Thai Rak Thai

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Thai Rak Thai (Thai: , lit. Thais Love Thais; TRT) is a political party in Thailand. As of 2005 it was the ruling party, led by the prime minister and its founder, Thaksin Shinawatra. TRT won the election of 2001 and election of 2005. The party has no clear ideological platform, but is commonly described as "populist".

The name is occasionally translated into English as the "Thai Unity Party", but TRT has no connection to the now defunct Ruam Thai Party, which was also known as the Thai Unity Party.

History

The Thai Rak Thai was officially registered on July 14, 1998, by telecommunications billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra and 22 other founding members. It was built largely by amalgamating pre-existing parties and factions, although there were a significant number of new politicians. In the 2001 general election, the TRT won 248 seats in the 500 seat House of Representatives, giving it an absolute majority, and making Thaksin the new prime minister. 40% of elected MPs were freshmen[link]It ruled in a coalition with the New Aspiration Party and the Thai Nation Party. The governing parties together had 342 seats, the largest ruling coalition bloc in Thai history.

In government the party has combined populist policies such as cash grants to villages (used for microcredit loans) and a 30 baht health scheme (allowing anyone to receive medical treatment for a small fee) with strong support for United States foreign policy. The latter included contributing a small number of troops to the United States-led coalition in Iraq.

At the legislative elections on February 6 2005, the party won 60.7% of the popular vote and 375 out of 500 seats, enlarging the previous absolute majority. In the (now) invalid elections of April 2006, it won 61.6 % of the vote and 460 out of 500 seats, the rest remaining vacant. New elections will be held October 2006.

Factions

As an agglomeration of several different parties, Thai Rak Thai politicians owe their allegiance to different factions. Precise figures on faction membership do not exist, but the best estimates of the numerical strength of the major factions are provided below. These numbers are based on the membership of the House of Representatives elected in the 2005 general election, which was dissolved on February 24, 2006.

Wang Bua Ban - Led by Thaksin's sister, Yaowapa Wongsawat, this faction is one of the party's most important groupings, as it includes many members of Prime Minister's inner circle. The faction's base is Thaksin's home province of Chiang Mai. It is estimated that Wang Bua Ban commands the support of over 30 MPs (as of December 2005), mostly from the northern region.

Wang Nam Yom - Originally a splinter group from Wang Bua Ban, Wang Nam Yom is led by Labour Minister Somsak Thepsutin and Industry Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, who also serves as Thai Rak Thai's Secretary-General. With the financial backing of Suriya, whose family controls the largest auto parts manufactuer in Thailand, some observers claim that this faction has the resources to form a party in its own right. The group is said to include over 100 MPs, hailing from the northern, northeastern and central regions of Thailand.[link]

Wang Nam Yen - This is the most notorious faction, led by the veteran political power-broker, Sanoh Thienthong, a former Interior Minister who now holds the title of Chief Advisor to the Thai Rak Thai Party. A native of Sa Kaeo province, Sanoh in the 1990s built a political empire that came to dominate several border provinces in eastern and northeastern Thailand. Rather than start a political party of his own, however, Sanoh preferred to play the role of kingmaker by shifting his group from party to party. With the collapse in 1992 of the pro-military government, which Sanoh supported, the faction moved to the Chart Thai Party, which went on to win the elections held in 1995. Dissatisfied with his treatment by Chart Thai leader Banharn Silpa-Archa, Sanoh then defected to the New Aspiration Party, giving it enough support to narrowly win the 1996 elections. However, with New Aspiration's star waning after it was forced out of power in 1997, Sanoh decided to cast his lot with Thai Rak Thai before the 2001 elections. Since joining Thai Rak Thai, however, Wang Nam Yen has largely been sidelined by Thaksin, who does not completely trust Sanoh. As a result, Sanoh has become one of Thaksin's most vocal critics within the Thai Rak Thai Party. Wang Nam Yen's electoral fortunes have also declined slightly since joining Thai Rak Thai at the expense of other factions, and as of February 2006, Sanoh commands the loyalty of only 37 MPs.[link] He and his wife resigned from the TRT in February 2006 to establish a the Pracharaj Party. It is yet unclear how many followers from the Wang Nam Yen faction will defect from the TRT.

Wang Phayanak - This group is led by Deputy Prime Minister Phinij Jarusombat, who was leader of the small Seritham Party before it merged with Thai Rak Thai after the 2001 elections. Most of the faction's following of approximately 30 MPs (as of December 2005) hail from the northeastern region, where the group often competes with Wang Nam Yen for influence.

Wang Lam Takong - This faction is composed of the remnants of the old Chart Pattana (National Development) Party, which merged into Thai Rak Thai before the 2005 elections. Chart Pattana's former leader, Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop, serves as the head of this group. The faction's influence derives from its strength in the country's second-most populous province, Nakhon Ratchasima, which was the stronghold of Chart Pattana. Wang Lam Katong's membership is estimated to include as many as 20 MPs.

Bangkok Faction - The leader of this group is Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, who was a key figure in the former Palang Dharma Party that Thaksin led in the mid-1990s. As a result, Sudarat is said to be capable of wielding significant influence over the Prime Minister. The faction includes all the Thai Rak Thai's MPs who represent Bangkok and a handful of others from the surrounding region. Together with a small number of party-list MPs allied with Sudarat, the faction's total membership is estimated to include over 30 MPs.

Chonburi Faction - Former Sports & Tourism Minister Sonthaya Khunpluem leads this faction, which split from the Chart Thai Party before the 2005 elections to join Thai Rak Thai. Sonthaya's father is the infamous Somchai Khunpluem, the "godfather" of Chonburi who is better know as "Kamnan Po". The dominant political force in the eastern provinces of Chonburi and Rayong, this faction counts approximately 10 to 15 MPs under its wing.

Buri Ram Faction - Like the Chonburi Faction, this group also defected from the Chart Thai Party before the 2005 elections. The faction's leader is Prime Minister's Office Minister Newin Chidchob, probably the least popular member of Thai Rak Thai owing to his alleged involvement in numerous scandals throughout his poitical career. With a solid base in Newin's home province of Buri Ram and in neighboring Surin Province, the faction is estimated to include 10 to 15 MPs.

Phor Mod Dam - This group, also known as "Rim Nam", is led by Deputy House Speaker Suchart Tancharoen, a key figure in the former New Aspiration Party, which merged with Thai Rak Thai after the 2001 elections. The faction has around 15 members[link].

Maleenont Faction - Led by Sports & Tourism Minister (as of February 2006) Pracha Maleenont, whose family controls the local broadcasting and entertainment group BEC World. This group's influence derives from the Maleenont family's role as one of the leading financiers of the Thai Rak Thai Party. The faction controls approximately 10 MPs (as of December 2006).

Pongsak Faction - Under the leadership of Transport Minister (as of February 2006) Pongsak Raktapongpisak, this group has emerged recently as a significant force within the party, counting approximately 30 MPs as supporters as of December 2005. Pongsak's alleged close friendship with Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra, the wife of Prime Minister Thaksin, is said to allow him to wield considerable influence over party and government affairs.

External links

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