February 11, 2005

TRT's deep South faction say defeat was all Thaksin's fault

TUL PINKAEW

A member of the Thai Rak Thai party's Wadah faction yesterday dismissed

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's remark that his party would pick up

seats in the deep South in the next general election.

Defeated Yala constituency candidate Buraha Nudin Useng said the

government's quick use of force and military violence cost him and his

faction valuable seats, not because he or his colleagues did not work

hard for votes.

``Believe me, we [the Wadah faction] worked to the most of our

abilities, but people did not want anything to do with the government.

We have said time and time again that absolute force would only leave a

bad mark on the area and peace was the sensible way out,'' the former

Yala MP said.

Mr Buraha Nudin quoted Mr Thaksin as saying on Wednesday that the

faction was lacklustre in canvassing for votes and he would take the

helm himself in the next election to ensure the three southernmost

provinces would be swept by TRT.

The faction is led by Wan Muhamad Nor Matha, who ruled the four

southernmost provinces for 12 years. Its poor performance could diminish

Mr Wan Nor's chances of another cabinet seat.

Mr Buraha Nudin said the TRT's overwhelming victory ``meant nothing

because the prime minister did not get even one constituency title from

any of the five southern provinces''.

He said the past four years were a difficult time for him and his

colleagues as they had seen many innocent people taken away without them

able to do anything.

``We've urged the government to stop the violence and hear our side of

the story and let us in into the policy-making process before it is too

late,'' he said.

After Mr Thaksin names his cabinet, the faction will meet again to

decide what to do next, he said.