Opposition leader sees Srettha losing PM’s seat to Paetongtarn next year
Move Forward Party leader Chaithawat Tulathon said the prime minister’s post might change hands by mid-2024 because Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is facing many complaints.
Chaithawat, the opposition leader, said the incumbent Senate will complete its five-year term in the middle of next year, and Srettha may be replaced by Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
He backed his prediction by the fact that Srettha is facing several complaints from independent organisations. Plus, he said, the opposition may also file more complaints against him.
Among the complaints is an accusation that Srettha violated the new Police Commission Act regarding the appointment of the latest national police chief. He was also accused of helping a group of landowners avoid paying land tax when selling land to his real estate company, Sansiri.
Chaithawat added that he hopes Srettha will be more proactive in the new year, citing the case of unskilled workers’ wage hike as an example of the PM’s “hands-free” tactics.
He said the PM had failed to inform the tripartite committee of the government’s policy on wage increases and waited until the committee decided to adjust the wages very slightly before crying foul.
Meanwhile, Democrat party-list MP Jurin Laksanawisit said he has been assigned by his party to lead Democrat MPs in the debate against the budget bill on January 3.
He said he would touch the overall picture of the bill without digging into deep details because of time constraints.
