political institution again”.
Watanya added that this fight for power will make the Democrat Party lose its supporters as they will see it as a party that failed to keep its ideology and words. “So, it won’t be able to keep people’s faith,” she said.
