PUBLISHED : 2 Aug 2023 at 04:00
Chartthaipattana Party secretary-general, Praphat Phothasuthon, yesterday dismissed rumours he had brokered a political deal with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra when they met recently in Hong Kong, saying he was only there for Thaksin’s birthday party.
Praphat: Attending birthday bash
Describing him as an old friend, Mr Praphat said Thaksin told him during the two-hour meeting that he intended to come home to visit his grandchildren.
And by coming home, Thaksin meant he planned to land in his private jet at Don Mueang airport, go to court as required and, if necessary, serve a period of time in prison, according to Mr Praphat.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s youngest daughter, had already revealed her father planned to return on Aug 10, although some observers doubted whether it will really happen.
Mr Praphat said he and Thaksin had not sat down to discuss any political deals, despite rumours suggesting otherwise.
Throughout the meeting, Thaksin talked mainly about his close ties with Banharn Silpa-archa, the late prime minister and leader of now-dissolved Chart Thai whose former members currently run under the Chartthaipattana banner, and how they worked closely together up until Varawut Silpa-archa became party leader, he said.
He was responding to rumours spread by political activist Chuvit Kamolwisit recently that Mr Praphat was in Hong Kong to discuss a tie-up between Chartthaipattana and the Pheu Thai Party.
Asked if Chartthaipattana had ever been invited to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition being formed, Mr Praphat simply said Chartthaipattana wasn’t in a position to answer the question as to who would actually join the bloc.
“I really have no idea which parties will actually be in the new coalition as the number of parties in the coalition should be clearly known after the new prime minister is selected,” he said. “And it’s a tradition that the party with a new prime minister will then begin inviting other parties to join its coalition.”
Asked about a previous discussion between Chartthaipattana and Pheu Thai, Mr Praphat called it “positive”.