Chart Thai again
December 28, 2007
Once again, the Chart Thai party is the centre of speculation. Party leader Banharn Silpa-archa is famous for being slippery and holding out for the best possible deal. I wonder if this time he is being a bit too slippery. Read the story and decide for yourself.And what's this about "key PPP figure Newin Chidchob"? Mr Newin, of course, is one of the 111 former Thai Rak Thai party executives who have been banned from taking part in political activities for five years. He'd better not take visible role in PPP decision-making or he might get that party in trouble as well. Read to find out if he seems to be active in party affairs.
speculation – making guesses about a situation when you do not have enough information to be certain การคาดการณ์
slippery – acting in a way that you cannot be trusted ปลิ้นปล้อน กลัีบกลอก เชื่อไม่ได้ (คุณบรรหารเคยได้รับสมญานามว่า ปลาไหลใส่เสก็ต เพราะความกลับกลอกของเขา)
holding out – waiting until you get what you want รอโอกาส
figure – an important or famous person คนสำคัญ
banned – officially not allowed to do something ถูกตัดสิทธิ
visible – in a way that can be noticed เด่นชัด
role – the position or purpose that someone has in a situation, organisation, society or relationship บทบาท
PPP split over Chart Thai
POST REPORTERS
The
People Power party (PPP) is divided over whether it should try to bring
Chart Thai into its planned coalition
government, following its apparent success in
getting Puea Pandin.Key PPP figure Newin Chidchob believes Chart Thai is now dispensable.
Secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee announced on Tuesday that the Pracharaj and Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana parties had decided to join the PPP in forming a coalition government.
The addition of Puea Pandin would give the alliance 278 seats, which Mr Newin feels is enough to ensure the stability of the new government, a PPP source said.
But party leader Samak Sundaravej wants Chart Thai in the coalition. He had planned to lunch with Chart Thai members yesterday, but the meeting was cancelled, the source said.
PPP spokesman Kuthep Saikrachang said he believed the party needed Chart Thai in addition to Puea Pandin but that there were reasons why that might not happen.
‘‘One main reason is a past agreement under which Chart Thai committed itself to the Democrats.
‘‘But on the other hand they need a clear answer on which aspects of government they would supervise if they join the coalition,’’ he said.
‘‘This is normal and such negotiations take time,’’ Mr Kuthep added.
But a source at Chart Thai argued the PPP still needed Mr Banharn’s party.
coalition government – a government formed by two or more political parties working together รัฐบาลหลายพรรค
apparent – seeming to exist or be true ปรากฏชัด ชัดเจน
dispensable – additional to your needs and therefore not necessary; able to be got rid of ไม่จำเป็น
alliance – a group of political parties, organisation, countries, etc. who have agreed to work together because of shared interests or aims สมัครพรรคพวก พันธมิตร
source – a person who gives information แหล่งข่าว
committed – having promised to be involved in a plan of action ตกปากรับคำ ให้คำมั่นสัญญา
aspects – parts of a situation, problem, subject, etc. แง่มุม
supervise – to watch over a person or activity to make certain that things are done correctly, safely, etc. คอยให้คำแนะนำ
negotiations – formal discussions with someone in order to reach an agreement with them การเจรจาต่อรอง
Matchimathipataya secretary-general Anongwan Thepsuthin said she had taken control of negotiations from party leader Prachai Leophairatana, who failed to get a seat in the proportional representation contest.
Concrete negotiations would have to wait until the announcement of official poll results, she said.
Deputy party leader Thanaporn Sriyakul said Mr Prachai had no authority to negotiate with other parties because he had already resigned the leadership and party membership.
Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana leader Gen Chettha Thanajaro said the PPP had approached his party, but he would wait for the official poll results.
Puea Pandin deputy leader Jirayu Wasurat said the party would be ready to start negotiations when the election outcome was confirmed.
But a PPP source insisted Ruam Jai Thai and Puea Pandin were just trying to increase their bargaining power. They had already confirmed their participation in the PPP’s bid to form a coalition, the source said.
proportional representation (party list) system - a system that gives each party in an election a number of seats in relation to the number of votes its candidates receive ระบบสัดส่วน, ระบบปาร์ตี้ลิสต์
concrete – clear and certain ชัดเจน แน่ชัด เป็นรูปเป็นร่าง
outcome – result ผลเลือกตั้ง
insisted – firmly stated that something is true or must be done ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
bid – an attempt ความพยายาม