THE NEXT ELECTION is still far away, possibly not before February next year, according to the prime minister, but some newborn parties have begun introducing themselves as an alternative to the usual voting options, while many of the established political parties have plans to revitalise themselves and be more competitive.

That includes the established Chart Thai Pattana Party, founded by the late former leader and prime minister Banharn Silpa-archa, whose powerful personality dominated the party and its predecessor Chart Thai Party for more than 20 years.

The original Chart Thai Party, known for its “old-style” politics, was dissolved due to election fraud and reinvented itself with “Pattana” in its name.

In a recent interview with The Nation, party adviser Varawut Silpa-archa announced a plan to rebrand his party by mixing “young blood” with seasoned politicians.

After the passing of his father in 2016, “Phu Yai” (senior politicians) in the party had discussed and agreed that they needed to revive the party by pushing young blood to the frontlines, Varawut said.

To move the country forward, “new things” must be created, he said.

“How do you shape the country by letting only senior people get involved? We need the young generation to be involved, too because they are the people who will live with it.”

Varawut was referring to the junta government’s 20-year strategic plan and accompanying reforms, which were drafted by senior experts.

“We also believe that more of the young generation will enter politics. So with our plan, we will have a new ‘product’ to offer voters,” he said.

The party plan will put its veteran politicians in back-up roles to the young ones.

“It’s like the Phu Yai will become the board of directors, while the young blood, aged around 30-45, will become the CEO, CFO or party leader, deputy leader and secretary-general,” the 44-year-old politician said.

Both sides will work in collaboration, he said.

He compared the seasoned seniors to an experienced “brain” with a store of background political knowledge, which the young blood could analyse and turn into new policies and approaches that avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

Several of the young blood are also experienced former party MPs, including Paradon and Korawee Prissanananthakul, sons of former party executive Somsak, and Samerkun Thiengtham, son of former party executive Jongchai.

There is also Siripong Angkasakulkiat, a second-generation business heir of the family behind the Sirimongkol Property company in Si Sa Ket. “And then there is me, of course,” said Varawut.

Most of them are heirs of old politicians, the former PM’s son conceded, while also brushing aside criticism that the party is becoming monopolised by political clans.

“We are people who have ties to voters in our political bases and will continue the tasks of our parents. That would be our advantage when the election campaign is kick-started,” he said.

If you are a brand-new young blood candidate you may win an election in Bangkok but voters in the provinces have totally different thinking and lifestyles, so understanding their values is vitally important, he said.

The announcement of the move to rebrand the party once nicknamed an “eel on skates” in an allusion to Banharn’s “slippery shrewdness” style of playing politics, came after the launch of the Future Forward Party of auto-parts billionaire Thanathorn Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit last month. The executive-turned-politician was seen by many as a young-blood new hope for Thai politics as he vowed to resurrect politics from its “lost decade” along with appealing to the youth vote.

To compete for a new generation of voters, the current Chart Thai Pattana leaders know they must be replaced by younger ones. Once the junta lifts its ban on political activities and allows existing parties to convene a meeting to appoint party executives, Varawut said he would have no hesitation in inheriting his father’s position.

“If the door is open and party members choose me as the party leader, I’m ready. If I am able to unite party members and move the party forward, I will accept the post,” said Varawut, adding that he would run as a constituency MP for Suphan Buri as in the past.

In the last election, his party won 19 seats but he is expecting to win around 30 in the next election.

Varawut argued that many things had changed since 2011, the year of the last election.

There have been changes in what voters think and what they want from their government, along with a large increase in the number of young people eligible to vote and an unexpected accompanying enthusiasm for politics.

“Our party is practical. We will present or say only what we can really implement,” said Varawut.

“We have seen many politicians who are good at talking but fail to carry it out.”

That approach is reflected in the party’s stance on whether it would support a non-elected MP, such as Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, to become prime minister after the next election. “I cannot give you the answer today if we would support Prayut as the next prime minister,” he said.

It depended on the situation, Varawut said, and it was still not clear if Prayut would accept a party’s offer to nominate him to be listed as a PM candidate.