Prawit to be named in lieu of Prayut as Palang Pracharath’s PM candidate

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER-cum-Palang Pracharath party leader Prawit Wongsuwan will likely be named partisan candidate for head of government in the next general election, a coalition MP confirmed today (Oct. 1).

Pracharath MP Veerakorn Kumprakop said Prawit will likely be named one of a trio of Palang Pracharath candidates for head of government besides Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the other partisan contestant in the nationwide election which is largely expected to be held early next year.

The MP of Nakhon Sawan said Prayut can no longer be pitted for prime minister who might otherwise be legally allowed only to run the country for a two-year time following the next general election, given yesterday’s ruling of the Constitutional Court on his eight-year tenure which will last until 2025.

The eight-time MP commented that Prayut might probably be offered the seat of a deputy prime minister or defence minister or interior minister if Prawit’s camp could become core of a post-election coalition government again.

The largest coalition partner will not send a single candidate for head of government as had been in the case in the 2019 election which saw Prayut given overwhelming votes from coalition MPs and senators, all of whom were handpicked by the 2014 coup junta which he himself headed.

Veerakorn assured that Prawit who had performed as caretaker premier for five straight weeks whilst Prayut had been suspended by court from performing as head of government could draw decisive popular support from constituents nationwide and do the job of a prime minister if ever successfully named one.

The Palang Pracharath MP said Prayut would not mind being demoted from the top post of government to that of a deputy premier if Prawit eventually became premier, however.

He said it will be very unlikely for Prayut to be named as candidate of a newly-formed Ruam Thai Sarng Chart Party or any others as long as he could hit it off quite well with the Palang Pracharath boss.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, right, and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, left.

Front Page: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha hugging Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan. Both photos: Matichon

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