Former deputy prime minister Somkid Jatusripitak has expressed his readiness to be a prime ministerial candidate of the new Sang Anakhot Thai Party (SATP) if the party nominates him in the next general election.
Mr Somkid confirmed his interest at a meeting of prospective party candidates on Thursday at the Rama Gardens Hotel in Bangkok. The day before, the party officially introduced him as its chairman at another meeting of party executives and potential candidates.
Mr Somkid, 69, said setting up a new party at the present time required courage given the tumultuous political situation, a falling currency and fierce political competition. Younger people do not want to enter Thai politics, he added.
SATP leader Uttama Savanayana said party executives voted unanimously to appoint Mr Somkid as its chairman. He registered as a member of the party — known in English as The Future Thai Party according to its Facebook page — on Sept 2.
Mr Somkid recalled his last foray into politics in 2014 when he led a team of relatively young technocrats who had been approached about advising the government that was being established after the May 22 military coup. At the time, gross domestic product (GDP) growth had dropped to just 1% amid uncertainties caused by the coup. His team eventually joined the cabinet and had to work hard to rebuild trust in the country, and eventually GDP growth levels returned to 4% before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Somkid and the three technocrats he brought into government were dubbed the Four Lads by the Thai media. Mr Uttama served as finance minister in the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration. Mr Somkid was the deputy prime minister in charge of economic strategy. He also served as finance minister in the first Thai Rak Thai government led by Thaksin Shinawatra from 2001-06.
Mr Somkid said the problems the technocrats encountered in the Prayut administration were political, with people fighting for power, not wisdom. He said he sympathised with the prime minister as his administration was made up of many parties. Ultimately, Mr Somkid and the technocrats were forced out in 2020 as others in the cabinet were jockeying for greater political influence.
The atmosphere at the official introduction of Mr Somkid as the party chairman was lively. He was warmly received by potential candidates from all regions with placards greeting and praising him for his economic experience.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Somkid said he joined the party as he wanted to use his ability to work for the SATP, not for himself. The party, he said, was less interested in competition than in seeking cooperation from all capable people, both insiders and outsiders, to lay the foundation for the future.
When asked whether he would become the party’s prime ministerial candidate, Mr Somkid said that if the party nominated him, he was ready for the post.
However, he declined to answer a reporter’s question when asked whether the party was willing to work with the government and Gen Prayut, if the latter continues to serve as prime minister beyond the election next year.