BANGKOK, June 7 (TNA) – The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) moves to reclaim some
key cabinet seats it had earlier promised to give to coalition partners,
bringing government formation hope into disarray.
The PPRP seemed to have secured deals with key allies before
the parliamentary vote to select its prime minister candidate, Prayut
Chan-o-cha, on Wednesday. All but one
MP in the bloc, a Bhumjaitai party member, voted in favour of Prayut.
But reports emerged that the promises have been broken; all
Cabinet allocations have been reset.
PPRP deputy leader Suwit Maesincee on Friday said the party
executives were discussing Cabinet portfolio allocation among allied
parties. The party hoped to take all
economic ministerial posts including those of Commerce, Agriculture and
Transport ministries, he said.
Suwit said the party believed a new Cabinet line-up would be
formed and installed before Thailand hosted ASEAN Summit between June 20-23.
He declined to comment whether Deputy Prime Minister Somkid
Jatusripitak and four former ministers in Prayut government would retain their
posts.
The four former ministers including Suwit himself resigned
to form the PPRP running as a pro-junta force in the March 24 general election.
A PPRP meeting has been scheduled Friday afternoon to consider
their options.
Meanwhile, a former university student returned the prize he
won from a Democrat Party’s motto contest more than 20 years ago in protest of
the party’s support for the PPRP.
Wara Chanmanee brought a shield award and Bt5,000 of cash to
the Democrat Party’s headquarters and left them in front of the building on
Friday.
He denounced the country’s oldest party for voting for
Prayut as prime minister.
All Democrat MPs except House Speaker Chuan Leekpai voted
for the coup leader out of a party’s resolution. Opposing the party’s move, its former leader
Abhisit Vejjajiva resigned as MP in order to honour his election campaign
promise.(TNA)
