Ruling party pours cool water on talk of deal with Thaksin
The ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) has not made a formal deal with the Pheu Thai – or any other political party – to form a coalition government after the next election, a senior executive of the ruling party said on Wednesday.
Such speculation is coming from people outside the party, its treasurer Narumon Pinyosinwat claimed.
“We don’t have such a deal,” she said, before adding: “The PPRP’s position is that it can work with any political party.”
The party works solely for the people and its core purpose is to end Thailand’s political polarisation “once and for all”, Narumon explained.
PPRP leader Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan on Monday reignited speculation that he and Pheu Thai patriarch Thaksin Shinawatra had mended fences so that the two parties could work in the same coalition after the next election.
Last month, Thammanat Prompow, an aide to Prawit, said it was possible that the ruling party would join Pheu Thai in a coalition government, explaining: “nothing is certain in politics and what appears impossible can be possible”.
Narumon said on Wednesday, however, that if the PPRP had made a formal deal with any party, it would have to opt out of election contests in certain provinces or constituencies for the party it made the deal with.
Narumon then noted that Pheu Thai is fielding candidates in all 400 constituencies nationwide.
There will be 33 House seats up for grabs in Bangkok in the upcoming election.
She said voters in the capital are less predictable than those in the rest of the country.
“Bangkok is different from other provinces. Voters may vote based on the party’s political stand or the individual popularity [of candidates],” Narumon said.
Prawit will definitely end Thailand’s 20 years of political polarisation if he is elected as the next prime minister, she said.
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