Former prime minister and Democrat party-list MP Chuan Leekpai has refuted the prime minister’s statement, made during the no-confidence debate, that her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, went into exile because he was persecuted.
Chuan said Thaksin fled the country to avoid prosecution and incarceration.
“Khun Thaksin did not go abroad because he was slandered. In fact, he wanted to escape the prison terms handed down by the court in corruption cases,” Chuan said.
The public must understand the facts and what really happened, he added.
In parliament, Paetongtarn Shinawatra claimed that her father was persecuted and survived multiple assassination attempts. Describing herself as a daddy’s girl, who is proud to be his daughter, she said she grew up during the difficult years of her father’s political struggles.
Despite her insistence that, as prime minister, she is not dominated by her father, many believe that Thaksin is the de facto leader of her government and the Pheu Thai party. Thaksin has never been shy about announcing government policies.
When asked to evaluate Paetongtarn’s performance during the debate, Chuan responded, with a hint of sarcasm, “This question would be better suited for her father.”
Chuan was among four Democrat MPs who abstained from voting on the censure motion against Paetongtarn, which was held yesterday after a two-day debate. Paetongtarn survived her first censure debate, securing 319 votes in support, against 161 votes in opposition.
The Democrat Party, led by Chalermchai Sri-on, which won 22 parliamentary seats in the 2023 general election, has joined the coalition government, despite its long history of rivalry with the ruling Pheu Thai party.
Despite being part of the coalition, the Democrat Party allowed its MPs to vote freely, but not in opposition. Chuan and other senior MPs informed the party meeting before the vote that they would abstain.
