By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PRIME MINISTER SRETTHA Thavisin today (Dec.13) dampened speculation that the Democrats might possibly skip over from the Move Forward-led opposition bloc to the Pheu Thai-led coalition government sooner or later.
The Democrats, today’s second largest opposition party, are more or less expected to take the first available opportunity to jump onto the Pheu Thai bandwagon as the latest coalition partner under newly-named Democrat leader Chalermchai Sri-on.
But the Pheu Thai-backed prime minister remarked that the current government has already secured solid support from 314 coalition MPs, the number which he viewed as “so many”, thus apparently needing no additional backing from other lawmakers who might otherwise cross over from the opposition bloc.
Srettha made his comments in response to sustained speculation that it would be only a matter of time before a mainstream faction of 21 Democrat MPs under Chalermchai’s leadership endeavours to join the Pheu Thai-led government.
Newly-named Democrat secretary-general Det-it Khaothong has earlier commented that it was time “the old-school Democrats” stopped pushing others around when it comes to decision on whether they may jump onto the bandwagon of the Pheu Thai-led coalition following last May’s election.
Det-it apparently referred to the likes of former Democrat leader/former prime minister/former House speaker Chuan Leekpai and former Democrat leader/former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, both of whom were invariably known as ultimately opposed to the Pheu Thai camp in general and de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict at large Thaksin Shinawatra in particular.
Despite his being no longer an elected lawmaker, Chalermchai had allegedly orchestrated the surprise votes of 21 out of a total of 25 Democrat MPs in support of Srettha as top Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister at parliament earlier this year.
The country’s oldest party has obviously disintegrated since Chalermchai was unrivalled to become Democrat leader whilst prompting several prominent figures to immediately resign as partisan members in tacit protest of his rise to the top partisan leadership.
Those who called it quits as Democrat members upon the naming of Chalermchai as Democrat leader included Abhisit, who had finally withdrawn from contesting the top partisan leadership, former Democrat MP/former deputy public health minister Satit Pitutecha, former Democrat MP/former minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Satit Wongnongtoey, former Democrat MP Orn-anong Kanchanachusak and former Democrat MP Anchalee Wanich Thepabutr, among others.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Both photos: Matichon
Also read: More Democrats resign in protest of Chalermchai
Chuan tells Chalermchai not to turn into a party ‘reserved’ as future coalition partner
Chalermchai named Democrat leader, Det-it named Democrat secretary-general
20-MPs faction backs Chalermchai for Democrat leader
Abhisit urged to contest for return as Democrat leader
Madam Deer to contest for Democrat leader
