Anutin has a better opportunity of becoming prime minister.
Bhumjaithai ( BJT) Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul now has a better chance of becoming Thailand’s next prime minister in the next election, say some political economists, citing Bhumjaithai’s achievement in Saturday’s local elections as an indication of the group’s growing popularity.
The group performed better than expected in the primaries, as the decision Pheu Thai Party and its de facto leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, appeared to have lost their hold on various districts in the North and Northeast, which were once group strongholds.
Pheu Thai and its networks were able to secure the leadership of 16 provincial administrative organizations ( PAO ), followed closely by Bhumjaithai, the coalition partner, who seized 14 seats.
The opposition party, the People’s Party ( PP ), won only one seat in Saturday’s PAO election, despite fielding candidates in 17 provinces. Democrats picked Democrat individuals, who won three chairs, and separate candidates, who won three.
The Palang Pracharath Party ( PPRP ) won one seat, while the Chartthaipattana and Prachachat parties each won two. The Kla Dharma Party won one seat, while the United Thai Party ( UTN) Party ( UTN) Party ) won four.
On Saturday, the election was held in 47 of the nation’s 77 regions, with the illegal benefits available on Sunday.
Former prime minister Thaksin toured the nation to drum up support for candidates backed by the Pheu Thai Party before Saturday’s elections.
The work bore little results, but, as the group’s participant in Chiang Rai– which Thaksin had visited several times prior to the polls– failed to secure a chair.
Most importantly, the group only won by a little percentage in Chiang Mai, which is Thaksin’s town.
Wanwichit Boonprong, a political research analyst at Rangsit University, said the findings gave Bhumjaithai more negotiating energy ahead of the next general election.
In the future election, it may choose a different alliance partner, even if Pheu Thai manage to win the most House tickets.
If the PP is successful in capturing a sizable amount of House seats in the upcoming election, the party may also choose to support the PP, he said.
Pheu Thai will have to argue with being a simple coalition partner and supporting Mr. Anutin as the new prime minister if Bhumjaithai wins the election with the most House tickets in hand.
Olarn Thinbangtieo, a political science professor at Burapha University, shared a similar view, saying then that Bhumjaithai has a firm grasp on the Senate and the PAO in some regions, Mr Anutin’s probabilities of becoming the prime secretary are great.
As the next general election is likely to be a close competition between Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai and the PP, Mr Anutin’s prospects will get boosted even further if it comes second, or at least minute, in the upcoming vote, he said.
The reason for this is that, while Pheu Thai is inclined to form a new partnership with either Bhumjaithai or the PP, Bhumjaithai has a very slim chance of joining forces with the PP, he said.
” Bhumjaithai’s strength is its impulse towards joining hands with traditional celebrations. However, the group’s failure is its reputation of being under the influence of de facto leader Newin Chidchob”, he said.
His odds of becoming the next prime minister will be even greater, according to Mr. Olarn, “if he could demonstrate leadership by rebranding the group and strengthening its guidelines.”
As for Thaksin, Mr Wanwichit said the original PM must reassess his position in the group due to the group’s poor surveys performance.
” Thaksin’s exceptional negotiating power is on the wane”, he said. ” Bhumjaithai, meanwhile, has tightened its grip on northeastern constituencies while expanding its political network into the North and South”.
Stithorn Thananithichot, director of the Office of Innovation for Democracy at King Prajadhipok’s Institute, however, argued Thaksin’s political power still remains, noting Pheu Thai’s victory over Bhumjaithai in Nakhon Phanom, where it managed to take back its seat from Bhumjaithai.