Yongyuth resigns as deputy PM, interior minister
Play
Yongyuth Wichaidit Friday stepped down as deputy prime minister and interior minister following reports that the Pheu Thai core members pressured him to resign.
Yongyuth claimed he decided to resign on his own with no one pressuring him.
He said he had submitted his resignation to the Government House and would take effect on October 1.
He said he would remain in the position of the Pheu Thai leader and party-list MP.
“I resign with regret and no one gave me any opinion,” Yongyuth said.
“I resign because a small reason. It’s about legal technicality. Some said I could not perform my duty. It’s personal reason and personal need."
It was earlier reported that the Pheu Thai strategic committee decided to have Yongyuth step down from the Cabinet after the Interior Ministry’s Civil Service Sub-commission resolved on September 14 to fire him retroactively as the permanent secretary for Interior for having committed a severe disciplinary action.
According to Thai Rath, the strategic committee of the Pheu Thai made an urgent call to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was visiting the US, suggesting that Yongyuth should not hold any political position now or else the Pheu Thai could be affected.
Thai Rath said PM’s Office Minister Niwatthamrong Boongsongphaisarn would become acting deputy prime minister and interior minister, replacing Yongyuth.
The CSC sub-commission decided to fire Yongyuth as demanded by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which decided to indict Yongyuth for failing to act on the Council of State’s recommendation to revoke the land deed of Alpine golf course. The revocation of the land deed would result in the revocation of the land sale from a temple to the company that owns the golf course.
Yongyuth earlier declined to step down following the action of the CSC sub-commission, claiming that he should have retroactively received leniency under the 2007 Exoneration Act.
