Chalerm to go with Yingluck to give Songkran blessing to Prem Thursday
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Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said on Monday that he will accompany Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to pay homage and give a Songkran blessing to Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda on Thursday.
Chalerm confirmed reports that Yingluck planned to lead a group of Cabinet members to visit Prem on the occasion of Songkran or the Thai New Year festival.
Chalerm said he did not know which Cabinet members would accompany Yingluck to visit Prem but he would also join the group to seek advice and a blessing from Prem.
However, Chalerm denied that the visit was aimed at seeking Prem’s blessing for the on-going charter amendments.
He said privy councillors had nothing to do with politics and the prime minister and Cabinet members simply wanted to pay respect to a senior person.
Last week, Prem allowed the commanders of the armed forces and the police commissioner-general to visit him at the Si Sao Theves residence on the occasion of Songkran festival.
Chalerm declined to comment on the reports that the coalition-leader Pheu Thai Party was seeking to reconcile with Prem so that Yingluck’s brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, could return home.
Chalem said he believed that all sides now agreed with him that a reconciliation bill would have to be enacted to allow reconciliation to take place.
