The Pheu Thai Party has cried foul over four ministers who have announced they will join the Palang Pracharath Party amid doubts over whether the pro-government party has been given leeway to conduct political activities which are still banned for everyone else.
The ministers are scheduled to meet civic groups Monday morning at Klong Lat Mayom floating market in Taling Chan district.
It will fan criticism raised by former Pheu Thai spokesman Sakda Nopphasit who believes the trip is in violation of the restrictions on certain political affairs.
Believed to be the military regime-backed party set up to help return Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as premier after a general election next year, Palang Pracharath is seen as having effectively begun campaigning while other parties are still only limited to some activities such as membership registration.
The party is run by four key heavyweights in the government -- Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana, who is Palang Pracharath leader; Science and Technology Minister Suvit Maesincee, the deputy party leader; Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong, the party secretary-general; and PM's Office Minister Kobsak Pootrakool, the party spokesman.
Though there is no law to force the ministers to resign from their jobs, they were earlier warned against abusing their power by using state resources and manpower for their party's purposes.
Pol Capt Chanin Noilek, chief of Department of Legal Affairs under the Office of the Election Commission, said mattter must be carefully considered before deciding whether they committed wrongdoing.
It would be wrong if the ministers use state resources or their office time talking about the party or its policies.
However, in his view, it should not be considered wrong if media crews asked the ministers about Palang Pracharath at Government House.
The supposed Palang Pracharath leader, Mr Uttama, is scheduled to meet civic representatives countrywide to brainstorm ideas for developing the community economy.
Meanwhile, politicians and activists yesterday reiterated their calls on the NCPO to completely lift the political ban and stressed a need to abandon junta rules to set up a true democracy.
Democrat former MP Rachada Dhnadirek said the issue was about "spirit and gracefulness".
"The government should know what to do and not to do. It announces political reform and it should start with ground rules for a free and fair election," she said.
"The government has run the country for four years already, it should not worry about only a few months to go when it has announced the election for February," she said.
Paradorn Prissananantakul, a former MP of Chartthaipattana Party, said the military regime must give a clearer signal that it will organise the Feb 24 election next year by completely removing the ban on political activities. A partial lifting is favouring some at the expense of others.
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the anti-coup Future Forward Party, said chronic corruption problems must be solved by democratic means.
"Doing otherwise will only lead to a problem bigger than corruption," he said.
