Organization: Central Michigan University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Thu, 23 Jul 1992 19:53:36 EDT
From:         Elliott Parker <3ZLUFUR@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      TH: Democrat to use Chuian as PM as a rally cry
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

=======================  Forwarded  Message  ===========================
Date: Wed, 8 Jul 92 03:08:08+0700
From: kamol@munnari.oz.au (Kamol Hengkietisak)


     SETTING the tone for the September 13 general election,
former Democrat leader and deputy premier Bhichai Rattakul
yesterday called on the party to promote Chuan Leekpai as next
prime minister.
     Mr Bhichai told a party general assembly at the Deville
Palace Hotel to make "Love democracy, choose Chuan as prime
minister" the primary theme of their election campaign.
     During the March 22 general election the Democrats won 44
seats.
     Mr Chuan, the current Democrat leader, told the assembly that
if the party wins another 44 to 48 seats the Democrats could
become the core of the next coalition government.
     "Quantity is also necessary. Quality alone wouldn't do.
Therefore, the candidate selection will have to be adjusted. It
will have to be based on reason and appropriateness," Mr Chuan
said.
     In his opening speech Mr Bhichai told party members that the
recent events have caused great political changes. Some parties
emerged from it with a negative image but the Democrats came out a
winner because the party never changed its pro-democracy stance.
     Democrats cannot afford to look down upon their rivals and
must choose good candidates for the upcoming general election to
win back the faith of the people in the party.
     He said he would not run for Parliament but would help his
party in every possible way.
     He would not predict how many seats the Democrats would win
but if past events were any indication "the party should win more
seats".
     He called on people in the provinces not to sell their votes
because it would cause the country harm and urged the party to
devise methods to fight money-dumping, especially in the
Northeast.
     He predicted that about 60 per cent of the former MPs will be
returned to Parliament.
     He urged party members to strive for unity by pursuing the
same goal. "You have to make `Mr Chuan for prime minister' the
focal point of your election campaign," he told the assembly.
     Mr Chuan's record is unblemished, he has alway behaved well
and is appropriate for the post, Mr Bhichai said.
     Mr Chuan, meanwhile, said the Democrat Party was not a
special task force set up to seal the success of any individual
leader. The people have placed a lot of hope in the party and
everyone must help to build democracy.
     However, he said that though the May tragedy helped usher the
spirit of democracy it cannot yet change the attitude of people on
how to choose MPs. As such the party cannot look down upon its
competitors and if it wanted Mr Bhichai's goal to materialise it
would have to win a large number of seats so that the Democrats
can spearhead the formation of the next government.
     He said the May 17-20 tragedy adversely affected the economy,
especially tourism, but it also set in motion the current attempts
to ensure that such events do not happen again.
     This includes efforts to solve problems in the Armed Forces.
Democratic soldiers have told him that they want adjustments in
the Armed Forces to bring them in line with their counterparts
elsewhere.
     Meanwhile, a party source disclosed that Mr Bhichai's call to
support Mr Chuan as prime minister drew opposition from deputy
leader Prachuab Chaiyasarn who said the idea may not sell in the
Northeast.
     The source, who is close to Mr Prachuab, said the former Udon
Thani MP had expressed his reservations to Mr Bhichai's suggestion
during the meeting yesterday of the party's northeastern faction
meeting.
     The source quoted Mr Prachuab as reasoning that many Isan
people may not be happy to have a southerner as prime minister
because many northeastern workers have gone South seeking jobs but
they could not get along with their southern employers.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU