Global Courant 2023-05-17 09:45:00
BANGKOK — Thailand’s influential former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday hailed the election-winning Move Forward Party (MFP) as disruptors who have mastered social media, saying aging army generals at the center of years of unrest are retiring with dignity. should go.
The self-exiled tycoon, a towering figure in Thai politics whose family is the driving force behind the dominant Pheu Thai party, said MFP proved that social media and user-generated content (UGC) can triumph over high-spending campaigns and buying of votes.
Before Sunday’s vote, Thaksin’s populist political juggernaut had won every election since 2001, despite being removed from office three times. It lost to the progressive MFP by 10 seats.
“They used UGC on TikTok because the young people use TikTok. It drives organic voting and recruiting, and you don’t use a lot of resources,” Thaksin said during a two-hour political discussion streamed online.
MFP had strong appeal and organization in college towns, Thaksin said, adding that many young people convinced their parents to vote for MFP.
“Pheu Thai got hit for not disturbing ourselves enough. The Move Forward trend overcame Pheu Thai and the other parties who had money,” he said.
MFP sparked a wave of excitement among the youth, triggered by its liberal agenda and promises of bold change, including cracking down on monopolies and amending a law that makes long prison sentences for insulting the monarchy a taboo.
Pheu Thai has agreed to form a six-party alliance with MFP, hoping more will join to keep defeated pro-military parties out of government in the coup-prone country.
‘Whatever Will Be’
Thaksin wields significant influence despite serving 17 years in exile to avoid a prison sentence for abuse of power, which he denies.
He reiterated his plan to return to Thailand in July, and when asked about prison, said, “Whatever will be will be.”
Thaksin also pledged loyalty to the palace and stressed that Pheu Thai would not support actions by MFP that would affect the monarchy.
MFP and Pheu Thai defeated parties backed by the royalist army, two of which were led by former army chiefs involved in coups against Thaksin and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government.
