Thai Sang Thai is ‘third force’ that can end Thailand’s 17-year political war: Sudarat

“Two powerful opposing sides are waging the war and neither of them is willing to give in to the other,” she said. However, if either side won victory in the election, a new wave of war would break out with Thai people as the casualties, she added.

The two sides she was referring to are the followers of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his opponents, whose clashes led to military coups that toppled Shinawatra governments in 2006 and 2014.

Sudarat said her Thai Sang Thai Party offered a third way that is the true solution for Thailand.

“We cannot let this war continue. We have wasted a lot of time and opportunities for 17 years. Thai people must no longer be victims of this power struggle,” she said.

Sudarat, who held high positions in Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai Party and its successor Pheu Thai, said Thai Sang Thai will not support military dictatorship nor the “crossbreeding” of the two warring sides, which was “deceiving the public”.

She was referring to the defection of politicians from one side of the political divide to the other just before the election date was announced.

“All political parties must make clear their standpoint clear to the public. And ours is a total anti-dictatorship. We won’t let any ‘uncle’ continue hurting the Thai people,” she said.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has been nicknamed Uncle Tu since first coming to power in the 2014 military coup.