By Thai Newsroom Reporters
DEPUTY AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES Minister Thammanat Prompow and Deputy Labour Minister Naruemon Pinyosinwat have resigned following last week’s aborted no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Thammanat told reporters at parliament today (Sept. 9) he quietly submitted his letter of resignation to the premier yesterday since he said he has found himself uncomfortable with his being part of the Prayut cabinet and the Palang Pracharath Party.
Thammanat, who currently performs as secretary general of the Palang Pracharath Party, said he told Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who concurrently acts as leader of the ruling party, of his intention to quit his cabinet post on Aug. 6.
Thammanat said Prawit had discouraged him from leaving either the Prayut cabinet or the Palang Pracharath Party but he added he had unfalteringly preferred to not change his mind.
Without elaborating, Thammanat said he has also decided to leave the Palang Pracharath Party for an undisclosed party where he said he would be able to work more freely and efficiently in the interests of the people, particularly those in the northern province of Payao where he currently represents at parliament.
He declined to say how soon he may as well be dismissed from the Palang Pracharath Party so that he could join the other party in 30 days’ time as stated by law.
Besides Thammanat, Naruemon Pinyosinwat had called it quits from the Prayut cabinet purportedly for similar reasons. She had earlier performed as government spokesperson attached to Government House.
However, the premier managed to have the termination of the cabinet posts for Thammanat and Naruemon declared with immediate effect in the royal gazette yesterday.
Prayut had reportedly suspected both Thammanat and Naruemon had quietly tried to have a number of MPs at the former’s command, mostly representing northern constituencies, abstain from voting in his support following a four-day censure debate against the premier and five cabinet members at parliament.
Some five million baht in cash bribe had been allegedly offered in hush-hush fashion in the room specifically reserved for the premier in the premises of parliament to each of those government MPs in exchange for their casting a confidence vote for him.
Thammanat was said to have considered Prayut as an incompetent, error-ridden head of government in the face of a sustained pandemic crisis.
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Top: Thammanat Prompow and Naruemon Pinyosinwat have both resigned
Home Page: Thammanat shows his resignation letter. Both photos: Siam Rath
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