Mahachon intent on sticking around

Published on February 9, 2005

Mahachon Party leader Anek Laothamatas and his top officials remained optimistic about their party’s future, despite a poor showing in Sunday’s polls.

In the unofficial vote tally, the party won a single House seat, from Ubon Ratchathani, while none of the party-list candidates could muster sufficient proportionate votes.

“With a lone voice in Parliament, Mahachon will remain an active political force,” party spokesman Apichat Thongyu said yesterday.

Apichat dismissed speculation about a possible party dissolution, saying that Anek had just called an urgent meeting of party executives to map out a post-election strategy.

The meeting is expected later this week.

Party deputy leader Wirat Ratanasate said his party might win an additional seat, as the Election Commission (EC) had called for a new round of balloting in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Constituency 5.

Wirat’s wife Thassaniya Ratanasate was a leading contender in the first round, which was cancelled over suspected cheating.

Mahachon MP-elect Tun Jintavej said he would represent his party in the opposition.

Commenting on news reports that the Chat Thai and Thai Rak Thai parties had invited him to join their ranks, Tun said he had no plans to defect.

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