Thanathon Says Orange‑Blue Alliance Talk Too Soon
Thanathon Juangroongruangkit and Abhisit Vejjajiva said it is too early to discuss an orange‑blue alliance for the next election. Thanathon admitted his party’s performance has been lacking and pledged to regain public trust, while Abhisit warned that cooperation in opposition differs from governing together. They also discussed dark money, corruption, and the party’s future leadership.
At the Thai Post forum ‘Look Back, Look Forward, Sketch Thailand’s Future’ on 5 October 2069, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, Progressive Movement leader Thanathon Juangroongruangkit (former Future Forward leader), and Rangsit University’s College of Leadership and Social Innovation dean Suriyasai Katasila discussed dark money, election cooperation, and corruption. Abhisit said his party views dark money as a major, ongoing danger and urged the Election Commission and Department of Special Investigation to act seriously, noting that Thailand often waits for foreign evidence about Thai actors. Thanathon said the party must work harder to win public confidence, accepting that it has not been good enough so far but will improve. When asked about a possible orange‑blue alliance after his ban ends in 2030, Thanathon said it is premature; he would return only if the party faltered and needed leadership, otherwise he sees no need to come back. He noted that cooperation with Democrats in the opposition whip works well, but governing together is a different issue depending on policy and stance. On corruption, Thanathon called it a deep societal problem involving many bureaucrats, arguing that past non‑democratic attempts have failed and corruption has worsened.
