By Thai Newsroom Reporters
DE FACTO KLATHAM BOSS Thammanat Prompao said today (Feb.4) victories in the Feb.8 election will not only decisively hinge on partisan and personal hypes but on an unidentified, “invisible power” and that he viewed the Bhumjaithai, currently core of the caretaker government, as “the most prepared” party to remain as core of a post-election government.
However, Thammanat stopped short of commenting on “ammunition” that many people may invariably consider to be one of pivotal, resulting factors in the nationwide election whilst saying the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob will be “the most prepared” of all contesting parties to become core of the post-election government.
In political jargon, “ammunition” refers to a sum of money which could possibly amount to a range between 500 and 3,000 baht and be handed out by canvassers to prospective constituents each in exchange for their votes for certain electoral candidates anywhere.
The ultra-conservative Bhumjaithai’s electoral campaign might not be so outstanding or tempting as those of the neo-conservative Pheu Thai or the reformist People’s but Newin’s camp might probably have the hush-hush backing of the “invisible power”, according to Thammanat who is also running for prime minister.
The de facto Klatham boss who had earlier said his ultra-conservative camp could readily align with Newin’s camp in concerted effort to set up a Bhumjaithai-led coalition government confirmed that the unnamed, “invisible power” might probably continue to play their part behind closed doors to see to it that the “most prepared” party finally take hold of the executive branch following the Feb.8 election.
Nevertheless, Thammanat said the “invisible power” might not necessarily do so in breach of the relevant law but declined to confirm whether he was referring to the super-elite, powers-that-be who had stood behind the contentious setup of previous governments including those led by the Pheu Thai under de facto party boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra.
The de facto Klatham boss who had earlier forecast that his party would grab as many as 70 MP seats admitted today that the previously predicted number might probably be reduced but insisted that his camp will get no less than 30 MP seats, mostly in northern, northeastern and southern constituencies.
Meanwhile, the People’s contestants and members of the reformist camp’s rank and file have repeatedly called on prospective voters nationwide to vote for their contestants in both constituency-based and party-listed modes so that they could possibly emerge as the overwhelmingly largest elected party preferably without competing against the second largest elected one in bid to set up a post-election government.
Ex-Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has earlier said the second and third largest elected parties could possibly scramble to steal the setup of a post-election government, sending the largest elected one into the opposition bloc, if a gap between the number of MP seats for either side is not so far apart as 30 or more.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page – De facto Klatham boss Thammanat Prompao, centre in above image, campaigning in Lampang yesterday, Feb. 3, 2026. Photos – Thai Rath
Insert – Caretaker Prime Minister/Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul talking to reporters. Photo – Amarin TV
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