By Thai Newsroom Reporters
DE FACTO PHEU THAI BOSS Thaksin Shinawatra has stalled for time to keep his daughter-turned-prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in power until after legislation on the 2026 government budget passes final approval in parliament in August, a partisan source said over the weekend.
Thaksin, father of the besieged woman prime minister, told Ruam Thai Sang Chart leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga during their recent, private meeting at the former’s residence that Paetongtarn will not step down under pressure following her disreputable handling of the Thai-Cambodian conflict largely deemed detrimental to Thailand’s territorial integrity, interests and national prestige.
According to the mega-billionaire, power-playing Thaksin, the woman prime minister would not resign until after the 3.78 trillion baht budget bill sails through the second and third readings in the House of Representatives scheduled for the middle of the upcoming August.
Pirapan had insisted that Paetongtarn step down otherwise his coalition partner would part company with the Pheu Thai-led government following the recent departure of the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob but Thaksin shrugged off his demand and counter-proposed that his daughter-turned-prime minister would not call it quits until after the budget bill has completely passed its legislative process at parliament, the partisan source said.
In the meantime, a new cabinet lineup would be promptly arranged by the de facto Pheu Thai boss with the ultra-conservative Ruam Thai Sang Chart becoming the second largest coalition partner in place of the ultra-conservative Bhumjaithai who had withdrawn from the coalition government and the neo-conservative Pheu Thai remaining as core of the coalition.
Eight ministerial seats including those in the interior and education portfolios left vacant by Newin’s camp will be taken by the neo-conservative Pheu Thai and Pirapan’s camp as well as the rest of the current coalition partners.
Nevertheless, Newin had quietly offered to have all Bhumjaithai MPs, now part of the opposition bloc, join coalition lawmakers in casting yea votes for the Ruam Thai Sang Chart leader for prime minister if Thaksin eventually agreed to have Paetongtarn call it quits.
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Top and Front Page: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. Photos: Thai Rath
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