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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024425

Prayut boasts of his achievements as he starts campaigning for votes

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023

Speaking for the first time as a member of the United Thai Nation Party (UTN), Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thailand will improve further over the next two years under his auspices.

In his campaign speech in Chumphon on Saturday, Prayut also said he will not forget his promise to do his best for the country.

“If we do not continue paving the road, we will not arrive at our destination,” he said, adding that he decided to join UTN because he believes in the party’s ideology.

Prayut also listed his government’s achievements, saying it has done more for the country than its predecessors, especially in improving infrastructure and tackling floods.

“We are building the jigsaw puzzle of your country,” he said, adding that he has been paying attention to all sectors.

He also promised to keep the “Khon La Khrueng” (Let’s Go Halves) subsidy scheme and the state welfare card alive if he returns as premier.

He also said the double-track railway to Chumphon should be ready within this year.

In addition, Prayut highlighted the work his government has done in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and its achievement in restoring ties with Saudi Arabia, which had been strained for more than 30 years.

Now, he said, foreign investments are pouring in.

“We must help each other to build up our country,” he added.

Upon wrapping up the campaign, Prayut said he was excited but admitted that he had to be careful because as premier, everybody was keeping an eye on him.

He added that he loves everybody and that UTC will soon announce its next campaign destination. He also said the has no plans to dissolve the Parliament and that it will end is tenure on March 23 and make way for the May 7 general election.

Related stories:

No House dissolution to escape showdown with opposition: Prayut

Prayut touts efforts to promote human rights, ensure equity

Prayut expects Thailand to become top destination for Chinese group tours now that restrictions are lifted

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024419

Only 3 parties can contest all 400 constituencies in the next election: EC

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023

If the House of Representatives was dissolved today, only three political parties would be able to field candidates in all 400 constituencies in the upcoming general election, Election Commission secretary-general Sawang Boonmee said on Saturday.

He did not name the three political parties, but said they all have branches or representative offices in every province and, therefore, are eligible to field candidates in every constituency.

Only the Democrat, Pheu Thai, and Palang Pracharath parties have branches in every province.

Eighty-three other parties registered with the Election Commission – including Ruam Thai Sang Chart (United Thai Nation), which is expected to nominate Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as its PM candidate for the next election – have not set up branches in all provinces.

The law also requires political parties to hold primary votes among their members to select their election candidates in the constituencies they plan to contest.

Sawang said that it generally takes about 20 days for a political party to complete the six to seven steps primary voting requires.

The next national vote is tentatively scheduled for May 7, after the House of Representatives’ four-year term ends on March 23. However, PM Prayut has the power to trigger an early election with a House dissolution.

Sawang said last week that the Election Commission needs time to designate the boundary of constituencies in line with the amended electoral law, which is awaiting royal endorsement.

“We will have 25 days after the law takes effect to designate constituencies. If the House was dissolved now, there would be no constituencies and candidates’ applications would be affected,” he said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024414

Pheu Thai opts not to counter Jatuporn’s damaging allegations

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023

A key figure in the opposition Pheu Thai Party has declined to publicly spar with an outspoken former colleague, Jatuporn Prompan, who made a series of damaging claims against the party and its patriarch – former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

“The Pheu Thai Party has no policy of countering allegations or getting involved in exchanges of arguments with Jatuporn or anyone else,” Nattawut Saikua, director of the Pheu Thai Family, said on Friday evening.

Pheu Thai is focused on election campaigning, he said.

Nattawut also asked Jatuporn to stop alleging that Phue Thai has, among other things, made a deal to form a coalition with the ruling party.

Jatuporn and Nattawut were key leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, also known as the red shirts, formed by loyal supporters of Thaksin and his proxy Pheu Thai.

Their strong support was credited with the party’s electoral wins over the past decade.

Nattawut said that if the red shirts voted for another political party in the “pro-democracy camp”, he believed it would not be because of the allegations made by Jatuporn.

“I am convinced that most red shirts still believe in the Pheu Thai Party. After the House dissolution, I would like to ask our red-shirt brothers and sisters to join hands with us again,” he said.

The politician also said that Pheu Thai’s goal was to win a landslide victory in the next general election.

The goal is not to “bring Thaksin home” but to send the remnants of the post-coup junta back to their homes, he claimed.

Earlier, Jatuporn demanded that the main opposition party issue a public declaration that it would not form an alliance with the ruling Palang Pracharath Party after the upcoming general election.

