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BANGKOK, Sept. 27 (The Nation / ANN) – The resignation of top Pheu Thai leaders in recent days has sparked speculation among some observers about a secret political deal to facilitate the return of former prime ministers Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra , who are living abroad in exile.
Some observers believe the deal’s aim is to weaken student-led protests calling for monarchy reform, in addition to its three main demands: rewriting the Constitution, ending the government’s crackdown on critics, and dissolving Parliament.
However, other analysts have dismissed the speculation as a wild rumor.
Academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun, who lives in exile in Japan, posted on his Facebook page that he did not believe the rumor of an agreement between the Palace and Thaksin. He noted that Thaksin doesn’t have much political bargaining power right now. Pavin also insisted that current protests against the system were beyond Thaksin’s sphere of influence.
Others speculated that Potjaman Damapong, Thaksin’s ex-wife, wants to reorganize the Pheu Thai Party and wants to take direct control through new party executives.
Meanwhile, Suthin Khlangsaeng, head of the opposition and deputy Pheu Thai from Maha Sarakham, denied reports that the party split due to escalating internal conflict.
The resignation of senior party leaders, including Chief Sompong Amornwiwat, comes as anti-government protesters escalate their protests, with tens of thousands joining the rally in Bangkok on September 19. Protesters also marched to Parliament on September 24 to pressure senators. and government deputies who that day voted in favor of delaying the amendments to the Constitution. More protests are expected following Parliament’s decision to delay changes to the Constitution.
Pheu Thai boss Sompong resigned on Saturday as leader of the main opposition party.
Sompong said that the current executive committee structure did not support executive members in performing their duties effectively to achieve the policy objectives.
Sompong, who is also an opposition leader in the lower house, had previously said that opposition politicians supported the protesters’ demand for changes to the Constitution, but did not support the call for reform of the monarchy due to the danger of expand divisions in Thai society. .
On Friday, Sudarat Keyuraphan announced his resignation as the party’s chief strategist.
On the same day, four other members of the Pheu Thai strategic committee, Kittiratt Na Ranong, Watana Muangsook, Phongthep Thepkanjana and Bhokin Balakul, posted on their Facebook pages that they had resigned from the committee. The party’s undersecretary general, Jirayu Huangsub, posted on FB that he too had resigned from his post.
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