By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PALANG PRACHARATH Party leader Prawit Wongsuwan said today (Feb.8) he will definitely not take the post of interior minister currently held by one of his “beloved” brothers, Anupong Paojinda.
The Palang Pracharath leader who concurrently acts as deputy prime minister dismissed hearsay that Thai Economic Party MPs headed by ex-Palang Pracharath secretary-general Thammanat Prompow have planned to push for the handing over of the post of interior minister from Anupong to Prawit in exchange for their continued support for the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government.
Prawit maintained that he will never try to steal the cabinet seat from Anupong whom, he said, he always virtually regards as one of his “beloved” younger brothers apart from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The trio is casually dubbed “Sam Por” faction by the media, referring to Prayut, Prawit and Pok, which is Anupong’s nickname.
Meanwhile, Prawit assured that not only Palang Pracharath Party but Thai Economic Party and Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party will lend solid support for Prayut who, he said, need not apply himself as member of the biggest coalition partner in government.
Both Thai Economic Party and Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party are apparently looking to recruit those who may finally abandon Prawit’s camp following last month’s Thammanat-led exodus.
According to partisan sources, the Thammanat clique has planned to press for a cabinet reshuffle sooner or later to the extent that Prawit be given the post of interior minister while Thammanat and a few partisan colleagues be as well given ministerial seats in return for their support for the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government.
Prawit is viewed as “more suitable” for such a cabinet post than Anupong, given wide speculation that interior minister may tacitly influence state mechanisms which could possibly more or less help bring about either a victory or defeat to certain parties during their future electoral campaigns.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Palang Pracharath leader Prawit Wongsuwan flanked by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, left, and Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, right.
Home Page: Palang Pracharath leader Prawit Wongsuwan and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha with a logo of Palang Pracharath Party in the background at left. Both photos: Matichon
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