Former MP Atavit abandons Democrats to join Korn

Former MP Atavit abandons Democrats to join Korn

Atavit Suwannapakdee called it quits with the Democrat Party on Thursday, one day after stalwart Korn Chatikavanij resigned his membership. (Bangkok Post photo)
Atavit Suwannapakdee called it quits with the Democrat Party on Thursday, one day after stalwart Korn Chatikavanij resigned his membership. (Bangkok Post photo)

Former Bangkok MP Atavit Suwannapakdee resigned from the Democrat Party on Thursday, linking his political future to former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij, who left the country's oldest political party a day earlier.

Mr Atavit won a seat in the capital under the Democrat banner in the 2008 and 2011 polls, when he  was regarded as a rising star within the party.

He announced on Facebook that he had submitted his resignation letter to the party on Thursday, and that his political future was with Korn Chatikavanij.

"I and Phi Korn share the view that it is about time to act," he wrote about the former finance minister's as  yet unexplained "plan for political change driven by good morals".

Mr Atavit's departure from the Democrats came only one day after Mr Korn ended his ties with the party he had been with for 15 years.

Mr Atavit said he called on party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai on Wednesday to pay his respects.

They are the latest of several senior members who have recently left Thailand's oldest political party.

Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stepped down after the party's crushing defeat in the March general election. And so-called young Democrats left after new leader Jurin Laksanawisit took the party to join the coalition government.

Mr Chuan on Thursday said one reason members were leaving was they saw a lack of opportunity, or at best only a limited role in politics. He asked party members to be patient.

"I can't speak for the party leader, but I do know many good members have not been given opportunities to work," he said.

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