Palang Pracharath Party
พรรคพลังประชารัฐ
AbbreviationPPRP
LeaderPrawit Wongsuwan
Secretary-GeneralThamanat Prompow[1]
Deputy leaders
Party Member RegistrarKrityothin Sasipattanawong
FoundersChuan Chuchan
Suchart Jantarachotikul
Founded2 March 2018 (2018-03-02)
HeadquartersLat Phrao, Bangkok
Membership53,813[2]
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing to far-right[9][10][11][12]
Colours  Blue
Anthem"Song of People's State Power" (เพลงพลังประชารัฐ)[13][14]
House of Representatives
40 / 500
Bangkok Metropolitan Council
2 / 50
Party flag
Website
pprp.or.th

Palang Pracharath Party (Thai: พรรคพลังประชารัฐ, RTGS: Phak Phalang Pracharat, pronounced [pʰák pʰā.lāŋ prā.t͡ɕʰāː.rát]; lit. 'People's State Power Party'[15]) is a Thai civil-military political party[16] with ties to the National Council for Peace and Order, the military junta that ruled the country after the 2014 coup. It was established in 2018 by Chuan Chuchan (ชวน ชูจันทร์) and Suchart Jantarachotikul (สุชาติ จันทรโชติกุล) as a "party of power" to support Prayut Chan-o-cha in 2019 Thai general election.[17][18]

The party is led by current Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan.

In the 2019 Thai general election, Palang Pracharath's candidate for prime minister was incumbent prime minister and military junta leader, Prayut Chan-o-cha.[19] Although Palang Pracharath came 2nd in the polls, it successfully nominated Prayut and formed a coalition government with votes from 249 senators, and MPs from the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties.

Prior to the 2023 general election, several former members of Palang Pracharath split off to form the United Thai Nation Party, and were later joined by Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Founding

Co-founder Suchart Jantarachotikul is a retired army colonel who was a classmate of Prayut Chan-o-cha at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School,[20] shortly served as a member of parliament of the New Aspiration Party representing Songkhla Province in 1992 and was a member of the junta-appointed National Reform Steering Assembly from 2015 to 2017.[21]

Palang Pracharath supported Prayut Chan-o-cha, who had ruled the country as the head of the military junta since the 2014 coup d'état, in the 2019 election. While multiple parties supported Prayut, the party was viewed as the "official pro-junta party" or "pro-Prayut party" because many party leaders are also junta cabinet members and advisors.[22][23] Additionally, the party's name, Palang Pracharath, was the same as the junta's key policy initiative.[24]

The party is supported by the Sam Mitr ("Three Friends" or "Three Allies") group of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's cabinet ministers: Somsak Thepsuthin, Suriya Jungrungreangkit, and current deputy prime minister Somkid Jatusripitak. The group has tried to win over former members of parliament from the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai Party (and its predecessors Thai Rak Thai and People's Power Party), the Red Shirts movement, as well as the Democrat Party. The Sam Mitr, by operating as a group of friends, were able to mobilize politically while at the time, parties were not allowed to.

In November 2018, the Sam Mitr group and over 150 former members of parliament formally joined Palang Pracharath.[22][25] As of November, at least 44 were former Pheu Thai, People's Power Party (Palang Prachachon), and Thai Rak Thai Party MPs. Additionally, at least 14 came over from the Democrat Party.[26]

2019 Elections

Since its founding, the party has been widely criticized for its leaders' close relationship to the junta and alleged abuse of their cabinet positions to fund-raise and campaign for Palang Pracharath. While Prayut had strong ties to Palang Pracharath, campaigned in a quasi-political fashion to promote himself in 2017-2018 prior to election campaigning being legally permitted,[27] and was seen as its real leader, he was not an official member of the party. In late January, 2019, after the publication of the royal decree formalizing the election, four Prayut cabinet ministers resigned from their positions to campaign full-time.[28] As, under the new constitution, parties are allowed to name non-members as their prime minister candidates, the following day, the party announced their three candidates for prime minister would be Prayut Chan-o-cha, Uttama Savanayana, and current deputy prime minister, Somkid Jatusripitak.[19] On February 8, 2019, the party announced that their only PM candidate would be Prayut. Uttama, party leader, remarked that with Prayut as the PM candidate, Palang Pracharath would become "invincible."[29]

