By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THAI ECONOMIC MP Thammanat Prompao has today (May 26) claimed to take command of some 40 MPs who could possibly join hands with the opposition bloc to outvote the coalition government.
Thammanat told reporters that his 40-strong force could possibly tip the scale in opposition to the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government when it comes to voting sessions on major issues including a censure/no-confidence motion, expected in early July.
His comments were made in response to deputy Palang Pracharath party leader Chaiwut Tanakhamanusorn’s remarks that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and any members of his cabinet could practically survive votes without the helping hand of Thai Economic MPs.
Thammanat contended that he does not only have the Thai Economic MPs on his side but a number of others from splinter parties who could join hands to make a 40-strong force to either vote for or against the premier and other cabinet members at any given time.
Thammanat’s 40-strong force could possibly render an addition to that of 206 MPs currently sitting on the Pheu Thai-led opposition bloc, thus tilting the balance between the two sides of the parliament chamber’s aisle and literally outvoting the Palang Pracharath-led coalition which might probably have less than 238 MPs at its command.
Prayut as well as his cabinet members will need more than half the total of MPs, currently accounting for 238, to survive votes in the House of Representatives.
Thammanat said the 20 splinter-party MPs, who may now perform in “independent” fashion, will likely leave their current camps for Thai Economic Party where they could join hands with the 20 other “independent” MPs in keeping the Prayut regime in check and dealing with censure debate which will be closely followed by no-confidence votes.
Thammanat is largely speculated to become top leader of Thai Economic Party in place of Wit Thephasadin na Ayudhya who has resigned due to conflict of opinions having reportedly developed between the two of them.
The former Thai Economic leader, viewed as closely associated with Palang Pracharath party leader/Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, had reportedly failed to talk Thammanat into continuing to side with the current coalition, especially during July’s censure debate and no-confidence votes.
Thammanat who has earlier led an exodus of 21 MPs from the ruling Palang Pracharath Party suggested that Chaiwut, who concurrently performs as digital economy & society minister, stop making comments only to satisfy the premier or any other persons and watch out for the cabinet seat which he has been holding on but might probably lose in the foreseeable future.
Chaiwut declined to admit that the Thammanat-led “rebellious” MPs could possibly tip the scale in antagonism against the coalition which could only muster a meagre House majority.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Thai Economic MP Thammanat Prompow. Photo: Thai News and published by BBC
Home Page: Thai Economic MP Thammanat Prompow, left, and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, right. Photo: Matichon
Also read: 20 splinter-party MPs might leave for Thai Economic Party
Hearsay over cabinet seats for Thammanat clique denied
Prawit vows to take care of splinter parties without help from Thammanat
Thammanat, 20 MPs ousted from Palang Pracharath Party
Analysis: Conspiracy hatched to turn kingmaker into PM
