Chartthaipattana leader Kanchana Silpa-archa vows to protect the party's political stronghold in Suphan Buri in a fight against a former key member who defected to Bhumjaithai.
The province became a key battleground in the race for Parliament after the bombshell defection by Jongchai Thiengtham on Tuesday, followed by a counter-attack on Wednesday by the Chartthaipattana frontwoman.
Mr Jongchai had close ties with Banharn Silpa-archa, the late founder of Chartthaipattana, and rose to Parliament under the Chartthaipattana banner.
He blamed Chartthaipattana for failing to settle a rift with Chartthaipattana secretary-general Prapat Pothasuthon, a member of another political family with close connections with Banharn, over which candidates would run in the province's constituencies.
Suphan Buri has four constituencies. Constituency 3 was originally planned to be under the control of the Pothasuthon clan, while Constituency 4 was reserved for the Thiengtham family.
The conflict erupted after Mr Prapat decided to send his nephew, Yutthana, to fight under the Palang Pracharath banner against Mr Jongchai's son, Samerkan, in Constituency 4. Mr Samerkan will run for Chartthaipattana, even though his father has quit the party.
"I complained (to the party) but my pleas fell on deaf ears," Mr Jongchai moaned on Tuesday before thanking Bhumjaithai for taking him on board.
Mr Jongchai said he will run for Bhumjaithai in Constituency 3 -- against Mr Prapat -- in what was seen as a knockout fight between the two political heavyweights.
"I am confident about winning in both constituencies," he said.
Ms Kanchana on Wednesday bluntly denied that no attempts were made to settle the feud between the two well-known families in her home province. "The allegation that we did nothing is untrue," the daughter of the party founder said. "We did not sit idly by, especially since the problem was in Suphan Buri."
She promised full support for Mr Samerkan's candidacy in Constituency 4, in spite of his father's abandonment of her party.
She said Chartthaipattana will focus its efforts on Constituency 3 as a key battleground in Suphan Buri. "I am not saying we have to win, but we will go to great lengths," she said.
The conflict is likely to fuel perceptions that Thai politics is sometimes more of a dynastic power struggle than a means to deliver policies that help improve voters' lives.
