Democrat Party (Thailand)

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Democrat Party
พรรคประชาธิปัตย์
Phak Prachathipat
Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva
Founded 1945
Ideology Right-wing,
Conservatism,
Liberal conservatism,
Social conservatism,
Royalism
International affiliation Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, Liberal International
Official colors Green, blue
Website
democrat.or.th

The Democrat Party (Thai: พรรคประชาธิปัตย์, Phak Prachathipat) is Thailand's oldest existing political party and current incumbent party. The party upholds a centre-right, royalist, and socially conservative ideology.[1] In 2007, party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva led the party to embrace many populist policies, which had proved to be popular by the Thai Rak Thai party. After the 2006 Thailand coup, it supported the military junta. Several party leaders like Somkiat Pongpaiboon and Kasit Piromya also lead the People's Alliance for Democracy.[2] The party's support bases are concentrated mainly in Bangkok and Southern Thailand.

The Democrat Party was originally established in 1945 as a royalist party in opposition to parties affiliated with Pridi Phanomyong. Democrat Party founder Khuang Aphaiwong was briefly appointed as figurehead civilian Premier during the dictatorship of Marshal Plaek Phibulsongkram, but represented the opposition from 1952 to 1957. The party was dormant during the dictatorships of Sarit Dhanarajata and Thanom Kittikachorn (1957-1968). It was again the opposition from 1968 to 1971, when Thanom overthrew his own administration against communist infiltration. It was the opposition party until Seni Pramoj briefly led an unstable coalition Government in 1975, and then again in 1976, during the 6 October 1976 massacre. Later, and during the Prem Tinsulanonda era (1980-1988), the party was the opposition.

Led by Chuan Leekpai, the Party led unstable coalition governments twice in the 1990s, from 1992-1995 and 1997-2001. It was the opposition during the tenure of Thaksin Shinawatra during 2001-2006. The Party's current leader is Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The party is a member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, an alliance of self-proclaimed liberal parties from throughout the region.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Founding of the Party

The Democrat Party was founded in 1945 as a conservative, monarchist party by Khuang Aphaiwong. It was originally established to contest the January 1946 prohibition. Initial members included royalists opposed to Pridi Phanomyong and former Seri Thai members. The Party competed against various parties affiliated with Pridi and the Progress Party of brothers Seni and Kukrit Pramoj and other hard-line royalists. In the election, Pridi's bloc won a majority in the Parliament; the Demorats came in second. However, Pridi declined a nomination as Prime Minister and the Parliament instead appointed Khuang as Premier. Khuang resigned in March 1946 after being defeated on a minor bill, and was replaced by Pridi. The Progress Party, including the Pramoj brothers, later merged with the Democrat Party.

[edit] "Pridi Killed the King"

After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in 1946, the Democrat Party accused Pridi of being the mastermind behind the King's death and spread this propaganda throughout the capital.[3] Seni Pramoj's wife told the US chargé d'affaires that Pridi had the King assassinated.[4] A few days after the King's death, a Democrat MP yelled out, "Pridi killed the King!" in the middle of a crowded theater. [5]

[edit] November 1947 coup and the 1949 Constitution

By the time of the House election of August 1946, the Democrat Party was enlarged by royalists like Prince Upalisarn Jubala, Srivisarn Vacha, Sridhamadibes, Borirak Vejjakarn, and Srisena Sombatsiri. Except for Prince Upalisarn Jubala, all of these figures would become Privy Councilors to the new King, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Parties affiliated with Pridi continued to win a majority of seats in the House. Pridi was appointed Premier, but later conceded to Luang Thamrong Navasavat. A military coup led by Marshal Plaek Phibulsongkram later overthrew the Thamrong government.

The palace persuaded Marshal Plaek to appoint Khuang Aphaiwong as figurehead civilian Prime Minister.[6] In subsequent elections in 29 January 1948, the Democrats won the majority for the first time, and reappointed Khuang as Premier. Khuang packed his cabinet with palace allies, much to the consternation of the military. The military later, claiming that they were supporters of constitutional monarchy, demanded that Khuang resign. Marshal Plaek replaced Khuang as Prime Minister.

