By Thai Newsroom Reporters
FOUR PHEU THAI cabinet members are anticipated shortly to resign as party-listed MPs so they will be immediately replaced with others in effort to secure a majority of elected lawmakers for the Pheu Thai-led coalition government, no matter how meagre and precarious it could be, according to a partisan source.
That refers to Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Sudawan Wangsupakitkosol, Deputy Education Minister Linthiporn Warinwatchararoj and Prime Minister’s Office Minister Chusak Sirinil, who are all performing as Pheu Thai party-listed MPs in concurrent fashion.
Upon their resignation as lawmakers anticipated shortly, others on the Pheu Thai list of candidates contesting 2023’s general election will be quietly picked by the court-suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s father/de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra as their replacements for legislative duties at parliament. Given a total of 100 candidates on the party list, they may not necessarily be chosen on a ranking basis, the partisan source said.
Those Pheu Thai cabinet members are expected to follow suit of Prime Minister’s Office Minister Suchart Tancharoen who has already resigned as Pheu Thai MP to give way for another on the party list to take his place at parliament.
Unlike constituency-based MPs whose replacements are legally provided by way of by-elections in respective constituencies, party-listed MPs can be replaced at any given time by any of their colleagues already designated on the party list.
The rank and file of the Pheu Thai, core of the current coalition, have considerably feared House meetings could be unduly adjourned week in, week out due to lack of a quorum as had been the case of last week’s first meeting of the current House session which lasted less than an hour without the presence of most Pheu Thai members of cabinet.
Following last month’s withdrawal of the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob with an army of 69 MPs at his command from the coalition, the Pheu Thai-led government is currently maintaining support of 255 coalition MPs whilst a House quorum needs a minimum of one half of the total 495 MPs, accounting for 247.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. Photos: Thai Rath
Also read: New House session’s first meeting ends after less than an hour
Acting PM has no power to dissolve House: Council of State
Chief govt whip suggests casino bill be indefinitely pulled out
Court-ordered ouster of Paetongtarn as culture minister sought
Thailand faces 36% hike as Trump unveils first wave of steeper US tariffs in push for deals
Review 2026 budget as Thailand is facing full 36% tariff hike: Korn
