Blocked as Thai PM, Pita Remains Hopeful About His Future

Patpicha Tanakasempipat
·5 min read
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(Bloomberg) -- Even with his Thai premiership bids thwarted and his party facing dissolution despite winning May’s election, Pita Limjaroenrat sees a political future for himself.

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The 43 year-old has shaken off the disappointment and is busy preparing for the years — and challenges — ahead. With plans to criss-cross the country and travel overseas to build support, he is seeking to sustain momentum that could deliver his progressive Move Forward Party another win in the next election cycle.

“The plan for the future is pretty much to keep hope alive and not give up easily,” Pita said in an interview in Bangkok, while sipping from a mug of yerba mate to shake off jet lag after returning from the US. “I’m still very much 110% ready to bring about change in this country.”

Pita said he’s not taking it for granted that his party will win future elections.

“We have to work much harder,” he said. “We have to be the victorious, undisputed leader in all levels of elections, not just the national one. We have to accumulate small victories.”

READ: Harvard Grad Pitches to Break Old Guard’s Grip on Thai Power

Pita highlighted his two-week trip to New York City, Boston and Washington DC where he met hundreds of Thai supporters. The Harvard University graduate also gave a lecture at his alma mater, and rubbed shoulders with Jacinda Ardern and Kevin Rudd, former leaders of New Zealand and Australia.

Move Forward’s win in May’s election led to an earthquake in Thai politics, given its progressive platform openly defied the country’s royalist establishment. Conservative elites opposed to Pita’ reformist agendas, including proposals to break business monopolies, rewrite the constitution, and amend the country’s lese majeste law, conspired to block him from power, resulting in months of political deadlock.

Pita was left to fight court cases, and property tycoon Srettha Thavisin of second-placed Pheu Thai Party — backed by former ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra — won the premiership with the help of former coup-makers, conservative lawmakers and senators who made peace with Thaksin after years of characterizing him as their sworn enemy.

READ: How Thai Law on Royal Insults Caused Political Crisis: QuickTake

Scandals

Move Forward, which now leads the opposition in parliament, also has to grapple with a scandal involving alleged sexual misconducts of two of its lawmakers, whom it expelled earlier this month. While the party may recover from the subsequent blow to its popularity, it faces a bigger problem: it’s possible that Pita or Move Forward will not even make it to the next election.

In July, Pita was slapped with a case alleging he held shares in a media company while running for office, which landed him an ongoing suspension as a lawmaker and still could disqualify him completely from parliament. Another case threatens to ban him from politics for 10 years and dissolve his party for its campaign pledge to amend Thailand’s lese majeste law.

“Pessimism isn’t gonna help, is it? I choose optimism. I choose hope over fear,” Pita said. “It’s a tough industry to be in. It’s not for the faint of heart.”

As the Constitutional Court deliberates, Pita, who has denied both the allegations, didn’t shy away from doubling down on the reform proposal, saying Thai laws must move with time.

READ: Thai Election Shaped by New Generation Challenging the Monarchy

Analysts say Move Forward will continue to pose a challenge to Thailand’s political status quo, because it captures the pulse of a changing Thai electorate.

“Voters want political parties with clear principles and ideologies, which is a changing trend in Thai society and plays to Move Forward’s strength,” said Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of political science at Ubon Ratchathani University. “If the conservatives are smart about it, they won’t dissolve the party. Move Forward isn’t so easy to eliminate because it can be reborn and there’ll be others to take Pita’s place.”

Succession Plans

Pita, who stepped down as party leader in September, said he remained optimistic about winning the two cases — but has also taken steps to prepare for the worst.

This isn’t the first time he’s been in this predicament. He first became a member of parliament with Move Forward’s predecessor Future Forward Party that contested the 2019 election — the first after the coup in 2014. Then-junta leader Prayuth Chan-Ocha retained power, while third-placed Future Forward was disbanded and the party’s leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit banned from politics for 10 years.

“I have my succession planning right from Day 1,” Pita said, adding that he has personally tapped a handful of potential candidates to succeed him. “I’m ready to pass the baton and if accidents were to happen, there’s a next generation of leaders and we have options.”

Pita described his political career as a “dream come true.” Before joining politics, he was known for helping turn around his family’s debt-ridden business and worked as an executive director for ride-hailing firm Grab’s Thai unit.

For now, Pita is focused on his current role of advising Move Forward’s new leader Chaithawat Tulathon. The single father plans to make up for lost time with his seven-year-old daughter and dive into his old hobbies of rock climbing and playing the guitar, and maybe even attend a live concert by Taylor Swift, who he hopes will add Thailand to her ongoing global tour.

Pita also vowed to grow Move Forward into a political institution and ensure that it’s here to stay — with or without him.

“Personally, I could leave politics today and have no regrets at all. Professionally, I’m excited about what’s ahead of us and what we can achieve together,” he said. “Now, I’m the back-seat driver but I’m ready to be back in the driver seat whenever deemed appropriate.”

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