Thaksin’s return ‘family affair’, says Phumtham as Pheu Thai prepares for Srettha’s win
Pheu Thai deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai believes the party’s PM candidate Srettha Thavisin will easily win more than 375 of 750 votes during the joint parliamentary voting session scheduled on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha announced that the lawmakers have between 3pm and 5pm on Tuesday to elect a new prime minister.
The decision was made after the Constitutional Court suspended Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the winning Move Forward Party, from Parliament on Wednesday.
Phumtham also told reporters on Saturday that former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s plan to return to Thailand on Tuesday was coincidental and the “family affair” of the party’s other PM candidate Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
“Please direct any questions about Thaksin’s return to his daughter Paetongtarn. It’s not Pheu Thai’s business,” he declared.
In an Instagram post on Saturday morning, Paetongtarn said she will be greeting her father at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport on Tuesday morning.
Phumtham also dismissed the so-called leaked list of ministries allocated to members of the Pheu Thai-led coalition. The so-called document has been widely shared on social media.
“I have no knowledge of any such document. It must be fake as we have not drafted anything,” he said.
The document claims that Pheu Thai will get 16 posts of ministers and deputy ministers, while eight will go to Bhumjaithai, six to Palang Pracharath and four to outgoing PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s United Thai Nation Party.
