Bangkok Post

The power behind the PM

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is refusing to let anyone believe he is the country’s nominal leader although he is having to double down on the effort in light of recent developmen­ts.

Setting the record straight, Mr Srettha has insisted he is the only prime minister and that he is fully in charge of running national affairs.

The premier, however, acknowledg­ed widespread talk about a possible “triple prime minister” situation.

Since former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released on parole on Feb 18, observers have been speculatin­g about him returning to politics to exert his influence, resulting in a “dual prime minister” scenario.

With Thaksin’s youngest daughter, Paetongtar­n, herself holding prominent positions within Pheu Thai, of which Thaksin is widely considered the de facto leader, some pundits are warning the situation could further devolve into a “triple prime minister” scenario, with Ms Paetongtar­n playing the role of a backroom premier.

Thaksin’s early release from a jail term he never actually served may justify a nervous response, if any, from Mr Srettha.

According to an observer, Thaksin has been a towering figure over stalwarts in the ruling Pheu Thai Party and Mr Srettha has often paid unreserved compliment­s to Thaksin for his economic acumen and vision.

In comparison, Thaksin has managed to maintain unwavering support within Pheu Thai despite his political hiatus during his self-imposed exile.

Thaksin has always dismissed the accusation that he ran Pheu Thai remotely and directed its actions after he fled the country in 2008. He fled shortly before the Supreme Court convicted him for helping his then-wife, Khunying Potjaman Na Pombejra, secure prime land in Bangkok at a discount while he was prime minister.

He also stands accused of continuing his string-pulling in the aftermath of the party’s fall from grace following the May 2014 coup which toppled the Pheu Thailed administra­tion.

Now that Thaksin has returned and faced justice — despite not having spent a single night in jail and subsequent­ly been freed on parole while in the Police General Hospital where he was treated for multiple illnesses — the former prime minister is getting a new lease of life.

Many critics are wondering if Thaksin will openly advise Pheu Thai on its strategies.

However, any such display of “boldness” by Thaksin could cost Pheu Thai, according to a recent opinion poll.

Around 50% of respondent­s in a National Institute of Developmen­t Administra­tion (Nida) poll late last month believe Thaksin will eventually assume an advisory role in Pheu Thai.

Almost 27% said they thought the party’s popularity would plummet if that happened.

While 50.3% said Thaksin would play an advisory role in Pheu Thai, 26.7% anticipate­d this would hurt the party’s popularity. Respondent­s also predicted the tussle between Pheu Thai and the main opposition Move Forward Party would intensify.

Critics have said it is common knowledge that Thaksin has been Pheu Thai’s backseat driver all along. With his conviction behind him, he is free to seize the opportunit­y to reclaim his position at the top of the party. If he were to do so, it is expected there will be no resistance within Pheu Thai.

On the other hand, Mr Srettha has no known backers whom he can count on in the ruling party to provide him with political security if and when he needs it to prolong his hold on power.

Although he is believed to be closely aligned with another former premier, Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s younger sister, he is at risk of being easily upstaged and sidelined in the event Thaksin decides to reclaim his power in Pheu Thai.

Thaksin, however, may be the least of Mr Srettha’s worries, considerin­g Ms Paetongtar­n is quickly learning the ropes regarding government affairs. Pheu Thai’s youngest leader has seen her political profile heightened by her appointmen­t as deputy chair of the National Soft Power Developmen­t Committee.

She is making a name for herself managing the committee tasked with executing the government’s key policy to spread the country’s cultural influence on the global stage.

Ms Paetongtar­n, as Pheu Thai leader, this week travelled to Cambodia as a guest of the government at the invitation of strongman and former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen. The visit marks a formative step towards the top seat in the government in the future.

The observer noted that while Ms Paetongtar­n’s prominence is growing fast, Mr Srettha’s drive to introduce the controvers­ial digital wallet handout scheme appears to have lost steam with no definite time frame in sight for its implementa­tion.