Thaksin blames Pheu Thai’s 2023 election loss on daughter Ung Ing’s maternity leave. Speaking in Bangkok after his prison release, he dismissed backroom deal rumours, called for economic protectionism and urged General Prawit to step back.
A free-speaking Thaksin Shinawatra emerged on Thursday at a high-profile forum event in Bangkok. It comes after his prison sentence ended last weekend and his daughter was installed as Prime Minister. In a range of revelations, Thaksin, for instance, blamed the loss by Pheu Thai in last year’s election on his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra or ‘Ung Ing’ needing to take maternity leave weeks before the poll. At the same time, he dismissed reports of a backroom deal to facilitate his return to Thailand. The former premier also suggested a new rapport with General Prawit Wongsuwan of the Palang Pracharat Party. Thaksin urged General Prawit, like himself, to surrender to old age and begin to take a back seat. The de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party also affirmed the need for Thailand to take steps towards protectionism to defend itself from China.
Former Prime Minister and de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party, Thaksin Shinawatra, emerged on Thursday on the anniversary of his return to Thailand. Thailand’s leading statesman and most well-known world leader spoke openly about the current state of politics in Thailand, the economy, and his 17 years in exile.
At the same time, between the lines, he appeared to confirm that the Digital Wallet scheme would proceed in September. In short, it will be cash-based and aimed at the most vulnerable first of all.
Thaksin predicts the economy may still decline further, but believes the new government will stem the tide
Crucially, on the economy, he warned that things may go lower yet but not deeper. In short, he predicted that the new government led by his daughter Ung Ing, or Paetongtarn Shinawatra, would stem the tide.
In particular, he identified robust action on restructuring and alleviating the debt burden on Thai households and businesses as a necessary part of any remedy. On one hand, Mr. Thaksin noted that in the 1997 crisis, Thailand’s banking system was left exposed without reserves.
At this time, the Thai banking system is strong. Mr. Thaksin recalled that he won the 2001 General Election with 377 seats, an overwhelming majority. He credited his government at the time for offering the Thai people one thing. That thing or that word, he said on Thursday, was ‘opportunity.’
Former premier suggests Thai banks must help solve the country’s private debt crisis. Supports casinos plan
Thaksin said he respected the independence of the central bank. However, he thought that banks, particularly the Bankers Association, must be part of the solution to the country’s chronic private sector debt problem.
In addition, the ex-premier came out in favour of easing the country’s gambling laws to allow for casinos. He said most Thai people agree with the proposal. At the same time, he favoured a crackdown on online gambling and scams targeting the Thai public, particularly those under 20 years of age.
He also spoke about the fighting in Myanmar and clandestine links with Thailand. “Today, the fighting in Myanmar is being supported by Thailand without our knowing,” he said.
De facto Pheu Thai leader talks about modernising Thailand’s transport network and his party’s election loss
Thaksin highlighted the need to keep modernising Thailand’s transport infrastructure. He underlined the benefits, such as people spending less time travelling and less pollution. Furthermore, another benefit of such investment projects lies in boosting international confidence in Thailand.
On politics, he accepted that the Pheu Thai Party lost the last election.
Significantly, he blamed the loss on his daughter taking maternity leave some weeks before the vote. Thaksin suggested that this stymied the momentum of the party, which was overtaken at that point by the Move Forward Party.
In truth, opinion polls from before the last General Election bear this out.
However, other commentators have blamed the Digital Wallet plan. In short, it is suggested that the promise of a welfare state from the Move Forward Party appealed to voters in contrast to a once-off giveaway from Pheu Thai.
Election vote for Move Forward may have been a cry for help from voters mired in short-term debt
Rejected ฿10k digital wallet plan ditched by Pheu Thai with moves towards a social welfare state
Undoubtedly, Mr Thaksin feels the 2017 Constitution must be amended. Firstly, he said that independent agencies had been granted too much power. In particular, they were allowed to write their own regulations.
He argued that more power must be devolved to parliament which represented the will of the people. He said the three main pillars of the executive, legislature, and judiciary must be brought into balance.
Thaksin claims Move Forward campaign to amend Article 112 prevented coalition formation
In brief, he explained that Pheu Thai was prohibited from forming a government with the Move Forward Party last year because of the latter’s campaign to amend Article 112 or the lèse-majesté law.
At the same time, he felt that Pheu Thai could win the next election. The two parties were quite different and stood for different ideals.
“I am confident that Pheu Thai will win against the Prachachon Party. It has won before. The principle of the Prachachon Party emphasises status and wants everyone to be equal. It is in a political context. As for the Pheu Thai Party, we are in a system of economic reform. We emphasise opportunity,” he said.
