Democrats rewarded for crossing the floor
The new cabinet’s line-up is expected to be submitted for royal endorsement this weekend. After the former opposition Democrat Party forged an alliance with the ruling Pheu Thai Party, the new cabinet will now have the support of 322 MPs in parliament.
Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said yesterday that Pheu Thai was verifying the eligibility and backgrounds of the candidates before submitting the approved list for royal endorsement.
“Pheu Thai is trying to ensure each cabinet minister is a good fit,” said Mr Phumtham, who became acting prime minister following Srettha Thavisin’s dismissal by the Constitutional Court.
“The cabinet line-up is almost finalised. After it is royally endorsed, it will get straight to work,” he said.
Mr Phumtham previously said the new cabinet list is expected to be drawn up by the end of the week.
Prommin Lertsuridej, the PM’s secretary-general, said yesterday that the government now has a sizeable majority, following the Democrats’ participation.
MPs supporting the coalition government include 141 from Pheu Thai, 70 from the Bhumjaithai Party, 36 from the United Thai Nation Party, 25 Democrats, 10 from the Charthaipattana Party, three from Chart Pattana, and 21 from a faction led by Capt Thamanat Prompow within the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).
The Democrat Party decided to cross the floor despite fierce opposition from veteran politicians and party loyalists, including former leaders Chuan Leekpai, Banyat Bantadtan and Jurin Laksanawisit, who voiced opposition to any political alliance with Pheu Thai.
Key Democrat executives said on Thursday night that the party would nominate their leader Chalermchai Sri-on as the natural resources and environment minister and secretary-general Det-it Khaothong as a deputy public health minister.
Meanwhile, observers say that the PPRP is split into two camps, one controlled by Gen Prawit Wongsuwon and the other by party secretary-general Capt Thamanat, the caretaker agriculture minister.
Capt Thamanat said he had severed ties with a figure he highly respected in the party, a reference to Gen Prawit. But he maintained that he and his group would remain in the party unless expelled.
In that case, they would be free to defect to another party with their MP status intact.
When Pheu Thai announced it was dumping the PPRP, it apparently referred to the Prawit faction. The ruling party was inclined to keep the Thamanat faction in cabinet or name individuals linked to the group as cabinet ministers.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra clarified Pheu Thai’s decision to align with the Democrats yesterday, saying the new government needs to maintain its majority in parliament after the PPRP was excluded from the coalition.
“We need a stable government. We need enough support in parliament to push for the passage of laws to address people’s problems. The Democrats’ backing will help us achieve that,” she said.
“The current executives of the Democrat Party are different from their predecessors. Things have changed. We now have to move forward.”
Asked if red-shirt supporters would be upset by the alliance, Ms Paetongtarn said: “I have empathy with the red shirts. But I promised to be a prime minister who serves all Thais.”
The conflict between the Democrat and Pheu Thai parties reached boiling point in 2010 when Abhisit Vejjajiva, the then-Democrat prime minister, ordered police to retake the site occupied by the Pheu Thai-backed red-shirt protesters at Ratchaprasong intersection. The ensuing clashes with the police resulted in 85 deaths, mostly protesters.