Prayut was nominated and was duly elected Prime Minister of Thailand by members of the lower house and every member of the junta-appointed Senate save one, returning him to the position he had held as junta leader.[27]

Policies

The party adopted the state policies of the 'Pracharat' (literally “people’s state”) scheme, developed by the 2014–2019 military regime. The term is derived from a term in the Thai national anthem and was previously employed in the Eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan (1997–2001).[30] The terms implies a state-people partnership, and the state program introduced populist specifically designed to counter the populist policies of the Pheu Thai Party.[30] It adopted typical populist policies, like cheap housing, debt relief for both laborers and farmers, improving the minimum wage, and payments for newborns and mothers.[16] This blurring of state-political policies meant that during the electoral campaign, the party enjoyed the advantage of distributing a state Pracharat welfare card to poorer, rural, traditionally Pheu Thai voters, using state funding, which was criticised as a form of vote-buying.[31][16] Since winning the election, the Party has continued the Pracharat 'brand' and welfare scheme, which while introducing welfare policies targeting the poor, which has been criticised as a form of replacing a political society with a 'depoliticised' welfare society[32] supported by a hierarchical form of capitalism (e.g., monopolies).[30]

Notable members

Current members

Former members

On 29 January 2019, all four Prayut cabinet ministers (Uttama Savanayana, Suvit Maesincee, Sontirat Sontijirawong and Kobsak Pootrakool) resigned from their government positions after months of criticism.[28]

Prawit Wongsuwan, former Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, and regarded as the mastermind of the 2014 military coup and of the junta regime, attended a party meeting in July 2019[16] and on June 22, 2020, accepted the Party's invitation to become its leader.[35] Prawit replaced Uttama Savanayana, who lost the party leadership after the party’s executive board was dissolved, following the mass resignation of 18 board members, mainly the technocratic faction, including Suriya Juangroongruangkit and Somsak.Thepsuthin.[35] This then led to a cabinet reshuffle,[36][37] in which the military faction, led by Prayut, asserted its dominance.[38]

Controversies and scandals

Potential conflicts of interest controversy

The Pheu Thai Party has complained to the Election Commission (EC), accusing the Palang Pracharat Party of enjoying undue support from government figures and agencies.[39][40] Democrat Party leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, and others have called current cabinet ministers who are also party leaders to resign, citing possible potential conflicts of interests such as abusing government resources and budget allocation to gain an unfair advantage in the upcoming election.[41][34]

In response, Palang Pracharat party spokesman and Minister of the Office of the Prime Minister, Kobsak Pootrakool, assured that cabinet members will behave ethically and not abuse their authority.[34]

In November 2018, Prayut's cabinet approved an 86.9 billion baht cash handout package.[42] Critics responded by alleging that the cash handouts are an attempt at "using people's tax money to buy votes" in the upcoming elections.[43] The Election Commission also responded by announcing that it is looking into whether or not to open an investigation into this matter.

Palang Pracharat leader and Industry Minister, Uttama Savanayana, denied the allegations and said that the cash handouts are intended to help the poor and the needy.

Gerrymandering controversy

Per the new constitution, the Election Commission was tasked with redrawing the country's constituency boundaries. However, as the EC was about to announce the new boundaries, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha invoked Section 44 to issue an order extending the announcement.[44][45][46] The order also exempted the new constituency boundaries from existing laws and guidelines. Previously, each district are only allowed to be drawn three different ways to prevent partisan gerrymandering. However, under Prayut's new order, the EC would be allowed to draw boundaries in any matter they wish.