He also accused fugitive former premier Thaksin of repeatedly betraying the red shirts, who were his loyal supporters and helped vote his proxy Pheu Thai into power.

Jatuporn said that Pheu Thai had been in government for just a few years before Thaksin wasted its election victory by having it push a 2013 bill to grant amnesty to anyone involved in the political conflict – including those accused of murder and corruption. 

Many viewed the bill as a deliberate move to benefit Thaksin.

It led to massive street protests against the government led by Thaksin’s youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra.

The protests and ensuing violence culminated in a military coup in May 2014 – which Jatuporn said resulted in eight “wasted years” for Thailand under coup-leader Prayut’s rule.

Jatuporn warned that history would repeat itself if Pheu Thai returned to power and made the same amnesty move again.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024399

Thaksin’s daughter rejects rumours of a secret deal for his return to Thailand

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023

Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Friday dismissed rumours of a political deal between the opposition Pheu Thai Party and the ruling Palang Pracharath Party to facilitate her exiled father’s return to Thailand.

“Honestly speaking, there has been no such deal. Pheu Thai is now focusing on campaigning to win a landslide victory [in the upcoming general election,” she said.

Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of Pheu Thai patriarch and former premier Thaksin Sinawatra, said that she would focus on addressing people’s problems, and not on “bringing Thaksin home”, as that was a different matter.

“My dad has been abroad for 17 years already. He should have his own method and process [of returning to Thailand]. I respect his decision. And he already has said that he would not involve any political party,” Paetongtarn said.

She was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the party’s first electoral campaign in the northeastern province of Loei.

Paetongtarn, who holds the position of Pheu Thai Family head, told party supporters in an earlier rally that it was time for her father to “return home” so that he could meet his grandchildren in Thailand.

There were rumours that a secret deal was reached between Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharath to form a coalition government after the election to pave the way for Thaksin’s return to Thailand without having to serve his prison terms.

Thaksin, who was deposed in a military coup in 2006, has been sentenced to at least 10 years in jail for abuse of power and other charges stemming from his time in power. He has lived in self-imposed exile since 2008.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai leader Chonlanan Srikaew said on Friday that the party already has finalised names of three prime ministerial candidates for the next election. However, Pheu Thai has no need to announce its nominations as the party was already following the “voice of the people” by listening to its supporters and the results of opinion surveys, he added.

Paetongtarn is expected to be one of the three PM candidates. Property tycoon Srettha Thavisin is tipped to be the second PM nominee. It remains unclear if Chonlanan will be its third candidate.

The election is tentatively scheduled for May 7 after the current House of Representatives’ four-year term ends on March 23. However, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has the power to trigger an early election with a House dissolution.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024394

Prawit named as Palang Pracharath’s sole PM candidate

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023

Palang Pracharath leader General Prawit Wongsuwan will be the party’s sole prime ministerial candidate at the next general election, it was announced on Friday.

The ruling party became the first to clearly announce its PM candidate.

Deputy party leader Paiboon Nititawan said on Friday that Palang Pracharath decided to announce its PM nominee before the electoral decree is issued because it wanted to “do things in a transparent manner”.

Prawit, who currently serves as deputy prime minister, was voted Palang Pracharath’s sole PM candidate at its general meeting on Friday.

“General Prawit is the suitable person to be the party’s only prime ministerial candidate. We believe that he will definitely become the country’s 30th prime minister,” Paiboon said.

If his prediction comes true, Prawit will replace the current prime minister, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the country’s 29th leader.

Prayut was Palang Pracharath’s sole PM candidate for the previous election in 2019 despite being neither an MP nor an executive member of the party.

However, Prayut joined new party Ruam Thai Sang Chart (United Thai Nation) early this month and is expected to become its sole PM candidate for the next election.

The Election is tentatively scheduled for May 7 after the current House of Representatives’ four-year term ends on March 23. However, Prayut has the power to trigger an early election with a House dissolution.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024374

House meeting collapses again due to lack of quorum in tit for tat by opposition

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Another meeting of the House of Representatives collapsed on Thursday due to a lack of quorum just as the lower House was about to start its debate on whether to endorse a report on the development of the Thai bureaucracy.

MP Ubolsak Bualuang-ngam, from the opposition Pheu Thai Party, sought a count, arguing that the number of participating lawmakers was unlikely to form a quorum.

