By Thai Newsroom Reporters
BHUMJAITHAI Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul and party secretary general Saksayam Chidchob today (July 21) announced they have ”never thought about” withdrawing from the Prayut coalition government but intended to stay on until the end of its four-year term.
Anutin and Saksayam gave a press conference at the party’s headquarters only to confirm that they will continue as part of the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government despite persistent calls for the Bhumjaithai Party to pull out in the face of Prayut’s alleged mishandling of the nationwide pandemic situation.
Anutin dismissed hearsay that his party would sooner or later pull out of the Prayut government in the face of the premier’s alleged failure to put the situation under control, given highly rising numbers of infection cases and fatalities due to the Covid-19.
The Bhumjaithai Party leader has been temporarily deprived of power to run the Public Health Ministry to pave the way for decisions made by the government-run Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on ways and means to cope with the aggravated situation.
Prayut commented during yesterday’s cabinet meeting via video conference that he would not stop any coalition partners from dumping his government if they eventually opted out for any reason.
Not only Prayut but Anutin, who concurrently acts as deputy premier-cum-public health minister, have been widely criticised for acting very slowly toward the planned procurement of coronavirus vaccines as well as the inadequate distribution to hospitals and other venues nationwide, resulting in high surges in the daily numbers of cases and fatalities.
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Top: Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul standing on the podium with the party logo behind him. Photo: Thai Rath
Home Page: Bhumjaithai Party secretary general and Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob. Photo: NNT
