Bangkok: "Chulaphan" declared that the People's Power Party and Bhumjaithai Party must share responsibility, viewing the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) as the most disastrous political deal. He expressed disappointment that "Teng" (referring to a political figure) allowed the Prime Minister to dissolve parliament instead of conducting an investigation, thus absolving himself of responsibility and exacerbating the border situation and flood relief efforts. He believes that in the past two months, Thai people have gained nothing, while Bhumjaithai has benefited immensely. He urged the public to bring the country back to the right path, noting that postponing elections in border areas would not affect the overall situation.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chulaphan Amornvivat, leader of the Pheu Thai Party, commented on whether the failure of the constitutional amendment to reach the third reading was unexpected. He stated that it was not unexpected, as he had consistently predicted from the beginning that the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) drafted by the Bhumjaithai Party and the People's Party would fail. He explained that it was a disastrous political deal, contrary to democratic principles, and that entering into it only led to disaster. The situation became clear yesterday, and he had always questioned the government's sincerity in amending the constitution and drafting a new one. He wasn't sure if the People's Party only recently realized this, as they had been warning about it from the start. Finally, the truth became apparent yesterday in parliament. The Bhumjaithai Party voted in favor of the Senate, arguing that they could not negotiate with or control the Senate and therefore needed to vote in favor in the hope of p assing the third reading.
If anyone believes this, it's only the People's Party, because other political parties can already see how the movements of this Senate are linked to the Bhumjaithai Party. And it's actually not surprising, as Mr. Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, the leader of the People's Party, said yesterday that he believes the Bhumjaithai Party had the power to negotiate with this Senate in signing the Memorandum of Agreement. Therefore, Mr. Nattapong probably believes, as I do, that the collusion in the Senate process is real.
When asked whether it seemed that the People's Party and the Bhumjaithai Party were passing the buck regarding the tearing up of the MOA, Mr. Julaphan stated that both parties must take responsibility. He said that the Pheu Thai Party must first express disappointment with the government because, given the current state of the country, including the Thai-Cambodian border situation and the unresolved flooding issues, the government is shirking its responsibilities and choosing to evade scrutiny through a no-confidence debate and dissolving parliament, leaving the people to suffer further. While the government mechanisms can still function and the military can continue to guard the border, the government is avoiding responsibility and dissolving parliament to evade scrutiny. The second disappointment for Pheu Thai is the People's Party. He admitted that he had previously spoken with Mr. Nattapong, who requested that Pheu Thai delay the no-confidence motion under Article 151 of the Constitution. They eventually discussed that if the second reading vote was problematic or resulted in a loss, Mr. Nattapong would join Pheu Thai in submitting the no-confidence motion. Mr. Julaphan said he was outside when Mr. Nattapong spoke, but immediately came in upon hearing his words. He noted that Mr. Nattapong's speech clearly indicated a call for the government to dissolve parliament if the vote failed, and signaled that a no-confidence debate would be held.
"This can be described as 'releasing the mouse into the forest,' because it opens up an opportunity for the government to dissolve parliament immediately in order to avoid scrutiny. This gives the government a chance to evade investigation, which we are disappointed about because the Pheu Thai Party, the Prachachart Party, and many other political parties that signed up with me are ready for scrutiny. We are waiting to see what the Prachachart Party will do," said Mr. Julaphan.
When asked whether the People's Party was lagging behind in political maneuvering, whether it was through the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or the preemptive dissolution of parliament before the opposition could submit a no-confidence motion, Mr. Julaphan said he didn't know if they were simply unable to keep up or if they thought this method was better. He suggested they might choose dissolving parliament for an election instead of scrutinizing the government, which faces numerous problems including the Khao Kradong case, collusion in the Senate, corruption in MotoGP, and many others. He stated that Thailand and its people gained nothing in the past two months. The party that benefited the most was the Bhumjaithai Party, which consolidated its power, strengthened its conservative group, and reshuffled civil servants in preparation for the election. Instead of the Thai people, they are now facing an inefficient government that has failed to manage the floods and has experienced border issues that have escalat ed. Both parties in the MOA must take responsibility.
When asked whether this situation was tantamount to allowing the government to escape accountability and scrutiny, Mr. Chulaphan said that was correct. In fact, if there is a no-confidence debate, the parliament can still proceed with the constitutional amendment process. The parliament also has the duty to elect a new prime minister. If Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, is removed from office, they can still nominate a new leader; there is nothing wrong with that. And the process of resolving the country's problems can continue. When a new government comes in, they simply coordinate with the new administration. But right now, there is a vacuum.
When pressed further on whether this was a case of "kicking the pig into the rat's mouth" and how the Pheu Thai Party would respond, Mr. Julaphan said, "We're not strategizing because we're already prepared for the election. Today, we must tell the people not to lose hope. Today, we must use the election platform to lead the country back to righteousness. The Pheu Thai Party is ready to be the choice."
When asked about the challenges of nationalism and the border situation in this election, Mr. Chulaphan said that whatever the situation, we must overcome it and demonstrate our sincerity to the people. The Pheu Thai party's stance is firm.
Regarding the impact of the border situation on the election, Mr. Chulapan said that yesterday, MPs from the Bhumjaithai Party talked all day about whether the election could be held. He explained that if a nationwide election cannot be held simultaneously, the constitutional mechanisms will not hinder the process. The constitution stipulates that an election must be held within 45-60 days, likely February 1st or 8th, 2026. However, to meet the timeframe for the referendum, it would have to be held on February 8th. Once a nationwide election is announced, the relevant election laws clearly state that in case of emergencies, individual polling stations can postpone voting, but this would not affect the overall election process. He said he couldn't see how the government intends to proceed with this plan, but even if they did, it would be a disaster for them, as the Thai people would not wait for that.
When asked about suspicions that the border situation was being manipulated to favor a particular political party, Mr. Chulaphan said that one shouldn't overthink the issue. He said he was following the news, but at this moment, what needs to be done is to send moral support to the soldiers at the border and the civilians affected and forced to evacuate. He added that representatives from the Pheu Thai Party are also in the area and are continuously providing assistance to the people.
When asked whether dissolving parliament prematurely would affect the fight against scammers, Mr. Chulapan said that the process of resolving various issues must continue within the legal framework, without being hindered. As for the caretaker government, it can still carry out tasks that benefit the public; it doesn't have to be completely halted. When a new government takes over, they can continue the work, which wouldn't stop the fight against scams.
When asked whether the government would finally show its sincerity in moving forward with the referendum questions, Mr. Chulapan said that there were no problems. Ultimately, those in parliament discussed the matter to expedite the process of passing the motion regarding the first referendum question: whether a new constitution should be drafted, which was resolved amicably.
"Right now, we're not asking about the government's sincerity. When the referendum questions are sent from Parliament to the government, the government must comply with the law. Therefore, there's no need to look for sincerity. I think their sincerity was gone since entering the MOA and the voting process under Article 256/28 last night. Today, we're not here to ask for sincerity, but to ask them to follow the law, which is to comply with the order sent by Parliament to ask the questions," Mr. Julaphan said.
However, reporters said that in addition to the meeting of Pheu Thai Party MPs, members of the party's executive committee, key party leaders, including Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the head of the Pheu Thai family, and Mr. Yosanan Wongsawat, who is one of the individuals expected to be a prime minister candidate, also arrived at the party headquarters today.