PM faces more internal dissent over Buri Ram visit

Piyanart Srivalo and Yossawadee Hongthong
The Nation (Thailand)
Publication Date: 04-07-2009

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday 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 Friday, 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 said on Friday 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".