Famed golfer Thongchai Jaidee, a former beauty queen and veteran politicians were amongst those that flocked to Thailand’s latest parties on Sunday as a part of a jigsaw of alliances formed ahead of the country’s long-awaited poll in February.
The Thai junta, which took power in 2014, partially eased restrictions on electioneering ahead of the promised vote, allowing parties to form and recruit members but denying the fitting to campaign.
The deadline to hitch and qualify is at the tip of this month, and there was a flurry of activity on Sunday because the deadline approached.
Great golfer Thongchai, 49, added some stars to the Thai Raksa Chart, which was created in recent weeks and is taken into account a spin-off of the country’s largest political party, Pheu Thai.
In 2014, the military overthrew the Pheu Thai-led Yingluck Shinawatra administration and later convicted it of corruption over rice subsidies, seen by critics as a vote-buying scheme.
But parties linked to Yingluck and her brother Thaksin – one other former prime minister ousted in 2006 who fled the country to avoid prison for corruption – have won every election since 2001 based on populist policies.
“At first I want to help. I will see what more I can do in the future,” Thongchai said during a recruitment drive for Thai Raksa Chart in Bangkok, adding that he is still on tour and does not have time to run for office now.
Nahatai Lekbumrung, winner of Miss Global Beauty Queen 2006, has also signed up to the Thai Raksa Chart.
Meanwhile, the Palang Pracharat party, considered a military proxy, attracted about 50 former lawmakers to its ranks on the same day.
Another new party, Prachart, is led by veteran politician Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, who has held cabinet positions in several governments. He said his party would focus on multiculturalism.
“Violence in the south is not a problem [just one] specific area,” he said, referring to years of clashes between Muslim insurgents and security forces. “To solve this problem, we need to get rid of the lack of trust between people.”
He was joined by individuals with long-standing ties to the police, army and border services.
The structure drafted by the military in 2017 makes it difficult for either side to win a majority in elections, making a combination of alliances key to strengthening support.
This article appeared within the print edition of the South China Morning Post as: New parties attract star polls in Thailand
