Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha formally joined a new political party on Monday as the former coup-leader seeks to retain the job after general elections expected within months.
(Bloomberg) — Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha formally joined a new political party on Monday as the former coup-leader seeks to retain the job after general elections expected within months.
Prayuth, 68, was unveiled as a member of the Ruamthai Sarngchart party at an event in Bangkok late on Monday. He will be a prime minister candidate of the party, also known as United Thai Nation party formed in 2021, according to Ruamthai leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga.
The move completes Prayuth’s split with the military-backed Palang Pracharath party that backed his successful bid for the top job four years ago. The former army chief is seeking to stay in power despite a steady decline in his popularity and a constitutional term limit that allows him to stay as prime minister just two more years.
Prayuth said he was joining Ruamthai as he believed in Thailand’s democratic process and his continuation as prime minister will allow him to solve several problems still plaguing the country of almost 70 million people.
“What we need to do is to continue” our unfinished work in areas like infrastructure and digital technology while ensuring equality of opportunities for all, Prayuth told cheering party members. The party will streamline the nation’s archaic rules, lower the cost of living and tackle high household debt, the prime minister said.
Prayuth faces an uphill task in retaining power as voter discontent grows against his government amid high inflation and an uneven recovery in Thailand’s pandemic-hit economy. In recent surveys, Prayuth has significantly lagged the opposition Pheu Thai party’s Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, a former premier ousted in an earlier coup.
Prayuth and his new party will work to unite all Thais irrespective of their political affiliations and will remain loyal to the king and the nation’s religion, Pirapan said.
Thailand’s Election Commission has yet to set a date for general elections though the term of the 500-member House of Representatives is due to end on March 23. A vote may be held in early May, according to local media reports.
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