By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE DEMOCRATS TODAY (Aug. 29) reached a unanimous, formal resolution to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition government, capping 23 years of mutual, polarised antagonism.
The coalition-entry resolution was endorsed by 34 votes in today’s partisan meeting attended by 25 Democrat MPs and a number of Democrat executive board members without formal objection from any attendees.
The Democrats have been recently invited by the Pheu Thai, core of the current coalition, to jump onto the Pheu Thai bandwagon under elected premiership of Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra in return for a couple of ministerial seats to be assumed by Democrat leader Chalermchai Sri-on and Democrat secretary-general Det-it Khaothong.
De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, father of the woman prime minister, had allegedly manipulated to dump the Palang Pracharath, headed by former deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwan, out of the Pheu Thai-led coalition and replace the military-installed party with the Democrats.
The latest political phenomenon marked an end to 23 years of mutual, polarised antagonism between the Democrats and the Pheu Thai during which they had never been in the same government since the latter was originally founded by Thaksin in the name of the Thai Rak Thai and then the People’s Power, both of which were dissolved by court and finally resurrected as the Pheu Thai.
Over the last couple of decades, members of society had been divided into Yellow Shirt protesters and Red Shirt activists with one side at odds with the other, engaging in verbal provocations, street standoffs and brawls in indiscriminate support of the Democrats and Thaksin’s camp respectively.
Former prime minister/former Democrat leader Chuan Leekpai and former Democrat leader Jurin Laksanavisit launched criticism of Thaksin’s regime and voiced objection in vain to the long-awaited entry of the country’s oldest party into the Pheu Thai-led coalition allegedly under guidance and control of the billionaire power player.
Former deputy Democrat leader Satit Pitutecha forecast that 10-minus Democrat members will be elected MPs in the next general election due to today’s historic decision of the Democrats to jump onto the Pheu Thai bandwagon and pretentiously forget about the last two decades during which they had ultimately fought against Thaksin’s regime inside and outside of parliament.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Democrats with their leader Chalermchai Sri-on at centre after a resolution to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition government was passed. Photo: Naewna
Insert: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. Photo: Thai Rath
Front Page: Democrat leader Chalermchai Sri-on seated next to the party logo. Photo: Thai Rath
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