Wan has joined another party, not Bhumjaithai, says Anutin

Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday that former Pheu Thai member Wan Yubamrung has joined a new party, but it isn’t his party.

“I’ve heard that Wan has applied for membership with a party, but I don’t know which one. You must ask Wan,” Anutin said.

The Bhumjaithai Party leader was responding to a reporter’s question on whether his party would take Wan into its fold if he applied.

Wan formally resigned from Pheu Thai Party on Monday after he was reprimanded by party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra for showing support to an arch-rival. Wan had visited Pol Lt-General Kamrongwit Thoopkrajang who was contesting against Pheu Thai candidate Chan Puangpetch at the Pathum Thani CEO election on June 30.

Anutin said he had very close ties with Wan and his father, Pheu Thai party-list MP Chalerm Yubamrung, and would be happy to welcome them to his party anytime. However, he said, he had heard that Wan had found a new party to join.

Wan was previously a Pheu Thai MP for Bangkok until he was beaten by a candidate from Move Forward Party in last year’s election.

Anutin said his party has no plans to contest for a  House seat in Bangkok because opinion surveys show that Bhumjaithai and him as its leader are not too popular among Bangkokians.

He also said that Wan had once called him to ask if he could seek a job as vice interior minister, and he had responded by saying he would be ready to give him this post.