Premier stands firm before censure vote
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has denied speculation of the possible cabinet reshuffle in the wake from the censure debate, having a vote of self-confidence to be held upon Saturday.
Asked about a report that this ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the Democrat Party had been pressing him to get a cabinet shake-up, Gen Prayut said he would have the final state on the matter.
“No reshuffle. I am not thinking about it yet, ” he said.
Peerawit Ruangluedolphak, a listing MP from the Thailänder Rak Tham Party, a member of the alleged Group of 16 made up of MPs mostly from small parties, upon Friday reiterated they would vote against at least two cabinet ministers.
The two cabinet ministers who will not get their ballots of confidence are usually Social Development and Human Security Minister Chuti Krairiksh and Deputy Finance Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) Santi Promphat.
However , after the group declared their particular stance on Thursday night, Gen Prayut after that met Pichet Sathirachawal, a list MP for the PPRP, and head of the Group of sixteen, for talks, where he asked Mister Pichet and the team to back the particular 11 cabinet users in the no-confidence motion, Mr Peerawit stated.
“I have to admit that people feel uncomfortable. We’ve been asked to maintain the particular coalition government’s oneness by voting for your 11 cabinet ministers. But a few [small] celebrations may disagree.
“If they are forced to do so, they might decide to vote contrary to the censure targets and pull out of the govt.
“As a PPRP MEGA-PIXEL and head from the crew of 16, Mr Pichet may be questioned to vote for the cabinet ministers by yourself to maintain the ties with the PPRP, ” Mr Peerawit stated.
In addition to Gen Prayut, the girls also held speaks with Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda whom promised to be more accessible and offered his personal phone number for direct contact, Mr Peerawit stated.
He or she also confirmed since true a previous report that the PPRP had supported Deputy Prime Minister plus PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon to replace Gen Anupong as Interior Minister because divisions are deepening inside the ruling party and many of its MPs had been unhappy with Gen Anupong, who is a non-MP outsider.
Meanwhile, the Democrat Party, another coalition partner, has also been rocked by inner rifts, with a deputy party leader aiming to persuade party MPs to abstain from voting in support of Mr Chuti, a party source mentioned.
The particular deputy leader claimed Mr Chuti rarely took part within party activities and he also reportedly prepared to defect to a new party, the origin said.
However , another group of MPs, and former members of the now-defunct People’s Democratic Change Committee (PDRC) protest movement, has vulnerable to abstain from voting for Commerce Minister and Democrat head Jurin Laksanawisit plus Deputy Interior Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) and deputy Democrat leader Niphon Bunyamanee in a tit-for-tat for that move against Mr Chuti, the source said.
This prompted Mr Jurin to call an indoor meeting ahead of the election of confidence these days, the source said.
However , teachers believe there will be no cabinet reshuffle after the vote.
Wanwichit Boonprong, a political science lecturer at Rangsit University, said that the government can be expected to survive the vote of confidence after a round of lobbying in support of the particular censure targets.
However , after the debate, the public might still have lingering uncertainties, he said.
Mr Wanwichit also said that little parties did not have enough clout to press for a cabinet reshuffle, though the internal rift within the Democrat Celebration is now becoming an aspect that could force a reshuffle.
However , Gen Prayut is reluctant to reshuffle the cupboard because the government’s tenure will expire next year, Mr Wanwichit mentioned
Yutthaporn Isarachai, a political scientist from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University or college, also agreed how the censure debate may not have an impact on the coalition government as some of the information presented with the opposition in parliament had failed to have enough weight in order to rock the government.
However , some of the targeted ministers could hardly provide clear reactions to the accusations produced by the opposition, Mr Yutthaporn said. He or she also believed that small parties may not break ranks during the vote of confidence as they would have currently struck deals with those in power.
He also agreed that a cabinet reshuffle is unlikely as the government is nearing the end of its tenure while it remains to be seen whether the conflict among the Democrats will have a domino effect on the government.