Reshuffle not on PM's menu
Some of the 111 former TRT executives lunched with the PM at Government House yesterday - but neither the host nor her guests would say much later, especially about a reshuffle.
Government House was crowded with Pheu Thai ministers including two deputy prime ministers – Chalerm Yoobumrung and General Yutthasak Sasiprapha; ICT Minister Anudit Nakornthap; Deputy Agriculture Minister Natthawut Saikua and other former Thai Rak Thai executives – Yaowapa Wongsawad, Phoom-tham Vejchayachai, Prommin Lertsuridej. The lunch with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra lasted two hours.
After the meal, the PM refused to answer any questions. When asked what the former TRT executives were doing at Government House, she merely replied happily: “No House No 111; no more of this name.”
Other ministers and former TRT executives would not respond to the question either.
Natthawat said they had come for noodles and consultation on work, while Phoomtham said he was there to congratulate the PM’s new secretary, Suranand Vejjajiva and ask for a coffee.
“If I don’t have places to go, I will come here more often for a coffee. We might see each other more.” Phoomtham added.
Asked if he would help with the government’s work, Phoomtham said he has at last got all his rights back. Yaowapa just smiled and refused to answer any questions.
Chalerm, too, would not give details of the lunch meeting. “I just had a pork noodle with the PM,” he said.
However, a source close to the Prime Minister admitted the PM did not feel inclined to have a Cabinet reshuffle so soon after the end of the former TRT executives’ political ban. The source said the PM wanted to extend the reshuffle time to October, the end of 2012 fiscal year, contradicting rumours there would be a Cabinet change right after the ban was lifted.
New PM’s Office spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong said the meeting of former TRT executives and the PM was all about work and using Government House. She denied her role was to lead other ex-TRT executives to take up positions in the government.
A Government House source said the ex-TRT executives who had lunch with the PM are close to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and PM Yingluck had marked them as important political players in her government and the Pheu Thai Party.
However, it was reported that the persons who had lunch were candidates for Cabinet positions during a reshuffle set for the middle or the end of July. The Cabinet reshuffle would effect about 5-7 members, including coalition parties. The leader of Chart Pattana Party, Suwat Liptapanlop, and leader of Pha Lang Chon Party, Sonthaya Khunpluem, will return to the Cabinet.