Although having no place in the Premiership, the Democrats had key representatives in the constitution drafting committee. Headed by Seni Pramoj and dominated by royalists under the direction of Prince Rangsit and Prince Dhani, the 1949 Constitution elevated the throne to its most powerful position since the 1932 overthrow of the absolute monarchy.[7] Among its features was a Senate appointed directly by the King. The Constitution provoked an uproar among much of the public. It was attacked as contrary to the spirit of the 1932 revolution. Critics were branded republicans and communists.[8]

Subsequent elections saw military-affiliated parties winning the majority in the House; however the Senate was still dominated by Democrats and other royalists. As Marshal Plaek was still Premier, tensions between the military and the Democrat/palace-alliance steadily increased. On 29 November 1951, the military and the police seized power, just as King Bhumibol's vessel was returning to Thai waters. Although the military's 1952 constitution, which was essentially the 1932 Constitution, called for elections, the Democrats had been practically barred from government for the following 23 years.

[edit] The era of no elections

Sarit Dhanarajata seized power from Marshal Plaek in 1957. Unlike Marshal Plaek, Sarit deified the throne, thus removing any advantage that the Democrats, who had previously been dominated by royalists, may have had. The junta did not immediately abrogate the 1952 Constitution, but instead appointed Pote Sarasin as figurehead civilian Premier. Elections were held on 15 December 1957, resulting in the Democrats losing out to military dominated parties. Sarit's ally General Thanom Kittikachorn was appointed as Premier. Sarit later went to the US to seek treatment on his liver cirrhosis. Eight months later, he returned healthy and executed another coup, dissolving Parliament, abrogating the Constitution, and ruling by Revolutionary Council. For the next 9 years, there were no elections in Thailand, and the Democrat Party had laid dormant.

[edit] The era of the Three Tyrants

Thanom Kittikachorn, who had succeeded Sarit after his death, was pressured to promulgate a democratic constitution in 20 June 1968 and hold elections in February 1969. Parties affiliated with Thanom won that election, and the Democrats joined the opposition. Thanom, his son Narong, and his brother-in-law Praphas Charusathien became known as the Three Tyrants. They later executed a coup against their own government in 17 November 1971, abrogating the Constitution and running the Kingdom through a National Executive Council. Facing rising tension, they drafted a new charter in December 1972, which established a wholly-appointed 299-member National Legislative Assembly.

[edit] The short flowering of democracy

Opposition to the Three Tyrants exploded on 13 October 1973, when 400,000 protested at the Democracy Monument. A violent crackdown and intervention by the King led to the appointment of Privy Councilor Sanya Dhammasakdi as Premier. The Three Tyrants left the Kingdom. Sanya established a constitution drafting committee, consisting of Kukrit Pramoj (who by this time had established the Social Action Party) and many academics. The new constitution was promulgated in 7 October 1974.

Legislative elections were held in January 1975, resulting in none of the 22 parties coming close to winning a majority. The Democrats, led by Seni Pramoj, formed a coalition government in February 1974. Seni was appointed Premier, but the coalition was highly unstable, and was replaced in less than a month by a Social Action Party-led coalition which appointed Kukrit Pramoj as Premier.

[edit] Seni Pramoj and the 6 October 1976 Massacre

The Kingdom descended into political chaos, with anti-leftist elements growing increasingly violent. In January 1976, the military pressured Kukrit to dissolve Parliament. Elections were scheduled on 14 April. The months leading up to the election were extremely violent.[9] Seni Pramoj's Democrats won the most seats in the election, and formed a highly unstable coalition government.

