Two of the governing coalition parties have tried to distance themselves from accusations of disloyalty from Pheu Thai’s de facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra, insisting that he was not referring to them.
At a seminar of the ruling Pheu Thai Party on Friday, guest speaker Thaksin lashed out at some unspecified coalition government party ministers for not attending an important cabinet meeting on December 11th, saying that they should resign.
The seminar was being hosted by Thaksin’s daughter, formal leader of Pheu Thai and current prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Bhumjaithai Party leader and deputy prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul says he does not believe that the remarks were directed at his party, adding “I didn’t know that the weekly cabinet meeting had been moved to December 11th, so I attended a doctor’s appointment instead.”
During his consultation with the doctor, he said that the prime minister’s secretary-general, Prommin Lertsuridej, called him, asking him to attend the cabinet meeting because there was important legislation to consider.
“So, I went to the cabinet meeting,” he said, adding that many other ministers from his party were also present, except those with official engagements elsewhere.
When asked whether Thaksin’s comments could be interpreted as a message for his party, Anutin said Bhumjaithai only responds to the prime minister, as she is the leader of the government.
United Thai Nation Party spokesman Akaradej Wongpitakroj also denied that Thaksin was referring to his party.
The party’s cabinet members, Deputy Prime Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga and Deputy Commerce Minister Suchat Chomklin, were absent from the meeting, but had advised the prime minister’s office of their intended absences in advance.