This prompted criticism from the Pheu Thai and Democrat Parties, as well as from a watchdog organization, Open Forum for Democracy Foundation.[47] They argued the delay would enable the EC to draw maps that favor pro-junta parties, namely Palang Pracharat. Some journalists and commentators compared this to gerrymandering in the United States, while others opined that the junta had already won the election.[48]

Election Commission chairman, Ittiporn Boonpracong, denied the allegations, citing eye surgery as the cause of the delay.[49]

On November 29, the EC completed and released the new district constituencies.[50] Following the release, political parties and watchdog organizations stated that they found many instances of gerrymandering that would benefit the pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party.[51][52]

Dinner fundraiser scandal

On December 19, Palang Pracharath held a 200-table dinner fundraiser raising 600 million baht.[53] During the event, an Isranews journalist obtained a photograph of the floor plan and confirmed its authenticity with event organizers. The map detailed the number of tables purchased by various individuals and organizations.[54] Among the organizations on the floor plan were the Finance Ministry, Tourism Authority of Thailand, and "Bangkok," which is widely believed to be the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.[55][56] This has raised concerns that state agencies were using taxpayers' money to aid the pro-junta party. Concerns were also raised that Palang Pracharath leaders, who are also currently serving as cabinet ministers, used their government positions to solicit funds, which would be illegal.

Others pointed out that the fundraiser was organized within a week after the ban on political activity was lifted. This would not have been possible unless the organizers had insider knowledge of when the ban would be lifted because the venue would have needed to be booked at least a month in advance.

According to the map, party leaders also purchased multiple tables at the fundraiser, also raising concerns. At 3 million baht per table, this would mean that leaders contributed more than the legal maximum of 10 million baht per individual to the party. Additionally, this raised concerns regarding the source of the money.

On this issue, former EC commissioner, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, stated that if the party leaders used their personal funds to purchase the tables, they would need to be investigated for their unusually high wealth.[55][57][58] However, if they purchased tables for other individuals, in effect, hiding their identities in financial disclosures, they may be breaking election, bribery, and money laundering laws.

The Finance Ministry and Tourism Authority of Thailand has denied any links to the fundraiser dinner.[59] Meanwhile, party secretary-general and commerce minister, Sontirat Sontijirawong, stated the map is inauthentic and accused Isranews of spreading false news.[56]

After public outcry, the Election Commission confirmed that they are looking into the matter.[58]

Due to regulations, Palang Pracharath had to publicly release records within a month of the fundraiser. In late January, the party released records accounting for 90 million baht raised at the dinner.[60] The records revealed that most of the donations were either from recipients of government concessions (such as airport duty-free conglomerate King Power) or government contractors.

Palang Pracharath declined to answer questions on the floor plan names suspected of being government entities: Finance Ministry, Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Bangkok municipal government.

According to the party, the other 532 million baht raised were paid for after the fundraising deadline, so those records will be published in the party's donors list at a later date.

State welfare card scandal

In December, a Yasothon resident alleged that people attempting to collect their state welfare cards were given documentation and forced to join the Party. Officials told them that if they refused to join the party, they would not receive state welfare cards. However, if they did, they would also be given 100 baht to assist with transportation.[61][58]

Palang Pracharath denied any links to state welfare card distribution. The Election Commission stated that they were looking into the matter.

In late January 2019, Nattawut Saikua, a Thai Raksa Chart politician raised concerns about Palang Pracharath using state welfare cards to solicit support from voters. He cited several reports of state welfare card owners receiving phone calls from individuals asking them to vote for Palang Pracharath to ensure continued support for the program. Nattawut believes that these individuals are either government workers or linked to the government in some manner because of their access to records of card holders.[62]

Although Palang Pracharat is a newly established political party, it is quite well-known because of its perceived relationship to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the junta. This has resulted in the party being depicted in popular culture and political cartoons. In a November 2018 Prachatai cartoon, Palang Pracharath leaders are depicted alongside ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in a meme format inspired by the musician Drake.[63][64] The cartoon pokes fun at junta supporters' staunch disapproval of Thaksin and Thaksinocracy, while simultaneously approving of Prayut's cabinet and Palang Pracharath leadership consisting of several former Thaksin cabinet ministers such as Somkid Jatusripitak, Suriya Jungrungreangkit, and Somsak Thepsuthin.

