The Democrat Party is expected to decide whether it will contest the new election at its annual general assembly Friday.
The 153 Democrat Party MPs resigned en masse from the Lower House just before Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved the House for elections last December. Since then, the party has boycotted elections but without a clear policy. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)
It is likely the party will decide to steer clear of the election again, given that it could lose support from voters backing the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).
Supporters of the Democrat Party and the PDRC are known to come from the same pool.
The Democrats' two-day annual general assembly, which begins today, will see the party decide its position on the state of politics during this significant transition period.
The party is expected to reach one of three positions on the new election.
First, the party could decide to contest the fresh poll.
Secondly, it could remain non-committal over the issue. "It will run in the fresh poll only after the poll has been accepted and peace restored," said a party source.
Thirdly, the party could announce a boycott until supporters of the so-called Thaksin regime - a reference to the influence of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Thai politics - promise to stay out of politics.
PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban has insisted that a general election must not happen until national reform has been implemented. The Democrat Party itself, which boycotted the Feb 2 election, also supported reform preceding the poll.
If the Democrats rush their return to the election race, they are unlikely to win votes from PDRC supporters. The party may not gain enough votes to win the new poll and this means their rival, the Pheu Thai Party, will win and seize power again.
However, if the Democrat Party decides at the general meeting to boycott the election a second straight time, this will heat up political tensions.
The Democrat Party will also have to explain why it will not contest the new election after the Constitutional Court ruled to nullify the Feb 2 poll results last Friday.
Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's accident, in which he broke his collarbone in a fall at home, will also have an impact. It will be the first time he will not be able to chair the party's general assembly, which is an important meeting, the source said.
"Mr Abhisit may have to meet Mr Suthep to talk. The pair cannot afford to abandon each other and the Democrats cannot leave Mr Suthep out in the cold, either," a former Democrat MP who is close to both Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep said.
Another source in the Democrat Party said Mr Abhisit has come up with his "model" for caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the network of Thaksin's allies to take a break from politics for at least a year.
Under the model, efforts must be made to establish a council to initiate national reform. Reform proposals will then be put to a national referendum.
If these reform proposals are endorsed at the referendum, they will be tabled to political parties which will be elected in a general election so the newly elected MPs can enact the reform proposals into law, the source said.
The source also said key Pheu Thai figures had also come up with conditions that if Shinawatra family members and the network of Thaksin's allies steer clear of politics, the PDRC must also end its rallies immediately and the Democrats must contest the fresh poll immediately.
Democrat spokesman Chanvanond Intarakomalyasut said yesterday there was no need for government coalition parties to rush to discuss preparations for the fresh poll. The coalition parties will discuss the matter today.
Mr Chavanond said politicians should take a step backwards and first allow the public an opportunity to find a solution to the political problems.
He said that, even if the Democrat Party decides to run in the new poll, this does not mean it will help solve the problems. It does not matter if the party contests the poll, because as long as Ms Yingluck and Pheu Thai maintain their current political attitude, they will never win the trust of the public, Mr Chavanond said.
Meanwhile, the Network of Students and People for the Reform of Thailand yesterday handed a letter to the Election Commission (EC) to ask it to delay the new election.
NSPRT coordinator Uthai Yodmanee and adviser Nitithorn Lamluea led about 100 protesters to the EC head office on Chaeng Watthana Road.
EC secretary-general Phuchong Nutrawong accepted the letter on behalf of the poll agency.