Democrat deputy leader says Thaksin is trying to stop “bleeding” in Pheu Thai party

Fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is trying to stop “bleeding” in the Pheu Thai party by assuring the party’s former MPs that he is still “in politics and not going anywhere”, said Mr Nipit Intharasombat, deputy leader of Democrat Party on Saturday.

Mr Nipit was commenting on Thaksin’s recent online address to his former MPs that, giving assurance that voters in the Northeast would overwhelmingly vote for the party in the next election.

“The political language now is that the Pheu Thai party is bleeding and Thaksin is trying to stop the bleeding,” said Nipit in reference to speculation that several former Pheu Thai MPs were being courted to leave the party.

Asked whether Thaksin can stop the bleeding or not, the Democrat deputy leader said it would depend on a number of factors.  “If the former Pheu Thai MPs sense that the ship (party) is sinking, they will jump ship toward a new party which is quite normal.  But if they are sure that the ship will not sink, they won’t leave,” he explained.

Nipit said further that most former MPs who defected to the other parties are those who have legal problems or second or third-grade politicians and 80 percent of them will not be welcome back once they left the parties.