Election results

Election Total seats won Total votes Share of votes Outcome of election Election leader
2019
116 / 500
 8,433,137 23.73% Increase116 seats; Senior partner in governing coalition Prayut Chan-o-cha[lower-alpha 1]
2023
40 / 500
 530,017[65] 1.35% Decrease81 seats; Junior partner in governing coalition Prawit Wongsuwan

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Palang Pracharath Party named Prayut Chan-o-cha as its Prime Ministerial candidate, however he was not a party member.

References

  1. ↑ พล.อ.ประวิตร กลับนั่งเก้าอี้หัวหน้าพรรค พปชร. ตั้งน้องชาย พัชรวาท เป็น ปธ.ที่ปรึกษาพรรค
  2. ↑ https://www.ect.go.th/ect_th/download/article/article_20211116131652.pdf
  3. ↑ "Major players in Thailand's election". The ASEAN Post. 29 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "Rule by law but no rule of law in Thailand- UCA News".
  5. ↑ "Thailand". De Agostini. Retrieved 5 February 2020. PPP (Palang Pracharath, People's State Power Party, conservative nationalist)
  6. ↑ "2019 Political Preview: Emerging Market Elections In Focus". Fitchsolutions.com. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  7. ↑ "Thailand's Election Commission says junta party won popular vote". South China Morning Post. 28 March 2019.
  8. ↑ Crisis of faith is reaching a crescendo
  9. ↑ "Why Gen Prayut may have to switch parties to remain in power".
  10. ↑ Kongkirati, Prajak; Kanchoochat, Veerayooth (2018). "The Prayuth Regime: Embedded Military and Hierarchical Capitalism in Thailand". Trans: Trans -Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia. 6 (2): 279–305. doi:10.1017/trn.2018.4. S2CID 158636811.
  11. ↑ "2021/29 "Thailand's Elected Junta: The Pluralistic Poverty of Phalang Pracharat" by Paul Chambers". 12 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "Presentation of Thailand : Politics - Objectif Import Export".
  13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO1ziG3kq8A
  14. ↑ https://www.sanook.com/news/8820770/
  15. ↑ Hiroshi Kotani (27 December 2018). "Thailand's new pro-junta party raises $20m in one night". Nikkei Asian Review.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Sawasdee, Siripan Nogsuan (12 December 2019). "Electoral integrity and the repercussions of institutional manipulations: The 2019 general election in Thailand". Asian Journal of Comparative Politics. 5 (1): 52–68. doi:10.1177/2057891119892321. ISSN 2057-8911. S2CID 213208424.
  17. ↑ "New Party Wants to Recruit Prayuth". Khaosod English. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  18. ↑ "ABCD" (PDF). Ect.go.th. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  19. 1 2 "Pro-junta Palang Pracharath Party proposes Prayut for next premier". The Nation. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  20. ↑ James Ockey (3 April 2018). "Elections won't give Thailand's junta legitimacy". East Asia Forum.
  21. ↑ Aekarach Sattaburuth (14 May 2018). "Bhumjaithai insists on insider PM". Bangkok Post.
  22. 1 2 "'Three Friends' Join Pro-Junta Party, Say Charter Favors Them". Khaosod English. 19 November 2018.
  23. ↑ "Parties propose poll date". Bangkok Post. 30 June 2018.
  24. ↑ "PM allows ministers to back parties". Bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  25. ↑ "150+ Politicos Defect to New Pro-Junta Party". Khaosod English. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  26. ↑ "พลังดูด 'พลังประชารัฐ' อดีต ส.ส. – คนดังแห่ร่วมนับร้อย". THE STANDARD (in Thai). 27 November 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  27. 1 2 Ricks, Jacob I. (1 September 2019). "Thailand's 2019 Vote: The General's Election". Pacific Affairs. 92 (3): 443–457. doi:10.5509/2019923443. ISSN 0030-851X. S2CID 202295561.
  28. 1 2 "Palang Pracharath ministers resign from cabinet". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  29. ↑ "พปชร. เปิดตัวผู้สมัคร 350 เขต ยังอุบปาร์ตี้ลิสต์ "อุตตม" ลั่น พรรคเราไร้เทียมทาน!!". Khaosod.co.th (in Thai). 2 February 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  30. 1 2 3 Kongkirati, Prajak; Kanchoochat, Veerayooth (2018). "The Prayuth Regime: Embedded Military and Hierarchical Capitalism in Thailand". TRaNS: Trans -Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia. 6 (2): 279–305. doi:10.1017/trn.2018.4. ISSN 2051-364X.
