New Politics Party – Part One: 3 Reasons Why It Will Succeed

The New Politics Party, a product of the PAD’s decision to venture into the realm of electoral politics, recently captured the headlines with the selection of Sondhi Limthongkul as its leader. While the party itself was formed several months ago amid huge fanfare, it is its role on the political landscape from now on that will likely be a constant topic of discussion, not least among the increasingly nervous members of the ruling Democrat Party.

Despite predictions by some commentators that the NPP will face difficult times ahead, I would argue that, compared to other small and medium-sized parties currently in existent, the NPP does possess some important strengths that can enable it to become a force to be reckoned with when it comes to elections. Here I will present three key reasons why I think the NPP has the potential to be a major player in Thailand’s parliamentary politics.

1. Sondhi Limthongkul

No matter how one looks at it, Sondhi Limthongkul is the NPP’s greatest asset. A UCLA graduate, he possesses outstanding oratory skills and is highly knowledgeable of both domestic and foreign affairs. The significance of his role in the whole yellow, anti-Thaksin camp is widely acknowledged. His weekly talk show, which was taken off air under Thaksin in 2005 but continued to draw large crowds nonetheless, kick-started a powerful mass movement that later evolved into what we know as the People’s Alliance for Democracy today. Just like how the number of protestors at a UDD rally tends to peak during Thaksin’s phone-in, the highlight of a major PAD rally is almost always when Sondhi is on stage. It came as no surprise that the PAD, or at least those involved in the process of choosing the NPP’s leader, voted overwhelmingly for him to be the party’s head. Now, as the NPP leader, his ability to energise supporters around the country will provide a major boost to the party’s chance of success.

2. Media Empire

Sondhi’s rhetoric alone would have been nowhere near enough to topple Thaksin had there not been a channel through which the PAD’s messages could be spread to people, whether living in Thailand or abroad. And Sondhi’s Manager Group certainly has plenty of those. In addition to the daily newspaper and the consistently popular ASTV-Manager website, the ASTV satellite network has grown to become a household name and is one of the most effective communication channels at the PAD’s disposal. We all know what could happen when Sondhi decided to unleash all the power of his media empire on someone (previous targets include not only Thaksin but also the Democrat-led government from 1997-2000 and former Finance Minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula). More recently, the launch of the English-language TAN Network and the Northeast-oriented Isaan TV represents the Manager Group’s growing ambition and confidence. The fact that the red shirts, in setting up its own TV station, essentially copied ASTV’s model is a testament to the Manager Group’s remarkably successful use of media.

Although, as Michael H. Nelson points out, the law strictly prevents the owning of shares in a media company by a political office holder, legal loopholes will certainly be exploited, allowing the Manager Group to continue attacking opponents as well as mobilising supporters to participate in NPP’s activities. It would be no surprise if other political parties secretly wished they were in control of such a vast and powerful media conglomerate.

3. Wealthy, Powerful and Mighty Backers

Throughout its existence, the PAD has been known for being associated with some wealthy and influential figures in the country. Usually, for a political party to be successful in Thailand it cannot rely on grassroots backing alone but it also needs support from military men, top bureaucrats as well as from well-off private individuals. When Sondhi’s early anti-Thaksin movement started to gain momentum, the income of his various companies rose sharply as donations, revenues and funds from undisclosed sources flowed in. Other aspects of the PAD’s link with society’s top brass are less clear, but it has been noted many times that the PAD’s criminal cases seem to progress so slowly through the country’s system. In addition, the very public display of support for the yellow shirts by certain members of the very top pretty much speaks for itself although this blog post will not go into that. In sum, political power brokers know only too well that the NPP cannot be underestimated in this regard.

Coming Up: New Politics Party – Part Two: 3 Reasons Why It Will Fail

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