Varawut confident Prayut will survive oath wording controversy
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa on Friday expressed confidence that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha would survive the political storm surrounding his oath-taking ceremony.
During his first official meeting with heads of government agencies on Thursday, Prayut apologised to his Cabinet members over the oath wording and said he would take sole responsibility.
Prayut’s move was seen as a tacit admittance that he had failed to complete the oath wording as required by the constitution. His opponents said he failed to say during the oath taking that he would protect and comply with the charter.
Varawut said he is not worried about the issue “because the prime minister will survive this storm and the government boat will survive the storm.
“This government doesn’t depend on a particular minister but all rowers must row in the same direction. If the captain steering the boat survives, we all will.”
Speaking about the announcement by five micro coalition partners that they would function as independent opposition parties, Varawut said there was probably a misunderstanding.
Thai Civilized Party leader Mongkolkit Suksintharanonn announced Thursday that his and four other micro parties would pull out of the coalition out of dissatisfaction that they were being ignored by the coalition leaders. Each of the micro parties has one House seat.