DEMOCRAT PARTY have dared caretaker Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan to transfer the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives and the Ministry of Commerce from the third largest coalition partner to his own Palang Pracharath Party, core of the coalition government.
Democrat party spokesman Ramet Ratanachaweng yesterday (August 29) expressed strong dissent among the rank and file of his partisan colleagues over news reports that the caretaker premier might probably consider transferring those economic portfolios from under care of Democrat Party to Palang Pracharath Party of which he concurrently performs as top leader. However, Ramet declined to tell how the Democrat rank and file would react if those economic portfolios were eventually transferred to Prawit’s camp.
The Democrat party spokesman made his comments in response to those earlier made by Palang Pracharath MP Sanhapot Suksrimuang that Prawit has been advised to consider transferring from Democrat Party to Palang Pracharath Party the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives and the Ministry of Commerce currently run by Democrat party secretary-general Chalermchai Sri-on and Democrat party leader/Deputy Prime Minister Jurin Laksanavisit respectively.
According to the Palang Pracharath MP of Nakhon Sri Thammarat, the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives and the Ministry of Commerce could potentially increase popular support for the largest coalition party from among villagers of southern constituencies for which MP seats were largely divided between Bhumjaithai Party, Palang Pracharath Party and Democrat Party in the 2019 election.
Both economic portfolios, allocated to the Democrats since the last few years, primarily deal with the welfare and hand-to-mouth conditions of the people, especially the farmers, with potential to raise partisan popularity during the run up to the next general election.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who is currently stopped at the order of the Constitutional Court from performing as head of government had earlier assigned Prawit to take the helm of the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives only to encounter a vehement protest from the Democrats, thus prompting him to return the full responsibility to Chalermchai.
Palang Pracharath Party has two cabinet seats vacant following last year’s ouster of Thammanat Prompao and Naruemon Pinyosinwat as deputy agriculture & cooperatives minister and deputy labour minister respectively.
Nevertheless, it is yet to be seen whether Prawit will sooner or later reshuffle the cabinet or transfer any portfolios as reportedly speculated by the Palang Pracharath rank and file whilst he has remained tight-lipped so far over such matters.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Caretaker Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, right, and Democrat party spokesman Ramet Ratanachaweng, left. Photo: Matichon.
Front Page: Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan. Photo: INN News
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