Thammanat clique of MPs to return to Palang Pracharath Party

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

SEVERAL MPs UNDER GUIDANCE of Thammanat Prompao who has earlier led an exodus of “renegade” legislators from the Palang Pracharath Party will return to the largest coalition partner soon, confirmed MP Pai Lik last evening (Nov.21).

Pai told Palang Pracharath boss-cum-Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan during the latter’s visit to the former’s constituency of Kamphaengphet that he and several MPs who are concurrently attached to the Thai Economic Party will almost certainly return to the Palang Pracharath and contest the next general election under the ruling party’s tickets.

Nevertheless, Pai stopped short of either confirming or denying that Thammanat, former Palang Pracharath secretary-general and former Thai Economic leader, would follow suit sooner or later.

Earlier this year, Thammanat led a group of 21 MPs including himself in an exodus from the Palang Pracharath to the Thai Economic in the wake of uncompromised conflict of interest within Prawit’s camp. Only 14 of those “renegade” lawmakers have reportedly stayed with Thammanat whilst the others opted out for the Bhumjaithai Party, the second largest coalition partner.

According to partisan sources, the Thammanat clique would definitely not return to the Palang Pracharath unless the largest coalition partner has practically stopped endorsing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for head of government in the next general election.

Though Prayut was named the sole Palang Pracharath candidate for prime minister in the 2019 general election, he might no longer be given such a privilege or might only be among a trio of partisan contenders for the top post of government, the sources said.

Prayut who has looked to prolong his rule for about two years after the nationwide election has been personally close to the Palang Pracharath top leader to whom the Thammanat group reportedly remains loyal.

Following last year’s censure/no-confidence motion, Prayut kicked Thammanat out of his cabinet for having allegedly hatched a hush-hush plot to have certain coalition and splinter-party MPs abstain from casting yea votes for the embattled premier.

CAPTIONS:

Top and Front Page: Thammanat Prompao, left in above photo and right in Front Page photo, and Pik Lik. Top photo: Matichon Weekly, Front Page photo: Matichon

Insert: Palang Pracharath boss-cum-Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, left, and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Photo: INN News

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