Bangkok (AP) — Thailand’s slow move from military to civilian governance has attracted dozens of new political parties to register in barely two weeks, including one by an internet-famous billionaire who says he embraces democracy and wants to challenge the country’s traditional powers.
Anakot Mai, or the Future Forward Party, was registered Thursday under the name it received just this week after “Help Thanathorn name his party” trended among Thai Twitter users. A Facebook live interview with party co-founder Thananthorn Juangroongruangkit had over 100,000 views and prompted warnings he was being watched by the ruling administration.
The Future Forward Party was the 58th to register since the government opened the process March 2.
“My idea is to make this party stand for democratic principles,” Thanathorn, 39, told reporters at a news conference. “I want to see a political party that dares to oppose organizations, institutions, and values that oppose democracy.”
“We will make democracy a part of every decision-making process from the choosing of party members, the determining of party direction and strategy, to the developing of party policies,” he said.
Thanathorn, the executive vice president of leading auto parts manufacturer Thai Summit Group, said he would rely on crowd-funded resources to support his party rather than his own wealth.
He said the party believes in transparent governance, equal rights and economic equality, among other progressive principles, and that it will not take sides with popular figures.
“Thailand has suffered from deep conflict for over a decade, which has caused great economic and social losses. Polarized politics is a hurdle for negotiations, while dictatorial politics limits people’s rights and freedoms, suppressing problems without fixing them,” the Future Forward Party said in a statement Thursday. “We, who see this conflict, agree that it is time to have a new power come in to restore faith in democracy.”
The Future Forward Party’s co-founder, Piyabutr Saenkanokkul, a university law lecturer, said the party is modeled after young political entities that broke away from traditional politics in other nations. He cited the left-wing parties of Podemos in Spain, Syriza in Greece, and La France Insoumise in France.
“It is a world trend that new political parties are emerging. In many countries, these parties have formed governments and while many are still opposition parties, they are gradually gaining more votes,” Piyabutr said. “I think that, at the very least, the forming of new parties will force big established parties to adjust.”
