Ministers change schedules amid reports of reshuffle

Among them was Justice Minster Pol General Pracha Promnok, who presided over an event at which compensation totalling Bt19 million was handed out to 77 people claiming damages over the 2010 crackdown. 

Yesterday was the fourth time such payment has been made, with compensation for victims of the 2010 crackdown to date totalling Bt50 million.

Pheu Thai members, Weng Tojirakarn and Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) chief Thida Thavornseth, who is his wife, were also present at the event. 

Of the 77 claimants, 18 hailed from Ubon Ratchathani, 28 from Udon Thani, six from Khon Kaen, four from Chiang Mai, one from Mukdahan and 20 from Bangkok. 

Red-shirt detainees received Bt411 per day spent in prison, and if their case was dropped, those detained for up to 180 days were eligible for another Bt750,000 for mental rehabilitation. Those detained for more than 180 days got Bt1.5 million.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, who oversees national security, told reporters yesterday that he had cancelled a scheduled trip to the South this weekend. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday also cancelled a meeting with him at which she was scheduled to discuss the problems of the restive South.

 

Chalerm remains unfazed

Chalerm, meanwhile, said he would respect Yingluck’s decision if she chose to give him the reins of the Labour Ministry, because then he could look into the problem of illegal migrant workers. 

He denied that his possible transfer could be related to his over-zealous monitoring of political rallies and investigations into “plots” to topple the government.

Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, chairman of the Water and Flood Management Policy Committee, also abruptly postponed his visit to Tak’s Mae Sot district.

Plodprasop had earlier informed local government agencies that he would visit Mae Sot’s tambons Maedao, Maeku and Phra That Phadaeng to follow up on progress of cadmium clean-up operations.

He also planned to visit Padah village in Tambon Phra That Phadaeng and another to a mine belonging to Phadaeng Industry yesterday. 

Residents and local officials, who had prepared a lavish reception for the minister, were confused by the cancellation and there was speculation that Plodprasop was about to be removed from the Cabinet.

Separately, Education Minister Pongthep Thepkanjana chaired a meeting of the panel in charge of the revolving fund to help teachers in debt. He said the meeting had resolved to allocate Bt500 million for 2,500 teachers, who will be granted a soft-loan of Bt200,000 each.