By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PHEU THAI leader Julapun Amornvivat today (March 24) categorically dismissed hearsay that some constituency-based MPs of the neo-conservative party had aired frustrations for not being handed a ministerial seat in a Bhumjaithai-led cabinet and threatened to seek re-election in the future under another party’s tickets.
Julapun downplayed the sustained criticism that some disgruntled lawmakers, specifically those representing northeastern and central constituencies, had desperately sought a ministerial seat but were bluntly denied by de facto party boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra’s family members and confirmed that the morale and unity among the party’s rank and file remained intact. That apparently referred to Thaksin’s ex-spouse Podjaman Damapong and his daughter/deposed prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Julapun, albeit known to assume the party leadership only in name and without decisive powers, said a list of Pheu Thai ministers-designate had been sent to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and that none on the list had been denied.
He was apparently responding to speculation that Pheu Thai MP Sudawan Wangsupakitkosol might probably be denied a ministerial seat in the Bhumjaithai-led cabinet due to her being earlier involved alongside others in her family’s agri-business firm in alleged encroachment of a public plot of land in Ubon Ratchathani whilst the re-elected prime minister set a criteria for all members of his cabinet to be supposedly free of any charges of legal or ethical wrongdoings.
Nevertheless, the disappointed, ministerial seat-seeking Pheu Thai MPs who had reportedly contemplated switching parties and contesting for re-election under the other party’s banners in the future were not openly critical of the party’s hierarchy, especially those personally close to the de facto party boss who is scheduled to be released on parole in the upcoming May after he has literally served an eight-month time behind bars.
In proportion to the total number of MP seats which a coalition partner has won in last month’s general election, Thaksin’s camp who grabbed 74 MP seats were given eight cabinet seats including five at a minister’s status and three at a deputy minister’s status. The seats provided with a minister’s status include the Agriculture & Cooperatives, Education portfolio, Labour, Social Development & Human Security and Higher Education, Science, Research & Innovation portfolios.
The trio of Pheu Thai contestants who vied in vain for prime minister in the nationwide election, namely Thaksin’s nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat, ex-Pheu Thai electoral campaign director Suriya Juangroongruangkit and Julapun, will likely be named higher education, science, research & innovation minister, agriculture & cooperatives minister and education minister respectively whilst Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Chanthararuangthong is more or less expected to be named labour minister and Sudawan social development & human security minister.
CAPTIONS:
Pheu Thai leader Julapun Amornvivat talking to reporters at a party meeting today (March 24), above, and seated next to de facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra’s nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat, Front Page. Above photo – Amarin TV, Front Page photo – Naewna
Insert – Deposed prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra walking into the party meeting today. Photo – Naewna
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