By Thai Newsroom Reporters
SEVERAL SPLINTER PARTIES will likely consolidate with an independent clique of 21 MPs headed by deposed Palang Pracharath Party secretary-general Thammanat Prompow, said partisan sources today (Jan. 21).
The MPs of those splinter parties who have so far lent support for the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government will likely consolidate with the “rebellious” ex-Palang Pracharath, Thammanat-led MPs who have been formally ousted from the biggest government party in the face of internal partisan conflict and are yet to find a new party to join in order to maintain their MP status within a 30-day time as provided by law.
The rifts inside Palang Pracharath Party led by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan apparently followed defeats of the largest coalition partner in last Sunday’s by-election for MP in Chumphorn and Songkhla for which the deposed party secretary-general was practically put to blame.
The MPs of the splinter parties are expected to follow suit of the Thammanat clique who would have independent bargaining power no matter if they might remain as part of the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government or defect to the opposition bloc, the sources said.
The independent Thammanat faction might eventually be given a few cabinet seats in exchange for their continued support for the Prayut regime for the time being and beyond, the sources said.
Those splinter parties include Thai Forest Conservation Party, Palang Chart Thai Party, Prachapivat Party, Thai Teachers for People Party, Thai Citizens Party, New Democracy Party and Thai Rak Dharma Party. All the splinter parties currently have one MP each except for Thai Forest Conservation Party with two MPs.
In addition, Thai Civilized Party currently seated on the opposition side of the aisle in the parliament chamber is expected to jump onto the bandwagon of the splinter parties joining ranks with the Thammanat clique. Thai Civilized Party currently has a sole, maverick MP, namely Mongkolkit Suksintharanond, who concurrently acts as leader of the party.
Thammanat and his fellow MPs have reportedly planned to join Thai Economic Party currently headed by Wit Thephasadin na Ayudhya, former head of Palang Pracharath Party’s strategic campaign team who is still viewed as personally close to Prawit.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Deposed Palang Pracharath Party secretary-general Thammanat Prompow. Photo: Matichon Weekly
Home Page: Palang Pracharath Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan talking to reporters. Photo: INN News
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