Thailand Politics

American Educated, Thai Billionaire Steps into Thailand’s Political Arena

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the founder of Thailand’s Future Forward Party, looks on during the launch of the party in Bangkok, Thailand. – Photo Prachachat

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BANGKOK – The Director of Thailand’s biggest auto parts group launched a political party in Bangkok on Thursday as an alternative to established parties, promising to bridge a festering political divide.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, 39, executive vice president and director of the Thai Summit Group launched the Future Forward Party in a part of Bangkok’s old Chinatown being revived with hip shops, restaurants and galleries.

Thanathorn said he hoped to appeal to younger voters and disenfranchised citizens.

“Give democracy a chance,” the graduate of New York University Stern School of Business said in English at the launch.

“We don’t need governance through guns,” he added in Thai, referring to the ruling military, which took power in 2014.

The launch comes two weeks after Thailand’s Election Commission opened registration for new parties, one of the first signs of a tentative return to democracy.

Thailand has been under military rule since a 2014 coup toppled an elected government.

Since the coup, the generals have banned political activity. They have also repeatedly delayed a general election with the latest date February 2019.

The country has been largely divided since a 2006 coup against then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a businessman turned politician who gained a loyal following among rural voters but made enemies among the military-royalist elite.

The military’s intervention in 2014 was to topple a civilian government led by Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra.

Thanathorn’s uncle, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, held various senior positions in an earlier incarnation of Thaksin’s political machine, the Thai Rak Thai Party, and the youthful Thanathorn has been described by some as the “next Thaksin”.

But on Thursday he dismissed any suggestion of links to the self-exiled former telecommunications tycoon, saying he did not side with any existing group.
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the founder of Thailand’s Future Forward Party, smiles during the launch of the party in Bangkok, Thailand, March 15, 2018. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

“We have our own stance,” he said.
NEW GENERATION

A member of the Thaksin-backed Puea Thai party welcomed Thanathorn’s party as an alternative to old military-aligned parties for voters “sick and tired” of dictatorship.

“These voters may not want to vote Puea Thai but vote for this new party instead, which would be useful because they would be taking votes away from those that support dictatorship,” Watana Muangsook, a Puea Thai Party member, told Reuters.

Yuttaporn Issarachai, a political science lecturer at the Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University said the new party might attract a respectable number of voters from a new generation.

“It could be a mid-size party appealing to voters aged 18 to 25,” Yuttaporn told Reuters.

Critics of the junta say it has failed to deliver on its promises and that political divisions endure, while impatience with the stalled return to democracy grows.

Activists have defied a ban on gatherings to organize small protests while Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, 63, who as army chief led the 2014 coup, appears to be embarking on his own campaign to stay on as prime minister.

Thanathorn, whose family also has a major stake in the newspaper publisher Matichon Pcl, resigned from the board of that company on Wednesday but remains on the board of privately held Thai Summit.

Thanatorn did not list any party policies because formal political campaigning is still banned.

Among party co-founders he introduced were a film-maker and several gay rights and environmental activists.

Thanathorn said he hoped to win the support of “ordinary people”.

“People who are not famous … but who want to shape our country’s future together,” he said.

Aukkarapon Niyomyat, Chayut Setboonsarng – Reuters

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Additional reporting Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Panu Wongcha-um

Thailand Politics

Thai Prime Minister’s Popularity Declines as Move Forward Party dominates

(CTN News) – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin continues to make local and international visits to try to solve problems and promote Thailand, but he has failed to impress most voters, according to a Nida poll. The poll also revealed the declining popularity of Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the rise of the Move Forward Party.

According to a poll released on Sunday, only 12.85% of people supported the prime minister, down from 17.75% in the previous survey. The daughter of convicted former Prime Minister Thaksin, currently on parole, saw her popularity drop from 6% to 4.85%.

The National Institute of Development Administration conducts a quarterly survey of the public’s preferred political leaders. The last survey was released at the end of March.

According to the survey, supporters of the prime minister described Mr Srettha as a resolute decision-maker determined to address their problems. Ms Paetongtarn was complimented for her vision, leadership, knowledge, and grasp of the country’s difficulties.

This weekend, the prime minister will be in the northeast region listening to citizens’ concerns. The journey occurred only a few days after he had visited northern provinces earlier in the week.

