Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Chairman of the Progressive Movement and former leader of the Future Forward Party, addressed rumours of political deals involving the People’s Party during the “55 Years Nation Exclusive Talk: Breaking Through Thailand’s Crisis” programme on Friday. The discussion, moderated by three editors-in-chief from Nation Group, focused on political dynamics and national issues.
Thanathorn responded to questions regarding the speculation that the People’s Party had worked with the Pheu Thai Party on certain issues and might collaborate with the Bhumjaithai Party. He categorically rejected the idea, stating, “The assumption that we are influenced by any faction is untrue. I can assure you that there are no ‘red’ or ‘blue’ deals, at least to my knowledge.”
He went on: “The People’s Party has never traded the interests of the people for personal gains, and there have been no underhanded dealings, such as the PN tickets involving Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. We are only concerned with legality, not ethics, as the latter is too subjective to interpret.”
When asked about his views on independent bodies interpreting ethics, Thanathorn explained that he disagreed with this approach, asserting that it often became a political tool.
“Ethical standards vary from person to person and there is no clear way to measure them,” he said. “In many cases, these ethical interpretations do not align with the gravity of the offences. We should not grant independent bodies the power to decide on political matters. If there are legal violations, they should be handled politically and decided by the people through elections.”