After endless politician-bashing, "now Prayut and the (junta) are using many of these same corrupt politicians to build a political party." Their Pheu Thai party is weakened without the siblings' star power and Prayut is seeking to overrun them at elections with the support of provincial bosses -- and the mid-sized parties and vote banks they carry. "Political mafia is a more appropriate term for these type of people," said Thai politics professor Titipol Phakdeewanich. - Same old game -Abhisit Vejjajiva, the leader of the establishment Democrat party, said Prayut's regime has also approached a number of his MPs. Chaturon Chaisang, a veteran Pheu Thai politician, added that some politicians may be coerced into supporting the junta in a political culture defined by personality and power rather than ideology.

Source: The Nation Bangkok May 07, 2018 07:30 UTC