Date – September 8, 2010
The powerful king maker party, Bhumjai Thai party, has come out to accept that the opposition Puea Thai party is likely to take up a majority of the seats in the northeastern part of the country while the Bhumjai Thai party would continue to gain inroad in the region while at the same time said that a group of 8 people would likely change the face of Thai politics if all of them join hands.
Bhumjai Thai’s MP chairman Prachak Klaewklaharn has pointed to the current politics that a new power group of eight politicians whose names begin with the initial ‘S’ when joining forces with another prominent politician whose name begins with initial ‘S’ as well would bring about a change in the domestic political landscape.
He said the country would enter a new chapter in its democratic history. This group will be the most powerful group in the Thai political history.
These people are
- Somkid Jatusripitak, a former deputy prime minister and finance minister
- Suwit Khunkitti, the incumbent Environment Minister
- Somsak Thepsuthin, a faction leader in the Bhumjaithai Party
- Suwat Liptapanlop who is the main backer of the coalition Ruam Chart Pattana Party
- Suranand Vejjajiva
- Sonthaya Khunpleum
- Somsak Prisanananthakul, a key member of the Chart Thai Pattana Party
- Sora-at Klinpratum
- And one more special “S” is Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan
However, the negotiation still has problem due to some problem between Suwat and Somsak who haven’t talked to each other yet.
Mr Prachak expressed his confidence that in the next general election Bhumjai Thai MPs would win more seats in the Northeast, which could be up to 40 seats, but he said Puea Thai would win a majority as it will still gain support of the red shirts.
When asked about the possibility that Bhumjai Thai would join Puea Thai after the next general election, Mr Prachak said the move of Bhumjai Thai to switch political allegiance is possible as both parties are stemmed from the same root. When asked if it was possible for Bhumjai Thai de facto leader Newin Chidchob to return to Puea Thai, Mr Prachak said the issue was personal and he could not answer for Mr Newin.