Revised rivalry between the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties escalated on Thursday as Pheu Thai sought action from coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha to punish its political opponent for violating martial law.
Singthong Buachum of the Pheu Thai Party shows the "book" on the rice-pledging scheme with a message challenging Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha to take action against the Democrat Party at Government House on Thursday. (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)
Pheu Thai sent a letter of complaint to Gen Prayuth at Government House to take action on the grounds that the Democrats had assembled more than five people to hold a political activity for the launch of the "Epic Rice Scheme" book on Wednesday at the Democrat head office.
The book, written by former Democrat MP for Phitsanulok Warong Dechgritvigrom, will be on the shelves on Friday.
Pheu Thai suspected political motives behind the campaign to attack the party and former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who faces a possible charge of failing to curb corruption and the huge losses of the rice-pledging scheme.
Singthong Buachum, a Pheu Thai legal expert, said Pheu Thai decided to take the case to the coup leader as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) had turned a blind eye to the "political event" organised by the Democrats.
Pheu Thai threatened to counter its rival's campaign by mobilising its members to hold activities to probe projects carried out by the Democrats when it administered the country, including the Thai Khem Khaeng scheme and police station construction.
Dr Warong exposed the alleged corruption and losses of the rice-pledging scheme and it snowballed to shake up the government of then-prime minister Yingluck.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has already indicted some ministers and officials involved in the scheme. It accused Ms Yingluck, who chaired the National Rice Policy Committee, of dereliction of duty.
Dr Warong argued that the book had no political intention as the goal was to keep readers informed about the problems of the scheme.
Instead of crying foul over the book, Phue Thai members should read it to find out the irregularities in the policy.
Pheu Thai was also upset as the book was introduced one day before the Office of the Attorney-General decided on the case of Ms Yingluck which the NACC had forwarded for prosecution.
Dr Warong denied attempts to use the book to build public pressure on prosecutors against the former prime minister.
"We did make a political move. The book is written with the idea of the profits going to the English programme for rural students," he added.