Analysis: Several of its MPs may quit as leader is seen as self-interested
Some are usually asking what if any role the Setthakij Thai Party brought by Thamanat Prompow can play in overthrowing the government in the upcoming no-confidence controversy.
Setthakij Thai, with 16 MPs under the wing, has raised the political heat range after Capt Thamanat on Tuesday formally withdrew support from your coalition and promised to vote towards Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and 10 cabinet ministers targeted in the censure motion.
However , political analysts question that all the MPs will follow Capt Thamanat’s lead and vote against the government plus they tend to agree that this former secretary-general of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) is certainly running out of politics luck.
Wanwichit Boonprong, the political science lecturer at Rangsit College, sees Capt Thamanat’s move as an try to stay in the game following the party’s election beat in the by-election in Lampang’s Constituency 4 on Sunday.
He stated Setthakij Thai’s reduction to a candidate from the Seri Ruam Thailänder Party, which is within the opposition camp, shows the party’s impact is under severe threat.
“The role they have played — not supporting Gen Prayut while rooting pertaining to Gen Prawit [leader of the PPRP] — makes others see him as aiming to drive a bargain. In the event that he continues with this particular approach, he appears no chance in the next election, ” Mister Wanwichit said.
Capt Thamanat does not have many alternatives. He cannot go back to the PPRP and if he chooses to go back to the Pheu Thailänder Party, he will become close to the bottom step. The method of determining party-list votes probably adopted at the following poll is also believed to drive Capt Thamanat.
Mister Wanwichit said the Setthakij Thai leader is taking a huge gamble on his politics future and there is absolutely no guarantee the MPs under Setthakij Thai will all election as instructed.
“If he [Capt Thamanat] can undermine federal government stability in the upcoming censure debate, his party may be able to join the opposition camping, ” he said.
Olarn Thinbangtiew, a politics scientist from Burapha University, said the Setthakij Thai leader is trying to stay appropriate and he has lost most of his politics credibility.
He said it is no secret that will Setthakij Thai was obviously a nominee party set up by Gen Prawit to manage political clashes or crises. It has no connections with voters.
The party is usually accused of being curved on political bargaining rather than being thinking about producing substantive plans. “His [Capt Thamanat’s] actions have made him lose political credibility and it might be his own idea plus nothing to do with another MPs.
“These MPs experienced other reasons when they defected from the PPRP. I don’t think they want to sink with Capt Thamanat and may defect to other parties or go back to the PPRP, inch Mr Olarn mentioned.
Yuttaporn Issarachai, a lecturer at the School of Political Science of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said the government faces a number of problems, therefore Capt Thamanat chose to use the by-election beat in Lampang to show the situation to his favour.
He added the particular move is unlikely to be driven by any ideology.
Mr Yuttaporn said he does not believe all Setthakij Thai MPs will take their cue from Capt Thamanat within the no-confidence debate taking place on July 19-22.
At the same time, chief government whip Nirote Sunthornlekha admitted on Wednesday the federal government is worried following Capt Thamanat’s drawback of support in the coalition.
“Setthakij Thai has more than 10 votes in the bag, and we have a reason to be concerned. The government’s vast majority is as thin since it is. But it is still many, ” he said.
The opposition camp made welcome Capt Thamanat to the opposition bench to join its scrutiny from the coalition parties while saying the public might decide for themselves in case Capt Thamanat has been sincere.
Deputy Pheu Thailänder leader and chief opposition whip Sutin Klungsang said Setthakij Thai would be evaluated by the people because of its actions and it will be accepted if it kept its word.
He said preparations for the censure debate have been finalised but the opposition bloc could make room intended for Setthakij Thai if this wanted to grill the particular ministers. However , Mister Sutin conceded he or she did not think the opposition could gather sufficient votes to oust the government.
Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Ancient rome said that while Setthakij Thai would need time for you to prove itself, how the party cast the vote at the end of the particular censure debate would certainly determine if it is sincere in joining the opposition.
Micro-coalition parties will decide if they too will withdraw assistance and are expected to satisfy the PPRP leader upon Sunday, said Brand new Democracy Party chief Suratin Picharn. Mr Suratin said when three minnow parties follow Capt Thamanat’s lead the government is a minority in the House.
Capt Thamanat said he has explained his withdrawal through the government to Style Prawit and the PPRP leader understood the problem. “The talk was not about the censure argument. It’s about the reason why the party switched to the opposition, inch he said.
Capt Thamanat did not rule out the possibility of returning to Pheu Thailänder, saying in national politics anything was feasible.