Thailand’s most prominent woman politician is pushing for a constitution overhaul to pave the way for a pro-democracy government and avoid a political gridlock amid talks of an early election.
“If we don’t rewrite the constitution before the next election, we’ll only see chaos, and political conflict and crisis,” said Sudarat Keyuraphan, a former premiership candidate and one of only a handful of women in male-dominated Thai politics.
In a vote likely as soon as early next year, pro-democracy parties are set to vie with royalists to form a government despite rules that are stacked in favour of the military-backed ruling party, which backs coup leader-turned-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Khunying Sudarat remains the favourite pro-democracy candidate to win the election, second only to Gen Prayut. Her call for a constitution overhaul echoes one of the key demands of the youth-led protest movement that has also been pressing for reform of the monarchy.
In response, lawmakers last month only amended parts of the constitution concerning election rules that favour large parties, including the ruling Palang Pracharath. Under the current charter, 250 senators appointed by Gen Prayut’s military government will take part in voting to select a prime minister, giving the ruling party an advantage in the next poll.
That could result in a repeat of the 2019 elections that saw the establishment keeping power.
Even if the pro-democracy parties do win enough votes to form a government, challenges lie ahead, Khunying Sudarat said.
“This constitution has many mechanisms that can overthrow a pro-democracy government, and these mechanisms will kick into full gear against the government that stands against the regime.
“It can end the pro-democracy government within three to six months with these mechanisms without having to roll out the tanks,” she said in an interview.
“I’m trying to form a united front to push for a national referendum. This is a solution to end the political crisis that’s lawful and peaceful.”
New party
Last year, Khunying Sudarat left a party linked to her long-time ally Thaksin Shinawatra to start the Thai Sang Thai Party, a move that she described as her “last mission” to top off her three-decade career in politics.
“The party is created to be a real political institution. Parties in Thailand are usually started by tycoons or political dynasties, or created just for the continuation of the regime,” Khunying Sudarat said. “In the age of disruption, politics has to change too.”
Khunying Sudarat was one of the co-founders of the Thai Rak Thai party, along with Thaksin, and served as health and agriculture minister during his administration before the 2006 coup, which resulted in a five-year ban from politics for party members.
Thaksin’s allies regrouped under the People’s Power Party before it was disbanded by a court in 2008, with the remaining members moving to the Pheu Thai party.
Now her goal is to win votes on a platform of “empowering and liberating” people, with support for small businesses and startups and reforms in education and regulations that could lead to job creation.
A Suan Dusit Poll survey published on Sunday showed more than 70% of the respondents think it is time to hold a general election, while 58% believe the vote could happen in early 2022, which is about a year before the government’s four-year term is set to end.
Nearly 60% of the 1,186 participants said the election could usher in a new government.