FACTION FIGHTING : Abhisit’s team out in the cold

Deputy’s supporters are furious about party-list rankings

When the Democrat Party revealed its party-list candidates on Friday, it became obvious that the deep rift between the party’s two factions, which surfaced during a race for the party leadership almost two years ago, has not been healed.

And there is a chance the rift will grow further after next month’s election.

“It’s unacceptable that some hard-working members have a place [on the party list] lower than those who do not deserve it,” said a leading member of deputy party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva’s faction.

It is believed that only Demo-crat leader Banyat Bantadtan and secretary-general Pradit Patarapra-sith came up with the party-list rankings, leaving furious members of Abhisit’s faction out of the process.

The rift between the two factions stems from the fierce rivalry during the party leadership race in April, in which Banyat defeated Abhisit.

Since then, Democrat Party support has either remained the same or, in some areas, dropped.

Many pundits believe that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will lead his Thai Rak Thai party to another landslide victory over the Democrats.

Some leading Democrat Party members share this view and believe that Democrat candidates ranked lower than 20 on the party list will have trouble getting into the House.

Parties normally grant the top 10 places automatically to the party leader, the advisory board’s chairman, and all eight deputy leaders.

Those ranked 11 to 20 on the Democrat party list – and therefore reasonably assured of getting a seat in the House – are mostly taken by Banyat loyalists.

Some of these candidates are accused by Abhisit’s faction of playing only a small role in the last three House censure debates, which the party worked hard at so as to keep its supporters and win over undecided voters.

These include Niphon Boonya-manee, Samphan Thongsamak and Charnchai Issarasenarak, who are ranked 14th, 19th and 20th respectively on the list.

Meanwhile, Abhisit’s faction members who played outstanding roles in the House censure motions: Chamni Sakdiseth, Sanan Suthakul and Sansern Samalapha were placed further down the list.

Chamni is ranked 21, while Sanan and Sansern are listed at 31 and 32, which makes their chances of securing a house seat tough because most believe the Democrats will secure 30 seats through party list candidates at best. With Thai Rak Thai party the likely winner of next month’s election, Abhisit could claim that it was time for the old guard, including Banyat, to step down and make way for some new blood.

Abhisit can look forward to the next annual Democrat convention in May, were he is likely to be voted in as party leader.

However, problems arise if Banyat decides to cling to the leadership if the Democrats win more than 130 of the total 500 seats, which it did in 2001.

He could then claim that such a performance is good enough for him to remain as leader.

If that was to happen, the power struggle between the two factions of the Democrat Party will persist and cause more problems for Thailand’s oldest political party, which is being left behind by its seven-year-old rival, Thai Rak Thai.

Bancha Khaengkhan, Weerayut Chokchaimadon
The Nation