Bangkok: Kor Kaew Phikunthong, deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party and former core leader of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), has voiced strong criticism against the recent re-election of Abhisit Vejjajiva as the leader of the Democrat Party.

According to Thai News Agency, Kor Kaew expressed his disagreement with the decision, labeling Abhisit as politically corrupt and a source of deep wounds among the Thai populace. These sentiments stem from Abhisit’s controversial order to disperse protesters in 2010, which resulted in 99 deaths. The incident earned him nicknames such as “Mark 100 Corpses” and “Mark Section 7,” attributed to him by both the “Red Shirts” and the media.

Mr. Kor Kaew highlighted that Abhisit previously led the Democrat Party to two election losses and boycotted elections, joining the PDRC to facilitate the 2014 coup. This move was seen as an attempt to support the military’s power grab and undermine the Pheu Thai Party, a political rival he had struggled to defeat over the years.

Kor Kaew further stated his belief that Abhisit’s leadership would not enhance the Democrat Party’s standing and would preclude any political collaboration with Pheu Thai in the future. However, Kor Kaew mentioned that he refrained from publicly opposing Abhisit, hoping that his leadership might divert conservative support from the Bhumjaithai Party to the Democrat Party, thus reducing Bhumjaithai’s growing influence following Anutin’s election as prime minister.

Mr. Kor Kaew also remarked on an incident involving Abhisit at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science, where students displayed signs denigrating him. He described Abhisit’s responses as irresponsible, asserting that Abhisit remains unchanged and unlikely to improve.