Family rallies to defend Banharn’s honour

Published on February 4, 2005

The wife and daughter of Banharn Silapa-archa rallied to the Chat Thai Party leader’s side yesterday, appearing at a rally for candidate Janista Liewchalermwong a day after a political rival insinuated that Banharn and Janista had been involved in a romantic affair.

The joint appearance of Jaemsai Silapa-archa, Banharn’s wife, and their daughter Kanchana, was meant to counter comments by Thai Rak Thai deputy leader Sudarat Keyurapha, who is also the public health minister.

The two women appeared at a Janista rally at Bangkok’s Don Muang Market.

Reacting to the claim, Janista said she was surprised that she was attacked by Sudarat, who was once herself the target of smear campaign that she’d had been involved in an affair with the prime minister.

Jaemsai urged candidates to focus on policy debate rather than to sling mud against one another.

“Word coming from ill-intentioned people should not be taken seriously,” Jaemsai said, defending Janista’s reputation. “It is very low to insinuate marital cheating.”

The Chat Thai matriarch said her husband would not be deterred by mud-slinging and that he had faced and overcome worse attacks in the past.

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