Former real estate tycoon wants to become the next prime minister of Thailand on his own terms

A few days before the national elections in Thailand, the Pheu Thai party has encouraging poll results, as well as a joyful event with the birth of a newborn and a candidate for the position of prime minister, who is confident that he still has a reason to "joyfully step back" from the pinnacle of executive power.

A newborn baby and a candidate for the position of prime minister

On the morning of May 1, candidate Srettha Thavisin, a former real estate mogul turned politician, was feeling unwell, but he had a flight from Bangkok to the northeast, the home region of his party. Before starting his active campaign, Srettha took the time to send a message to Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the co-leader of the Pheu Thai Party, a political machine that has not changed its name in the last two decades but has never lost an election.

In the message, Srettha wished Phaetongtarn happiness with her newborn boy, nicknamed Tasin, after the new mother's father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the main ideologue of this political machine. Thaksin's ideals, as well as his support from the people, continue to exist after two military coups - Thaksin himself was overthrown in 2006, and in 2014, his younger sister, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted. Now Pheu Thai is heading towards victory in the elections on May 14.

Surveys and elections

According to recent polls, Pheu Thai is consistently forecasted to be the winner in parliament. After the elections, the party will choose its candidate for the position of prime minister from three possible options - Srettha, Paetongtarn, and Chaikasem Nitisiri, the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice. A poll conducted on May 3 by the research division of the National Institute of Development Administration, NIDA Poll, showed that Pheu Thai is most likely to secure more seats in parliament than its competitors. The poll results were gathered from 2,500 respondents who participated in the survey from April 24 to 28.

The position of Sretta

Srettha stated that he would refuse the position of prime minister if his party is forced to form a coalition government with Prayut, who led the coup in 2014, or with the party of General Prawit Wongsuwan, a Prayut ally. "I do not believe in military coups," Srettha said in an interview with the Thai branch of VOA. "The idea of working with them in one government, sitting in the same cabinet... I do not see myself in such a situation."

“I want to be the Prime Minister, not for the sake of the position itself. I want to be a Prime Minister who can make a huge difference for Thai society in terms of the economy and social issues. If the environment does not allow me to do this, I will gladly step down from the position of Prime Minister,” he added.

Economic issues and real estate

Internal economic issues have a decisive impact on the election campaign. 60-year-old Srettha is a straightforward person, lacking instant charm, but he has a business acumen that can inspire the trust of millions of voters, much like Thaksin did. The former real estatedeveloper, standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall, has a talent for branding.

Before entering politics this year, Srettha helped develop the family real estate business and created an empire called Sansiri Development, valued at $880 million. Srettha positioned his company to attract high-income real estate buyers and enhanced its image by completing the construction of the luxury condominium 98 Wireless seven years ago in a prestigious area near the residence of the U.S. Ambassador in Thailand. Srettha managed to sell apartments in 98 Wireless at the highest market price in the country—over $16,000 per square meter. He told the Thai Rath newspaper that the 25-story building is adorned with rare Italian marble, the interiors are designed by Ralph Lauren Home, and the wall decorative elements are crafted by artisans who have worked in Buckingham Palace and the White House.

Party goals and issue resolution

Srettha says that he is more motivated to be in politics after witnessing the consequences of COVID-19 for Thailand.

Pheu Thai shares a common goal with the Move Forward party - to put an end to Prayut's regime, which has been in power for almost nine years. However, Pheu Thai and Move Forward also compete with each other for progressive voters, with the latter positioning itself as the most determined advocate for fighting against business monopolies and amending the strict lèse-majesté laws, which impose penalties of up to 15 years in prison.

Sretta wants to address both issues through parliamentary debates, but he knows more about monopolies than about lèse-majesté. Speaking about working with large conglomerates in Thailand, he says: "You need to have realistic expectations. You won't bankrupt them, but you can be sure that they will actually allow small businesses to grow... I'm not here to harm the big players. I'm here to help the small ones."

However, Sretta, the father of three adult children educated in the West, wants to take a step back to determine whether the strict law against defaming the monarchy is actually the root of discontent among the youth, who are actively discussing this issue at the national level. "I haven't talked to them long enough yet. I don't know what they're unhappy about... I don't know what they're happy about. We need to talk. If we talk, we will discuss," says Sretta. "Maybe the monarchy isn't one of their problems. But if that's the case, then let's continue the conversation... If you believe that the existing law needs to be changed, then you work through Parliament."