By Thai Newsroom Reporters
CHALERMCHAI SRI-ON today (Sep.12) resigned as Democrat leader after his party had failed to jump onto the Bhumjaithai bandwagon of the latest coalition government.
The former natural resources & environment minister tendered his letter of resignation as Democrat leader with immediate effect to the political party registrar attached to the Election Commission, prompting the country’s oldest party, currently being part of the opposition bloc, to name a new party leader in a 60-day time.
Chalermchai who had been named Democrat leader since 2023 had failed to keep his camp as part of the current coalition spearheaded by Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul since the former Democrat leader had apparently chosen to keep his camp attached to the Pheu Thai-led rival coalition.
Four southern Democrat MPs representing southern constituencies cast votes in support of the Bhumjaithai leader for prime minister whilst most of their 21 partisan colleagues endorsed Pheu Thai rival candidate Chaikasem Nitisiri to no avail, thus kicking Chalermchai’s party into the opposition bloc alongside the Pheu Thai under de facto party boss-turned-inmate Thaksin Shinawatra.
Last week, Anutin was named prime minister with an overwhelming support from most elected lawmakers following an immediate ouster of Pheu Thai leader/Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra as head of a previous Pheu Thai-led government at the order of the Constitutional Court.
CAPTION:
Chalermchai Sri-on talking to the press. Photos: Amarin TV
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