The core government party, Palang Pracharat, has questioned the Future Forward party’s respect for human dignity for its indifference to and inaction over Tuesday’s incident when four monitor lizard toys, tagged with the names of four rebel MPs, were displayed at the party’s Thai Summit Building head office, ahead of a meeting to discuss the expulsion of the rebels.

The monitor lizard, or ‘Hia’ in colloquial Thai, is regarded as a derogatory term when applied to a person.

Palang Pracharat deputy spokeswoman Ms. Thipanan Sirichana said she was surprised that it was allowed to happen on party premises, and that there was no attempt by party officials to remove the display, if the party wants to claim that it had nothing to do with the act.

A smiling Ms. Thipanan added that Future Forward spokeswoman Ms. Pannika Wanich told the media that the monitor lizard toys were symbolic of the dissatisfaction of party members with the rebel MPs, but “three days have passed and party leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, has not taken responsibility for the incident, nor has a probe been launched to identify the people responsible for this violation of human dignity,” she said.

Ms. Thipanan then quoted Thanathorn’s public mantra that “We can win, but not through hate, but with truth and love. We must draw those who don’t agree with us to join us and not trample on them.”

She also accused the Future Forward party of not treating the rebel MPs fairly and not producing any evidence that they accepted inducements from the Government camp to defy the party whip and vote in support of the Government.

One of the rebel MPs, Ms. Srinuan Boonlue of Chiang Mai, was seen at a party, for the 19 government coalition parties, held at the Ratchapruek Club last night.  She has reportedly joined the Bhumjaithai party and was given a rousing welcome when she arrived at the event.

Although expelled from the party, the four rebel MPs retain their parliamentary status, but they must join a new party within 30 days.