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Thai Rak Thai Party

Thai Rak Thai Party
พรรคไทยรักไทย
Phak Thai Rak Thai
Leader Thaksin Shinawatra (1998-2006)
Chaturon Chaisang (2006-2007)
Founded July 14, 1998
Dissolved May 30, 2007
Succeeded by People's Power Party (de facto)
Ideology Populism
Colors Red, Dark blue

The Thai Rak Thai Party (Thai: พรรคไทยรักไทย, lit. Thais Love Thais; TRT) 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 Shinawatra. Eight months after a military coup forced Thaksin to stay in exile, the party was dissolved on May 30, 2007 by the Constitutional Tribunal for violation of electoral laws, with 111 former party members banned from participating in politics for five years.

The Thai Rak Thai was registered on July 15, 1998, by telecommunications entrepreneur Thaksin Shinawatra and 22 other founding members, including Somkid Jatusripitak, Thanong Bidaya, Sudarat Keyuraphan, Purachai Piumsombun, Thammarak Isaragura na Ayuthaya, and Prommin Lertsuridej.

The Thai Rak Thai party had a populist platform, appealing to indebted farmers, who had become indebted as a result of the Asian financial crisis of 1997, with promises of a strong economic recovery. The party also reached out to rural villages, and struggling businesses. Thai Rak Thai's policies have included a 30 baht per hospital visit scheme, an extended debt moratorium for farmers, 1 million baht microcredit development funds for all rural districts, and the One Tambon One Product project. However, it neglected some rural areas and the southern provinces, since Thaksin openly stated he saw no reason to do anything for areas that did not vote for him.


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