The 111 former executives of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party look set help the Pheu Thai Party sharply increase its membership rolls.
Chaturon: Dissolution curbs needed
Chaturon Chaisaeng, a core member of the 111 Thai Rak Thai Foundation, said the five-year ban, which will expire on May 30, had affected not only the former TRT executives, but also millions of party members who were left without a home when the party was dissolved.
"What happened didn't affect just the House No.111," Mr Chaturon told a meeting yesterday of the House No. 111 politicians to discuss activities to mark the end of the ban. "More than 10 million members have been deserted," he said.
"I wonder if the number [of Pheu Thai members] has even reached 100,000."
The registered members of TRT in its heyday in 2005 reached 14 million people. The Pheu Thai member count pales by comparison, he said.
There are currently about 30,000 official Pheu Thai members nationwide, even though the party is regarded as a TRT reincarnation, Aekthanat Inrod, Pheu Thai's registration official said.
He said the number was low because of the party's strict screening process to ensure that members are eligible to join the party and as a result of confusion about the People Power Party, another reincarnation of TRT, which was also dissolved.
Still, he said the low numbers had not kept the party from winning the last election. Pheu Thai's political base comes from former members of TRT, he said.
Mr Chaturon proposed that to regain mass support for the Pheu Thai Party there should be a clause inserted into the constitution that prevents political parties from being dissolved easily.
A source who attended the meeting said among the ways to regain membership, the Pheu Thai government must do its utmost to solve economic problems to gain the trust of the people.
Any government projects that are not successful must be aborted.
"I think that if the government proves that it is able to solve the bread-and-butter problem of economics, one day they [the former members of the TRT] will come back to stay with Pheu Thai," he said.
After the meeting, Mr Chaturon said the group would take the opportunity to communicate with the public about how the dissolution of the TRT had spawned the political crisis and social the divide.
He said the dissolution of the TRT had major repercussions on parties and the political system. "We will take this opportunity to tell the public what the TRT dissolution has done to the country. We will also offer solutions and lessons learned from the past four to five years," he said.
Mr Chaturon said the meeting was focused on preparing activities for the May 30-31 celebrations. A seven-member working panel was set up to work out activities. A seminar is being planned for May 30.
Members of the panel are Mr Chaturon, Pongthep Thepkanchana, Pokin Polakul, Varathep Rattanakorn, Sermsak Pongpanich, Phumtham Vechayachai, and Wichit Plangsrisakul.
Mr Chaturon said House No.111 would cease to exist after May 31. The former executives would carry out activities as individuals or under political parties they may join.
Mr Wichit, secretary-general of the 111 Thai Rak Thai Foundation, dismissed speculation about a power struggle between the former TRT executives and Pheu Thai members. He said the newcomers would instead help strengthen the ruling party because they are experienced politicians. "They will work to strengthen the party little by little, instead of bringing drastic changes," he said. He denied his group had pressured the government for a cabinet reshuffle.
Prime Minister Yingluck is said to be unhappy with the House No.111 trying to negotiate for cabinet portfolios after the ban is lifted.
Adisorn Piengket, a House No.111 member, said he would return to politics after the ban is lifted. "We'd better try to prevent a coup, party dissolution and political ban from recurring," he said.