The opposition Puea Thai party has embarked on a new strategy to strengthen internal solidarity, appointing members of the Shinawatra family to lead party members in each of the three regions where Puea Thai influence remains strong, said a Puea Thai source on Tuesday.
The source said under the new strategy, Yaowapa Wongsawat, a younger sister of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, would lead Puea Thai members in the North.
In the Northeast, the leader would be Payap Shinawatra, Thaksin's younger brother.
As for the central region and Bangkok, Yingluck Shinawatra was entrusted to be the chieftain.
The source said the party wanted a Shinawatra family member to lead each of the three regions because the party wanted them to symbolise the party's close connections with Thaksin.
The presence of the Shinawatra siblings in itself would be a message to the constituents that the party has a clear goal to "bring Mr Thaksin back home,'' said the source.
However, the three are not being appointed to replace the party's existing regional presidents, who will continue to work as usual.
They will only oversee the party's overall policies as well as support the party's activities in each region, the source said.
Pongpan Sunthornchai, a Puea Thai MP for Nong Khai province, said during the party's Sunday seminar in Khao Yai that Mr Payap's appointment would enable northeastern MPs to directly inform the "big boss'' about their views and decisions.
In the past, northeastern MPs did not have access to the party's core leaders to express their opinions privately.
Mr Pongpan said northeastern Puea Thai MPs have also agreed to merge their factions in the region to reduce faction-related problems.
Mr Pongpan said Thaksin's remarks during his latest phone-in speech that if he has the people's support he would not hesitate to lead the country again had boosted his confidence in Thaksin's leadership.
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- Writer: Bangkokpost.com
