PM allows ministers to back parties
Calls mount for Prayut not to exploit power
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given the green light to his cabinet ministers to engage in political party activities, saying he does not mind if they support a political party of their choice as long as they do not break the law.
Gen Prayut made the remark yesterday as calls mount for him to play by the rules and not exploit his role as premier to gain an unfair advantage over other politicians in the run-up to the general election which is scheduled to take place on Feb 24.
All eyes will be on three cabinet ministers this coming Saturday when the Phalang Pracharat Party, known to be affiliated with the military regime, holds a general assembly to select a party leader and its executives.
When asked to comment on a report that some of his cabinet ministers would join Phalang Pracharat, Gen Prayut said that it would be okay for them to support the party.
“As long as they do not break the law, they can do,” the prime minister told reporters after chairing a cabinet meeting at Government House yesterday.
Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana, Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong, and PM’s Office Minister Kobsak Pootrakool are widely rumoured to be planning to step down and make an appearance at the Phalang Pracharat Party’s first gathering.
According to a source close to the three ministers, they are expected to join the party at its first official meeting after two of them gave hints about their political future.
While Mr Sontirat told the media he would very shortly announce his political future, Mr Kobsak was quoted as telling the media to “hold their breath” for a surprise on Saturday.
The trio has been linked to the newly registered party from the start, and Saturday’s general assembly, which is to take place at Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi province, is likely to set the record straight.
Mr Uttama is speculated to be named as the party leader, Mr Sontirat as the party’s secretary-general and Mr Kobsak as the party’s spokesman, according to the same source.
On Monday, Mr Kobsak admitted he is ready to accept the post of Phalang Pracharat Party spokesman if he is offered the role.
The Phalang Pracharat Party was registered with the Election Commission in early March of this year, and is seen as a potential vehicle to support Gen Prayut’s return to power if he wishes to.
The party’s name is the same as the government’s Pracharat people-state partnership development programme.
Legal expert Jade Donavanik said yesterday while the constitution does not forbid cabinet ministers from engaging in political party activities as party executives or members, the charter does say cabinet ministers must not mix their ministerial duties with party affairs because this will constitute a conflict of interest in violation of the charter.
In the event cabinet ministers are not party members but use government policies to direct party affairs, this could make a party vulnerable to dissolution, Mr Jade said.
This is because the constitution’s organic law on political parties prohibits a party from consenting to influence by an outsider, an offence that may lead to party dissolution, he said.
Meanwhile, the prime minister also insisted he was unfazed by any pressure and was ready to take on a challenge if he decided to embark upon a political career path.
“I assure you I have no fears,” Gen Prayut said. “I have been around for four years now. I have been adjusting all along and have made considerable improvements. You can see that I have mellowed now. I am not as abrasive as before. Whatever happens, I need to control myself especially when it comes to politics.’’
Critics noted that the political landscape would be different after the polls when Gen Prayut no longer has Section 44 powers and full military support.
An elected government will come under close scrutiny from the opposition and face pressure from coalition partners, while street protests and gatherings to lodge complaints would be the norm.
Gen Prayut said on Tuesday he was interested in politics, a remark which critics took as a hint that he will seek a return to power after the general election.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha sent the nation’s political circles into a frenzy of speculation this week after he broke his silence about his future on Monday by expressing interest in entering the political fray.
Even though it came as scant surprise to many, the premier’s brief remark that he was “interested in political positions” drew criticism from politicians who have called for “fair play” from the regime ahead of a general election tentatively scheduled for late February.
Some have likened the former coup leader to a sports referee who has decided to become a player. Others demanded he resign from his post as head of the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) if he wants to enter politics as democracy is restored to Thailand.
I don’t agree with this sports analogy, however. Gen Prayut and the NCPO are not umpires but more akin to a governing body like Fifa or the World Boxing Council. They can set the rules, disqualify players and even pick the referees.
Despite this, I don’t consider it necessary for Gen Prayut to step down from the NCPO.
In some ways it’s a relief the premier has finally admitted what we have long suspected: that he wants to stay in power. He deserves the right to officially enter politics, but he must play by the rules by revealing which path he will choose to become prime minister for a second term while also lifting the ban on political campaigning.
But Gen Prayut has declined to unveil any more details. That also comes as no surprise. As a military veteran, he is most likely acquainted with Sun Tzu’s ancient military treatise, The Art of War. One of its key principles is: “When we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away. When far away, we must make him believe we are near.”
Whether he is a good student of Sun Tzu’s teachings is another matter, as few people were convinced he was not interested in politics while he kept mum on the matter.
On Monday, Gen Prayut hardly elaborated on his political future, saying he didn’t want to expose himself to criticism so soon. That logic is fair enough. But I suspect the real reason is that he is waiting to see how many MPs he can win over — via the various political parties that have committed to supporting him — before he makes a more detailed announcement.
In fact, there are several good reasons why Gen Prayut should not fret but rather clarify his political plans.
Under the 2017 constitution, he has two channels to potentially reprise his role as premier early next year.
The first option would see his name appear on a party list of three prime ministerial candidates. But his party would need at least 251 votes from the nation’s 500 MPs to be eligible to nominate Gen Prayut for a parliamentary vote to become prime minister.
The second option could see him nominated as a non-elected “outsider” prime minister. This arrangement could be triggered if parliament fails to choose a prime minister under the first option, provided at least two thirds of all senators and MPs throw their support behind him.
Regardless of which path he chooses to take, the 2017 charter would work to his advantage as it states that during a five-year “transitional period” after the poll, all 250 senators must be appointed by a mechanism that has yet to be installed by the NCPO.
The senators could prove decisive in the vote to select the premier as Gen Prayut would need at least 376 out of 750 votes (500 MPs and 250 senators) to win. This means that if he received the backing of every single senator, he would only need the approval of 126 MPs.
Palang Pracharat, a newly established party that has said it would back both the regime and Gen Prayut, is reportedly aiming to win 70-80 MP seats. While this strikes me as an overly ambitious goal, it could garner 50, meaning Gen Prayut would only have to find another 76 “sympathetic” MPs from other parties.
In contrast, larger and more established parties like Pheu Thai and the Democrats would face an uphill challenge in trying to win 375 votes without the help of the senators. In the eyes of most pundits, such a result is practically inconceivable.
Even if the two major parties were to join hands in an attempt to block Gen Prayut’s nomination, they would be unlikely to succeed. That is because the new electoral system — designed by the same team that drafted the new constitution, led by veteran legal eagle Meechai Ruchuphan — will produce fewer partylist MPs representing the major parties and more representing smaller parties.
It’s also unlikely the Democrats would ever form an alliance with Pheu Thai, even though we can’t rule this out entirely. This may explain the recent challenge to incumbent Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who does not support Gen Prayut rising to power through nondemocratic means.
Warong Dechgitvigrom, the Democrat Party’s former MP for Phitsanulok, is due to announce tomorrow that he will contest the party’s leadership race. He is said to be backed by former members of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), led by Suthep Thaugsuban. Mr Suthep is also in Gen Prayut’s corner.
If the Democrat Party were to change its stance, Gen Prayut’s road to regain the premiership would effectively be free of any serious hurdles.
In my view, the premier should make sure his name is on one of the party’s lists of nominated candidates. That would be the most acceptable option. Perhaps he will choose the Palang Pracharat Party. It is due to be inaugurated this Saturday and several of Gen Prayut’s cabinet members are expected to participate.
Above all, the prime minister must clarify his political future and ensure the rules of fair play are respected in the leadup to the poll.
‘‘ The premier should make sure his name is on one of the party’s lists of nominated candidates.