New PM Paetongtarn mends rifts with Pheu Thai MPs
Party and its Shinawatra leadership seek unity in the face of growing challenge from reformist ‘orange faction’
New Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is courting Pheu Thai MPs in an effort to unify a party divided by the detached leadership style of her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, according to sources.
Srettha's tenure as PM reportedly sparked dissatisfaction among many Pheu Thai MPs, particularly senior lawmakers and the Northeast faction, who viewed Srettha as an outsider who hadn't fought alongside them. They were also angered by losing out on certain ministerial appointments.
Srettha’s weakness lay in his strained relationships with Pheu Thai MPs. Recent efforts by high-profile figures to mediate and improve relations largely failed.
On several occasions, Srettha refused to meet with Pheu Thai MPs. For example, when MPs wanted to discuss the co-payment fertiliser policy, which faced local resistance, Srettha closed his door to them at Parliament, causing tension.
Similarly, during field visits, Srettha relied on advisers to know the names of local MPs and leaders but was reluctant to make deeper local connections, which alienated local party chiefs.
Paetongtarn’s focus on her MPs differs starkly from Srettha’s.
During field visits, Paetongtarn frequently asks about the well-being of MPs, local leaders, and citizens, dedicating considerable time to grassroots work. This approach has earned praise, with some likening it to that of her father Thaksin, Pheu Thai’s patriarch. Paetongtarn also likes to buy local products and present them as gifts to Pheu Thai MPs.
“A Paetongtarn-led Pheu Thai government, where she is both party leader and prime minister, will strengthen the party and foster greater unity among MPs. While politics naturally involves both supporters and detractors, it is believed that Paetongtarn can heal the wounds left by the previous prime minister,” said a source.
The source reckoned that Pheu Thai MPs would now start working harder, both locally and in Parliament, as everyone is committed to supporting Paetongtarn and Thaksin.
The Shinawatras’ push for party unity was being driven by the threat posed by Move Forward’s successor, the People’s Party. Thaksin hopes to restore Pheu Thai’s dominance in the political party following the party’s shock defeat to the reformist “orange faction” at last year’s general election, the source said.
However, it remains to be seen how effectively he and his daughter, Paetongtarn, can re-engage former key Pheu Thai figures to present a unified front, the source added.
Paetongtarn’s mission is to restore Pheu Thai’s status as Thailand’s most popular party while cementing the Shinawatra dynasty’s political supremacy. She faces an uphill battle, especially after many of the party’s red-shirt supporters were dismayed by its alliance with military-backed parties to form the government coalition last year. Paetongtarn now has until the next election, due in 2027, to unify the party and woo back voters in the face of competition from the People‘s Party.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for Pheu Thai and the Shinawatras. With Thai politics balanced on a knife edge, any strategic misstep could be fatal.