Deputy House Speaker Suphachai Phosu, who was chairing the meeting at the time, dismissed his request, saying that the current House’s term was running out and that MPs should work as much as possible during the remaining time.

Ubolsak’s fellow-Pheu Thai MP, Pichet Chuamuangphan, later rose to back his call for a quorum count. Pichet said that ruling coalition MPs had failed to attend the House meeting on January 25 when the opposition had moved a motion.

“Today, coalition MPs have to take the responsibility of forming a quorum. It’s not that opposition MPs have to attend while coalition MPs are absent,” Pichet said.

Suphachai, the meeting chair, said that both opposition and coalition MPs are equally responsible for their parliamentary duties. He asked Ubolsak to withdraw his request.

However, Ubolsak refused to do so, prompting the meeting chair to call a quorum count.

Deputy House Speaker Suchart Tonjaroen, who took over from Suphachai as the meeting chair, announced that 153 MPs had registered their attendance during the quorum count, 62 short of the required number of 215.

Suchart later declared the meeting adjourned, only six minutes after he took over from Suphachai.

Many lawmakers were present inside the chamber but reportedly did not electronically register their attendance.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024357

No House dissolution to escape showdown with opposition: Prayut

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has vowed not to dissolve the House of Representatives to escape a showdown with the opposition, a top official said on Thursday.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri quoted Prayut as saying that he was ready to participate in the debate with the opposition and he was confident of answering all their questions.

The opposition has invoked Section 152 of the Constitution to seek a general debate without voting at the end of the debate.

The coalition and opposition whips have agreed to hold the debate on February 15 and 16.

When submitting the motion late last month, the opposition vowed to “unmask” Prayut, who is regarded by his supporters as a “good man”. The opposition also vowed to “cleanse” Thailand of “contamination” in politics caused by Prayut.

Anucha said on Thursday that Prayut would use the debate as an opportunity to inform the public of the achievements of his administration.

“The prime minister has affirmed his readiness to answer all the questions, especially about the government’s performance,” Anucha said.

He said Prayut would take the chance to inform the public of the progress of the government’s 12 urgent policies.

“The prime minister has been working with transparency, integrity and accountability as well as good governance. The prime minister always gives priority to the people’s and national interests so he is confident that he would be able to respond to all issues raised,” the spokesman said.

Related story:

Opposition leader vows to cleanse Thailand of ‘contamination’ as rhetoric turns extreme ahead of next election

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024355

No way for Thaksin to escape jail if he returns, says ex-minister and legal expert

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

An ex-Democrat MP and legal expert taunted fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Thursday, declaring he could fly anywhere in the world but would land in jail if he returns to Thailand.

“Khun Thaksin is still a rich man who can fly anywhere in the world – except Thailand,” said Nipit Intarasombat, an eight-time MP for Phatthalung.

“He can’t land here yet. All he can do is look down on his motherland when his plane flies past,” Nipit, a former culture minister and deputy Democrat leader, said in a Facebook post.

Nipit was responding to Thaksin’s bold announcement on Tuesday night that he would “definitely return” to Thailand this year.

Thaksin, who was ousted by the 2006 coup and then fled a corruption case ruling in 2008, said his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, would announce his return.

Paetongtarn is tipped to become the Pheu Thai Party’s prime ministerial candidate and is the most popular choice for PM in almost all recent public opinion polls.

Nipit said his legal knowledge offered no solutions on how Thaksin could return to Thailand without having to serve jail terms for multiple corruption cases. The former PM has been sentenced to a total of 10 years in jail.

Nipit said he could not figure out how Pheu Thai, which is known to be under Thaksin’s command, could provide a no-jail solution for Thaksin even if it scored a landslide victory in the upcoming election.

Most legal verdicts against Thaksin involved corruption, he said.

“No one would dare to pass a bill absolving him of these crimes since it would also free many other convicts jailed for corruption, including permanent officials and politicians,” Nipit said.

The public would not tolerate such an amnesty, he added.

Nipit also speculated that Thaksin may want to seek a royal pardon. However, in this scenario the former PM would have to wait for verdicts in several pending cases against him before he could receive a pardon.

In this case, Thaksin would have to re-enter the judicial process in Thailand.

“But when the court prepared to convict him, wouldn’t he flee again?” Nipit asked.

Related story:

Thaksin says daughter will announce his return to Thailand this year

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024324

Thaksin says daughter will announce his return to Thailand this year

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2023

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra insists his return to Thailand will come without help from Pheu Thai or the ruling Palang Pracharath Party and will be announced by his daughter Paetongtarn.

