Anek coy over support for Prayut return

ACT to hold first meeting tomorrow

The Action Coalition for Thailand (ACT) is set to hold its inaugural meeting tomorrow but prominent member Anek Laothamatas is remaining cautious as to whether it will support Gen Prayut Chano-cha as an outsider prime minister after the general election.

“The party executive committee will have to be the one to answer that question. I cannot answer that,” he said when asked to confirm the speculation at the Election Commission (EC).

Mr Anek was yesterday invited to lecture on political development at an event organised by the EC.

The speculation that the party will likely support Gen Prayut as an outsider PM stems from the party’s association with Suthep Thaugsuban, a former prominent Democrat politician and secretary-general of the now-defunct People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), who led the street protests against the Pheu Thai Party-led government that resulted in its downfall in the May 22, 2014 military coup staged by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

After the May 22, 2014 putsch, Mr Suthep has shied away from the political scene, but from time to time he has stepped up to endorse Gen Prayut to return as prime minister after the general election.

Political observers believe that the ACT Party is likely to be a reincarnation of the PDRC as the involvement of Mr Suthep has largely given the impression that it is “Suthep’s Party”.

Mr Anek, however, said from what he knows, Mr Suthep will only be involved as a party member, but will not take up an official position within the party.

“He doesn’t want to be appointed as a minister, but he is here to help the party,” said Mr Anek.

Meanwhile, Mr Anek said he will resign as chairman of the reform panel on politics to pursue politics full time.

On reports that he is being strongly touted as a candidate to lead the ACT, Mr Anek said he would only consider it after all the party members had convened and voted.

However, he said if he is not to be chosen as the party leader, he is still willing to work in another capacity. He said he wants to work as the director of the party’s “political school” where he can contribute to the development of both the party and Thai politics over the long term.

The party’s first meeting, which was approved by the NCPO, will be held tomorrow at Rangsit University. Mr Anek said about 250 party members will convene at the venue to introduce the party and discuss its ideologies ahead of its preparation for the election.

He said a meeting to choose a party leader and executive committee will be held over the next three months.

Mr Anek said his party wishes to give opportunities to people who have never worked in politics and aims to involve people from all walks of life including hill tribes, mixed race and people with disabilities.

Last week, Thaweesak Na Takuathung, Mr Suthep’s lawyer, filed an application with the Office of the Election Commission to register the party.

The ACT has 32 co-founders including Mr Suthep’s younger brother Thanee Thaugsuban. Mr Anek, however, was not listed among the co-founders.

Mr Thaweesak said earlier that although the ACT is not a stand-in for the PDRC nor a Democrat offshoot, its main policy is to materialise national reforms and carry on the ideologies of the PDRC.