[International] Leader of Thailand's Move Forward Party Meets with Taiwan's Representative in Thailand; Scholar Calls it Rare Public Interaction
RtiTalk 小編20h ago
Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of Thailand's largest opposition party, the Move Forward Party, posted on Facebook today (21st) stating that he had dinner with Taiwan's Representative to Thailand, David Ta-lin Chu, and his delegation on the evening of the 20th. Hung Ming-chien, a scholar who has long studied Thai politics and Taiwan-Thailand relations, analyzed that it is quite rare for the Move Forward Party to have bilateral interactions with Taiwan's representative and proactively disclose related information.
Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of Thailand's Move Forward Party (People's Party), posted on Facebook on the 21st, saying, "It was a pleasure to have dinner with David Ta-lin Chu, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, and his delegation."
In the same post, he mentioned that he was traveling to Chiang Mai to understand border drug issues and explained the Move Forward Party's recent involvement in flood relief and post-disaster recovery efforts.
Regarding Chu's attendance at the dinner, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand responded that on the 20th, both sides "had a thorough exchange on Taiwan-related issues of mutual interest, and welcomed dialogue and exchange with all sectors of Thailand interested in Taiwan-related issues."
The Move Forward Party won 120 seats in the general election in February this year, making it the second-largest party in Thailand and the largest opposition party, trailing only the Bhumjaithai Party's 192 seats.
Hung Ming-chien, a council member of the Taiwan-Thailand Exchange Association and a scholar who has long studied Thai politics and Taiwan-Thailand relations, posted on Facebook on the 21st analyzing that Natthaphong did not make the meeting with Taiwan's representative the sole content of his post but mentioned it alongside his trip to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Therefore, he believes the entire post looks more like a general itinerary record.
However, Hung Ming-chien pointed out that this is still a very rare piece of public information. He noted, "The Move Forward Party's past interactions with Taiwan have mainly involved participating in public events, with less frequent bilateral exchanges. Even when they occurred, they were not specifically publicized."
Hung Ming-chien analyzed that this indicates the Move Forward Party has a certain determination to face potential dissatisfaction from China, while also showing "their continuous improvement in friendliness towards Taiwan, which is a good thing for the interaction between democratic factions in both Taiwan and Thailand."
He believes that while Prime Minister Anutin continues to pursue a pro-China route, the Move Forward Party, as the largest opposition party, can not only focus on supervising China's gray industries but also adopt a pro-Taiwan and pro-US stance, allowing voters to choose between different political paths. (Editor: Song Wanyuan)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=227588
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