On the other hand, when asked if concerns about Article 112 were set aside, he underlined that Pheu Thai is happy to work with all political parties. He even recalled reaching out to General Prawit Wongsuwan to form the last government.
Thaksin urges national unity and speaks candidly about General Prawit’s career goals
“I think today Thailand must be united. We share the responsibilities. We are not enemies. Why are we? We are all Thais. Before I called to talk to Uncle Pom, I went through someone else. At that time, it was about joining the government. After that, we didn’t talk or meet at all.”
Thaksin suggested that General Prawit had wanted to become Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). However, friends had advised the former deputy premier that such a role required a legal background and not that of a soldier. Mr. Thaksin suggested that after that, he thought General Prawit was angry with him.
The former deputy Prime Minister, one of the key players in the 2014 coup d’état, is presently under fire. General Prawit lashed out physically at a reporter on Friday, August 16. At the same time, the Palang Pracharat Party which he leads is bedevilled by civil war. Certainly, its place in the next government is presently not assured.
Thaksin was certainly in high spirits on Thursday and spoke quite freely in a disarmingly frank style.
He even had a message for General Prawit at this time based on his own life experience. “We are old. Listen to the Dhamma a little. Your mind will be at peace. I have been abroad for 17 years. They have put all sorts of cases on me. At first, I was angry. Later, I laughed.”
Thailand’s towering political figure confident his daughter’s government is safe from another coup
Meanwhile, he was asked by reporters if history would repeat itself. In short, would there be another coup to oust the third Shinawatra prime minister?
“I believe that there will be no coup in Thai politics from now on. Everything has many mechanisms. Prime Minister Ung Ing will definitely be safe from a coup one hundred per cent,” he replied.
In particular, he highlighted his daughter’s humility and young age. Therefore, she would seek advice where possible and listen to it. He also recalled an incident in the early years of the Thai Rak Thai Party.
“When Prime Minister Ung Ing was 12 years old when we first established the Thai Rak Thai Party, we went to Bang Krathum. They made a pile of dried bananas and poured EM solution on them. The smell was very bad. But my daughter didn’t act like she smelled it.”
Thaksin refutes ‘backroom deal’ reports surrounding his return to Thailand after exile in August 2023
Thaksin was speaking at the ‘Vision for Thailand’ forum in Bangkok, where he was joined by some of Thailand’s biggest business leaders. These included Sarath Ratanavadi, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Energy Development, and Dhanin Chearavanont, the former chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group.
Notably, Thaksin used the occasion to refute any suggestion that his return to Thailand was part of a ‘backroom deal,’ which has been the capstone narrative since August 22, 2023. He asked jokingly ‘who would do a deal with me?’
The former government leader arrived home a year ago on the exact same day former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was elected to form a Pheu Thai-led government.
After being sentenced to eight years in prison, Thaksin was taken the same night from prison to the Police General Hospital in Bangkok. He later had his sentence reduced to one year by royal pardon.
This month, he received the benefit of another royal pardon, which freed him. Previously, he had been released on parole in February.
Charismatic leader, still facing a lèse-majesté charge, called for economic protectionism against China
The former Prime Minister is still before the courts on a lèse-majesté charge, appearing last on August 19. That case has been adjourned until July 2025.
At the same time, lawyers for Mr. Thaksin are confident that he can successfully defend the charge related to an interview with South Korean media in 2015.
Significantly, on Thursday, Thaksin also indicated that Thailand must move carefully towards protectionism. In particular, he suggested that ‘small steps of protectionism’ were now required to combat the deluge of cheap products and other encroachments into the wider economy from China.
“We don’t dislike Chinese products, but we have to find equality in competition,” he said.
Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here
Further reading:
Ung Ing takes charge as business leaders focus on who will be Finance Minister and economic policy
Most business executives see GDP growth of less than 2% in 2024 as ministers meet without the PM
Thailand finds itself facing economic and political turmoil. Top economist warns of trouble ahead
Inward immigration may ultimately be the only thing that can halt Thailand’s fated economic decline
Thailand’s days of GDP growth in excess of 5% may be a thing of the past as it has grown too old
Cabinet in pension move as the number of working Thais to over 60s is set to half in 20 years
Thailand’s new move to boost the birth rate and fight the negative impact of an ageing population
Denmark and Thailand seek economic partnership and face the same challenge – demographics
Thailand’s new move to boost the birth rate and fight the negative impact of an ageing population
BCG economic and social blueprint over the next 5 years unveiled, promises more money for less
