Palang Pracharath aims to get one MP from each Isaan province

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

THE PALANG PRACHARATH has quietly targeted to get no less than 20 MPs in constituency-based mode throughout Isaan, the country’s largest region, in the May 14 general election, according to a former cabinet member.

Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya, adviser to Palang Pracharath leader Prawit Wongsuwan, said the party will get an average of one MP from each of the 20 Isaan provinces which totally consist of 132 constituencies.

The former defence minister who is currently taking care of Palang Pracharath electoral candidates vying for constituency-based MP of Isaan admitted that the Pheu Thai is having relatively large chances of winning most of the northeastern constituencies.

Without elaborating, Thammarak said the Palang Pracharath will compete with the target of getting one out of a number of MPs provided for each of the northeastern provinces, including a few which will have only two MPs each.

Thammarak, a native of Roi Et who used to help the court-dissolved Thai Rak Thai with electoral campaigns in Isaan nearly two decades earlier, said some of the Pheu Thai contestants in the northeastern region will not be given as many votes as anticipated to get elected, however.

His comments apparently followed Thai Sang Thai secretary-general Thakorn Tanthasit’s prediction that the brand-new party, headed by Sudarat Keyurapan, has set a meagre target of getting 25 MPs out of the total 132 Isaan constituencies.

Speculated to rank second to the Pheu Thai in terms of the winning number of Isaan MPs is the Bhumjaithai, headed by de facto party boss Newin Chidchob.

Meanwhile, Thammarak said he will not rule out the possibility of the Palang Pracharath forming a post-election alliance with the Pheu Thai since the former has been looking to “step beyond conflict” as repeatedly pledged in their electoral campaign.

Despite reported discrepancies between the Palang Pracharath and Pheu Thai over either one’s campaign policies, approaches toward the setting up of a coalition government between these two camps could probably take place, he said.

CAPTION:

Palang Pracharath boss Prawit Wongsuwan, second from left, welcoming Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya, third from left, to the fold last month. Photos: Naewna

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