Thaksin made the latest declaration on returning to his homeland during a discussion on the Clubhouse social media app on Tuesday night.

It came amid rumours that Palang Pracharat and Pheu Thai have done a deal for Thaksin to return after the general election, scheduled for May.

The former PM was answering questions from supporters in a live session held by the CARE Kid Kluan Thai (Think and Move Thailand) Facebook page.

Asked when he would return to Thailand, Thaksin revealed that he suffered an illness last year that disrupted his plans to come back.

“I intended to do so and I sped up oxygen treatment before the year-end. But the situation remained dangerous and my children had concerns over my safety,” he said. The ex-PM did not reveal why he needed oxygen therapy, though he reportedly caught Covid-19 last year.

“Anyway, I can confirm that I’ll definitely return and I want to emphasize here that I won’t be seeking help from any political party, including Pheu Thai. I’ll depend on my own heart, so don’t worry about me.”

Thaksin asked supporters to listen out for an announcement by his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn, who is set to be unveiled as Pheu Thai’s candidate for prime minister at the next election.

“Ing [Paetongtarn] will announce when I’ll be back,” Thaksin added.

The former prime minister said no amnesty law would be enacted to pardon him and Pheu Thai would not seek compromise with Palang Pracharath over an amnesty.

“I depend on myself. I won’t beg for help from [Palang Pracharath]. I can help myself and I’ll definitely return,” he declared.

Complaining of persecution by Thai authorities during his exile, he said he would return to his homeland to defend himself.

Thaksin was ousted in a military coup on September 19, 2006 while attending a UN meeting in New York. He returned in April 2008 to a hero’s welcome only to flee from a corruption trial in August 2008. He was eventually sentenced to a total of 10 years in jail.

An amnesty push by the government of his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, sparked street protests that culminated in the 2014 coup led by then Army chief Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.

On Tuesday, former red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan alleged that Thaksin had betrayed his supporters before the coup by compromising with Prayut to block red shirts from protesting.

Jatuporn said Prayut had been able to stage the coup only because Thaksin had done a deal with him to halt any red-shirt mass protests.

Jatuporn also claimed that Thaksin had neutralised the red-shirt movement after it helped his proxy Pheu Thai party to win power.

He added that including Thaksin as a beneficiary of the amnesty push had triggered its failure, leaving many of the red shirts who should have been pardoned for political offences in jail.

Asked to comment on Jatuporn’s claims, Thaksin shrugged off the allegations.

“It’s okay. It’s natural. I want to tell red shirts that humanity does matter and all understand it, including the love for democracy,” he replied.

“People seek many ways to survive and I don’t mind if they attack me.”

Thaksin said he was confident that the “pro-democracy side”, or Pheu Thai and the Move Forward Party, would win over 300 House seats at the election, citing recent opinion polls.

As a result, the pro-democracy faction would definitely win the election and form the next coalition government, he added.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024276

Senate panel proposes 500 baht government travel allowance for voters

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023

A Senate panel on Monday proposed that the government pay each eligible voter a travel allowance of 500 baht as an incentive for them to exercise their right to vote.

The proposal was made by the Senate committee on political developments and public inclusion.

The panel has compiled a list of suggestions for making future elections clean and fair.

The proposals were presented to the Senate meeting by Seri Suwanphanon, chairman of the committee.

Seri said a travel allowance of 500 baht would encourage voters to go to polling stations. The government would need a budget of about 20 billion baht for the allowance.

The panel also proposed changes to the electoral method, using only one ballot for constituency MP election and no ballot for party-list election.

The current method was amended recently from one-ballot to a two-ballot system. The amendments will take effect for the upcoming election, tentatively scheduled for May 7.

The current Senate is known to be dominated by senators appointed by the 2014 coup-makers, led by then Army chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is now the prime minister. The post-coup charter was seen as being written to use a one-ballot system to weaken large parties so that Prayut would have a better chance of becoming the prime minister.

The Senate panel also proposed that MPs who quit before completing the term, must shoulder the cost of holding by-elections.

After the panel presented the report, Senate Speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholchai warned senators against carrying out activities that would affect the upcoming MPs’ election.

Pornpetch also warned the senators against interferring in the work of the government.

He told the senators that once the House finishes its four-year tenure on March 22, the Senate cannot hold meetings until the new House is elected, unless the King grants permission for holding a special Senate meeting.