By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE DEMOCRAT AND BHUMJAITHAI parties are largely expected to withdraw from the coalition government under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in foreseeable future in the face of his alleged failures to address the domestic pandemic situation, said a noted political activist yesterday (July 12).
Sombat Boonngam-anong, leader of a sustained anti-Prayut protest featuring hundreds of sedans, pickup trucks and motorcycles joining a ”car mob” cruising down the streets of Bangkok, forecast that both coalition parties would finally decide to leave the Palang Pracharath Party-led government in concerted moves to press Prayut to step down or dissolve the House of Representatives.
The political activist commented that members of both the Democrat Party, led by Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, and Bhumjaithai Party, led by Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, would closely follow the ”car mob” and other street protests and eventually opt to withdraw from the Prayut regime sooner or later.
Both coalition parties might pull out in a surprise aboutface to retain their purported popularity among their constituents, Sombat said but stopped short of saying how soon they would do so.
He remarked both parties have realised Prayut, who, he said, would simply shrug off over such street protests, has been obviously encountering a crisis of confidence unprecedented since he was named head of government after 2019’s general election.
”Though those coalition parties undoubtedly wish to hold onto their current status and their cabinet posts, they have to think it over with respect to the next election in which they might not win decisive votes if they continued to stay in the current government,” Sombat said.
Some of the Democrat or Bhumjaithai MPs might openly express their dissent or frustrations over Prayut’s alleged mishandling of the pandemic situation while others might probably even join the ”car mob” protest planned to resume after the 14-days lockdown in Bangkok has ended, he said.
The leading activist added that the procession of vehicles taking part in last Saturday’s anti-Prayut protest was up to five kilometres in length along the streets and that many more would likely join next time not only in Bangkok but in the provinces.
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Last Saturday’s “car mob” protest against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. All photos: Thai Rath
