By Thai Newsroom Reporters
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SOMSAK Thepsuthin and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit have not yet tendered resignation as Pheu Thai MPs as of yesterday (Jan.9) as allegedly designed by de facto party boss-cum-convict at large Thaksin Shinawatra.
Both Somsak and Suriya, known to have several Pheu Thai MPs under their Sammit Group at command, yesterday declined to either confirm or deny speculation that they are going to call it quits as party-listed MPs though the de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict at large would allegedly prefer that they do so sooner than later, partisan sources said.
According to the sources, both would practically lose control of their Sammit Group lawmakers at parliament only if they themselves resigned as MPs, albeit with their cabinet seats remaining intact.
As a deputy prime minister, Somsak has been earlier deprived by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin of the role of supervising the Ministry of Justice, to which the Corrections Department is attached, after he had made remarks on the agency’s handling of the contentious case of the de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict who has been staying outside of a prison for four and a half months now.
Thaksin has been invariably accused of feigning “illnesses” to keep himself from being literally put behind bars at Bangkok Remand Prison where he had been originally destined to since his return from self-exile abroad last August.
Srettha is largely known as personally associated with Thaksin’s sister/deposed prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra who had quietly pushed for his being named one of a trio of Pheu Thai partisan contestants for prime minister in last year’s general election.
Meanwhile, Digital For Economy & Society Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong has resigned as Pheu Thai MP today.
Prasert, a former Pheu Thai secretary-general, is known to have fewer MPs at command than the couple of Sammit Group leaders.
No by-election for MP will be held since he has been merely a party-listed lawmaker who will be automatically replaced by a person being ranked on the list of partisan candidates contesting last year’s general election.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Former Pheu Thai leader and current Public Health Minister Chonlanan Srikaew flanked by Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, left, and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, right.
Front Page: Somsak Thepsuthin, right, and Suriya Juangroongruangkit, left. Both photo: Matichon
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