Pheerapun led the RTSC team to unveil a strategy to eradicate corruption, presenting the 'Tiger Head Executioner' device. He declared refusal to submit to shadowy financiers, proposed legal reforms to prosecute scammers, and revealed openness to cooperate with the Populist and Pheu Thai parties if they clearly meet three conditions.
At 10:00 a.m. on 8 January 2025 GMT+7, at the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party (RTSC), Mr. Pheerapun Saleerutthipak, party leader and prime ministerial candidate, Mr. Naraphat Kaewthong, deputy leader and prime ministerial candidate, along with key leaders and parliamentary candidates, presented their strategy and stance. The strategy is titled "Eradicate Corruption." The policy proposes an offshore prison, maximum penalties for drug trafficking, scammers, and corruption suppression. Mr. Pheerapun stated there is a saying, "Doing good leads to good, but doing evil leads to success everywhere." He believes that today, society and the public feel the latter more, as wrongdoing often goes unpunished. This happens because corrupt officials dominate society; politicians act not for the people but to share in corruption; officials abuse their power to oppress citizens; and some people collude to defraud the public.
Mr. Pheerapun said these wrongdoers must face appropriate consequences to protect the good. Good people must have a place and not be isolated. The proverb, "Good is rewarded with good; evil with evil," must return. This is what RTSC declares in its policy to eradicate corruption. The party will not tolerate collusion and will take serious action against corruption, vowing not to bow to shadowy capitalists or allow them to control the party or country, nor to let corrupt officials steal national funds without decisive action.
He noted these problems have intensified into a national crisis needing firm resolution to transform the country. Good people will have RTSC standing with them and protecting them continuously. He asked for the party's chance to handle these corrupt individuals and stop wrongdoing from thriving.
After the event, Mr. Pheerapun and party executives symbolically unveiled the blade of the 'Tiger Head Executioner' device, signifying the eradication of corrupt and fraudulent individuals from Thailand.
In an interview, Mr. Pheerapun said the party's anti-corruption policy targets not only corrupt officials but also those whose misconduct harms the public, such as aiding scammers to evade punishment or failing to arrest them—considered accomplices. The scammer problem currently lacks legal backing; arrests are made but there is no law to handle them effectively, which the party aims to address promptly.
When asked if Thailand can effectively address this longstanding issue, Mr. Pheerapun said scammers fundamentally commit fraud, but existing laws do not cover this type of crime. Thai law treats it as a simple criminal offense with up to three years imprisonment or common fraud, typically involving one to three individuals. It does not cover technology use, crime networks, transnational crimes, or massive frauds worth hundreds of billions. Therefore, specific penalties are needed to match the severity.
Additionally, before punishment, investigation and evidence collection are crucial. However, authorities sometimes fail to act or even weaken evidence, which constitutes complicity and should also be punishable. Legal procedures must be amended to expedite trials and enforce timely court rulings, rather than allowing convicts to languish in prison without enforcement, where some even exploit privileges.
Regarding oversight bodies that investigate corruption but commit offenses themselves, Mr. Pheerapun said laws already impose triple penalties on officials who commit crimes. The problem lies in the lack of defined procedures for swift prosecution and investigation. Therefore, reform is needed to ensure clear frameworks and prevent lax enforcement.
He added that many current cases involve special circumstances, but the laws used were drafted nearly 100 years ago without anticipating such complexities. No updates have been made despite increasing severity of offenses. Thailand must amend these laws to ensure rapid punishment and hold accountable all complicit parties, including independent organizations, government officials, police, and prosecutors, under uniform standards.
Asked if the party will clearly refuse cooperation with shadowy financiers or gray-area politicians, Mr. Pheerapun affirmed there is clarity: if there is wrongdoing with evidence, prosecution will proceed; without such action, cooperation is impossible.
Regarding which parties RTSC will work with, Mr. Pheerapun said they are open to cooperation with parties that 1) have clear policies addressing Thai-Cambodian issues, 2) clearly tackle corrupt and villainous individuals, and 3) do not harm the nation's core institutions. These three criteria guide decisions on partnerships. Future developments will be considered as situations evolve, with a focus on shared national goals.
Asked about possible cooperation with the Populist Party, Mr. Pheerapun said if they meet these three conditions, especially respecting core national institutions, collaboration is possible. His work is for the nation and people’s progress, not to overthrow the country.
Regarding Pheu Thai Party, previously involved in the 'Uncle' audio clip controversy, Mr. Pheerapun said that issue is personal to the former prime minister and he believes the party is not involved. Individuals may commit personal offenses, but if all issues are collective, progress is impossible since every party has problems. They cannot control every member, but those causing harm or disgrace to the party must be removed while the party itself continues.