Thailand's political time bomb: Thammanat is in focus!

Thailand's political time bomb: Thammanat is in focus!

There are always tensions and interesting developments in Thai politics. A recent example is the conspicuous role of Rojek Thammanat Prompao, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Chuwit Kamolvisit, former leader of the controversial Thailand Loves Thailand party, has described Thammanat as a “political time bomb”. He warns about the potential impact of his political ambitions on Thailand's future. According to LINE, Thammanat has had an impressive career originating in the Thai Rak Thai Party, although he initially failed to win a seat in parliament.

Interestingly, Thammanat's political rise began under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, eventually leading him to the position of deputy agriculture minister. After being deposed by Prayuth, he joined Prawit Wongsuwan's inner circle and became increasingly influential in the political landscape. He founded the Kla Tham party to consolidate support in the south of the country. Despite his past difficulties, Thammanat is described as a capable politician with a strong sense of strategic action. Chuwit himself notes that fast careers can often end quickly, which brings an exciting pinch of uncertainty to the political stage.

The Deputy Prime Minister and his controversies

Thammanat himself spoke to journalists at a government building and responded calmly to questions about his alleged connections to scam groups. He stressed, according to Thairath, that he is “not a gray person” and does not feel the need to hide anything. In the past he was an entrepreneur with over 20 companies, but he assured that his businesses were never based on the suffering of the population.

During his explanations, Thammanat also made it clear that he had already achieved a lot in his career, even if legal problems played a role in the past. However, he has long since clarified this. He also demanded that allegations against certain people should only be made with solid evidence. He underlined his commitment to the government and citizens and assured that he would continue to actively participate in political work without taking breaks.

A look at the party landscape in Thailand

To understand the role of client politicians like Thammanat, it helps to take a look at the development of political parties in Thailand. Since the abolition of the absolute monarchy in 1932, political structures have changed significantly. The first modern party, the Khana Ratsadon (“People's Party”), failed to establish a sustainable democracy, and for many years political parties were banned in Thailand.

It was only from 1946 onwards that there was more scope for political groups, which marked the beginnings of a diverse party landscape. However, the 2017 constitution provides for a rather weak role for political parties, which is reflected in the often volatile political situation. Smaller parties often act more as interest groups and are not always able to form stable governing coalitions, which further fragments the political landscape, as also described on Wikipedia.

This dynamic is important not only for voters, but also for politicians themselves. Meanwhile, the rapid rise of figures like Thammanat can present both opportunities and risks. It will be exciting to see how the political situation and careers develop in this lively and often unpredictable arena.