4 replies to this topic

[Sexpat]

"Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul has confirmed he will accompany the prime minister on an inspection trip to Buri Ram, seen as the stronghold of his Bhum Jai Thai Party.

"Buri Ram will be a first destination PM Abhisit (Vejjajiva) to meet Northeaster constituents and I will go with him," he said on Thursday.Chaovarat said his party will coordiate with the Democrats in organising trips to meet with constituents."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/

[Gene]

"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday tried to contain growing discontent within the ruling Democrat Party about his choice of Buri Ram as the first destination of his planned tour of the Northeast later this month.

Earlier yesterday, Sutasn Ngenmune, a senior Democrat figure from the Northeast who sits on the party's advisory board, lamented that the party leader had chosen Buri Ram without consulting him or other Democrats from the region. Sutasn was the latest northeastern Democrat MPs to complain about the matter.

Abhisit yesterday said Sutasn's opposition to his Buri Ram visit was unwarranted because it would be a government rather than a party affair. "I believe Sutasn will eventually understand and distinguish between party affairs and government work," said Abhisit.

He said he saw no reason for Sutasn to threaten resignation since the Democrat Party had no plans to allow the Bhum Jai Thai Party to lead its election campaigning in the Northeast. He added that talk about colluding with Newin Chidchob, a banned politician with influence in Bhum Jai Thai, was groundless and that the Democrats would never let any outsider lead its election campaigning.

Sutasn earlier called on Abhisit to review his decision to visit Buri Ram, which is dominated by the Chidchob family and is seen as a stronghold of the Bhum Jai Thai Party. "The prime minister can travel to every province in the Northeast without having to rely on anyone's charisma, because I think he is well loved by most of Isaan constituents," Sutasn said.

Sutasn said he would be against his main coalition party designating its junior coalition partner to spearhead the election campaign in the Northeast. "If this Democrat-Bhum Jai Thai campaigning move is true, then I will resign my party membership," he said. He added that as the Democrat Party was the country's oldest and a number of its leaders had become prime ministers, any attempt at campaign collusion with another party would be "most inappropriate".

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/07/04...cs_30106690.php

[Bob]

I'd recommend he take his armored limo and a hefty security detail.

[Hedda]

The Democrat leadership and their Newin "blue' allies seem to think that having the Prime Minister show up in blue country with Interior Minister Chaovarat in hand is a good strategy. Local Democrats, however, feel that it only highlights the claims of the red shirts that Newin and BhumJai are traitors to the rural poor, having betrayed Thaksin and the cause to enrich themselves in the coalition government. I guess you have to be Thai to figure out just who's got the right fix on the political issue. I'm not even sure being Thai helps. After all, TIT, where even slum dogs claim the right to pedigree.

[mauRICE]

I'm not even sure being Thai helps. After all, TIT, where even slum dogs claim the right to pedigree.

I just spilled my tea!