The political scene is springing back to life as about 20 political and pressure groups are expected to register as political parties with the Election Commission (EC), starting from tomorrow.
The eager moves of political groups to register new parties were seen Wednesday, a day after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced an election will be organised by February next year, another of his promises that politicians doubt will be kept.
When the EC office opens for business tomorrow, numerous political activists, who have decided to keep a low profile over the years, are expected to turn up and apply to form political parties.
"We have been expecting that about 20 groups will seek to register as political parties," said EC member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn Wednesday.
The EC will accept the applications but it doesn't mean the names they want will be approved. The applications will be considered and they should know within 30 days, he said.
The Office of the EC is making its preparations for the first day of the political party registration which will last until March 31.
After the registration documents are accepted, the groups must find the required number of 500 people and submit a request to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to hold a general meeting, said Mr Somchai.
They are required to select a party leader and executives and write a party manifesto and regulations for submission to the EC for consideration before their political party status is endorsed.
The entire process must be completed within 180 days.
Several groups have emerged to offer their parties as alternatives in the general election.
Among them, a new party pushed by Suthep Thaugsuban, former leader of the defunct People's Democrat Reform Committee (PDRC), are drawing the public's attention.
Mr Suthep insisted he would not enter politics again but would support Gen Prayut to return as prime minister.
Thanee Thaugsuban, a younger brother of Mr Suthep, also confirmed the planned setting up of the Muan Maha Prachachon party to back Gen Prayut.
He said the group is recruiting 500 party members and founders and the new party will contest the election and pursue the Muan Maha Prachachon Foundation's reformist agenda.
Mr Suthep, also a former secretary-general of the Democrat Party, will not even serve as a party member, according to Mr Thanee, as he has vowed to wash his hands of politics.
Mr Suthep's move has drawn flak from the Democrats.
In a group chat for Democrat Party members on the popular messaging app Line, which was read by the Bangkok Post, Boonlert Pailin, the former Democrat MP for Chachoengsao, posted that if Mr Suthep were to set up a new party it would affect the Democrats.
Mr Boonlert said even though several members of the new party would be former Democrat members, and some might think that the two parties could end up cooperating, the fact is that they are fundamentally incompatible.
"The new party will support Gen Prayut to be prime minister but the Democrats will back their leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva," he said.
Mr Boonlert questioned why Mr Suthep still supported Gen Prayut.
"Gen Prayut has the powerful Section 44 order at his disposal but he has totally failed to push reforms," he said.
"The cases of corruption that have emerged during his tenure are no less than what we saw from the government he toppled," he said, adding that the Prayut government has also failed to boost the economy at the grassroots level.
Ravee Machamadol, former secretary-general of the Palang Dhamma Party, is forming a party known as United Thailand National Organisations.
"Unlike Mr Suthep, we're not announcing our support for Gen Prayut as prime minister. We will support our own people first but if there's a disagreement, we'll consider any suitable outsiders," he said.
Samphan Lertnuwat, leader of the Phalang Phonlamuang group, dropped by the EC office yesterday to collect a set of documents needed to register a party.
Mr Samphan is seeking to register a party under the name Phalang Phonlamaung Thai. It now has 20 members.
"I have six months to find enough party members to meet the requirement. Everything should be okay by the time of the election," he said.
Fresh faces include Ampapan Tanesdechsundhara, who plans to register the Phure Chart Thai Party.