Seni's government came under great pressure. A bill to extend elections to local levels was passed by Parliament 149-19, but the King refused to sign the bill or return it to Parliament, effectively vetoing it.[10] As anti-leftist hysteria escalated, Praphas Charusathien returned shortly from exile to meet the King. Protesting students were attacked by Red Gaur paramilitary units. On 19 September 1976 Thanom returned from exile and was immediately ordained as a monk at Wat Bovornives. Massive protests erupted. The King and Queen returned from a trip to the South to visit monk Thanom, leading Seni to resign from the Premiership in protest. His resignation was refused by Parliament, but initial attempts to reshuffle his Cabinet were blocked by the King.[11] The political tension finally exploded in the 6 October 1976 massacre, when Village Scouts and Red Gaur joined with military and police to rape and massacre at least 46 students protesting at Thammasat University.[12] That evening, the military seized power and installed hard-line royalist Tanin Kraivixien as Premier.

The military coup was clearly endorsed by the King, who declared that it was "a manefestation of what the people clearly wanted."[13] The new constitution had no Cabinet or elections and gave the Premier near absolute powers.

[edit] The modern Democrat Party

The Democrat Party evolved into an outspoken opponent of military rule in Thai politics and was the major opposition party during Thailand's political crises, often in power for a short period after the coups and before subsequent episodes military dictatorships take over. The key member of the "People Power" movement in 1992, the Democrat Party under Chuan Leekpai led coalition governments from 1992 to 1995 and again from 1997 to 2001.


Election results in the South, 1975-2005

The party's voter base is traditionally concentrated in Bangkok, where the party relies on the support from the capital's aristocratic, meritocratic and educated middle and upper classes. In the 1990s, under the leadership of Chuan Leekpai, a native of Trang province in Southern Thailand, the Democrats quickly became the major party in the southern region. The influx of provincial politicians from the south into the party created considerable tension with the party's Bangkok establishment. But since Chuan's "Mr. Clean" image made him personally popular with Democrat Party supporters in the capital, the party managed to stay united under his leadership. The Party, however, moved back to the opposition in 2001 after the landslide election victory of Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai party, winning only 128 seats compared to the TRT's 248 in the 2001 general election.

In 2003, Chuan retired as party leader. Banyat Bantadtan, a southerner and a close aide to Chuan, succeeded him after a closely-fought leadership contest with Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Democrat Party 2005 election poster highlighting the "201" campaign

Although the party's candidate in the 2004 Bangkok gubernatorial election, Apirak Kosayothin, won a landslide victory, the party lost further ground to Thai Rak Thai in the 2005 general election. In the election campaigns, the Democrats had a populist platform, promoting full capacity employment, universal education and health care, and law and order against crime and corruption. However, the party refused to give further details of their policies.[14] They also aimed to gain 201 seats, enough to launch a vote of no confidence debate against the premier. However, they lost the elections by a considerable margin, winning only 96 out of 500 seats and only 18.3% of the popular vote. Results of the election prompted party leader Banyat Bantadtan to resign. On March 6, 2005, Abhisit Vejjajiva was elected the new party leader. Upon succeeding the party's leadership from Banyat, Abhisit noted, "It will take a long time to revive the party because we need to look four years ahead and consider how to stay in the hearts of the people."

[edit] Election Boycott

In February 2006, Thaksin Shinawatra declared a house dissolution after a month of mass protests and called for general elections in April. The Democrat Party joined hands with two other main opposition parties to boycott the elections, claiming that the call for elections was unjustifiable, that Thaksin's attempt to call for the elections only served to divert public attention from the sales of Shin Corp, and that Thaksin had not lived up to his pledge to undertake political reform after the elections. These elections of April 2006 were later declared invalid. On May 30, 2007 the Constitutional Court dismissed the claims of electional fraud in these elections, which if declared valid would have led to the dissolution of the party.[15]

[edit] New challenges

The emergence of the TRT Party into Thai politics in 1998 and its downfall in 2007 have presented new challenges to the Thai political situation and to the Democrat Party itself in particular. The TRT has brought into the scene the populist policy with its focuses on providing affordable health care for all citizens, village-managed microcredit development funds, government-sponsored One Tambon One Product program, and others. The populist policy earned the TRT enormous popularity from rural populations unprecedented Thailand's history.

