Man & Matabhum

Former Puea Pandin Party deputy leader Mun Patanotai is now a key figure in new party Matubhumi

30 June 2009
Thai News Service

Former Puea Pandin Party deputy leader Mun Patanotai is now a key figure in the new party, Matubhumi, which emerged from the ashes of the Rassadorn Party, the Bangkok Post reports.

In an interview with Naowarat Suksamran, he explains why he broke with Puea Pandin and what Matubhumi expects from the next general election.

Mun: A key man in Matubhumi, he won't be drawn on the possible timing of Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin's potential entry into politics and says the 2006 coup leader has only been asked to become party chief.

Why did you break away from Puea Pandin?

When we formed Puea Pandin, we hoped it would be a party that did not side with any existing political camp. We wanted it to stay between the two conflicting sides because we wanted the country to break the political impasse.

But what we found in joining this government and the previous one was that [the practice of] lobbying for cabinet portfolios and buying MPs to join parties was still rampant. These problems have made politics a business in which politicians exploit their position to protect their own interests.

We just cannot agree with those who get hold of power over the party and the cabinet through cabinet position brokering. We renamed the existing Rassadorn Party into this new party.

What's the selling point of Matubhumi? What makes it different than other parties, or is it just another new party?

We have a number of people with the same idea. We're a group of people who hope to see the country move on. Our group includes serving MPs from Puea Pandin, especially those southern MPs from the three Muslim-dominated provinces, other key southern political figures and northeastern political groups, as well as politicians from other parties who have yet to join Matubhumi for the time being.

Those who have moved to the party are MPs from the now-defunct People Power Party. They joined Matubhumi when their party was dissolved.

The priority of Matubhumi is to protect the interests of the country. We're working very hard to resolve the southern unrest and social welfare issues such as the social security scheme. We aim to push to extend social welfare to cover all people because we are a welfare state that comprises the government, the private sector and members of the public. These three sides will help make it happen. We won't just be a government with populist policies that only gives out freebies.

Why the emphasis on the southern unrest?

We think the southern violence has persisted for too long and is a significant problem for the country. And, despite how much money is injected into efforts to resolve it, the problem remains unresolved.

While the southern region continues to face violence, the economy cannot improve and investors dare not invest. This is not just the southern economy but the overall economy.

We agree with the idea of turning the restive South into a special administration area, the setting up of a special court to take care of security cases, and the provision of equal education to the people of the region. Those MPs from Puea Pandin who agree with this idea are those from the three southernmost provinces.

But we are not just focusing on the South. We also have key figures in each region to look for qualified regional representatives and to study the specific needs of each region for incorporation into the party's core policies.

As the party pays much attention to the three southern provinces, isn't it all about paving the way for a new leader like Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin (the former army chief and leader of the Sept 19, 2006 coup)?

Gen Sonthi has been a key figure in supporting Puea Pandin for a long time. He worked in the South for a long time and knows those MPs and key figures in that region very well, such as the Wadah group of former MP Den Tomeena. Gen Sonthi has provided us with good advice on the southern issues. Now that he has clearly stated he is willing to help us out with every issue of the country, we see him as one of the potential leaders. Anyway, he is still studying politics and is not ready to enter politics for the time being. We've just encouraged him to become the party leader.

Where does the financial support come from?

From various sides. Some are old sponsors who have similar political doctrines and ideas to resolve the economic problems and bring peace to the South. Our temporary office is on Sawankhalok Road, the same location as the Rassadorn Party's headquarters. Another office is in Soi Lang Suan, which is a house belonging to former Puea Pandin adviser Vatana Asavahame.

What's next?

We will hold a major meeting of the party probably in July to select the leader, secretary-general and executives. I will co-chair the meeting with the other members and key figures.

We'll hold a series of seminars in five southern provinces including the far South to brainstorm ideas and proposals for resolving the southern unrest and developing the region. The brainstorming sessions will be attended by community and religious leaders, academics and business sectors.

How many House seats does Matubhumi aim to win?

We think we will be a medium-sized party. We should get no less than 10 MPs given the strong positive reaction in the five southern provinces. We should be a party that has enough House votes to propose a draft law, at the very least.

For how much longer, do you think, this government will live on?

I believe it may not live longer than a year. The government is not ready for a general election, given the past gauging of its popularity. The budgets injected and policies implemented have yet to kick in. Key government coalition partners are not ready for a new race.