Pracharath a new ally
Attention has been drawn to the emergence of the Pracharath Party, a proregime political party that is believed to be ready to support Prime Minister Prayut Chano-cha to return in the same titular role after general elections in February of next year.
Speculation is rife that the regime is forging alliances with small, medium-sized parties to draw former MPs from these parties to support the pro-Prayut party.
The identities of the new party’s key members will be kept secret until June when the ban on political activities is expected to be lifted.
However, it is no secret that the party’s key figures will come largely from within the cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order, with Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana thought to be the new party leader and Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong its secretary-general, according to sources.
A government source told the Bangkok Post that about 100 former MPs who are speculated to be defecting from Pheu Thai and smaller parties have accepted “deals” from key figures in the Pracharath Party.
In light of this, the Pracharath Party’s hope of winning 100 House seats is not beyond the realm of possibility considering that most former MPs based in the provinces are highly likely to be voted back into the House, compared to former MPs in Bangkok where voter preference is harder to predict, the source said.
Former MPs who have been brought into the pro-regime party’s fold are mostly from the northeastern provinces, such as Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, as well as from the lower North, such as Sukhothai, which is the stronghold of seasoned politician Somsak Thepsuthin.
They also include those from the central provinces such as Phetchabun, Ayutthaya, as well as Nakhon Pathom where the Sasomsap family wields considerable political influence, and the eastern region which is the stronghold of the Phalang Chon Party, the source said.
The appointment of Phalang Chon head Sonthaya Khunplome as an adviser to the PM was widely seen as part of a deal to pave the way for Gen Prayut’s return, the source said.
Added to this are the Ban Rim Nam faction, headed by Suchart Tancharoen, who commands a strong support base in Chachoengsao, the source said.
With this support, Pracharath heavyweights will be confident that the new party can defy predictions by the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties which had previously believed it was hard for a new party to win even 25 House seats — or 5% of the total 500 House seats which is the threshold for nominating candidates for the prime ministerial post.
Pheu Thai and the Democrats also warned that any attempt to work with senators to push an outsider prime minister would lack political legitimacy.
Under the new constitution, if MPs fail to select a new premier from among the nominated candidates, a provisional clause under Section 272 would trigger an alternative route.
Senators could then join MPs in proposing a motion to suspend the rule requiring that prime ministerial candidates come from party lists, paving the way for an outsider prime minister to be selected.
A nominated outsider would need the vote of more than half of both Houses, or at least 361 votes, to become prime minister.
Pracharath should aim to become one of the top three parties before the poll, the source said.