Following the Coup d'état in 2006 and the Thai Rak Thai Party's dissolution in 2007, the Democrat Party was faced with a new challenge: How can the Party expand its support base into the Central, North and North-Eastern regions once considered to be the TRT's political stronghold? Although himself being banned from politics for five years, Thaksin Shinawatra still enjoys popularity from his former support bases and attempted to maintain his active role in Thai politics by supporting the newly elected People's Power Party, which had become a gathering of the former TRT members.

Abhisit had to promote populist policies and military support as the Democrat Party's platform in the 2007 General Elections. He claimed that while his platform was categorically considered to be the populist, it sought to curb inflation while maintaining fiscal soundness; to apply the village-managed microcredit development funds used in the Thaksin government but do it as part of promoting royalist self-sufficiency economy policies in rural areas; and to strengthen the country's competitiveness in the long run through universal education. However, the Democrats' platform was poorly received in the Central, North and North-Eastern regions. Although the Party was able to gain more than 160 seats, a record unprecedented in the Party's history, they didn't manage to form a coalition government. Again, the Democrats were declared the opposition party.

As the opposition leader, Abhisit took the initiative in forming shadow cabinet. The formation of the shadow cabinet was aimed to secure attention in the media space and to draw contrasts and distinctions with regard to public policy that would help future voters understand where the Party stands.

[edit] Censure (no-confidence) motion

The Democrat Party member Sathit Wongnongtoei on June 18, 2008 submitted to Deputy House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranan a censure motion of no-confidence against Samak Sundaravej and 7 cabinet ministers in the parliament, to oust the 6-party coalition government led by Samak's People Power Party (PPP). The marathon debate was held without success on June 28.[16][17]

[edit] Party Leader

[edit] Party Secretary General

[edit] Party Spokesperson

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chang Noi, The Nation, "The Democrat Party: a premature obituary", 30 September 2002
  2. ^ The Nation, [www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/10/29/politics/politics_30087104.php Conflicts of interest abound in dubious Democrat-PAD roles], 29 October 2008
  3. ^ Subhasvsti, "Noeng Sotwarot Subhasvasti", Bangkok: Family of M.C. Subhasvasti Wongsanit Svastivat, 1999, page 82
  4. ^ Sulak Sivaraksa, "Powers That Be: Pridi Bhanomyong Through the Rise and Fall of Thai Democracy", Bangkok:Runkaew, 1999, page 18-19
  5. ^ Rayne Kruger, "The Devil's Discus", London: Cassell, 1964, page 103
  6. ^ Frank C. Darling, "American Influence on the Evolution of Constitutional Government in Thailand" Thesis, American University, 1960, page 185
  7. ^ Paul M. Handley, "The King Never Smiles" Yale University Press: 2006, ISBN 0-300-10682-3
  8. ^ The Bangkok Post, 5 February 1949
  9. ^ The head of the Socialist Party was assassinated, the Red Gaur attempted to bomb the headquarters of the New Force Party, and the Chart Thai Party was established with the slogan "Right Kills Left".
  10. ^ Such a refusal to either sign or reject legislation was very rare. Seni's government did not dare vote to reject his veto, and simply passed over the issue.
  11. ^ David Morell and Chai-Anan Samudavanija, "Political Conflict in Thailand: Reform, Reaction, Revolution", page 273
  12. ^ 46 was the official deathcount, see Bryce Beemer, Forgetting and Remembering "Hok Tulaa", the October 6 Massacre. Students were also lynched and their bodies mutilated in front of cheering crowds
  13. ^ Andrew Turon, Jonathan Fast, and Malcolm Caldwell, eds. "Thailand: Roots of Conflict", Spokesman: 1978, page 91
  14. ^ Aurel Croissant and Daniel J. Pojar, Jr., Quo Vadis Thailand? Thai Politics after the 2005 Parliamentary Election, Strategic Insights, Volume IV, Issue 6 (June 2005)
  15. ^ The Nation, May 30
  16. ^ xinhuanet.com, Thai Democrats launch no-confidence motion against PM and ministers in parliament
  17. ^ nationmultimedia.com, Censure motion filed against PM, 7 ministers

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Sister project Wikinews has related news: Thai ruling party ordered dissolved; opposition party survives
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