Thai PM Criticized for Emotional Response to Critics

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is facing criticism for his emotional response to allegations of electoral rigging in the recent senatorial elections. An NIDA academic suggested his behavior lacked the maturity expected of a head of government. Pichai Ratanadilok na Phuket, Director of NIDA’s Doctorate Project For Politics & Development Strategies, remarked that Anutin was obviously lacking in personal maturity and emotional control, qualities typically characteristic of a head of government. "Anutin could probably have forgotten about himself being head of government under democratic rule and not under dictatorial rule when he abruptly lost his cool and irritably retorted to those who had only looked to keep his government in check," Pichai commented. The NIDA academic added that the prime minister should not have humiliated or sneered at those who were monitoring or putting his Bhumjaithai-led government to blame with witness-based accusations. Instead, he should have provided truthful and reasonable responses. Prime Minister Anutin, who concurrently serves as Minister of Interior and leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, the core of the current coalition government, was apparently angered by such allegations. These were publicly launched by Yingcheep Atchanont, project manager of the iLaw activist group, and People’s-led opposition lawmakers. Anutin bluntly branded these moves as a "pathetic" legal attempt toward a possible ouster of him and his partisan colleagues from government and a potential dissolution of their largest ruling party due to alleged involvement in senatorial rigging shenanigans. Meanwhile, Yingcheep, the iLaw activist, posted on his Facebook page expressing gratitude for donations totaling over two million baht in cash. These funds are intended to support his looming legal battles against the prime minister and several Bhumjaithai cabinet members, among others, whom he had accused of involvement in the senatorial rigging conspiracy. Yingcheep will be legally obliged to defend himself from defamatory lawsuits separately filed against him by the accused in provincial courts across the country. It remains to be seen around next month whether the Election Commission will proceed to court the prosecution of any of the total 229 suspects. These range from the prime minister-cum-Bhumjaithai leader and Bhumjaithai cabinet members to as many as 138 senators, on charges of undue involvement in electoral fraud. However, the seven polling commissioners, four of whom were contentiously named by pro-Bhumjaithai senators, could possibly resolve to not forward lawsuits to the Supreme Court against prominent figures in government or a majority of suspected senators, opting instead to sacrifice "small fish." Anutin had allegedly attended an informal meeting of a majority of senators at the Pullman Bangkok King Power hotel, where they picked a Senate speaker and deputy speakers amongst themselves. These senators had scored victories in the complicated, triple-tiered election, allegedly due to premeditated rigging shenanigans designed by persons covertly associated with the Bhumjaithai Party, the ultra-conservative camp under the command of de facto party boss Newin Chidchob. Anutin has recently admitted to having visited that particular hotel privately and "on a daily basis" long before the notorious senatorial election was held two years ago. Furthermore, Newin has been reportedly spotted there every once in a while. Information Source: Thai Newsroom