Dr Chai-anan Samudavajija, a prominent academic closely linked to the People’s Alliance for Democracy’s core leader Sondhi Limthongkul, proposed today that PAD should become a political party and run in the next elections.
He wrote in his weekly column in ASTV Manager daily that even if PAD leaders are reluctant to consider that option, there probably is no other way — if PAD wants its movement to effect real changes in Thai politics.
Chai-anan suggests that PAD has many advantages over other political parties. “For one thing, PAD can be considered a mass movement, supported by a great number of people. It also has gained vast political experience through its protest. PAD, unlike most political parties, has a collective leadership. Besides, PAD has all the communications channels such as newspaper, radio, television and mobile phone networks to keep in touch with the public…”
The academic said PAD shouldn’t expect to become a major party after the election. “It should aim to become a medium-sized party with about 50 to 80 seats in the House, and should mainly field candidates in the Central Region, the East and Bangkok.”
PAD could join hands with the Democrat Party to form the government after the election, he wrote.
Financially, Chai-anan believes that PAD could get sufficient donations to run a political party.
“A lot of people want to donate to PAD. I guess with all the small donors and those willing to offer upwards of 100,000 baht each, PAD could obtain up to one to three billion baht in its fund-raising activities. That should be sufficient to run an election,” Chai-anan suggested.
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