Democrats: Will they or won't they? (updated)

18 ธันวาคม 2556

Will the Democrats take part in the Feb 2 general election? The betting now seems to be that they will, but their re-elected leader has some persuasion to do.

Please join us on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/bangkokpostlearning

Abhisit Vejjajiva, on the telephone, who was re-elected as Democrat Party leader in the party’s annual meeting yesterday, gets no time to relax. Party reform and deciding whether or not to contest the general election are two big issues on his mind. THITI WANNAMONTHA

Afternoon update

Even before party executives make their decison on whether or not to contest the upcoming general election, they are faced with a big problem.

Six former Democrat Party MPs for Surat Thani province have announced they will not run in the Feb 2 elections, according to Naew Na online.

The former MPs and People's Democratic Reform Committee members who will not stand again for election are Thani Thaugsuban, Chane Thaugsuban, Sopha Kanchana, Sinit Lertkrai and Thirapat Pringsulaka.

Surat Thani is a Democrat stronghold and they will need all the MPs they can get if they want to be a force in the next parliament.

The Thai Airways labour union is calling for the election to be delayed until reforms are carried out. APICHART JINAKUL

Another potential problem for the Democrats is that some large state enterprise unions are beginning to openly support Suthep Thuagsuban's call for reform preceding the election.

Dems tipped to run in Feb 2 poll

Abhisit fears boycott will trigger party defections

POST REPORTERS

The Democrat Party is likely to contest the Feb 2 general election to uphold its image and keep potential candidates within the party, according to party sources.

A source said Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was re-elected as party leader yesterday, is likely to convince the party's newly-elected executive board to field candidates to contest the Feb 2 election.

He is prepared to counter resistance from party MPs from the South who support calls for national reform to precede the election.

Most voters in the South also support calls by anti-government protest leader, Suthep Thaugsuban, to hold reforms before the election.

Mr Abhisit intends to discuss the matter with Mr Suthep.

The source said the new party executive board will meet on Saturday to make a decision.

The current political situation is vastly different from the general election in 2006, when the Democrats persuaded coalition parties to boycott the polls leaving the Thai Rak Thai Party fielding candidates in one-horse races.

If the Democrat Party did decide to boycott the Feb 2 polls, it would have little impact, given that all coalition parties will contest the election, another source said.

The Democrats would gain nothing from the boycott and lose seats in the House, he said.

Even though MP candidates in the South agreed to boycott the election, candidates in other regions such as the Northeast, the North and Central and Eastern regions may decide to defect to other parties and run in the election if the Democrat Party boycotts it.

In the 2011 election, the Democrats won 50 seats in the South, 26 in the Central Plains and the East, 13 in the North, 4 in the Northeast and 24 in Bangkok.

"A boycott will do more harm than good and will affect the party in the long run," the source said.