Neutral Democratic Party
Encyclopedia
The Neutral Democratic Party (Phak Matchima Thippathai พรรคมัชฌิมาธิปไตย) was a Thai
political party
founded in 2006 by Somsak Thepsuthin, a former Thai Rak Thai
party Cabinet Minister. The party had a similar populist
line to the Thai Rak Thai and was expected to secure votes from Thai Rak Thai supporters.
The party was planned to merge with the For the Motherland
Party and later on the Royalist People's Party
, however, both plans were annulled.
On October 15, 2007, Prachai Liewpairat
, formerly Royalist People's Party Secretary-general and financier, was elected as the party's leader, and Anongwan Thepsuthin, Somsak's wife, was elected as the party's secretary-general. This move has raised many eyebrows in Thailand's political landscape. The birth of a new party, with a woman in charge of the second most important position, had caused a stir. For some advocates of women's rights, Thailand's long struggle to break male dominance in politics was thought to have partly been enlivened. As they note, in the second Thaksin government of 2005, only one of the 36 cabinet ministers and one governor out of 76 were women, while only 10 percent of the members of Parliament and Senate were women.
The Neutral Democratic Party participated in the 2007 general election
and won 5.36% of the vote (7 of 480 seats), coming in sixth. In January 2008, the Neutral Democratic Party joined the winning party of the election, PPP and five other parties to form a coalition.
After the party's disappointing election result in the 2007 Election, the party leader, Prachai Liewpairat
resigned. On 25 February 2008, party members gathered together for the party annual meeting in Sukhothai province, hometown of Somsak Themsuthin. They elected the new leader, secretary-general, deputy leaders, spokesperson and the new executive board. Former secretary general and the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Anongwan Thepsuthin became the new leader and Chai-Nat province MP Porntiwa Nakasai became the new secretary general. This the party the first party in Thailand to have women as both the leader and secretary general.
Along with the coalition members People Power Party (PPP) and Chart Thai, the Neutral Democratic Party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on December 2, 2008, with party executives banned from politics for five years. The non-executive MPs of the parties were given 60 days to reorganize under new parties. The non-executive MPs from the Neutral Democratic Party defected to the Bhumjaithai Party. They and the former members of the Friends of Newin Group, a faction of the PPP, decided to form a coalition government led by Abhisit Vejjajiva
, leader of the Democrat Party
.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
founded in 2006 by Somsak Thepsuthin, a former Thai Rak Thai
Thai Rak Thai
The Thai Rak Thai Party was a Thai political party that was officially banned on May 30, 2007, by the Constitutional Court of Thailand due to violations of electoral laws during the 2006 legislative elections. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under Prime Minister and its founder Thaksin...
party Cabinet Minister. The party had a similar populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
line to the Thai Rak Thai and was expected to secure votes from Thai Rak Thai supporters.
The party was planned to merge with the For the Motherland
For the Motherland
Motherland Party was a Thai political party founded on September 11, 2007, by more than 200 politicians including defectors from the Thai Rak Thai Party . Before the general election 2011, it merged with the National Development Party to form the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party. The Puea Pandin...
Party and later on the Royalist People's Party
Royalist People's Party
The Royalist People's Party is a populist political party in Thailand.The party was established and registered at the Electoral Commission on February 10, 2006, by Sanoh Thienthong, former Thai Rak Thai party chairman....
, however, both plans were annulled.
On October 15, 2007, Prachai Liewpairat
Prachai Leophai-ratana
Prachai Leophairatana is a former Senator and a Thai businessman who founded Thai Petrochemical Industry .Prachai founded Thai Petrochemical Industry in 1978, based on companies his grandfather founded during World War II. Thai Petrochemical Industry group begun in rice milling, and had extended...
, formerly Royalist People's Party Secretary-general and financier, was elected as the party's leader, and Anongwan Thepsuthin, Somsak's wife, was elected as the party's secretary-general. This move has raised many eyebrows in Thailand's political landscape. The birth of a new party, with a woman in charge of the second most important position, had caused a stir. For some advocates of women's rights, Thailand's long struggle to break male dominance in politics was thought to have partly been enlivened. As they note, in the second Thaksin government of 2005, only one of the 36 cabinet ministers and one governor out of 76 were women, while only 10 percent of the members of Parliament and Senate were women.
The Neutral Democratic Party participated in the 2007 general election
Thai general election, 2007
The 2007 Thai general elections were held on 23 December. This was the first legislative election after the Council for National Security, a military junta, had overthrown Thailand's elected government and abrogated the constitution on September 19, 2006. The junta had canceled general elections...
and won 5.36% of the vote (7 of 480 seats), coming in sixth. In January 2008, the Neutral Democratic Party joined the winning party of the election, PPP and five other parties to form a coalition.
After the party's disappointing election result in the 2007 Election, the party leader, Prachai Liewpairat
Prachai Leophai-ratana
Prachai Leophairatana is a former Senator and a Thai businessman who founded Thai Petrochemical Industry .Prachai founded Thai Petrochemical Industry in 1978, based on companies his grandfather founded during World War II. Thai Petrochemical Industry group begun in rice milling, and had extended...
resigned. On 25 February 2008, party members gathered together for the party annual meeting in Sukhothai province, hometown of Somsak Themsuthin. They elected the new leader, secretary-general, deputy leaders, spokesperson and the new executive board. Former secretary general and the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Anongwan Thepsuthin became the new leader and Chai-Nat province MP Porntiwa Nakasai became the new secretary general. This the party the first party in Thailand to have women as both the leader and secretary general.
Along with the coalition members People Power Party (PPP) and Chart Thai, the Neutral Democratic Party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on December 2, 2008, with party executives banned from politics for five years. The non-executive MPs of the parties were given 60 days to reorganize under new parties. The non-executive MPs from the Neutral Democratic Party defected to the Bhumjaithai Party. They and the former members of the Friends of Newin Group, a faction of the PPP, decided to form a coalition government led by Abhisit Vejjajiva
Abhisit Vejjajiva
Abhisit Vejjajiva , , ; born Mark Abhisit Vejjajiva; 3 August 1964 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is a Thai politician who was the 27th Prime Minister of Thailand from 2008 to 2011 and is the current leader of the Democrat Party...
, leader of the Democrat Party
Democrat Party (Thailand)
The Democrat Party is Thailand's oldest political party and was the main coalition government party of the 23rd House of Representatives of Thailand. The Democrat Party's current leader is Abhisit Vejjajiva, incumbent opposition leader and former Prime Minister. The party upholds a conservative...
.
Party members
- Leader: Anongwan Thepsuthin
- Secretary General: Porntiwa Nakasai
- Spokesperson: Suphapornpong Chuanboon