Pheu Thai bigwigs vie for constituency spots

Candidates ready grassroots campaigns as new rules make party-list unattractive, writes Aekarach Sattaburuth

Anew election mechanism has prompted a change of tack from Pheu Thai stalwarts — instead of seeking party-list candidacy, they have decided to roll up their sleeves and vie for a seat in the constituency race, observers say.

The new constitution has introduced a mixedmember apportionment method of elections, which, according to experts, could see small and medium-sized parties expand their turf via the list system at the expense of larger parties.

Under this method, votes for losing candidates in the constituencies will be tallied and redistributed.

Enough loser votes might earn the parties extra seats from their lists.

In the previous election, votes cast for defeated candidates were discarded.

Big parties, such as Pheu Thai and the Democrats, are likely to win in many constituencies, which would leave them with fewer votes to be counted toward the list system.

Among Pheu Thai’s A-list members likely to run in constituencies are Kittiratt Na-Ranong, the former finance minister during the Yingluck Shinawatra government; and Watana Muangsook, the former commerce minister under the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

Sutham Sangprathum, the former deputy interior minister in the Thaksin Shinawatra government, is also believed to be looking to run under the Pheu Thai ticket.

The Pheu Thai source said Mr Kittiratt and Mr Sutham have strong chances of making the cut as candidates in constituencies on the eastern Phra Nakhon side of Bangkok.

Mr Watana, meanwhile, has offered himself to be a constituency candidate on the western Thon Buri side of the city.

Elsewhere, high-profile former list MPs are shifting to the constituency race — Warathep Rattanakorn in Kamphaeng Phet, Chaturon Chaisang in Chachoengsao, and Adisorn Phiangked in Khon Kaen.

Mr Warathep and Mr Chaturon formerly belonged to the Yingluck cabinet while Mr Adisorn was former deputy agriculture minister in the Thaksin administration.

Political experts said that with several former ministers wanting to jump on the bandwagon, deciding who will stand in the constituency contest could prove problematic for Pheu Thai.

Lesser known members might have to step aside for their more senior colleagues who are “fleeing” the party-list system.

The source added that new boundary demarcations have caused the number of Bangkok constituencies to drop from 33 to 30, which could complicate the Pheu Thai’s candidate fielding decisions.

Mr Watana has set his sights on contesting the Bang Kae constituency where the party’s Sunisa Thiwakorndamrong stood as a candidate in the last election. Ms Sunisa would move over to a constituency on the Phra Nakhon side instead.

In Bangkok’s northern constituency of Don Muang, Karun Hosakul, who is disqualified due to his conviction in a court case, has nominated his wife, Pimchana, to run in his place.

A leading figure in the party said it was fielding a younger generation in the next poll to contend with the new faces likely to be seen among the Democrat and Future Forward candidates.

Another Pheu Thai source said two other parties, Pheu Tham (For Dharma) and Pheu Chart (For the Nation) are likely to run as allies of Pheu Thai in the poll, expected next February.

The parties have agreed they will refrain from contesting against one another.

However, they will have to go head-to-head in a number of constituencies due to a senior Pheu Thai figure wanting Pheu Tham to win at least 25 MPs so it will be qualified for the right to nominate former premier Somchai Wongsawat as prime minister.

The source said Pheu Thai aims to capture constituency seats while Pheu Tham and Pheu Chart are zeroing in on gaining loser votes to be eligible to claim list MPs.

Pheu Thai politicians who are not selected as MP candidates will fill the constituency slots for Pheu Tham, headed by Sompong Amornvivat.

The Pheu Chart, on the other hand, is reserved for red-shirt members seeking to enter the race.

The source added the three parties will operate separately to pick up as many seats as possible in the election. Afterwards, they will come together to form a coalition government.

“However, there will be no compromises when it comes to competing in the poll. After all, every vote counts,” the source said.

Political experts predict candidates in the next election, on the whole, will be younger than in previous elections as many voters are looking for a departure from conventional politics.

The Future Forward Party, in particular, is targeting members in their 20s and early 30s.

Outside of Bangkok, Nisit Sinthuprai, the former Pheu Thai MP for Roi Et, has supported his daughter to contest in his place in the next poll.

However, Pheu Thai’s preference for younger members has also backfired for some members of the party.

In Nong Khai, Pongpan Sunthornchai, the party’s former MP for the province, has not been allocated a constituency to stand in, prompting him to defect to the Bhumjaithai Party, according to the party source.

The Pheu Thai has also lost some of its prominent former MPs to other parties via poaching reportedly orchestrated by the pro-regime Sam Mitr (Three Allies) group. The party, however, was quick to find replacements.

In Loei, former MP Preecha Rengsomboonsuk is among top-drawer politicians who defected after being wooed by Sam Mitr.

However, Pheu Thai has recruited a member of the well-known Sangkasap family of politicians to fill in the void, the source said.

In Suphan Buri, Natthawut Prasertsuwan, the former Chartthaipattana Party MP, is being courted to join. Talks between Mr Natthawut and the party are ongoing and the signs are positive, according to the source.

‘‘ Lesser known members might have to step aside for senior colleagues ‘fleeing’ the party-list system.