People's Party risks all with Anutin

Amid the political uncertainty following the Constitutional Court's ruling against Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the sudden departure of her father, Thaksin, to Dubai, the People’s Party (PP) have controversially backed Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) for prime minister, rather than support its ideological ally, the Pheu Thai Party, whose candidate is Chaikasem Nitisiri.

- Titipol Phakdeewanich

The decision is deeply disappointing for supporters of the progressive PP. Prodemocratic supporters believe that the party could have waited for a parliamentary dissolution rather than engage in a political gambit by BJT and Pheu Thai. Lest we forget, PP has seen its popularity continuously rise and is perceived as a major contender in the next general election.

By aligning with Mr Anutin, however, the party is committing political suicide. An alternative would have been to refrain from supporting either candidate, rather than endorsing Pheu Thai's Mr Chaikasem.

To understand the weight of this miscalculation, one must recall the trajectory of Pheu Thai and the rise and fall of the Shinawatra political dynasty.

The Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT), founded by Thaksin, won its first landslide in the January 2001 general election, securing 12 million votes. This dominance expanded in February 2005, when the TRT achieved a second landslide with 19 million votes.