Banned ex-TRT executives set to shake up the government
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Dozens of former executive members of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party held a meeting this week to discuss their future as the five-year political ban imposed on them by the Constitution Court is set to expire at the end of this month.
The ruling Pheu Thai Party is the successor of Thak Rak Thai, after the latter was disbanded more than five years ago after being found guilty of election fraud.
As a result of that ruling, a total of 111 former executive members of Thai Rak Thai were banned from taking up political posts for five years.
This week’s meeting of the former TRT executives was chaired by Somchai Wongsawat, a brother-in-law of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
According to Chaturon Chaisaeng, a former deputy premier, these former TRT executives discussed what to do next after their political ban is lifted.
Chaturon is heading a working group of seven people who will consider a wide range of ideas and proposals, with many of the 111 former TRT executive members now preparing to join the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
Pheu Thai itself is set for a major revamp as these ex-TRT members are now free to take up political posts.
Their return to politics will likely shake up the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Yingluck’s elder brother, Thaksin, who lives in exile abroad, said he will phone in to a reception in Bangkok on May 30 to welcome his former aides and colleagues back to politics.
Pheu Thai Party sources said the country’s five regions will be divided into a total of 19 zones in the major revamp so that Thaksin and his family can better control the ruling party following the return of the 111 to the political arena.
Some current members of the Yingluck Cabinet are now worried that they will be removed to open the way for the more experienced members of Thai Rak Thai to take up government portfolios.
As the government faces increasing public pressure over the issue of the soaring cost of living – due to higher prices of food and other necessary daily items – economic and related portfolios will be reshuffled, including the Commerce and Finance ministries.
To welcome the 111 former members of TRT back to politics, the Pheu Thai Party will hold the reception at its head office on May 30, and the event will be attended by most of the former veteran politicians.
Pongsak Rattanapongpaisan, a former transport minister; Jaturon Chaisaeng, a former education minister; Prommin Lertsuriyadej, a former deputy premier; Pongthep Thepkanjana, a former justice minister; Sudarat Keyuraphun, a former health minister; Suriya Jueng-rungruangkij, another former transport minister; Surakiat Sathienthai, a former foreign minister are among the 111 who were banned from taking up political posts over the past five years.
While Prime Minister Yingluck has welcomed the 111 former executives back to the political arena and said that they are welcome to join the ruling party, she said there is no immediate plan to reshuffle the Cabinet as has been widely speculated in the media.
She said the timing for Cabinet inclusion is not right yet as Pheu Thai needs to be restructured first to consolidate the power base of Thaksin and his family.
