Chart Thai Party
Encyclopedia
Thai Nation Party also known as Chart Thai, was a conservative
political party
in Thailand
. It was dissolved by the Constitutional Court of Thailand
on December 2, 2008, along with the People's Power Party
and the Matchima party, for having violated electoral laws in the Thai general election, 2007
. Thereafter, most MPs founded the Chartthaipattana Party (Thai Nation Development Party), which became the Thai Nation Party's successor.
In the Thai General Elections of 1988, the Thai Nation Party won the most votes, resulting in its late leader Chatichai Choonhavan
becoming the prime minister.
In the 2001 elections
, the Thai Nation Party won 41 out of 500 seats and formed a coalition government with the largest party, the populist Thai Rak Thai
, formerly led and co-founded by tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra
. The party lost some seats in the 2005 elections
, despite the support of the popular politician Chuwit Kamolvisit
. The party won 11.4% of the popular vote and 27 out of 500 seats. Due to policy conflicts the Chart Thai party subsequently defected from the coalition with the Thai Rak Thai party. The party, along with the 2 other largest opposition parties, boycotted the elections of April 2006
hoping to make it impossible for a new Thai Rak Thai-led government to form.
The Thai Nation Party participated in the 2007 general election
and won 8.87% of the vote (37 of 480 seats), coming in third after the People Power Party (led by former Thai Rak Thai members) and the Democrats
. In January 2008, the Thai Nation Party joined the PPP and five others in the six-party coalition government.
Along with the coalition members People Power Party and Matchima, the Thai Nation Party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on December 2, 2008, with party executives banned from Thai politics for five years, amid charges of electoral fraud during the 2007 election. The non-executive MPs of the parties were given 60 days to defect to new or existing parties. MPs from the Chart Thai and Matchima parties announced that they would stick with MPs from the PPP party in forming a new government, but failed to do so due to the party dissolution. Thereafter, most former Chart Thai MPs and members convened to found the Thai Nation Development Party
, which is part of the current coalition government.
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. It was dissolved by the Constitutional Court of Thailand
Constitutional Court of Thailand
The Constitutional Court of Thailand is an independent Thai court originally established under the 1997 Constitution with jurisdiction over the constitutionality of parliamentary acts, royal decrees, draft legislation, as well as the appointment and removal of public officials and issues regarding...
on December 2, 2008, along with the People's Power Party
People's Power Party (Thailand)
The People's Power Party was a Thai political party founded on November 9, 1998 by Police Lieutenant Colonel Garn Tienkaew. The party leader was Somchai Wongsawat, the Party Secretary General was Surapong Suebwonglee, and the Party Spokesperson was Kuthep Saikrajarng...
and the Matchima party, for having violated electoral laws in the Thai general election, 2007
Thai general election, 2007
The 2007 Thai general elections were held on 23 December. This was the first legislative election after the Council for National Security, a military junta, had overthrown Thailand's elected government and abrogated the constitution on September 19, 2006. The junta had canceled general elections...
. Thereafter, most MPs founded the Chartthaipattana Party (Thai Nation Development Party), which became the Thai Nation Party's successor.
In the Thai General Elections of 1988, the Thai Nation Party won the most votes, resulting in its late leader Chatichai Choonhavan
Chatichai Choonhavan
General Chatichai Choonhavan was the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1988 to 1991. He was the only son of Field Marshal Phin Choonhavan, and is of Thai Chinese descent with ancestry from Chenghai District...
becoming the prime minister.
In the 2001 elections
Thailand legislative election, 2001
General elections were held in Thailand on January 6, 2001. 500 seats in the House of Representatives were at stake...
, the Thai Nation Party won 41 out of 500 seats and formed a coalition government with the largest party, the populist Thai Rak Thai
Thai Rak Thai
The Thai Rak Thai Party was a Thai political party that was officially banned on May 30, 2007, by the Constitutional Court of Thailand due to violations of electoral laws during the 2006 legislative elections. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under Prime Minister and its founder Thaksin...
, formerly led and co-founded by tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
. The party lost some seats in the 2005 elections
Thailand legislative election, 2005
General elections were held in Thailand on 6 February 2005. With a turnout of 60.7 percent, the Thai Rak Thai Party of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra won a landslide victory. Out of 500 seats in the House of Representatives, Thaksin's party won 374 seats, with its former coalition partner, the...
, despite the support of the popular politician Chuwit Kamolvisit
Chuwit Kamolvisit
Chuwit Kamolvisit is a controversial Thai politician who was once the country's biggest massage parlor owner. After an arrest in 2003, he went public with his claims of having paid large bribes to hundreds of police officers. He then sold some of his massage parlors, formed his own political...
. The party won 11.4% of the popular vote and 27 out of 500 seats. Due to policy conflicts the Chart Thai party subsequently defected from the coalition with the Thai Rak Thai party. The party, along with the 2 other largest opposition parties, boycotted the elections of April 2006
Thailand legislative election, April 2006
-Opposition boycott:On 25 February the Post reported Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as saying he was "ready to become a prime minister who adheres to the principles of good governance and ethics, not authoritarianism." The next day, however, it was announced that the Democratic Party,...
hoping to make it impossible for a new Thai Rak Thai-led government to form.
The Thai Nation Party participated in the 2007 general election
Thai general election, 2007
The 2007 Thai general elections were held on 23 December. This was the first legislative election after the Council for National Security, a military junta, had overthrown Thailand's elected government and abrogated the constitution on September 19, 2006. The junta had canceled general elections...
and won 8.87% of the vote (37 of 480 seats), coming in third after the People Power Party (led by former Thai Rak Thai members) and the Democrats
Democrat Party (Thailand)
The Democrat Party is Thailand's oldest political party and was the main coalition government party of the 23rd House of Representatives of Thailand. The Democrat Party's current leader is Abhisit Vejjajiva, incumbent opposition leader and former Prime Minister. The party upholds a conservative...
. In January 2008, the Thai Nation Party joined the PPP and five others in the six-party coalition government.
Along with the coalition members People Power Party and Matchima, the Thai Nation Party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on December 2, 2008, with party executives banned from Thai politics for five years, amid charges of electoral fraud during the 2007 election. The non-executive MPs of the parties were given 60 days to defect to new or existing parties. MPs from the Chart Thai and Matchima parties announced that they would stick with MPs from the PPP party in forming a new government, but failed to do so due to the party dissolution. Thereafter, most former Chart Thai MPs and members convened to found the Thai Nation Development Party
Thai Nation Development Party
The Chartthaipattana Party was founded on April 18, 2008, in anticipation of the December 2, 2008, Constitutional Court of Thailand ruling which dissolved the Chart Thai Party and banned its executive members from participating in politics for 5 years beginning at that date. Numerous former...
, which is part of the current coalition government.
Party members
- Leader: Banharn Silpa-ArchaBanharn Silpa-ArchaBanharn Silpa-archa was the 21st Prime Minister of Thailand, from 13 July 1995 to 24 November 1996. He has been a veteran Sino-Thai Member of Parliament since 1976 as the elected representative of Suphanburi province...
- Secretary general: Prapath Poadsuthon
- Spokesperson: Janista Liewchalermwong