Aide denies discord as Thaksin visits HK

Noppadon and Pheu Thai sources said that Thaksin might either stop off in Cambodia or Myanmar’s Tachilek area, which borders Chiang Rai.

“I don’t want to confirm Thaksin’s itinerary because I am not sure about his travel plans,” Noppadon said.

He dismissed speculation that Thaksin’s trip coincided with the growing dissatisfaction among the red shirts and certain Pheu Thai factions in connection with the latest Cabinet line-up.

He said the new Cabinet list has yet to be formally announced and that Thaksin was not paying any attention to allegations of fights ensuing over the allocation of Cabinet seats. 

While Government House is in the process of submitting the Cabinet line-up for royal approval, Pheu Thai officials said various factions are lobbying for the revision of certain portfolios because they claim that the new job allocation has failed to comply with earlier agreements. 

For instance, Cabinet seats allocated to allies of Thaksin’s sister Yaowapha Wongsawat are said to be contrary to the agreement.

However, party officials said it was too late to amend the line-up because the list was already on its way to the Palace.

They also said that Thaksin would mediate and dispel dissatisfaction over the changes.

In a last-ditch attempt to appease the red shirts, a Pheu Thai powerbroker tried to make an about-turn by offering a Cabinet seat to their leader Jatuporn Promphan.

But Jatuporn turned down the offer.

Government House sources said government spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong was put down for the position of PM’s Office Minister at the last minute. She was apparently given the job simply because Pheu Thai executive Phumtham Wechayachai declined the appointment.

Phumtham reportedly wants to work directly under the prime minister but his job description says that he would have to report via PM’s secretary-general Suranand Vejjajiva.

At the weekly press conference held by the red shirts, the group’s chairperson Thida Thawornseth questioned why Jatuporn had been overlooked in the new Cabinet line-up and reminded the government of the relationship it has with Pheu Thai and the red shirts. She also said that this government was elected thanks to votes from the red-shirt supporters. 

 

A subtle warning

“I understand the government has to cope with political turbulence but it cannot survive without popular support,” she said, adding that she was disappointed that the administration chose to abandon Jatuporn in order to appease the elite. 

Jatuporn, meanwhile, said that what happened to him was a sign of weakness as the government was trying to cling to power by bowing to the elite and neglecting to heed people’s aspirations.

He said he swore that he and fellow red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua had never asked for any position or monetary rewards from Thaksin when they met in Hong Kong earlier this month. 

“I accept the reality – I am a fighter who has many defects after the battle, hence I’ve been delegated to the back row,” he said.

He also voiced disappointment that many people who had not taken part in the battle had moved up in the ranks, while a fighter like him had no choice but to look on. He warned the government that corruption, abuse of power and abandoning the people would cause it to lose its power base.

Thus far, the red shirts have been protecting the government, but this will not be the case if the people’s wishes, such as the charter rewrite, go unheeded, he warned.

“The opponents are waiting gleefully to see me lead the red shirts to chase this government out,” he said.