Pheu Thai defection crisis soars
ANALYSIS: Despite denials, pundits say government headhunting former MPs, writes Aekarach Sattaburuth
High-profile defections continue to rattle the Pheu Thai Party as at least two groups of its former MPs in Ubon Ratchathani are tipped to be the latest to break away and migrate to a pro-regime political party.
Attention is zeroing in on a two-day cabinet trip to Ubon Ratchathani and Amnat Charoen in the Northeast, a major stronghold of the Pheu Thai Party, which starts today.
The mobile cabinet meeting is taking place against a backdrop of continued attempts by the Sam Mitr (Three Allies) group to court former MPs, particularly from Pheu Thai, to join the Phalang Pracharat Party, political observers said.
The party was reportedly set up to support Gen Prayut’s return as a democratically installed premier post-election, and provide a diversion from the image of a regime which rose to power in the 2014 coup dying a slow death at present.
So far, Sam Mitr, which is seen as the regime’s recruiting arm, has managed to round up some “A-list’’ defectors from Pheu Thai, sources said.
They include the group led by Preecha Rengsomboonsuk, a former MP who won elections repeatedly in the northeastern province of Loei, and Virat Rattanaset, a veteran in Nakhon Ratchasima, who is likely to make the province a tough race for Pheu Thai.
The latest high-profile targets are a group of politicians led by former Pheu Thai MP for Ubon Ratchathani Supol Fongngam and another led by Sutthichai Charoonnate, also a former Pheu Thai MP for the northeastern province.
The Sam Mitr group comprises former transport minister Suriya Jungrungreangkij, former industry minister Somsak Thepsuthin and Pirom Polwiset, a former MP for Nakhon Ratchasima who used to belong to the now-dissolved People Power Party, which has since been reincarnated as Pheu Thai.
Mr Suriya, former secretary-general of another party that has since been dissolved, the Thai Rak Thai Party, is known as a financier while Mr Somsak, leader of the Wang Nam Yom faction, is known to have control of many constituencies in the lower North.
But Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has dismissed allegations that he is the “third” pillar of Sam Mitr’s three allies.
While t h e government has announced no schedule to meet politicians during its jaunt around Ubon Ratchathani and Amnat Charoen, this has sparked speculation it may have cancelled them to avoid criticism that it is trying to woo politicians in the Northeast into the regime’s fold.
Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon previously rejected rumours that efforts were being made to court former MPs, particularly from Pheu Thai, into the fold of the Phalang Pracharat.
The deputy prime minister also hinted the government did not mind if politicians wanted to meet the prime minister during the cabinet trip, even though no such meetings are on the agenda.
In previous cabinet trips, it was the politicians who requested a meeting, not the government, Gen Prawit has said.
Somkid Chuakong, a former Pheu Thai MP for Ubon Ratchathani, said he believed the government will win more political allies during the trip.
During the trip, government officials will also find out who will defect to the regime and who is expected to run in the election under the banner of the Phalang Pracharat so officials can use state mechanisms to support those poll candidates, Mr Somkid said.
Mr Somkid admitted the groups led by Mr Supol and Mr Sutthichai will almost certainly defect to the pro-Prayut party.
This will have some repercussions for the party
“Whenever the ban on political activities is lifted, the curtain will open to reveal who’s who. Things will become clear,” Mr Somkid said.
He said the general election expected early next year will see a race between five parties in Ubon Ratchathani — Pheu Thai, the Democrat Party, the Chartthaipattana and Bhumjaithai Parties and the newcomer Phalang Pracharat.
Pheu Thai secured seven out of 11 House seats in Ubon Ratchathani in the previous 2011 election and it will fight to retain those seats, Mr Somkid said.
A source from the Pheu Thai Party said on the 69th birthday of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra on July 26, a group of more than 10 former Pheu Thai MPs led by Thaksin’s sister Yaowapha Wongsawat would fly to meet him for celebrations in London.
They are expected to discuss the issue of the party’s future.
The emasculation tactic — through poaching of former MPs and red shirt core members — being employed against the Pheu Thai Party and the red shirt movement will not hand any pro-regime political party the upper hand at the election, Pheu Thai and red-shirt stalwarts say.
The Pheu Thai is facing the prospect of losing some of its political turf in the Northeast after the Sam Mitr (Three Allies) group drew former party MPs away.
The defectors drawn by Sam Mitr are said to be pledging allegiance to the proregime Phalang Pracharat Party reported to be a vehicle for securing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s return to the premiership after the election expected early next year.
Political sources said Sam Mitr has tapped into the two biggest northeastern provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima and Ubon Ratchathani, leaving the Pheu Thai feeling increasingly unnerved.
The reported “siphoning” of political talent has brought some former MPs of various factions in Nakhon Ratchasima under Sam Mitr’s wing. The factions are controlled by the Preecha Rengsomboonsuk and former deputy agriculture minister Virat Rattanaset.
The latest batch of politicians to be courted by the group are former MPs in Ubon Ratchathani belonging to the faction headed by Supol Fongngam, according to sources.
However, the sources agreed the poaching effort will not stop with Pheu Thai. In fact, red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) members are also on Sam Mitr’s radar.
Sam Mitr secretary Pirom Polwiset recently divulged the names of some local red-shirt leaders who are joining the group. They were red shirts active in the mobilisation of UDD members in the districts and tambons although they may not be terribly useful in electioneering or giving the Phalang Pracharat an edge in the poll.
But having red shirt core members rally behind a party which sides with the regime which the UDD regards as the number-one enemy of democracy can be psychologically rousing for Phalang Pracharat, according the sources.
Korkaew Pikulthong, the UDD coleader, has downplayed the tactic of isolating and weakening Pheu Thai. “There’s nothing to fear,” he said. The red shirts form part of Pheu Thai’s electoral support. The Sam Mitr group and the regime realised they had to sap the party’s strength by pulling away its ally.
However, the approach is pointless, Mr Korkaew said, insisting no red-shirt co-leaders have left the UDD so far.
“If you hang up the democracy shirt and join the dictator, who among the red shirts will follow you and betray the UDD’s principles?” he said.
One of the high-profile red-shirt defectors is Suporn “Rambo Isan” Atthawong. Mr Korkaew said the regime may have welcomed Mr Suporn into its fold but it has not won the hearts and minds of the red shirts.
UDD co-leader Nattawut Saikuar said the UDD still regards red shirt defectors as friends. “But in political terms, we part ways here,” he said.
He said the red shirts were free to join to any party or set up one. But once they forsake democracy, their membership is terminated.
Mr Nuttawut said he was not sure whether Sam Mitr was acting on the order of powers-that-be in “shopping” for former MPs. “It seems like a charade being orchestrated on a grand scale,” he said.
Somkid Chuakong, Pheu Thai former MP for Ubon Ratchathani, admitted each red shirt figure who defects may have brought with them 5-10 close aides to the pro-government party. “But the fact remains that more people are sticking with the UDD than those turning their backs on it,” he said.