Despite criticism, he has reduced his abroad trips, citing the need to showcase Thailand to investors and traders.

Pita Limjaroenrat, the chief advisor of the Move Forward Party, remained the top candidate for prime minister with 45.50% of the vote, up slightly from 42.75% in the previous quarter’s poll.

Pirapan Salirathavibhaga was the huge winner. The leader of the United Thai National Party saw his popularity nearly quadruple from 3.55% to 6.85%.

The sampled voters stated they appreciated Mr Pita’s political beliefs and thought he had broad knowledge. They praised Mr Pirapan’s credibility, claiming he was clean and honest.

Two other probable prime minister candidates were Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party and Anutin Chanvirakul, leader of Bhumjaithai. However, they were less popular than others.

About 20% of voters still did not believe any candidate was qualified to lead the country, which is the same percentage as in the last survey.

Move Forward Party was the most popular party with 49.20%, up slightly from three months ago, while Pheu Thai fell around five percentage points to 16.85% from 22.10%.

The poll, issued on Sunday, surveyed 2,000 ineligible voters between June 14 and June 18.

Thailand Politics

Move Forward Party MP Jirat Thongsuwan Appeals Suspended Jail Sentence for Defamation

(CTN News) – Jirat Thongsuwan, a Move Forward Party MP, says he would appeal his one-year suspended jail sentence for defaming a former senior defense ministry official concerning the state’s procurement of bogus bomb detectors.

The Criminal Court also fined Mr Jirat 100,000 baht for falsely accusing ACM Tharet Punsri, a former Air Force chief-of-staff who later became the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, of being the chairman and shareholder of a company that supplied the military with the infamous GT200 bomb detectors.

The Chachoengsao MP claimed a July 20, 2022, no-confidence vote against cabinet ministers in Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government. ACM Tharet was not a cabinet member.

Jirat Thongsuwan also identified ACM Tharet as a key figure in the 2006 coup headed by then-army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, which overthrew Thaksin Shinawatra.

ACM Tharet told the court that Jirat Thongsuwan’s charges were false and harmed his reputation. He denied involvement with the bomb detection company and said he was not the company’s senior chairman or shareholder.

In addition to the suspended jail term and fine, the court ordered Jirat Thongsuwan to pay $ 500,000 baht in damages to ACM Tharet and publish an apology in three newspapers for five days.

Jirat Thongsuwan later announced on his X account that he had challenged the verdict with the hashtag “An injustice is infuriating”.

The MP has also been accused of dodging required military conscription. He admitted to the accusation on May 8.

A British business promoted the GT200 as a “remote substance detector” and sold it in several countries. Between 2004 and 2009, fourteen Thai government organizations, most of which were military, were projected to spend 1.4 billion baht on the units.

Concerns about the GT200 and related gadgets arose after the National Science and Technology Development Agency discovered they lacked electronic components.

The devices were later revealed to be “divining rods”.

Thailand Politics

Thaksin Shinawatra Files 100 Million Baht Defamation Lawsuit Against Warong Dechgitvigrom

(CTN News) – Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister, has launched a defamation action against Warong Dechgitvigrom, the head of the Thai Pakdee Party, accusing him of paying a bribe to be released on bail in a lese majeste case.

Thaksin’s attorney, Winyat Chartmontree, filed a lawsuit against Warong, seeking 100 million baht in damages.

Warong, a long-time Thaksin Shinawatra critic, gave a public statement and posted on social media, saying that 2 billion baht was paid to judicial officials in exchange for release on bail in the lese majeste case.

Thaksin Shinawatra Granted Release on 500,000 Baht Bond

Thaksin was granted release on a 500,000 baht bond last week and told not to leave the country without court authorization after pleading innocent to charges of defaming King Rama IX in a 2015 interview with South Korean media.

Winyat stated that, while Warong did not identify Thaksin Shinawatra by name in his speech or post, he did include a hashtag with Thaksin’s name as well as the date Thaksin must appear in court, allowing readers to connect Thaksin to the allegations.

Winyat further stated that he was investigating the fact that Warong mentioned the specific aircraft and automobiles utilized by Thaksin Shinawatra to violate the Personal Data Protection Act.

“I have requested Mr Warong to provide proof as to where he received the data. “If it turns out that it came from state officials, there will be legal consequences,” he warned.

The Criminal Court has scheduled the case’s preliminary hearing for September 30.