National Development Party (Thailand) - Establishment

Establishment

Legally, the National Development Party was the successor of the Thai People's Party established by General Arthit Kamlang-ek in 1982. By 1992, it was only an empty shell, as General Arthit and all notable members had abandoned it. Shortly ahead of the elections in September 1992, Chatichai Choonhavan, who had been prime minister until the military coup d'état in 1991, and a group of other Thai Nation Party politicians around Chatichai's nephew Korn Dabbaransi took over the party and renamed it. The establishment followed a rupture in the Thai Nation Party, whose leadership around Somboon Rahong and secretary general Banharn Silpa-archa had stood at the side of the military junta (NPKC) during the popular protests and bloody crackdown of Black May. Therefore the Thai Nation Party was considered one of the "devil parties". A faction of Thai Nation deputies around Chatichai's cousin Korn Dabbaransi felt uncomfortable with this policy and persuaded Chatichai to leave the party. The new party was set up as a vehicle to support a second premiership for Chatichai. They were joined by members of the likewise military-allied Justice Unity Party who now wanted to disassociate themselves from the junta. They included General Arthit Kamlang-ek (who thus returned to his original party), Somchai Khunpluem ("Kamnan Poh", or the "Godfather of Chonburi") and Suwat Liptapanlop, an entrepreneur from Nakhon Ratchasima. Moreover, the party could win over Democrat Party secretary general Prachuab Chaisarn.

Chatichai stressed the fact that his party had nothing to do with the military junta and the Black May events. He presented it as a new party which consisted mainly of younger lawmakers, espoused democracy and took a neutral position in the polarised political spectrum. The party succeeded in winning financially strong sponsors and win over politicians from other parties. In the Spetember 1992 election, the party won 60 seats and thus become the third strongest force countrywide. It joined the government coalition led by Chuan Leekpai but left it again after less than a year.