Phinij emerges as key figure
It has been said that the so-called “siphoning” sweeping through most constituencies nationwide is altering the political landscape ahead of the next general election.
Most vulnerable to the siphoning of former MPs, believed to be engineered with the aim of securing a foothold for a military-backed political party, are large swathes of constituencies in the North and Northeast which are the Pheu Thai Party’s traditional strongholds.
A source familiar with the issue said that, by far, the South, which is predominantly controlled by the Democrat Party, is the most immune to the practice as the party is expected to retain a lot, if not most, of its seats there.
The source said this political vacuuming operation requires senior politicians, or those with plenty of finesse and acumen, to do the trick. Among the groups of politicians wielding influence who have worked closely with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is that controlled by former Deputy Prime Minister Phinij Jarusombat.
Mr Phinij, who chairs the Thai-Chinese Culture and Relationship Council, also heads the political group which is regarded as a major powerhouse in parts of the upper Northeast and the central Northeast. The group members contested in previous elections under the ticket of the Puea Pandin Party.
Mr Phinij and the council are known within trade circles as business matchmakers between Thai and Chinese traders. He assumed chairmanship of the council before the NCPO engineered the May 22, 2014 coup which ousted the Pheu Thailed administration.
The regime is nearing the fourth anniversary of its coup and during this time Mr Phinij has been in frequent contact with leading figures in the government. He is rumoured to be a co-founder of a party which supports Prime Minister Prayut Chano-cha’s return as premier after the election, the source said.
The Phinij group has been the coordinating force in materialising budget-intensive state projects including the Pracharath development scheme which utilises a people-state partnership approach to encourage more locals to embrace state development efforts.
But for the partnership campaign projects to reach people in their neck of the woods, communication channels must be opened and, who better to exploit such channels than former MPs with visibility in areas they used to represent?
The source said the constituency-rich Northeastern region may be in for an intense election battle as it is likely to have the highest number of MP seats up for grabs. However, having the most seats is a separate issue from the degree to which voters and former MPs may be susceptible to being coaxed into defecting to another party.
The source added that an emerging party, which may lean towards Gen Prayut, could be looking into ways to poach members from existing parties. But the source said the Northeast has been dominated by Pheu Thai for years and may still give any new challengers a run for their money.
For Mr Phinij, it is clear where he thinks the country’s future lies and it is not with Pheu Thai. With a general election on the horizon, Mr Phinij is likely to emerge as one of the most sought-after individuals in politics.
Given his wealth of experience in and contribution to the rubber industry and Thai-Sino affairs, along with healthy relationships with nearly all political groups, pundits are more interested in Mr Phinij’s moves than ever.