11 July 2024

Bhumjaithai party leader Anutin Charnvirakul maintains that his party will not relinquish the ministerial portfolios for transport, public health or tourism and sports to the Palang Pracharat party.

In a Facebook post on Saturday night, he wrote “Ministries are meant for people to get to work, not for being traded. Period.”

In the next post, he wrote:  “Transport, Public Health and Tourism are not changeable.”

The above statements by Mr. Anutin are the latest response to the Palang Pracharat party’s flip-flop on the allocation of cabinet seats to the two “kingmaker” parties, Bhumjaithai and Democrat.

It was reported that Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak might not joint General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s cabinet if the Palang Pracharat party does not control these key economic ministries, which were promised to the Democrats and Bhumjaithai.

Palang Pracharat party leader Uttama Savanayana and party secretary-general Sotirat Sontijirawong have been assigned to re-negotiate, with the two potential coalition partners, for the return of the three economically significant ministries in exchange for education and energy.