Suthep to take aim at Pheu Thai
Former protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has announced that he will fight against “Thaksinocracy” after Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a daughter of fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said the Pheu Thai Party with which she is affiliated would win the new election by a landslide.
Mr Suthep — a former leader of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protest movement against the Pheu Thai-led administration that was subsequently toppled by the 2014 coup — used his Facebook page to affirm his position.
Thaksinocracy refers to Thaksin’s deep-rooted influence and large-scale solidifying of political power.
Mr Suthep said this has damaged the country and those supporting it are behind the collapse of the 2009 Asean summit in Pattaya as well as acts of violence against anti-Thaksin protesters.
Mr Suthep, who quit the Democrat Party to spearhead street protests against the more recent administration of Yingluck Shinawatra — Thaksin’s sister — said the country’s worst corruption practices also took place under Thaksinocracy.
He said several such cases have been proven in court.
He said Thaksin and Yingluck both fled the country to avoid serving prison sentences while several ministers in their administrations have been found guilty of corruption or malfeasance.
According to Mr Suthep, Thaksin and his allies keep causing divisions and rally people to oppose the government through social media outlets by claiming that only they can solve the country’s problems.
He said he finds Thaksinocracy abhorrent and that it is unacceptable for Pheu Thai to project a landslide victory along with plans to form a singleparty government.
Mr Suthep said it is normal for Thaksin supporters to criticise him for speaking out against the former PM.
However, he did not spell out what plan he has in store if Pheu Thai were to win overwhelming support in the next polls.