  31. ↑ "Govt sops to poor raise questions of propriety". The Nation. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  32. ↑ "Pracharat welfare depoliticises Thailand's "political peasants"". New Mandala. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "4 ministers, 3 ex-PDRC leaders join Palang Pracharath". Bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  34. 1 2 3 "Ministers in dual roles face calls to quit". Bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  35. 1 2 "General Prawit accepts invitation to head Palang Pracharat party". www.thaipbsworld.com. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  36. ↑ "Cabinet reshuffle looms". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  37. ↑ "New cabinet ministers announced". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  38. ↑ "Thai Cabinet Reshuffle: Prayut Gets His Way (For Now)". ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  39. ↑ Mongkol Bangprapa (2 July 2018). "EC asked to nip Palang Pracharat in the bud". Bangkok Post.
  40. ↑ "No special treatment for pro-Prayut group". The Nation. 3 July 2018.
  41. ↑ "Cabinet members defy calls to quit over party move - The Nation". The Nation. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  42. ↑ "EC to investigate cash handout spree". Bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  43. ↑ "PPRP 'not shaken' by EC's cash handout investigation". Bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  44. ↑ "New EC boundary ruling under fire". Bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  45. ↑ "EC under microscope for gerrymandering over designing of boundaries - The Nation". The Nation. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  46. ↑ "EC completes redrawing of constituencies - The Nation". The Nation. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  47. ↑ "Watchdog demands govt stop meddling with EC". Bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  48. ↑ "Election has already been won, so what now? - The Nation". The Nation. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  49. ↑ "Govt 'didn't meddle' with constituencies". Bangkokpost.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  50. ↑ "EC completes redrawing of constituencies". The Nation. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  51. ↑ "Parties accuse EC of bias in constituency mapping". The Nation. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  52. ↑ Rojanaphruk, Pravit (30 November 2018). "Parties Fume Over New 'Gerrymandered' Electoral Map". Khaosod English. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  53. ↑ "PPRP 'feast' nets record cash haul". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  54. ↑ "เปิดเอกสารผังงานโต๊ะจีน 650 ล. พปชร. ชื่อคล้าย'คลัง-ททท-กทม'หรา บริจาครวม 120 ล." Isranews.org (in Thai). 21 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  55. 1 2 "Bellies full, but who paid?". The Nation. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  56. 1 2 "Sontirat: Dinner table map doesn't belong to party". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  57. ↑ "Wake Up News - ว่าด้วยการจัดปาร์ตี้โต๊ะจีนระดมทุน". YouTube. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  58. 1 2 3 "EC to speed up poll breach probes". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  59. ↑ "TAT denies spending Bt9m at Palang Pracharath fundraiser". The Nation. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  60. ↑ "ต้องโชว์ทุกเดือน! กาง กม.เงินบริจาคพรรค-ลุ้นก้อน 532 ล.งานโต๊ะจีน พปชร.ใครทุนใหญ่?". Isranews.org (in Thai). 28 January 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  61. ↑ "ชาวบ้าน "เลิงนกทา" แฉ ต้องสมัครสมาชิก พปชร. ถึงได้บัตรคนจน แถมเงินกลับบ้านอีก 100 บาท". Pptvhd36.com (in Thai). 25 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  62. ↑ "Voice TV 21". Voicetv.co.th (in Thai). Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  63. ↑ "ตะกี้ตูน : ปฏิรูปก่อนเลือกตั้ง | ประชาไท Prachatai.com". Prachatai.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  64. ↑ "Drakeposting". Knowyourmeme.com. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  65. ↑ "ECT report".
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