ID :
18851
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 21:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/18851
The shortlink copeid
SAMAK FAVOURITE BUT SOMCHAI AND SOMPONG ALSO IN THE RUNNING TO BE THAI PM
By D. Arul Rajoo
BANGKOK, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- While Samak Sundaravej remains the hot favourite to be reinstalled prime minister despite some dissident voices in the ruling People Power Party (PPP) that prefers his deputy Somchai Wongsawat, the final decision is likely to be in the hands of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
"The one who can decide who will be the next prime minister is not in the
country, he lives overseas. Everyone is waiting for a hint from him," a PPP
member of parliament (MP) said Wednesday, referring to Thaksin who has sought
asylum in Britain.
The MP, who hails from the northeast (Isan) region but declines to be
named,
said that while many MPs from Isan prefer Samak to continue as prime minister,
an influential group from the north under former House speaker Yongyuth
Tiyapairat wants Somchai, brother-in-law of Thaksin and currently the acting
prime minister.
He said Newin Chidchob, a former minister in Thaksin's government but
currently serving a five-year ban after the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party was
dissolved last year for election fraud, is closely associated with Samak and
still has strong control over MPs from Isan.
"But the Yongyuth group wants Somchai because he is from the north.
Furthermore, they argue that Samak has other pending court cases and this can
affect the party and the government," he said.
On Tuesday, the nine-bench Constitution Court reached a unanimous decision
to disqualify Samak after they found him guilty of violating Article 267 of the
2007 Constitution by hosting the "Tasting and Grumbling and All Set at 6 am"
cooking programme while still in office.
But the conviction does not stop him from being nominated again by
parliament which will meet on Friday.
Some PPP members and leaders of the five coalition partners are afraid that
their seven-month-old government would fall deeper into trouble if Samak is
elected again as he faces a 24-month jail sentence for a defamation case. He has
appealed against a Criminal Court decision which found him guilty of defaming
former deputy Bangkok governor Samart Ratchapolsitte.
But the MP said they are also worried that the People's Alliance for
Democracy (PAD), which seized Government House on Aug 26 in a bid to force Samak
out of office, would continue protesting if either Samak or Somchai are elected
as both are closely linked with Thaksin.
As such, he said, they are also toying with the idea of picking Justice
Minister Sompong Amornwiwat as a compromise candidate. The PPP has ruled out
giving away the post to former premier and Chart Thai Party leader Banharn
Silapa-archa.
PAD, which organised massive demonstrations in 2006 that led to the ouster
of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, claimed that Samak is Thaksin's proxy.
BANGKOK, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- While Samak Sundaravej remains the hot favourite to be reinstalled prime minister despite some dissident voices in the ruling People Power Party (PPP) that prefers his deputy Somchai Wongsawat, the final decision is likely to be in the hands of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
"The one who can decide who will be the next prime minister is not in the
country, he lives overseas. Everyone is waiting for a hint from him," a PPP
member of parliament (MP) said Wednesday, referring to Thaksin who has sought
asylum in Britain.
The MP, who hails from the northeast (Isan) region but declines to be
named,
said that while many MPs from Isan prefer Samak to continue as prime minister,
an influential group from the north under former House speaker Yongyuth
Tiyapairat wants Somchai, brother-in-law of Thaksin and currently the acting
prime minister.
He said Newin Chidchob, a former minister in Thaksin's government but
currently serving a five-year ban after the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party was
dissolved last year for election fraud, is closely associated with Samak and
still has strong control over MPs from Isan.
"But the Yongyuth group wants Somchai because he is from the north.
Furthermore, they argue that Samak has other pending court cases and this can
affect the party and the government," he said.
On Tuesday, the nine-bench Constitution Court reached a unanimous decision
to disqualify Samak after they found him guilty of violating Article 267 of the
2007 Constitution by hosting the "Tasting and Grumbling and All Set at 6 am"
cooking programme while still in office.
But the conviction does not stop him from being nominated again by
parliament which will meet on Friday.
Some PPP members and leaders of the five coalition partners are afraid that
their seven-month-old government would fall deeper into trouble if Samak is
elected again as he faces a 24-month jail sentence for a defamation case. He has
appealed against a Criminal Court decision which found him guilty of defaming
former deputy Bangkok governor Samart Ratchapolsitte.
But the MP said they are also worried that the People's Alliance for
Democracy (PAD), which seized Government House on Aug 26 in a bid to force Samak
out of office, would continue protesting if either Samak or Somchai are elected
as both are closely linked with Thaksin.
As such, he said, they are also toying with the idea of picking Justice
Minister Sompong Amornwiwat as a compromise candidate. The PPP has ruled out
giving away the post to former premier and Chart Thai Party leader Banharn
Silapa-archa.
PAD, which organised massive demonstrations in 2006 that led to the ouster
of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, claimed that Samak is Thaksin's proxy.
