By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PHEU THAI MP Nikorn Somklang has been speculated to replace MP Sudawan Wangsupakitkosol for a ministerial seat in a potential Bhumjaithai-led cabinet under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, a partisan source said today (March 27).
Nikorn, widely known as a protege of the Wangsupakitkosol family, a “Big House” of veteran politicians in Nakhon Ratchasima, is more or less expected to assume the social development & human security portfolio in lieu of Sudawan who had been found unqualified to assume a ministerial seat and quietly denied due to her being earlier involved in alleged encroachment of a public parcel of land in Nam Yuen district of Ubon Ratchathani by her family’s agri-business firm, thus possibly violating the politician’s code of ethics.
The Department of Special Investigation had obtained a court subpoena for Sudawan under a legal battle over the land encroachment case.
Apart from the Wangsupakitkosol family’s struggle to grab a ministerial seat, albeit bound to be assumed by one of their proteges, Pheu Thai Secretary-General Prasert Chanthararuangthong, who belongs to another “Big House” of politicians in Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat, will likely be given a cabinet seat at a minister’s status no matter if Nikorn may be eventually given one as well.
Tussles over ministerial seats among the Pheu Thai rank and file remotely steered by de facto party boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra had been rife and rampant since Somsak Thepsuthin, co-leader of the Sam Mit faction inside Thaksin’s camp, among others, was desperately striving to grab a ministerial seat whereas Suriya Juangroongruangkit, the other Sam Mit faction leader who has earlier acted as Pheu Thai electoral campaign director, will likely assume the agriculture & cooperatives portfolio.
Besides Thaksin, his ex-spouse Podjaman Damapong and his daughter/deposed prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra were more or less viewed to have the final say on the contentious allocation of ministerial seats among the party’s rank and file.
In proportion to the number of MP seats secured by the neo-conservative Pheu Thai in last month’s general election, there will likely be eight ministerial seats for Thaksin’s camp including five at a minister’s status and three at a deputy minister’s status.
Largely speculated to assume seats in the Anutin II cabinet at a minister’s status are Thaksin’s nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat, Pheu Thai leader Julapun Amornvivat and Suriya for the higher education, science, research & innovation, education and agriculture & cooperatives portfolios respectively.
CAPTION:
Nikorn Somklang and Sudawan Wangsupakitkosol, inset in above image and left in Front Page image. Above photo – TNN, Front Page photo – PPTVHD36
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