In recent weeks, the Move Forward Party has been rocked by friendly fire with internal disagreements creeping their way into the public sphere.
On February 8, Future Forward Party co-founder Chris Potranandana announced that he was leaving the Move Forward Party. Citing concern over the party’s allegedly undemocratic internal processes and disagreement over the party’s welfare policies,
Chris said that he “could not lie to the people by campaigning on policies [he] did not believe in and talking about a party whose management [he] disagreed with.”
Amarat Chokepamitkul, a key Move Forward member, fired back on Twitter that she did not feel any loss over Chris leaving the party. On Tuesday, Chris announced that he was founding a new party called the Zendai Party. The name evokes the name of a Covid assistance foundation, Zendai, that Chris had also founded. The party, Chris said, would be campaigning against economic populism and make the case for more sustainable opportunity-enhancing policies.
Another rift that has emerged in the past week is disagreements between Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, the secretary-general of the Progressive Movement and former secretary-general of the Future Forward Party, and Pita Limjaroenrat, who leads the Move Forward Party.
In recent months, Piyabutr has kept up a steady pressure campaign on Move Forward, suggesting that they win more votes by moving leftward and running on a bolder, more aggressive vision. He has posted several times on his Facebook page with campaign advice for the party.
Pita finally responded today, accusing Piyabutr of being a drag on the party rather than constructively helping. Piyabutr responded that Pita is someone who is taking advantage of the entire party. Although he had refrained from personally criticizing Pita in the past, Piyabutr said he would now do so. All of this came only hours after Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who now leads the Progressive Movement, insisted that he and Piyabutr were united in supporting Pita to become the next prime minister.