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THAILAND-POLITICS
Thai princess to run for PM — against junta chief
BANGKOK, Feb 8, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A Thai princess will run for prime
minister in upcoming elections, in a stunning twist that pits the high-
profile royal against the chief of the ruling junta who had hoped to maintain
his grip on politics.
Princess Ubolratana, the older sister of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn,
emerged as a candidate for the Thai Raksa Chart party steered by the divisive
Shinawatra political clan.
“The board agrees that the name of Princess Ubolratana, an educated and
skilled person, is the most suitable choice,” Thai Raksa Chart party leader
Preechapol Pongpanich told reporters.
The party falls under the tutelage of Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire
self-exiled former premier, who stands at the heart of Thailand’s bitter
decade-long political schism — loathed by the army and Bangkok elite, yet
adored by the rural poor.
The announcement means a royal-fronted party tied to the Shinawatras will
directly take on the military party, whose own candidate was also announced
Friday as junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha.
Prayut has headed the junta for nearly five years, scripting a new
constitution in a bid to recast the entire political system to ensure the
army has a foothold on power after elections on March 24.
But the shock entrance of 67-year-old Ubolratana is likely to throw the
military’s plans into disarray.
In a day of high political drama, Prayut declared his candidacy for premier
moments after the princess.
“I agree to accept the invitation by Phalang Pracharat to nominate me to be
appointed as premier,” he said in an unusually conciliatory statement
released to media.
“I want to reassure that I do not intend to hang on to power. It is not
easy for me to make my decision… it is a crucial moment for the country.” –
Bridging the divide? –
The military under Prayut has cast itself as the protector of the monarchy.
But Ubolratana’s sudden entrance into politics, aligned with the junta’s
nemesis — the Shinawatra family — undercuts those claims.
It also potentially bridges the political divide between the “Red” shirted
loyalists to Thaksin and the “Yellow” shirted royalist supporters, whose
violent clashes have scarred Thailand’s recent history.
Ubolratana, a colourful, public-facing royal in contrast to her more
restrained brother King Maha Vajiralongkorn, relinquished her royal titles
after marrying an American decades ago.
But the couple divorced and she moved back to Thailand where she is still
considered part of the royal family.
Thailand has not had a royal as premier since becoming a constitutional
monarchy in 1932.
It was not immediately clear if Ubolratana would be covered by the
kingdom’s hardline royal defamation law — which carries up to 15 years in
jail per charge — or how that could impact debate and criticism in the run
up to elections.
“It is unprecedented if she becomes prime minister,” said Puangthong
Pawakapan, professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University.
“Can people treat her like a commoner? Who would dare criticise a royal
prime minister?”
Known to the public for lead roles in Thai films, onstage singing
performances, vibrant fashion sense and a prolific Instagram following,
Ubolratana is the first-born child of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
She was seen at the World Cup in Russia smiling with Thaksin and his sister
Yingluck — also a former prime minister — and has over the junta years
given a number of coded nods on social media in favour of the Shinawatras.
Since ascending the throne in 2016 King Maha Vajiralongkorn has reorganised
palace affairs.
The vastly wealthy Crown Property Bureau is now under his personal
stewardship, he has appointed several new privy counsellors and established a
highly trained personal guard.
Crucially he has appointed a new army chief from a different faction of the
military to the ruling junta.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1037 hrs